Jon Rothstein of CBS recently tweeted out his Top 5 players that have the potential to make a big jump this upcoming season.
Lets take a look at each player and highlight why they could be primed for a breakout season.
Bonzie Colson PF 6-5 235 lbs. Notre Dame:
At a glance it would seem that Colson is extremely undersized for a power forward in the ACC, but Colson has a 6’11” wingspan that allows him to play much bigger than his 6’5″ frame. Not only does he play with great energy and heart; Bonzie also has a great feel for the game. His coaches rave about his intangibles and his passing ability. Look for Bonzie to thrive in the uptempo system that Coach Brey runs. With the absence of Pat Connaughton there will be more opportunities for Colson.
Ja’Quan Newton G 6-2 185 lbs. Miami:
Newton is a former ESPN Top 100 recruit hailing from the class of 2014. In his freshman season with the Canes he saw action in 34 games and started 3. His season high of 16 points came against Notre Dame. In that game he shot 66% and showed he could get into the lane using his outstanding quickness. Not only is Newton quick, but he proved in Cameron Indoor Stadium that he can elevate and finish in traffic this past season. Versus the Blue Devils he blew by Quinn Cook and then proceeded to dunk on Rasheed Sulaimon. Newton will have plenty of opportunity as the Hurricanes will need to replace Lacomte and Burnett.
Marial Shayok SG 6-5 207 lbs. UVA:
Shayok was a prized addition for Coach Bennett as he was the only freshman to see action in all 34 games for the Cavs. The reason many feel that Shayok will breakout this season is because he is similar to Justin Anderson, in the way that he is a big bodied athletic wing that is multi-skilled. At first glance it is obvious that Shayok is an excellent defender given his physcial abilities, but he also has a decent touch on the offensive end. In his freshman campaign he proved to be capable of knocking down the three ball and posted a clip of 38% from distance. Bennett will definitely look to Shayok to replace Justin Anderson who left to pursue his professional career.
Malik Abu PF 6-8 240 lbs NCSU:
Coach Gottfried has already challenged Malik to become a more effective scorer this coming season. There is not a player on this list that has a greater potential to breakout this season than Abu! He has all of the physical tools a coach can dream of and he has the mental makeup to take full advantage. There are many adjectives that can be used to describe Malik, but more often than not it is his personality and selfless demeanor that makes the headlines. NC State will need points this season after leading scorer Trevor Lacey left to play overseas, and his running mate Ralston Turner graduated.
If State is going to contend for a top-6 finish this season they will need Abu to answer Coach Gottfried’s call to be a more effective scorer from the block. Last season there were plenty of flashes that enticed Pack fans and at times it looked like Abu was on the cusp of something great. The real challenge this season will be the fact that it will be expected of him to be more consistent and other teams will be aware. The main thing for Abu is to be aggressive, but still allow the game to come to him. Cat Barber and Abu could make for a lethal combo in the pick and roll. Only time will tell if Abu is capable of reaching his full potential.
Chinanu Onuaku PF 6-10 230 lbs. Louisville:
Standing at an imposing 6’10” Onuaku uses his length to defend and block shots. Last season he averaged over a block a game despite only averaging 17 minutes per contest. With the departure of Harrell, Coach Pitino will turn to Onuaku to fill his void. Even though his strength is on the defensive end, Onuaku showed that he can finish well around the basket. In his freshman season he shot a sensational 62% from the field. Another positive for Onuaku is that he just recently helped the 19U USA team win gold in Greece at the FIBA World Championship. Look for this experience to springboard Onuaku heading into the fall.
