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32. Ron Baker, senior guard, Wichita State. Baker can shoot for his fourth straight 30-win season in Wichita this year. That’s amazing. The dude is a pure shooter who can do a lot more and is just one more testament to Gregg Marshall’s ability to find diamonds in the rough. With a senior backcourt of Baker and Fred VanVleet, plus Kansas transfer Conner Frankamp coming off his redshirt and Cleveland State graduate transfer Anton Grady shoring up the frontcourt, the Shockers will once again run away with the Missouri Valley – and will be a force in March.

1. Fred VanVleet, senior guard, Wichita State. That’s right – a year after a freshman-dominated Duke team won it all, a senior is my top player in college basketball! There’s a little bit of legacy award-granting going on here, since in his three years, Wichita State made a Final Four, then became the first undefeated team entering the NCAA tournament in a quarter-century, then beat in-state rival Kansas on the way to the Sweet 16. If you’re not on board the VanVleet bandwagon by now then shame on you. He’s one of the better perimeter defenders in college basketball and one of the best quarterbacks from the point guard position. There’s no statistic that measures leadership, but this dude has it in spades. And he’s dropped 18 pounds in a little more than a year, cutting up and adding muscle. Wichita State ought to hover around the top 10 most of this season, and it’ll be VanVleet leading the way.

GrandpaBear wrote:VanVleet is good but is he really the best player in college basketball? I'm not sure he's the best player on his own team.

GrandpaBear wrote:Most of the AP All-Americans graduated or went pro, but FVV didn't make any of the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd teams last season. Some returning All-Americans who do return: Gonzaga Kyle Wiltjer, Oklahoma Buddy Hield, and Iowa State junior Georges Niang.

GrandpaBear wrote:VanVleet is good but is he really the best player in college basketball? I'm not sure he's the best player on his own team.

GrandpaBear wrote:Most of the AP All-Americans graduated or went pro, but FVV didn't make any of the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd teams last season. Some returning All-Americans who do return: Gonzaga Kyle Wiltjer, Oklahoma Buddy Hield, and Iowa State junior Georges Niang.

aceslifer wrote:when van fleet was selected pre-season 1st team All-American last year, I posted he was the weakest selection in 30 years. Since he never made 3rd team all-American team, I suspect I was correct. Predicting again, he will not be on any all-American team at the end of the season.