F Nathan Mensah, San Diego State
More than anybody else on this list, Nathan Mensah will have the toughest road to being a breakout player next season. That’s due entirely to his complicated medical situation.
Mensah proved himself to be an instrumental interior player at the start of the 2019-20 season, averaging 6.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He also swatted 1.8 shots per contest.
But the Ghanian big man was sidelined after 13 games by a respiratory issue, with information surrounding the problem remaining at a premium. There were times throughout the season where it was reported he was set to return, but he never did.
It’s clear Mensah can be a huge defensive presence when he’s on the court. Despite playing in 21 fewer games as a sophomore, Mensah managed to snag more steals than he did during his entire freshman season.
Health is the most important thing, though, and a respiratory issue could prove to be particularly problematic as the world continues to learn more information about how COVID-19 can affect an individual’s health. There’s no bigger range of possibilities for a player in the conference – Mensah can either be a star or his collegiate career as we know it could be all but over. The Aztecs are certainly praying it proves to be the former.