The real key to Wise becoming a great point guard is the emergence of incoming freshman Brandon Jennings. Jennings is a well-hyped, pass-first but still score point guard who has the ability to take over the team from the outset.
Without Jennings, the Wildcats would be Wise's team because Bayless left early for the NBA.
But, considering Wise and Bayless were able to co-exist, I don't see why Wise and Jennings can't do the same.
Wise averaged 9.2 points per game, 4.4 assists, and two steals. If he really wants to emerge, he will have to improve his assist to turnover ratio (2.2 to 1 in 2007-08) and also his free-throw shooting (75 percent) last season.
What he definitely doesn't need to improve on is his pesky defense and his knack for burying the long ball (shot 48.1 percent from downtown last season).
In fact, I expect Lute Olsen to encourage Wise to shoot more often given his penchant for making the shots.
If Budinger returns to run along side Wise on the fast break, and Brandon Jennings complements Wise instead of out-shining him, we should see the best point guard in Arizona since the days of Jason Gardner.
5. Jeff Allen/Virginia Tech-
Despite the loss of their senior leader Deron Washington, hopes are high in Blacksburg for next season. A.D. Vassallo returns and so to a talented core of rising sophomores, led by the big fella Jeff Allen.
Allen probably should be playing football. He stands 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 258 pounds, which to his credit is predominantly muscle.
But he is the most important player for Virginia Tech. His play on the low blocks opens up the three-point arc for Vassallo and Malcom Delaney and Dorenzo Hudson.
Last season was not a bad season by any means for the youngster from Washington D.C. He filled up the box score on a daily basis, averaging 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
A stat line that not many other players in college basketball can lay claim to.
He reminds me of a young Glen Davis. Davis always looked out of place on the basketball court, but he had great touch and even better footwork for a man his size.
It made him extremely difficult to guard at LSU.
Allen is no different. He is as wide as he is tall, but he is athletic. He can score off the dribble and obviously will throw his body around down low with anyone who wants to try.
The major reason I think Allen will blossom into a first team All-ACC player this season is because his shot selection last year, for a player who plays down low, was very poor.
He shot less than 50 percent from the field, a large no-no when you play in the post.
What it really means is that with more work in practice and a year of experience, the components are there for Allen to make a drastic improvement in that department.
Just imagine what Allen's stat line would look like if he mad 55 percent of his shots last year instead of 49 percent...The ACC is shuddering right now.
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