NCAA Basketball: 12 potential milestones to watch for 2021-22 season
Your first tooth, turning five years old, graduating from high school, and your fiftieth wedding anniversary are all commonly recognized as momentous milestones worth celebrating. The 2021-22 NCAA Basketball season – if not being one itself – will comprise of many occasions that will be worth being recognized as milestones.
The falling of records and the rising of players in all-time lists will continue, especially this season, as the normal amount of players pursue their graduate degree plus the situation that is unique to this year with an extra year of eligibility. Even as we go forward, with more players possibly being motivated to play more seasons in order to benefit from the prospect of earning money by profiting from their name and likeness.
This season will not just see milestones reached by players in their fifth season of playing, but it will lay the foundation for underclassmen that will be reaching their own milestones in several years. The most intriguing aspect of milestones is the anticipation, whether for the individual or for those that have an interest in their well-being. Due to that aspect, some milestones have been omitted, for the sole purpose that they are a foregone conclusion and will lack the journey. Those who lack the suspense but deserve the recognition, receive an honorable mention.
Justin Forrest – Appalachian State
Milestone: 2,000 points
After four seasons and 121 games, Justin Forrest has tallied up 1,828 career points for the Mountaineers. Forrest has averaged 20.6 ppg and the 2021-22 season will be more of the same as he eclipses 2,000 career points. In just 26 games Forrest scored 344 points while being just 172 points away. Forrest has averaged over 12 field goal attempts per game, with just Deshon Parker as the lone starter not returning, Appalachian State should join Justin Forrest in his success.
Garrison Brooks – Mississippi State
Milestone: 1,000 rebounds
North Carolina grad transfer Garrison Brooks is four rebounds short of 800. Barring an unfortunate injury, this milestone will be achieved, furthermore, having a career season of 272 rebounds as a junior, there is an opportunity for Brooks to tally over 1,000 total rebounds, if he has a new career-high of 299 total rebounds, it would put Brooks in the top 100 all-time.
Cameron Parker – Montana
Mileston: 500 assists
While splitting his time in the NEC with Sacred Heart and playing for Montana in the Big Sky, the 6’2 point guard finds himself just fourteen assists away from 500. With five of the six top scorers returning, Parker is going to have a number of familiar targets in order to maintain is almost five assists per game – which was drastically fewer than the seven assists he averaged with Sacred Heart.