Wilbekin #24 player in college basketball

[gottapanda]

Fran Fraschilla ranks the top 25 players in college basketball and updates once a month. This month he has Scottie Wilbekin at #24 (the only Gator to make the list). Indiana, Michigan, and Kansas were the only schools with two guys on the list.

Here's what he had to say about Scottie:

If you watched Florida this season, you know there is not one star that leads Billy Donovan's team. Rather, it's a collection of seven or eight very good college players. But if there is one Gator who is both unsung and indispensable, it is Wilbekin, the 19-year-old junior.

Named the most recent SEC Player of the Week, Wilbekin painted a 13-point, 10-assist masterpiece in Florida's blowout win over Missouri. More importantly, he harassed Tigers' point guard Phil Pressey into a 2-point, 9-turnover game. That performance came on the heels of holding Texas A&M's Elston Turner to 1-for-10 shooting just days after he dropped 40 points in his previous game at Kentucky.

Previous ranking: NR

I'd say he's pretty accurate in his assessment of the team. I'd probably rank Scottie a little higher, and I think he will be by the end of the season. I'd at least put him ahead of Larkin from UM right now.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

One of the things that is so difficult for most people who don't watch us play to understand is that we are the true definition of "team". Different guys step up and everyone does their job, even if it changes from one night to the next.

It's nice to see Scottie on the list. He's played some of the best individual D I've seen in a long time, but not only that, he has really taken the next step in progressing as a PG. He runs the team well, rarely makes dumb mistakes and plays within himself.

We just have so many guys that can hurt you. All 5 starters can score if needed but they all play within themselves. Look at Mike and how well he is playing this year. Why? Because he's bought in to the system and the shots he's getting are good ones. He forces it sometimes, but his shot selection is light years ahead of where it was at Rutgers and even last year.

No one is forcing anything and while I agree that SW has been tremendous this year, I am still amazed at how Billy can get that many egos to focus on a common goal. A big part of it this year, IMO, is KB. That guy looks ridiculously focused on going out with a title.

[swampgas44]

Originally Posted by gottapanda

Fran Fraschilla ranks the top 25 players in college basketball and updates once a month. This month he has Scottie Wilbekin at #24 (the only Gator to make the list). Indiana, Michigan, and Kansas were the only schools with two guys on the list.

Here's what he had to say about Scottie:


I'd say he's pretty accurate in his assessment of the team. I'd probably rank Scottie a little higher, and I think he will be by the end of the season. I'd at least put him ahead of Larkin from UM right now.

The beauty of this team is the fact that we don't need anyone on this list.

[rserina]

Wilbekin at times reminds of a poor man's Deron Williams at Illinois: unselfish offensive player who creates opportunities for others, but who can get aggressive and score very effectively in his own right because of his skill, athleticism, and size.

I probably wouldn't identify him as the 24th best player in the nation, but I would say he is the most important player on a team in the conversation for a 1-seed.

[UFreak]

Originally Posted by rserina

I probably wouldn't identify him as the 24th best player in the nation, but I would say he is the most important player on a team in the conversation for a 1-seed.

He's growing up in front of our eyes

[themistocles]

Note the fact that he noted that Wilbekin is merely 19 years old.

Some of Ky's newest Frosh are probably near his age.

He is finally beginning to mature physically in a way that matches his skills and basketball IQ.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by themistocles

Note the fact that he noted that Wilbekin is merely 19 years old.

Some of Ky's newest Frosh are probably near his age.

He is finally beginning to mature physically in a way that matches his skills and basketball IQ.

For example Ben McLemore of KU turns 20 on the 11 February.

BTW, last week Ken Pomeroy's top 10 players list included 3 Gators, Young, Boynton and Murphy.

[qwghlmgator]

Originally Posted by rserina

Wilbekin at times reminds of a poor man's Deron Williams at Illinois: unselfish offensive player who creates opportunities for others, but who can get aggressive and score very effectively in his own right because of his skill, athleticism, and size.

