Yale Basketball: Makai Mason is an unknown star in college basketball

Makai Mason is a star player that has flown under the radar. Is this the year he explodes onto the national scene for Yale basketball?

The Ivy League does not usually get a ton of attention in college basketball until March Madness rolls around. Often times, the Ivy League school that receives the automatic bid for the conference is a popular upset pick both because of their basketball abilities and the overall notoriety of the school from an academic point of view. Everyone wants to see the underdog pull off the upset.

This season, there are several strong teams expected to compete with the top of the conference, one of those being the Yale Bulldogs. Yale returns lots of talent from last year’s team, but they also bring back star player Makai Mason. Mason was the Preseason Player of the Year in the Ivy League last season, but suffered a broken foot during a scrimmage and missed the entire season.

This upcoming year will be his third full season playing for Yale basketball. As a sophomore in 2015-16, Mason was electric for the Bulldogs. He posted averages of 16.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while being named to the First Team All-Ivy League. Mason dropped these buckets while shooting 42.8% from the field and 35.7% from 3-point land (on 5.1 attempts per game).

In the postseason, Yale was awarded the automatic bid from the conference and Mason dropped 31 on Baylor to pull off the upset in their first-round game.

In 2017-18, Mason comes back along with a talented core in hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament. This is likely to be the first season that Mason will compete in the Ivy League Conference Tournament, as he missed the inaugural edition a season ago.

The expectation is that Yale will be able to take the regular season and conference tournament titles this season behind the play of Mason. If he returns to the form he had as a sophomore, then Mason could easily wind up being named the Ivy League Player of the Year in his last season with Yale basketball. Playing to his potential could yield Mason a season of close to 20 points per game and a couple of appearances on the national stage in the postseason.

Although the Ivy League is not heavily broadcasted, it is important to note that fans will start to see more and more of Mason in the next two years. With Yale this season, he will face off against three high-major programs that have NCAA Tournament hopes in Creighton, Wisconsin, and Georgia Tech. Each of these games will give him a great opportunity to show his talents to the national public.

In addition, Mason will still make an impact on the NCAA landscape next season as well. Although his time with Yale might be over after 2017-18, he has already announced his commitment to play for the Baylor Bears as a graduate transfer during the 2018-19 season (yes, the same team he beat in the NCAA Tournament). Playing in the Big 12 will certainly give him more opportunities on the big stage as well.

For now, though, the focus for Mason will be on this season. Mason will be the key for Yale to return to the NCAA Tournament. He is a dynamite scorer and the best player in the Ivy League. After missing last season, it is time for him to put the Bulldogs back on top.

Yale basketball will certainly be happy to have their star player back in action this season. Mason is a top-notch college player no matter the conference affiliation, and he can light up the scoreboard at any time. To any team that faces Yale this season, whether it be in the non-conference play, conference play, or the postseason: be wary of No. 11.