Wichita State Basketball: Markis McDuffie to be the next great Shocker

Wichita State basketball will return to March with the help of their 6’8″ sophomore forward.

With sharp shooter Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet adjusting to their new roles in the NBA, the Wichita State Shockers are entering a brand new era without their former superstars.

Thankfully for Gregg Marshall and company, the Shockers have the right player to guide them back to the NCAA Tournament. That players’ name is Markis McDuffie.

The 6’8″ sophomore forward from Paterson, NJ had a solid freshman campaign, averaging 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. He also shot 43 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line, while limiting his turnovers to only one per outing.

McDuffie didn’t enter the rotation until the Shockers were ravaged by injuries at the AdvoCare Invitational, but his numbers helped him earn the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honor and a spot on the All-Freshman, All-Newcomer and All-Bench teams.

But McDuffie, who was actually a candidate to redshirt before last season began, has the potential to increase his production starting in 2016-17.

The New Jersey native was a four-star ESPN top 100 recruit out of St. Anthony High School a year ago. He had offers from other schools like VCU, Boston College, Maryland and Rutgers and was the 15th best small forward in the entire class of 2015.

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He was named to the preseason Missouri Valley First Team All-Conference squad by fellow coaches, was one of 20 players named to the Julius Erving Award preseason watch list (best small forward in the country) and was recently labeled as one of 20 “under the radar breakout players” for the 2016-17 season by FanRag’s Jon Rothstein.

Even beyond the rankings and the accolades, it was blatantly obvious just by watching McDuffie last year that he has massive upside. He’s explosive around the rim, has tremendous physical tools (length, size and strength) and is a solid defender who can guard numerous different positions.

McDuffie still has to work on his consistency from beyond the three point arc (32 percent last year) and his playmaking skills (0.7 assists per game). However, he has dealt with the rigors of college basketball for a full season. He now knows what to expect and what he needs to improve upon.

The fact that McDuffie played a big role on a team that made the second round of the NCAA Tournament as one of the youngest freshman in all of college basketball is remarkable in and of itself.

Youth is not an excuse anymore though.

Without Baker and VanVleet, the Shockers are at void of a offensive creator and a team centerpiece. While they still have Shaquille Morris, Zach Brown, Rashard Kelly, Conner Frankamp and some other nice young players, McDuffie is the one player who will be able to play with the ball in his hands.

His athleticism and high IQ will work in his favor. And of course, playing next to and learning from two of the best players in school history doesn’t hurt either.

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Even though Illinois State and Northern Iowa have a shot at winning the MVC crown in 2016-17, it’s still Wichita State’s to lose. Why? They still have Markis McDuffie.