SEC Basketball: 5 players poised to take on vital roles in 2018-19

SEC Basketball teams have a ton of stars but will need the supporting cast to do their part. Here are five whose play can elevate their respective teams for 2018-19.

SEC Basketball has had some amazing players come through its programs over the past few years.  Kentucky has its fair share of five-star talents every recruiting class. Florida doesn’t always have an NBA-level talent, but they certainly put plenty of productive players out there. Teams like LSU and Missouri strike oil every now and then through players like Ben Simmons and Michael Porter Jr. Alabama has struggled to get players in the past, but Collin Sexton and Kira Lewis are signs that they are on the rise in terms of talent.

Not all situations are the same, however. Some players rise above their three-star rating to become a force in the conference. Some players have extenuating circumstances that keep them from finding their true potential. Some just go through four years of being average and never breaking the mold.

Sports is a story, and SEC basketball’s storybook is filled with page after page of surprise, shock, and suspense. Every team leaves their fans wondering what’s next in a system where rotation is rapid and reoccurring. Coaches change, players leave after one year, and transferring is more common now than ever.

For some teams’ stories to have a happy ending this year, they need to have more happen from specific players. This is not to say that any of these players are bad or that they have underperformed. These players simply have a circumstance that makes it dire for them to step up their game, whether it’s a hole in the roster or a hole in their game.