I cut and pasted the MSU part of this ESPN very good article detailing some early trends in college basketball. They have some NBA scouts views as well. The article talks about Alabama’s (who we play one week from tonight) Brandon Miller being the, ugh, best frosh in the country. And they say Houston probably has their best team under Sampson.
Please make sure you are sitting down before reading the last sentence…after which you’ll probably say, as I did…am I living in the right Universe lol.
What's going on?
A top-50 recruit coming out of high school, Sissoko barely played a role during his first two seasons in East Lansing. He played double-digit minutes just five times in the first 55 games of his career, totaling 60 points in those games. But Tom Izzo and the Spartans needed him this season, and he has stepped up dramatically. He had just four points and six boards in the opener against Northern Arizona, but against two of the best big men college basketball has to offer -- Gonzaga's Drew Timme followed by Tshiebwe -- Sissoko held his own.
Will it last?
Sissoko went toe-to-toe with Timme in the first half of last week's game before Timme got going and Sissoko went to the bench with foul trouble. But he still finished with 14 points and nine boards. Then during Tuesday's Champions Classic double-overtime game against Kentucky, Sissoko made winning plays throughout the 50 minutes of action -- finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds, and seeing Tshiebwe foul out. He's getting to the free-throw line, finishing lobs at the rim and running the floor effectively. He's a huge part of the reason Michigan State looks like it will exceed expectations this season.
What they're saying
"The game has slowed down for him," one NBA scout said. "It's kind of comparable to his high school career, where he started off and struggled early. Wasn't a high-major player when he was a sophomore and junior. The game slowed down for him there. And then he got to college, and the game needed to slow down again. He's not looking over his shoulder anymore. He's just playing with confidence. They must have done a great job this offseason infusing him with confidence. They had to get him going. And now momentum is working in his favor. He's doing the simple things: rim-running, shot-blocking, screen-and-roll. He needs another year or two, but with how big and long he is and what he can do around the basket, it's not out of the question [that he becomes an NBA player]."
Please make sure you are sitting down before reading the last sentence…after which you’ll probably say, as I did…am I living in the right Universe lol.
What's going on?
A top-50 recruit coming out of high school, Sissoko barely played a role during his first two seasons in East Lansing. He played double-digit minutes just five times in the first 55 games of his career, totaling 60 points in those games. But Tom Izzo and the Spartans needed him this season, and he has stepped up dramatically. He had just four points and six boards in the opener against Northern Arizona, but against two of the best big men college basketball has to offer -- Gonzaga's Drew Timme followed by Tshiebwe -- Sissoko held his own.
Will it last?
Sissoko went toe-to-toe with Timme in the first half of last week's game before Timme got going and Sissoko went to the bench with foul trouble. But he still finished with 14 points and nine boards. Then during Tuesday's Champions Classic double-overtime game against Kentucky, Sissoko made winning plays throughout the 50 minutes of action -- finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds, and seeing Tshiebwe foul out. He's getting to the free-throw line, finishing lobs at the rim and running the floor effectively. He's a huge part of the reason Michigan State looks like it will exceed expectations this season.
What they're saying
"The game has slowed down for him," one NBA scout said. "It's kind of comparable to his high school career, where he started off and struggled early. Wasn't a high-major player when he was a sophomore and junior. The game slowed down for him there. And then he got to college, and the game needed to slow down again. He's not looking over his shoulder anymore. He's just playing with confidence. They must have done a great job this offseason infusing him with confidence. They had to get him going. And now momentum is working in his favor. He's doing the simple things: rim-running, shot-blocking, screen-and-roll. He needs another year or two, but with how big and long he is and what he can do around the basket, it's not out of the question [that he becomes an NBA player]."
