LSU (16)
by Dakota Schmidt
In the SEC, Kentucky appears
nigh invulnerable thanks to head
coach John Calipari’s ability to
form cohesive teams out of elite,
one-and-done talents he’s able
to recruit—finishing the regular
season 34-0 last season before
getting upset in the Final Four.
Projected Starters
G
6-6
PT%
83.71
G
PTE
13.76
6-4
PT%
88.79
G
F
PT%
0.00
6-10
C
7-0
PT%
16.36
HS100 AC/AA
74
Keith Hornsby
PTE
15.68
6-5
PT%
0.00
Tim Quarterman
HS100 AC/AA
Antonio Blakeney
JR
NBA
34
SR
NBA
FR
PTE
0.00
HS100 AC/AA
15
NBA
PTE
0.00
HS100 AC/AA
1
NBA
2
PTE
-2.62
HS100 AC/AA
NBA
Ben Simmons
Darcy Malone
FR
JR
Bench Rotation
G
6-1
PT%
58.33
F
PTE
-3.41
6-7
PT%
3.75
G
G
HS100 AC/AA
Craig Victor
PTE
1.79
6-0
PT%
57.88
Josh Gray
HS100 AC/AA
39
Jalyn Patterson
PTE
8.90
HS100 AC/AA
6-5 Brandon Sampson
PT%
0.00
PTE
0.00
HS100 AC/AA
57
SR
NBA
SO
NBA
SO
NBA
FR
NBA
This season, the Wildcats grip
on the SEC will be challenged by
an LSU team able to create some
recruiting fireworks of its own.
The Tigers lose key frontcourt
players Jarell Martin and Jordan
Mickey, but welcome a pristine
recruiting class, tapping into three
of ESPN’s top 100 prospects—Ben
Simmons (1), Antonio Blakeney
(15), and Brandon Sampson
(39)—and return some significant
contributors.
Simmons figures to be the
jewel of his freshman class, and
contender for top overall pick
in next season’s NBA draft. He
maintained his status as the nation’s
top recruit all of last year with
a unique skill set that combines
great size and athleticism with deft
perimeter skills and court vision.
His athleticism is reminiscent of
last summer’s top overall pick, KarlAnthony Towns, only with more
quickness and superb ball-handling
skills.
And while he’s capable
of creating his own shot, he’s
best leveraging his gifts to take
advantage of his unbelievable court
vision, making the correct reads
and passes.
His size and playmaking
ability should allow him to plug
immediately into head coach
Johnny Jones equal opportunity
offense. LSU relies on a high
energy, high ball movement
offense with no set focal point.
Instead, the offense is initiated
from several spots on the floor, and
Simmons should be able to step in
immediately and carry some of the
playmaking burden with a number
of complementary options at his
disposal.
The Tigers have a nice mix
of shooters (Jalyn Patterson and
Keith Hornsby) and finishers (Tim
Quarterman and Josh Gray), with
Patterson and Hornsby shooting 39
and 37 percent respectively from
behind the 3-point line; opening
the paint for the rest of the offense.
Quarterm an is something of a
bargain bin version of Simmons—
an athletic wing capable of working
both on and off the ball, getting
into the pain and working as a
BBALLBREAKDOWN | 34