I probably wouldn't identify him as the 24th best player in the nation, but I would say he is the most important player on a team in the conversation for a 1-seed.

Absolutely. I love the way he has developed an attacking mentality on offense (as well as defense) constantly pushing the other teams to make the quick rotation or play sound transition defense or he'll take it to the rack.

Scottie made a gem of a play last night that, to me, illustrates how effective he's become at forcing the other team to play our game. On the play he had the ball in transition and took it deep into the lane where he stopped, swung his eyes out to the wing to look for the three on the secondary break. When the defense overplayed the pass to the wing, Scottie changed directions on a dime and took it to the rim for a bucket. You could tell the defense was not expecting that and were left totally flat-footed.

Add that element to the great offensive spacing we've had this year, and this team is awfully hard to stop.

(And also mad props to Kenny on one of his steals where his man dribbled out the shot clock. When the guy had no choice but to try and create off the bounce, Kenny attacked his first move for a breakaway layup. Great, great heads-up play by the senior - to be aware of the shot clock and take advantage of a mental mistake by his opponent. Reminds me of how Bird memorized the dead spots in the old parquet floor at the Garden and would pounce when his guy would dribble there, knowing the ball wouldn't come up as high.)

[gator2109]

His improvement from last year is the #1 reason we are this good right now. Huge improvement from his first two seasons.

[UFreak]

Originally Posted by gator2109

His improvement from last year is the #1 reason we are this good right now. Huge improvement from his first two seasons.

I am not and never was an Erv hater. But I would go one step further and simply say, our point play is the main reason for our improvement.

[corpgator]

Originally Posted by InstiGATOR1

For example Ben McLemore of KU turns 20 on the 11 February.

BTW, last week Ken Pomeroy's top 10 players list included 3 Gators, Young, Boynton and Murphy.

Can you post a link to that list?

[bonelldonnell]

Originally Posted by gottapanda

Fran Fraschilla ranks the top 25 players in college basketball and updates once a month. This month he has Scottie Wilbekin at #24 (the only Gator to make the list). Indiana, Michigan, and Kansas were the only schools with two guys on the list.

Here's what he had to say about Scottie:


I'd say he's pretty accurate in his assessment of the team. I'd probably rank Scottie a little higher, and I think he will be by the end of the season. I'd at least put him ahead of Larkin from UM right now.

I think Scottie is the best defensive PG in the country and should be ranked higher. Larkin, however, could be the second best defensive PG, and is at a different level offensively. I went to that Miami-Duke game, and couldn't believe how much better Larkin made every player on that team.

It's no knock on Scottie; Larkin is just that good. The best analogy I can make, purely on the offensive end, is that Scottie is a poor-man's Andre Miller, while Larkin is a poor-man's Chris Paul.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by corpgator

Can you post a link to that list?

Here is a twiter exchange about this from 22 Jan:

MBK Rowdies Prez‏@MBKRowdiesPrez

@kenpomeroy Have you ever had more than one player from the same school in your top 10 for kPOY? What about 3 like UF has now?

Ken Pomeroy‏@kenpomeroy

@MBKRowdiesPrez Had 2 before. Happening because UF is rated so high and is so balanced. It won't last, but it's an interesting situation.

I saw a screen shot on another board and I can not copy it, but here is his list for that week from that screen shot:

1. Russ Smith, UL
2. Mason Plumlee, Duke
3. Trey Burke, UMi
4. Doug McDermott, Creighton
5. Cody Zeller, IU
6. Patric Young, UF
7. Mike Muscala, Bucknell
8. DeShawn Thomas, Ohio State
9. Kenny Boynton UF
10. Eric Murphy, UF

It of course changes every week and one or all the UF players may have fallen out by now.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by bonelldonnell

I think Scottie is the best defensive PG in the country and should be ranked higher. Larkin, however, could be the second best defensive PG, and is at a different level offensively. I went to that Miami-Duke game, and couldn't believe how much better Larkin made every player on that team.

