PAC-12 Basketball: 2020-21 breakout candidates from each team

Colorado Buffaloes: D’Shawn Schwartz

Every indication points to 2020-21 being the breakout season for D’Shawn Schwartz. Colorado Basketball finished 10-8 under coach Tad Boyle last season, which landed them in fifth place, so there is a degree of expectations. The Buffaloes two leading scorers have declared for the NBA Draft, while McKinley Wright IV (14 PPG) is not ranked as a draft prospect by CBS, whereas, fellow guard Tyler Bey (14 PPG) is being projected at 49.

In addition, senior point guard Shane Gatling and 6’10 forward Lucas Stewart are graduating and taking their combined fourteen points per game. Then finally, one of their three transfers is 6’4 sophomore guard Daylen Kountz, who would have also had a breakout season with Buffalo, but has decided to play at North Buffalo. Needless to say, the senior Schwartz has an opportunity.

Having started 31 of 32 games during 2019-20 season at 28 minutes per game, and now a senior, Schwartz is no stranger to hanging out at the perimeter within Tad Boyle’s high pick’n’roll offense. Not only did Schwartz collect almost 4 rebounds a game as a guard, but his increased role will also give him more than the team-leading 4.3 three-point attempts he had last season to increase his almost 10 points per game production.

Coach Boyle was also able to trust Schwartz with half-court ball-handling responsibilities, as he averaged less than a turnover per game.  Schwartz will not be able to fully replace Bey’s nine rebounds but he will replace his 14 points per game and his second-team All-PAC 12 selection in support of the returning Wright IV.