Players Ken Pomeroy Is Going to Love in the 2015-16 College Basketball Season

This slideshow goes out to a former National Weather Service employee in Utah.

You may have heard of him.

Ken Pomeroy’s algorithms have become a way of life, calculation and understanding in college basketball. 

He has a good sense of timing, too. Upon Kentucky losing in the national semifinals, Pomeroy did his standard shout-out to the last undefeated team that bit the dust. The note may have been sensitive around Lexington, however, and he caught some heat (though not as much as some couches...).

"Unbeaten teams remaining: 0 (Sorry, Kentucky)," Pomeroy typed not long after Kentucky's only loss of the season came at the hands of Wisconsin. Mind you, he made note of every team's first defeat over the course of the season. But this one rang a little more historical. He received nearly 500 retweets and more than 500 “favorites” for the footnote.

Told it was too soon, Pomeroy replied that the undefeated tracker waited for no one.

And, yes, maybe one of the hardest parts of missing college hoops is missing KenPom. He hasn’t used his Twitter account since April 12, and that was for a probability question about the Masters.

So consider this a tribute. These are 11 basketball players who next winter could be lighting up his formulas and his blog—some because they’re a year older and wiser, and others because they’ve found better situations, though not necessarily by transferring.

Mostly, the players chosen speak to KenPom’s democratic side. The numbers don’t lie, and wonderful players can be calculated in a variety of leagues and styles.

Kahlil Felder, Oakland

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Winning Formula: A better team around him and even more efficient playing time

Now, we don’t usually react to dudes on losing teams so favorably, but give some love to Kahlil Felder, a 5’9’’ junior-to-be from Oakland who topped the country in percentage of minutes played last year.

Oakland coach Greg Kampe recalls recruiting Kahlil Felder and telling him, “If you’re as good as I believe you can be, I’m never going to take you off the floor,” according to Dave Pemberton of The Oakland Press.

Felder was third nationally in floor time for the 16-17 team, but the number that also stands out was his assists. He averaged 7.6, which was second nationally. 

That number should go up next year, even if his minutes go down. Felder had only one senior around him (Corey Petros) in a roster that featured three freshmen and a junior accompanying him.

Ideally, the minutes number would go down a tad, and he’d become more efficient elsewhere—and even get a few more steals (he was No. 235 by KenPom’s ranking of steal percentage).

Gary Payton II, Oregon State

Don Ryan/Associated Press

Winning Formula: More D-I experience

Just like dad, Payton became a steals maestro as a Beaver. Now he’ll be a senior experiencing his second year of Division I ball (he played at a community college in Utah before that), and it should make him even more valuable than a point guard who led KenPom’s ratings in steal percentage.

Really, he should be a keystone on a team that could thrive in a watered-down Pac-12 after a host of NBA defections and graduations throughout the league.

Fellow guard Malcolm Duvivier and forward Jarmal Reid had productive years playing for a first-year coach Wayne Tinkle, who is among the finest minds in the West.

The question is what he’ll do with Victor Robbins. Arguably OSU’s MVP, he saw only 14 games because of a 10-game suspension. Now a DUI arrest in mid-February puts Tinkle in a touchy spot heading into the start of next year.

Robbins at the time of his second suspension was one of only two Beavers who were averaging double-digit scoring (along with Payton II; Duvivier climbed to 10.7 by season’s end).

Robbins was also the second-most accurate shooter on the team (46.1 percent) though that honor belonged to Payton II, who also was in the top 35 by KenPom’s rankings for playing 90 percent of the minutes available.

Rico Gathers, Baylor

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Something to prove

The Big 12 was viewed by many pundits as the toughest conference in the country last year (well, until that all-encompassing NCAA tournament flame out).

But talk about special: Four of the five best players in the league, as selected by KenPom, are back this year.

That includes Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, Kansas’ Perry Ellis and Baylor’s Taurean Prince. And don’t forget Rico Gathers, a Bear in a china shop, so to speak.

