Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: Top 10 players entering the 2018-19 season

By Brian Foley

MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 28: Eric Paschall #4 of the Villanova Wildcats is defended by Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 28, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 28: Eric Paschall #4 of the Villanova Wildcats is defended by Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 28, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 30: Shamorie Ponds #2 of the St. John’s Red Storm reacts in the first half against the Xavier Musketeers during their game at Carnesecca Arena on January 30, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 30: Shamorie Ponds #2 of the St. John’s Red Storm reacts in the first half against the Xavier Musketeers during their game at Carnesecca Arena on January 30, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

1. Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s

2017-18: 21.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.3 spg, 42/25.3/85.7 percent shooting

Ponds ranked fourth in usage rate in 2017-18 among high-major players (32 percent); needless to say, if he posts a similar mark this season, St. John’s will be in trouble and Chris Mullin will likely be out of a job.

While I understand the desire to get the ball into the hands of your best player, there is a point for every player where that workload gets to be too much. For James Harden, that workload is incredibly high, but even he needs help (hence the Chris Paul trade last summer). Shamorie Ponds is no James Harden, and last year, the Johnnies crossed the threshold with him. Ponds was forced to do everything for the Red Storm on offense, and the team suffered because of it. Ponds’ efficiency cratered and when he went to the bench for foul trouble or just a simple breather, his teammates did not know how to create a legitimate offensive look without him.

Ponds is an immensely talented player and he can handle a heavy burden. As a freshman, he finished with a 23.5 percent usage rate, which is plenty of responsibility for a first-year player logging over 33 minutes per night. If he finishes somewhere around a 27 percent usage rate this year – which would still be one of the highest marks in the Big East – St. John’s will have found the sweet spot. A slightly lighter load on offense will also give Ponds more energy to attack fellow guards on defense, create turnovers, and find easy baskets for himself and his teammates.

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Part of this responsibility falls on Ponds, as he needs to be the one to let go of the steering wheel. He has several capable teammates with Simon and Marvin Clark II (and potentially Mustapha Heron), but Mullin must also create an offensive system that empowers the entire team, not just one man. Only one program that finished within KenPom’s top-15 last year had a player rank inside the top-100 in usage rate (Nick Ward for no. 6 Michigan State). The best teams spread the ball around because that is the only viable way to construct a high-level squad.

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