Big East Basketball: Top-five rising juniors for 2018-19
By Brian Foley
4. G Kamar Baldwin, Butler
15.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 44.2/33.1/77.5 percent shooting
Following Kelan Martin’s graduation, Kamar Baldwin is the next man up in the forever-rolling Butler machine. Baldwin is not the most efficient player in the league, and his 104.1 offensive rating last year ranks just 18th among the 28 returning Big East players with a usage rate above 18 percent.
Still, Baldwin is a supremely talented playmaker with room to improve offensively. Without Martin in the picture, Baldwin’s usage rate will likely jump from its already-high 25.6%. Expect the Bulldogs to cater an offense around Baldwin’s drive-and-kick skills; teammates McDermott and Paul Jorgensen are two of the better 3-point shooters in the conference and fit snugly as spot-up options. And should Baldwin keep the ball in his hands, he is a capable finisher at the rim. The 6-foot-1 junior converted on 57% of his attempts at the basket last season.
Baldwin also has to be reasonably respected outside the arc, where he shot over 37% as a freshman and 33.1% (on 4.2 attempts per game) as a sophomore. He is a perfectly average shooter right now, but if he can bump that percentage up a few points, he will turn into a nearly unstoppable force on offense.
On the other end of the floor, Baldwin is arguably the best defender on this list. His length makes up for his smaller stature, and he flips sloppy passes from opponents into steals and transition buckets. Baldwin’s defense may slip a touch with Butler giving him so much offensive responsibility but he has a chance to be the best two-way player in the conference.