“There’s not a lot of finesse in his game,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said late in the season. “Rico plays with such passion, such heart. He is a relentless rebounder. He pursues every missed shot, believes every miss is his.”

Having Prince back (Oklahoma State senior Le’Bryan Nash will be the only missing KenPom member next year, as he graduated) should afford Gathers to make the most of his time.

Sure, Gathers is a tenacious go-getter on the glass. But what may go unnoticed is how far his offensive game has grown. His turnover rate has decreased remarkably in three years, and the 6’8’’ forward also drew 5.6 fouls for every 40 minutes on the floor—119th nationally. 

If he can become a better foul shooter (he was a career-best 61 percent last year), watch out. He might not just be considering heading off to the NFL, like some critics have figured may be his best move.

Devin Williams, West Virginia

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Mountaineers need more

The graduation of Juwan Staten means Devin Williams is going to have to do even more next season.

Williams has a higher ceiling than he’s let on. He ranked No. 251 nationally as 26 percent of the Mountaineers’ possessions ran through him while on the court.

He is a monster on the boards, hauling in 30 percent of the caroms available to him off opponents’ missed shots. Just as noticeable is that the 6’9’’ junior-to-be drew 7.2 fouls every 40 minutes. That ranked 10th nationally and served as the highest ratio for anyone in a power conference. (Le’Bryan Nash of Oklahoma State was next for such cases, 25th at 6.8 per 40.)

Williams averaged 8.1 rebounds despite playing about 25 minutes per game and added nine double-doubles.

He’ll need to be more prudent with fouling next year (he averaged 4.7 per 40 minutes), and if he makes some free throws (70 percent clip), he could be one of the great forces in the Big 12 and beyond.

James Webb III, Boise State

Skip Peterson/Associated Press

Winning Formula: A new Bronco star needs to be born

A star player leaves, and someone has to fill that role. Out goes Derrick Marks and in, quite possibly, could be James Webb III. The 6’9’’ junior-to-be ranked 22nd on the offensive glass by KenPom’s rankings and eighth in effective field-goal percentage, faring quite well despite his limited possession use.

Marks was a do-everything senior guard for the Broncos, who are at a historical uptick after winning the Mountain West Conference last season.

In February, Webb had 39 points and 18 rebounds in wins against UNLV and Nevada. In the 57 combined minutes he played in the two games, the Broncos outscored their opponents 96-56.

Throw in a top-20 ranking on the defensive glass and Webb is due for another leap after only averaging 28 minutes last year.

Amida Brimah, Connecticut

Laurence Kesterson/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Big potential for all-around game

The 7-footer was Kevin Ollie’s first recruit at UConn, and now might be the time for that investment to really pay off. He was a virtual role player as a sophomore on a young team, so this could and should be a big leap for a guy who is an effective shooter (67.4 percent, fourth nationally) and a stalwart rim protector (second nationally in KenPom’s rankings).

Ryan Boatwright had a senior year stifled with injuries at UConn, which leaves Brimah around a young group. Now, the question becomes if Ollie returns to see him fulfill his potential. (Ollie's NBA background will have him popping up on job lists for the foreseeable future.)

Brimah is also considering the leap to the next level, though he could probably use one more healthy and productive year—especially the summer. He lost the summer lead-up to last season because of shoulder surgery.

He still had 40 points against Coppin State in December. He can become a more creative scorer around the rim and could also afford to work on his rebounding. But his blocked-shot savvy already has him in lottery-pick range in 2016 if he'll be patient for one more year.

Martin Breunig, Montana

Albans/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Higher expectations are a good thing

The German product has come a long way in a short time. Two seasons ago, he was a sophomore at Washington who played in just nine games and scored one measly point.

But the transfer to Montana brought out his free spirit and massive versatility. Breunig (pronounced Broy-nig) ranked in the top 200 in six KenPom categories, perhaps most notably No. 61 in effective field-goal percentage. The Big Sky’s newcomer of the year was the conference’s fifth leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Montana went 20-13 overall this past season and was the co-champion (with Eastern Washington) in the Big Sky with a 14-4 league record. The Griz earned an NIT berth and lost a first-round contest at Texas A&M.

