Pac-12 Basketball: Breaking down the 2017-18 star on each team in the conference
By Connor Hope
Washington State Cougars – Malachi Flynn
While Cal might have the greatest lack of depth and experience, Washington State is not far behind. With four of their top five scorers graduating, the Cougars will need new faces to step up and improve.
The favorite to take on the role of first-option for the team is sophomore guard Malachi Flynn. Flynn leads returning players to the team with 9.7 points, 2.9 assists, and 0.7 steals. He will need to make a big jump in 2017-18, but he has the talent to do that.
The biggest issue that Flynn will face is the lack depth and experience around him, which will allow defenses to key on him. Without clear, reliable options for Flynn to work with, he may find himself in more double-team situations than usual.
Cougar fans are in for a pretty rough season, with a bottom three finish in the Pac-12 seeming like a guarantee. This is will be a litmus test for Malachi Flynn. Can Flynn perform well as a leader and top option during a losing season? If he can develop this season, he could be the player that the Cougars build around over the next few years.
Next: Big Ten Conference Stars
The Pac-12 has some of the biggest stars in the entire country, and that makes teams like Arizona contenders to win the National Championship. Pac-12 games often times are played late at night, but they are worth staying up for. These stars are “must-watch” TV.