November 11, 2016
College basketball gets underway again tonight, and with the Sixers currently sitting at 0-7, it’s probably wise to continue paying attention to the top of the draft for potential future Sixers. Quickly because I have to get down to the arena for Sixers-Pacers tonight, here are five teams that I’ll be keeping tabs on this college season:
First game: Marist at 7:00 pm tonight (Watch ESPN)
Duke was already pretty loaded before Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Robert Bolden (all currently popping up in Draft Express’ top-10) showed up on campus. Now they are the clear-cut top team in the country.
Unfortunately, all three of those players are currently battling injuries, with only Tatum expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s opener at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The big wild card here is Giles, who was the top overall player in the class before a couple of ACL tears in high school cast some serious doubt on his ability to stay healthy long-term. This guy seems to dunk everything:
Duke is going to be one of the best teams in the country, which is convenient for draftniks with the top-end talent on the roster.
First game: Yale at 7:00 pm on Sunday (Pac 12 Network)
Even if Ben Simmons is effectively a point guard, the Sixers could use another playmaker in the backcourt. That is good news, because Markelle Fultz enters the season as the top overall prospect:
A smooth slasher, Fultz has all the makings of a guard that drives opposing coaches crazy with his ability to make plays out of the pick-and-roll.
First game: Georgia Southern at 7:00 pm tonight (Watch ESPN)
Dennis Smith is the second-ranked player at the moment, and he’s a crazy leaper at only 6’2”. The big question for him is if he can consistently hit shots, but regardless it should be fun to watch:
First game: Stephen F. Austin at 7:00 pm tonight (SEC Network)
Need some guards? Kentucky is always one of the best college teams to watch for interested NBA fans, and John Calipari has a very athletic freshman backcourt in De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. In particular, Fox is a blur in the open court:
Big man Bam Adebayo is also here on what should be a national title contender.
First game: Indiana at 9:00 pm tonight (ESPN)
Bill Self is not messing around the first week of the season, starting off with No. 11 Indiana (tonight’s must-watch game) and then top-ranked Duke next week in the Champions Classic on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Athletic swingman Josh Jackson is the player to watch in Lawrence:
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