With two of Montana's top six scorers graduating (including leading points producer Jordan Gregory), Breunig will be counted on to do even more next season. Throw in a more seasoned head coach (Travis DeCuire replaced Wayne Tinkle last year, who's now at Oregon State) and Breunig should be able to handle the extra attention paid to him because of his big one-season leap.

John Brown, High Point

Nick Lisi/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Keep doing what he's been doing

Brown finished the 2014-15 season ranked No. 7 in Ken Pomeroy’s offensive ratings system. He was a consistent scorer who averaged 19.3 points—not that the ratings system cares so much about that exact number.

But how about this: The 6’8’’ senior-to-be posted at least 10 points in 30 games (of 33 played) and at least 20 in 15. Only eight players made more shots from the field (242), and his 55-percent field-goal percentage ranked 32nd.

The pity was losing, 72-71, in overtime in the Big South tournament, a shocking upset from a No. 7 seed, Gardner-Webb, when High Point had been a conference tournament favorite to make it to the NCAA tournament.

Don’t blame Brown—he posted his second double-double of the season with 33 points (11-of-21 FG) and 10 rebounds in that heartbreaker.

He averaged 26.3 points and 8.3 rebounds and shot 57.4 percent in High Point's three postseason contests (counting two in the CIT).

But things could get better if Brown can continue his trend. His field-goal percentage has gone up every year in college.

Jakob Poeltl, Utah

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Winning Formula: A game plan more suited for him

The 7-footer announced Monday through the school (in news first broken by the Salt Lake Tribune) that he would be returning for his sophomore year.

What seemed like a no-brainer at the start of March became much more convoluted as Poeltl shot up mock draft boards because of his size, footwork and apparent basketball IQ. He helped to limit Duke’s Jahlil Okafor to six points, eight rebounds in the Sweet 16 (Poeltl had 10 points, eight rebounds).

Poeltl started all but one game yet only averaged 23.3 minutes as it took a while for even the Utes to realize how good the lightly recruited Austrian could be. 

Poeltl still ranked 11th on KenPom’s offensive rebounding percentage and fourth in percentage of two-point shots made (68.3). 

Coach Larry Krystkowiak probably lured him back with a promise of significant development and the game plan being established more around him. That can be done because national POY-caliber teammate Delon Wright has graduated. The ball was in Wright's hands much of last season, Poeltl will get some more touches, especially late in the shot clock.

"Jakob had a solid freshman season for us and made great strides, but there is no doubt in my mind that his best basketball is ahead of him," Krystkowiak said in a statement. "He is driven, intelligent and an elite athlete. I'm excited he has faith in our program to turn the words 'potential' and 'project' into 'proven' and possibly 'prize.'"

Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga; Anthony Gill, Virginia

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Winning Formula: Lead the charge

We finish with a bonus. It’s only fitting to put these two together.

Wiltjer opted this week to return to Gonzaga. He and Gill represent the only two players left on KenPom’s player of the year standings, at Nos. 7 and 8 (that assumes Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, who was sixth, chooses to bypass his final three years of college eligibility; a decision hasn’t been announced as of Tuesday).

Both will have to take on even bigger roles next season.

The 6’10’’ Wiltjer was a monster in offensive efficiency (ninth nationally) and was an across-the-board stat stuffer, including a 46 percent clip from three-point range that ranked 14th nationally. He’ll be challenged with the graduation of the Bulldogs’ longtime starting backcourt (Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr.) along with 6’5’’ Byron Wesley.

Gill at 6'8'' was also a versatile force. The Cavaliers will lose key contributors Darion Atkins (graduation) and Justin Anderson (defected a year early to the NBA draft), so Gill’s ability to rebound on the offensive glass, get fouled and make shots inside the arc will all be critical to keep Virginia humming along.

In late January, KenPom noted that Gill was his No. 2 player, trailing only Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky. Gill had the ball in his hands a lot and tended to make decent things happen. So it’ll be interesting to see if he can find a little more consistency down the stretch.