Saturday, September 22, 2018

4 To Watch In 2019

Last year heading into basketball season I did an initial list of 4 players in different phases of their career that I predicted to take their game to the next level. After pretty much hitting it right on the head I felt like doing a 2019 list. This list consist of a high school phenom, college freshman, NBA rookie, and a budding NBA player that's ready to take a quantum leap. Without further ado I present the 4 To Watch In 2019. First up we have Cole Anthony.


This 2nd generation player is the son of former NBA player and current CBS Sports analyst Greg Anthony. Right now he's the number 1 ranked point guard in the country and hasn't committed to any college. This year he will be playing for Oak Hill academy under the tutelage of Steve Smith as the nation awaits his college decision. Recently he narrowed his options down to 12 schools with Duke, UNC, Kentucky, and Villanova being amongst them. In May during the Nike EYBL stop in Hampton Virginia I finally got a chance to see this kid in person and impressed is an understatement. He controls the offense with the poise of a veteran. Every part of his game is elite and his athleticism is nonpareil. I absolutely think his playmaking ability is his strong point. He can shoot incredibly well and play lockdown defense but his ability to get buckets for himself and others is insane and will propel him to another level.




Cam Reddish is a player that can potentially be the most important piece to whatever success Duke University has this season. This Pennsylvania native has the perfect build for today's positionless style of basketball. A Paul George/Jayson Tatum type player with prime Joe Johnson's jumper is really the best way I can describe him. The step back and Euro-step are his offensive weapons of choice. While playing alongside Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett I don't expect him to put up nearly as many points as he's capable of per game but he'll be the one Coach K will depend on in big moments for a bucket. I'm a believer in players sticking around in college for longer than a year but some guys are ready after their freshman campaign. Cam will be one of those guys. Many casual fans might not be familiar with him yet because he didn't play during the Duke exhibitions in Canada but the world will be on notice soon. This All-American 2-way wing is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2019 draft. Keep this kid on your radar. Great things are ahead for him.




Expect Wendell Carter Jr. to be a key piece to the Chicago Bulls young core instantly. He's coming in as pretty high profile player already but I don't expect him to look like a rookie for long. He's a product of the evolved big man that can handle the general power forward duties and stretch the floor as well. As great as he was in college he was overshadowed by Marvin Bagley. That won't be the case in Chicago. I believe he has a good chance of averaging a double double and being one of the better shot blockers in the league this upcoming season as a rookie. Aside from being a menace in the low post on both ends of the court he's actually a pretty good 3 point shooter. Last season at Duke he shot 41% from beyond the arch and I believe that will carry over in the NBA. As good as Jaren Jackson Jr. is I think Memphis will soon regret picking him and not Wendell Carter Jr.




Spencer Dinwiddie is a player that I believe will continue to incline but this year specifically I see him taking a big jump. He has a first step that some of the best in the league can only dream of. According to ESPN production researcher Matt Williams last season Dinwiddie recorded the 5th most blow-bys on drives in the NBA. I trust that he'll continue to keep that in his arsenal of go-to moves and become even better at it like James Harden. This reigning Skills Challenge champion had the 2nd best assist to turnover ratio last season and I expect him to continue this trend while becoming an even better passer this season. Due to the mire of the Brooklyn Nets franchise it's easy to go under the radar when the team simply isn't built to win and national TV time is minimal to nonexistent. Last season he was also one of the better clutch scorers with a few game winners on his resume. His fearlessness and poise under pressure along with precise passing is going to make him an interesting player to teams looking to make additions to their backcourt as he approaches free agency next summer. With that in mind heading into a contract year after being cut twice and starting a season in the G-league this is his first time to really get paid. Expect him to play his heart out on a nightly basis. I expect his shooting percentage to improve and his PPG to jump from 12.6 to the 15-18 point range while still being a low turnover player. Not all star caliber yet but a damn good player that can be a contributor to a winning team in the future.