Syracuse Basketball: Predictions for Orange's Team Awards

Even though the Syracuse basketball team won't play a game that counts until Nov. 14, the start of the season is still less than a month away. The Orange will play their first of two exhibition games on Nov. 2.

There are plenty of reasons for fans to be interested in this year's Syracuse squad. Jim Boeheim has brought in two exciting freshmen and previous role players will be stepping into new, expanded roles. And it's plain hard to determine just how good this team will be because of all of the new pieces in place.

So with just a few weeks until they lace them up, let's get going on our Orange season preview. We'll start by predicting the winners of the Orange's team awards, and we will give honorable mention in each slide to a player or two who just missed the cut or could take the award with an outstanding season.

Most Valuable Player: Michael Gbinije

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Does this mean Michael Gbinije will be the best player on the team this season? It depends on your definition of "best," but Gbinije's value will come from somewhere other than his impact on the stat sheet.

We've covered it a bit in the past, but it can't be overstated how important Gbinije is to this team. He's essentially the backup point guard, shooting guard and forward, so he will find himself on the court more often than not. 

With an assured increase in minutes, Gbinije will have the opportunity to have a greater impact on the game. If he gets more aggressive on offense and is able to hit a few threes, he can give the team a much-needed boost on that end. Defensively, Gbinije's long frame will make life difficult for guards and forwards alike.

Finally, Gbinije's leadership will be as important as his play on the court. Gbinije is in his third season with the Orange, so he's been around the college hoops block. He has been through two NCAA tournaments, and though he didn't play the first time, he was still with the team when it went to the Final Four. That experience will be valuable as Jim Boeheim tries to work in all of his young, untested players.

Gbinije may not be the most talented player or stuff the stat book as much as his teammates. But based on his many responsibilities, he seems like a favorite to be the team's MVP.

Honorable Mention: Rakeem Christmas, Trevor Cooney

Freshman of the Year: Kaleb Joseph

The race for freshman of the year for Syracuse isn't all that complicated; the Orange have only two diaper dandies on this year's squad. But Kaleb Joseph is the safe bet to edge Chris McCullough.

Joseph's main advantage? He's a guard, and they tend to come along more quickly in college than big men. McCullough may end up being the better pro prospect, but Joseph will likely be the more impactful player this year.

Joseph will also likely be the team's starting point guard, meaning he will have the ball in his hands a lot. If he can limit his turnovers, he has the skills to make plenty of plays for the Orange. Joseph is one of the more athletic guards you'll come across, and that will give him an advantage over defenders.

Joseph combines that athleticism with adept ball-handling skill and a quick first step, meaning he can be a nightmare off the dribble. Add in some open-floor speed, creative passing and an ability to finish at the rim, and you have the potential for a dangerous transition game.

McCullough has plenty of talent in his own right, and both players can have excellent maiden voyages in college. But Joseph is the pick to be the Orange's freshman of the year.

Honorable Mention: Chris McCullough

Offensive Player of the Year: Trevor Cooney

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Orange fans surely are hoping this is how it shakes out. Simply put, the Orange need Cooney to score to keep the offense from descending to anemic levels. 

Without having to share the ball with C.J. Fair or Tyler Ennis, Cooney will be one of the main options on offense for the Orange. Everybody knows he will mainly look to hit from deep, but now that he is a featured act, he will have the opportunity to expand his game.

Cooney's best bet is to work off the dribble more, be it after using a head fake on a three or just trying to break down his defender. If he can hit pull-ups or even get all the way to the rim and finish, it will make firing from three that much easier. Defenders will have to respect his driving ability, which can provide that extra bit of room for him to get his shot off.

Make no mistake, Cooney will still have to hit boatloads of threes. If he can put last season's second-half struggle behind him, Cooney should have no trouble. 

Honorable Mention: Kaleb Joseph

Defensive Player of the Year: Rakeem Christmas

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This one is a pretty easy pick considering Rakeem Christmas will get the majority of the minutes at the 2-3 zone's most important position. As the center, Christmas is in charge of protecting the rim as well as making sure everyone else is in the proper position and calling out what the opposing offense is doing.

Basically, Christmas is the quarterback of the defense, and everything falls apart without him. Additionally, Christmas is the only experienced center on the roster, leading to the belief that he will only leave the floor because of foul trouble.

Therein lies the key for Christmas. He needs to refrain from giving bad fouls lest he find himself on the bench giving way to a less experienced player. Baye Keita is no longer around to steady the ship when Christmas hits the bench.

Christmas' block numbers have increased, albeit steadily, in each of his years on campus. A continuation to that trend would put him over two blocks per game this year, which can certainly change a game. If Christmas can stay on the floor, he will easily end up the team's best defender.

Honorable Mention: Michael Gbinije