Questions and Answers — Ask Our College Basketball Expert: Part 4 of Bethereum’s College Basketball
Series
We’ve come to the end of the Bethereum College Basketball Series. In the final installment, we asked you, the Bethereum community, to ask our expert Michael Luchies questions about college basketball. We want you to be prepared to win when wagering on college basketball on the Bethereum Gaming Platform.
Read the rest of the Bethereum College Basketball Series here:
- Part 1: Quick Guide to NCAA Basketball
- Part 2: NCAA Basketball Betting Considerations
- Part 3: 2020 NCAA Final Four Predictions
Thank you again to all who submitted questions. Enjoy!
College Basketball Questions and Answers
Question: Who do you think are the best college players who didn’t make it in the NBA?
ML: I am not entirely sure if you are referring to college players who failed in the NBA, or those who never entered the league at all. I’ll touch just a bit on both.
Of the thousands and thousands of young men who play college basketball each year, only 60 players are drafted into the NBA, and a significant percentage of those players drafted come from international leagues. The top name here is Len Bias, who overdosed on cocaine the day after being drafted into the NBA.
The college game is much different than the NBA, although times are changing. There were many who thought Steph Curry’s game wouldn’t translate to the NBA, but he obviously proved them wrong. Other college standouts who didn’t make it into the NBA or failed to live up to expectations include Jimmer Fredette, Kevin Pittsnogle, Mateen Cleaves (while he had a couple cups of coffee in the league), Greg Oden, and Adam Morrison.
Question: Where do you see the NCAA college basketball in 5 years?
ML: This is a great question, but I don’t think there are any clear answers here. Due to laws changing around the ability of college athletes to earn money based on their name and likeness, this may help keep players in college an extra year or two in order to continue to develop. However, this does decrease revenues for the NCAA. Bring a major shakeup in the structure of college basketball, I think college basketball will continue to grow. A change that would affect college basketball is if the NBA decides to once again allow high school players to enter the NBA draft, which would decrease the level of talent entering college basketball. Also, if the trend of high school players joining foreign professional basketball leagues continues, this will also have a negative impact on the college game.
Question: NBA draft is soon to come. Any prospects you see for this and the next draft?
ML: Yes, there are a lot of strong prospects and players who will be drafted during the two-round draft. It’s hard to tell where players will fall since we have not reached the end of the college season, but international players will also make up a significant portion of the total pool of drafted players for the 2020 NBA Draft.
This is one of the most talented classes of college freshman I’ve seen in the past decade, but due to having four years of eligibility, it’s hard to know at this time who will come back for another season in college, and who will declare for the NBA draft. Freshman players who could already be first round picks include Anthony Edwards (Georgia), Cole Anthony (UNC), Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky), James Wiseman (Memphis), and around 8–10 more.
Question: Some players decide to skip college and jump right to the NBA. What do you see as their biggest problem when trying to adjust to the pro league that NCAA players don’t have?
ML: The current NBA rules do not allow players to skip college basketball to declare for the NBA Draft, although this was an option in the past (LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett all skipped college). However, players may opt to play in a professional foreign league overseas to earn some money while playing at a reasonably high level, and then enter the NBA draft the following year.
High school players often length the strength and experience needed to succeed in the NBA. There is also a drastic change in the game when going from high school to the NBA. The level of competition, number of games, travel schedule, etc., all present challenges for new players.
Question: Where do you see women college basketball in the near future? Any players you think will make it in the NBA?
ML: I do not follow women’s college basketball or the WNBA, although I have attended a WNBA game in Houston years ago, and was very entertained, and have attended women’s college basketball games.
Question: Who would you pick as your NCAA dream team this season and in general?
ML: For this season, I would pick the following starting five without too much emphasis on position since college lineups are more creative than simply having the five traditional positions (PG, SG, SF, PF, C):
- Cassius Winston, Michigan State
- Markus Howard, Marquette
- Jordan Nwora, Louisville
- John Money, Notre Dame
- James Wiseman, Memphis
For my all-time college dream team, I would choose the following players:
- Michael Jordan, North Carolina
- Magic Johnson, Michigan State
- Larry Bird, Indiana State
- Lew Alcindor, UCLA
- Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas
Question: Who would you say is the next big name out of NCAA players?
ML: I’m far from a scout, and it’s hard to tell who will take the time to develop their name and brand in the college ranks. Since most great players only stay for a single year in college, they don’t really have time to become a star. Michigan State’s Cassius Winston is a good example of a player turning into a star over a full college career, although he was also highly touted early in his career.
In terms of next season, I would look out for Kentucky recruit Terrence Clark, a 6–7 SG who is ranked the 4th overall best prospect in this year’s recruiting class, and guard Jalen Suggs who is headed to Gonzaga. I think Suggs could stay multiple years and develop into one of the best guards in the nation and a college superstar.
Question: What do you think will make an NCAA player go from “pretty good player” in his freshman year to “bonafide star” on his next seasons?
ML: There are a lot of factors to consider. I think the most important factors include the following:
- Coaching
- Training and commitment
- Physical growth development
- Talent
- Playing time
- Strength of competition
Also, it can be hard for a player to become a star without being on a contending team. There are plenty of exceptions, but good teams get more attention, which makes it easier to become a star if you play for a winning team.
Before the start of March Madness, make sure to get experience wagering free points on college basketball on the Bethereum Gaming Platform.
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This series of articles is written by Michael Luchies. Read more of Michael’s articles on his Medium.
