Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: Top 15 impact players from 2020 recruiting class

By Trevor Sinodhinos

MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Cade Cunningham #1 of Montverde Academy dunks the ball against NSU University School in the quarterfinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 04, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Cade Cunningham #1 of Montverde Academy dunks the ball against NSU University School in the quarterfinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 04, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – JANUARY 29: A video is played and flames shoot up as the Texas Tech Red Raiders are introduced before the college basketball game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on January 29, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – JANUARY 29: A video is played and flames shoot up as the Texas Tech Red Raiders are introduced before the college basketball game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on January 29, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

6. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Nimari Burnett

Luckily Chris Beard has experience going small with Texas Tech Basketball over the last couple of years. With the introduction of Nimari Burnett and the high level of play from Davide Moretti last season, there is going to be a log jam at point guard. Fortunately, Coach Beard has found an extremely versatile solution in Burnett.

Burnett ran the point in his final year at Prolific Prep, but his wingspan at 6’4  afforded him the ability to set up anywhere on offense in a high school game. On the defensive end, Burnett is long and has the ability to switch on screens while still being able to guard them. This particular aspect will allow Coach Beard to have Burnett defend the opposing off guard, enabling Moretti to stay in the game as another ball-handler and defend opposing point guards.

Burnett’s ability to hit an open shot off the catch fits nicely into Coach Beard’s offense that involves very little dribbling. Despite his abilities, Burnett is benefitting the most from Jahmi’us Ramsey’s move to the NBA, as it opens another spot in the backcourt. After playing at Prolific Prep alongside Jalen Green, Burnett is set to take a huge step in his development. One look at the 2019-20 Big 12 All-Freshman team indicates that Burnett will have no trouble surpassing the five points and three rebounds of Kansas’ Christian Braun.

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