NCAA Basketball: Previewing the 2017 Diamond Head Classic
Players to Watch
Bruce Brown, Miami
Brown is the best NBA prospect in the field and could be a Norman Powell or Donovan Mitchell style guard at the next level. The talented 6’5’’ guard is a jack-of-all-trades type for Miami and is an excellent defender with good length and athleticism. His passing ability makes him an ideal secondary creator on offense and provides lineup flexibility. Brown is filling the box score with an impressive 10.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright, USC
This dynamic frontcourt pairing gives USC a nightly advantage at the four and the five positions. Few frontcourts in the country can match the offensive skill level of USC’s frontcourt as both Metu and Boatwright can shoot from the perimeter and put the ball on the floor.
Metu has made major strides in his junior season and is averaging 17.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and nearly two blocks per game. He excels from the high post and has improved his ability to drive to the basket from this area. Boatwright’s 3-point shooting has dipped this season, but he is still an absolute matchup nightmare. The 6’10’’ forward is fluid and extremely skilled for his size. He is averaging 15.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Jordan McLaughlin, USC
The third Trojan to make this “Players to Watch” list is senior point guard Jordan McLaughlin. McLaughlin has flown relatively under-the-radar throughout his USC career, but a strong start to the season should get him on the national radar. The 6’1’’ lead guard had an amazing 19-assist performance against UC Santa Barbara and is shooting the lights out this season (49% from three).
Nick King, MTSU
King was once a highly-rated recruit whose career was slowed by injuries and crowded frontcourts. At Memphis, King was the third big behind Austin Nichols and Shaq Goodwin. At Alabama, he failed to make an impact as he struggled with injuries and only appeared in seven games.
However, King has had a break-out season at his third school, Middle Tennessee State. He is averaging 22.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting over 39% from long range. King is a perfect small-ball power forward whose versatile scoring abilities have MTSU off to a fast start. A strong tournament performance could lead to some national recognition for the talented grad-transfer.
Peyton Aldridge, Davidson
If you like high-scoring and extremely skilled forwards, this is the tournament for you. Aldridge joins King and Boatwright as talented sharp shooting fours to watch in the Diamond Head Classic. The 6’8’’ senior is averaging 21.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. In addition, he is a great floor spacer in Davidson’s 3-point reliant offense. However, Aldridge is more than just a shooter. He can put the ball on the floor and is a great at moving without the ball. He is definitely a player to keep an eye on.
Devin Cannady, Princeton
Cannady could be the best shooter in the tournament and is one of the best shooters in the country. He is currently on the doorstep of the coveted 50-50-90 club as he is shooting 49.6% from the field, 50.7% from three, and 92.6% from the line. The 6’1’’ guard is Princeton’s leading scorer at 18.4 points per game and he will be a fun player to track throughout the Diamond Head Classic.
Daniel Utomi, Akron
Yet another sharp-shooting forward! Akron experienced heavy roster turnover (and coach turnover) after making the second round of the NIT and winning the MAC regular season title in 2017. Utomi is the biggest beneficiary of the new situation as he has improved his scoring from 4.8 to 20.3 points per game. He is hitting four 3-pointers per game at a 50% clip. It will be interesting to see how the 6’6’’ forward fares against a USC team with NBA caliber length. If Utomi holds his own, he will be worth tracking.