It's no knock on Scottie; Larkin is just that good. The best analogy I can make, purely on the offensive end, is that Scottie is a poor-man's Andre Miller, while Larkin is a poor-man's Chris Paul.

Craft is awfully good on defense, so I would list him and Wilbekin as the top defensive PGs. I know less about Larkin's defensive game.

[SJB612]

Originally Posted by UFG8rGuy3283

Look at Mike and how well he is playing this year. Why? Because he's bought in to the system and the shots he's getting are good ones. He forces it sometimes, but his shot selection is light years ahead of where it was at Rutgers and even last year.

Example: Last night he passed open a good look at a 3-pointer and passed the ball to Murphy who had an even better look at a 3-pointer, and Murphy drained it. No way he passes that shot up last year. Unbelievable unselfishness.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by UFreak

I am not and never was an Erv hater. But I would go one step further and simply say, our point play is the main reason for our improvement.

I don't necessarily disagree, but I think the point still requires some nuance. If Murphy and Rosario weren't shattering their career highs from the arc, along with a Boynton who has been shooting very well the past month and a hot shooting freshman in Frazier, we would need Walker's ability to shoot off the high ball screen far more to space things out offensively (as we did his first two years as a starter). As it stands, though, the lane is wide open for Wilbekin offensively because opposing defenses can't help as readily and or hedge on those screens.

Defensively, no doubt Wilbekin is an improvement over Walker and that is not an insult to Walker at all. The kid is a phenomenal defensive player and was from his arrival on campus. But it also needs to be said that he isn't the only reason for improvement. Young, Murphy, and Rosario are all immensely better and our team defense on the whole has been outstanding. That was not the case for last year's team, even if we had good individual defenders.

[GatorLurker]

Originally Posted by InstiGATOR1

Here is a twiter exchange about this from 22 Jan:



I saw a screen shot on another board and I can not copy it, but here is his list for that week from that screen shot:

1. Russ Smith, UL
2. Mason Plumlee, Duke
3. Trey Burke, UMi
4. Doug McDermott, Creighton
5. Cody Zeller, IU
6. Patric Young, UF
7. Mike Muscala, Bucknell
8. DeShawn Thomas, Ohio State
9. Kenny Boynton UF
10. Eric Murphy, UF

It of course changes every week and one or all the UF players may have fallen out by now.

Today PY is #2, KB is #6, EM is #8.

I can't link it because you need to be subscribed. It is only $19.95 per year and you can make that back by winning your NCAA pool!

[gatorguz]

Love Scottie, but Billy needs to talk to him about "over passing" under the basket and going up strong himself for the basket or foul. Also bothers me that when talking about Scottie, they have so far failed to mention that he was in high school in Gainsville, and passed up his senior yr to join the gators as a HS junior. Perhaps I just missed it. It's an interesting story and a strong testament to his work ethic.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by gatorguz

Love Scottie, but Billy needs to talk to him about "over passing" under the basket and going up strong himself for the basket or foul. .

I think that is just a common thing for point guards in our system. Nelson, Green, Calathes, Walker, and now Wilbekin all struggled with it because our offense is geared toward easy finishes from slipping screeners or wing threes when help defenders rotate down to cover those slips. But Wilbekin has proven he can those buckets in the paint to drop better than some others.

[MadduxFanII]

Wilbekin is also shooting 41.5 percent from three, which is rather stunning to me. I was at the K-State game and my step-dad was really impressed with Scottie. I said, "Yeah, he's great, but he can't shoot." So hitting more than 40 percent from three is impressive.

A lot of that is discretion and shot selection: Wilbekin's only taking wide open shots. I'm sure his percentage would plummet if he was shooting as often as Kenny or even Murphy or Rosario. But that's really all he needs to do. If opposing teams play off him, he's good enough out there to drain an open three. And he's fast and agile enough to blow by anyone guarding him tight.