Wichita State Basketball: Landry Shamet poised for a breakout season

Wichita State basketball will start the 2017-18 season in the top-10, thanks in large part to star sophomore point guard Landry Shamet.

One of the best recruits Gregg Marshall has ever snagged for Wichita State, Landry Shamet has made a major difference in the program after just one full season playing with the team. Part of the Shockers’ 2015 recruiting class, which also included Markis McDuffie, Shamet was a three-star recruit according to 247Sports. After redshirting due to injury during the 2015-16 season, Shamet emerged onto the scene as the starting point guard this past season.

Playing 26.7 minutes per game in 36 appearances, Shamet averaged 11.4 points and 3.3 assists per game. In doing so, his efficiency from the field was incredible as a redshirt freshman, shooting 51.6% inside the arc and 43.9% from three. While turning the ball over only 1.1 times per game, Shamet’s ability to run an offense while limiting turnovers is something that cannot be understated.

Although Shamet mostly went under-the-radar last season due to the lack of national coverage for the Shockers, he really broke onto the scene during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Playing against one of the top backcourts in the country in the Kentucky Wildcats, led by De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, Shamet made a name for himself.

Although the Shockers lost 65-62, Shamet did everything that he could. He chalked up 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting, but the guts that he showed late in that game were something else. In just his freshman season, he showed that he is capable and willing to take the big shot for his team, and more often than not those shots go down.

Heading into this season, Wichita State will not be looked down upon like they were a season ago. They are coming off of a ridiculous season where the team went 31-5 only to be awarded a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In the offseason, the Shockers made the move from the Missouri Valley Conference to the American Athletic Conference. This is definitely a step up for them moving forward, as it will make their overall strength of schedule much better than what they have had in the past.

Returning every major contributor from last season’s team, the Shockers will enter the 2017-18 season as a preseason top-10 team. Landry Shamet will be the focal point of the offense next to Markis McDuffie, who scored 11.5 points per game a season ago. With both of their abilities to score and affect the game in a variety of ways, Shamet and McDuffie make up one of the best duos in the country.

As reported by the Kansas City Star, Shamet attributed following the game of former Wichita State star Fred VanVleet as to how he wants to play:

"“He’s just so patient, so under control,” Shamet said. “Nobody sped him up. He was just always in complete control, and that’s one thing I’m still trying to get a handle on, just staying at my pace, going at my speed and controlling the game.”"

Based on his play so far, Shamet’s control is a major part of his game. Shamet knows how to run at different paces and changes things up often to throw opponents off guard. Although his assist numbers are not incredibly high, Shamet does a great job getting into the lane, drawing a help defender, and dropping off passes to the open man on the weak side.

Now playing in a bigger conference with more high-profile opponents, Wichita State and Landry Shamet will get more and more national media attention, and Shamet will live up to the hype. The numbers might not jump off the page, but don’t get it twisted, Shamet is one of the best guards in the country. Numbers aren’t everything.

Shamet, at 6’4″, can play both guard positions and is willing to make an impact on the game in any way possible. He is a spectacular college basketball player and this season he will have a chance to take the Shockers deep in the NCAA Tournament. Next time you turn on a Shockers’ game, make sure to take note of #11. He’s hard to miss.

Next: Updated preseason top-25

Wichita State will have very high expectations heading into their first season in the AAC, and hopefully, they will be able to once again prove that they belong among the elite teams in the country. With Landry Shamet as the primary ball handler, the team looks to be in good shape for this season and those that follow. With his incredible talent, poise, and clutch play, he will be a leader for the Shockers on the quest to return to the Final Four, which they made in 2013.