Pac-12 Basketball: Breaking down the 2017-18 star on each team in the conference

Washington Huskies – Noah Dickerson

Washington’s new head coach Mike Hopkins has his work cut out for him this season, as he aims to turn the Huskies’ program around. While he has plenty of returning talent and some solid recruits coming, it is difficult to pinpoint one player that stands above the rest.

Some people will point to the David Crisp or Matisse Thybulle, but forward Noah Dickerson may be the most consistent all-around player on the team. Dickerson, the top returning rebounder, is a player Hopkins can rely on to compete down low.

Dickerson’s 12.5 points, 8.2 rebounds per game performance last year was greatly overshadowed by the play of teammate Markelle Fultz. Dickerson was the most reliable player for the Huskies in the paint and should have another successful season this year.

The difference between Dickerson’s star quality and that of Markelle Fultz is his ability to contribute to the team without being the focal point. While Fultz was an excellent player for Washington, his tendency to fall into hero ball allowed teams to key on him in order to shut down the Huskies’ offense.

With Dickerson, Cris, Thybulle, and the incoming recruits all being threats to score, teams will have a much more difficult time planning their defense. Dickerson’s consistency, strength, and competitiveness in the paint, however, make him the early star for Washington.