re: 2022-23 Basketball MegaThread

We are the favorites online to win Maui.

I wouldn't as well but most of those teams are dealing with significant roster turnover

Tonight's BWA Live dunk contest winner: Ricky Council IV

Less than 48 hours how we feeling?

NDSU was 23-10 last year, lost the Summit title game to miss the NCAAT by 4 points to SDSU. Their best player and leading scorer Sam Griesel (6'7 guard) transferred to Nebraska for his senior year.

We are favored by 21.5.

Hogs by 12. Lock it in.

In some of these early games against lesser competition, I think looking at how well the teams create turnovers is the biggest factor.

Last year, NDST was one of the worst teams in the country at turning teams over.

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Less than 48 hours how we feeling?

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Good.

97-61.

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NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR PICKS
Medcalf: Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Borzello: Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Gasaway: Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

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ALL-AMERICA TEAM PICKS
Borzello:
Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Gasaway:
Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

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POTENTIAL LOTTERY PROSPECTS

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Anthony Black, 6-7, FR, G/W, Arkansas

Black’s best upside is as a jumbo playmaker, and maybe even a big point guard. He has terrific positional size, floor-vision, and playmaking instincts. His high-level plays are as impressive as maybe any college freshman, in terms of the way he’s capable of going through the lane and finding people. Black also possesses the tools necessary to be a versatile defender. For that undeniable talent though, there are still plenty of questions. He needs to get stronger, more comfortable playing through contact, and assertive on both ends. He’s not a consistent shooter or finisher, so his own individual offense is questionable, especially in the half-court. His lack of shooting and scoring makes it difficult to play him off the ball, but it remains to be seen if he’s truly ready to run a team and manage a game. Overall, he has undeniable talent and upside, but is still in the relatively early stages of his development.

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Nick Smith, 6-4, FR, G, Arkansas

Smith finished as the top ranked prospect in the national class last year and has big expectations coming into the season. A skilled, 6-foot-4 guard, Smith fits a coveted prototype in today’s NBA because he’s a budding tough shot-maker who understands how to create separation and multiple levels and can also play both on and off the basketball. Now, the early reviews suggest he might not be quite as immediately dynamic as a player ranked number one overall should typically be. Simultaneously, his defense, decision-making, and finishing will all be points of emphasis for scouts throughout the year, but his stock is still very high to start the season.

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POTENTIAL 1ST ROUND PROSPECTS

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Jordan Walsh, 6-7, FR, F/W, Arkansas – Walsh was a McDonald’s All-American who finished 18th overall in the 247Sports Composite. He was an ultra-long combo-forward who played very hard, attacked the rim, and possessed top-notch defensive tools and potential versatility. His outside shooting and overall ball-skills were somewhat limited and so his best offensive position was typically the four. Thus far, that scouting report is consistent with the feedback coming out of Arkansas this fall. There’s true optimism about what he could become on the defensive end of the floor, but scouts want to see how his half-court offense, and specifically his shooting and instinctive feel for the game, evolve.

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POTENTIAL 2ND ROUND PROSPECTS

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Trevon Brazile, 6-10, SO, C/F, Arkansas – On a team loaded with draft prospects, specifically three potential one-and-dones, Brazile is maybe too far under-the-radar. The late-bloomer has grown three inches in the last few years and is still not a finished product physically. The Missouri transfer is athletic at the rim, blocked shots at a very high rate as a freshman, and showed some shooting potential during Arkansas’s foreign tour this summer. He’s a bit of a tweener right now until he’s able to make notable strides with his body or ball-skills. If he does both, he could be a major riser this season.

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Ricky Council IV, 6-6, JR, W, Arkansas – Council was the AAC’s Sixth Man of the Year last season at Wichita State and will now play that role at Arkansas. He’s strong with good positional size, can get downhill attacking both sides, is a good vertical athlete at the rim, and a very good perimeter rebounder. The shooting is the swing skill that and it’s critical for a role player. He made just 30.6% from behind the arc last year, but was at 44% a year earlier with a limited sample size and is also a 78% career free-throw shooter.

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