Butler Basketball: 2017-18 player grades for the Bulldogs

Let’s be real. Quite simply, Butler does not make the NCAA Tournament this season without the play of Kelan Martin. In his senior season, Martin was locked in all year long as the go-to player for the Bulldogs. Although consistently overlooked by national media, Martin was an All-American caliber player this season and everyone in Hinkle Fieldhouse knew it.

The senior truly blossomed into a college basketball superstar this season as he consistently willed big shots to fall through the net in crucial moments. Right from the jump this season, Martin excelled under the coaching of LaVall Jordan. Unlike the previous few years, Martin dictated the pace of his game this season. He did not settle for bad shots very often and was more open to making plays for his teammates than ever before.

All of this showed up on the stat sheet as well. Martin showcased his skills by dropping career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks per game. In addition, he shot career-best percentages from the field and the free throw line. His 3-point percentage of 36.4% for the season was also deceiving. It is important to make note of the fact that Martin was blistering hot from deep in conference play when he shot 42.6% from distance on 7.6 3-point attempts per game.

This was truly a special season by Martin and he completely deserves the “A+” grade for this article. The next step for Kelan is the NBA level and hopefully he hears his name called at the draft in June.