College Hoops Barometer: Legend in his Own Time

Sometime in middle school, I realized I probably wasn't going to make it as a basketball player. I hit my growth spurt late, so I stood all of 4-foot-11 in 7th grade. As I stood in line waiting my turn to complete the weave at basketball tryouts, the other kids towering over me as I adjusted my Horace Grant RecSpecs, I came to the crushing realization that despite my love for the game, I would likely not be receiving a full ride to play hoops at Georgetown like my idol, Patrick Ewing. No, the closest I would get to the court would be as an announcer. Or a writer. So here I am. I'll take it, even though I'm way taller than Muggsy Bogues now (finally).

None of the following players have had to abandon their hoop dreams yet, though. Let's look at the movers and shakers in this season's first edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

Ben Simmons, F, LSU - Whenever I see Simmons, I think of that scene in Wayne's World when Wayne first meets Benjamin, the smooth operator trying to steal his girlfriend, played by Rob Lowe. "This guy's good," Wayne says initially. Then Benjamin starts speaking in Chinese, and Wayne says, "This guy's really good." Everyone knew Simmons was going to be good, coming in as the top recruit in the country. But he seems to get better with every game, punctuated by his absurd 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and five steals against North Florida on Wednesday. The last LSU Tiger to score that many points in a game? The Big Aristotle himself, Shaquille O'Neal. But the points are only a small fraction of the story. Simmons has been compared to LeBron James for his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. He is a ferocious rebounder at 6-10; Simmons has five straight games with at least 14 bounds. In fact, he leads the NCAA in rebounding. He is also averaging an impressive six assists per game, a staggeringly high number for a player so tall. I get the LeBron comparisons, but one I like better is Tracy McGrady, at least in terms of body type/build. Lamar Odom has also been mentioned since he's a southpaw. Regardless, Simmons is already building a legendary resume in what will almost certainly be his only season in college.

Ryan Anderson, F, Arizona – You might remember Anderson from his Boston College days, where he provided steady production for what were some pretty horrible teams. He sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, but seems to have fit in seamlessly with the Wildcats to begin his final season of eligibility. Anderson has here double-doubles thus far this season, en route to averages of 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Anderson's production should stay high due to the combination of the departures of Brandon Ashley, Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to the NBA, along with the injury to center Kaleb Tarczewski. A foot ailment will sideline the seven-footer for at least one month. As a result, Anderson will have plenty of minutes to gobble up even if not a true center like Tarczewski. Don't forget about him.

Denzel Valentine, G, Michigan State - Valentine is a familiar name, but the senior has taken his game to new heights this season. With Travis Trice graduating, Valentine has taken over ball-handling duties for the Spartans. With the ball constantly in his hands, the 6-5 Valentine has exploded recently. He notched a triple-double against Boston College on Thanksgiving with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. That was his second triple-double through the first five games of the season. He followed that performance up the next night with almost another triple double against Boise State, racking up 32 points, nine boards and six dimes. Valentine is averaging 19.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per contest. Every day has been Valentine's Day for coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans, as they have jumped out to an 9-0 start.

Chris Boucher, F, Oregon - Transfers have been impacting the college hoops realm much more frequently in recent seasons, and Boucher was the JUCO Player of the Year at Northwest College. He has not missed a beat since being inserted into the Oregon lineup, including notching double-doubles in each of the last two games. Perhaps his biggest impact has come on the defensive interior, though, as he is swatting nearly four shots per contest. Through eight games this season, the 6-10 junior is averaging 12.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.9 swats per tilt. The Ducks have a stellar frontcourt with Boucher, Dillon Brooks and Dwayne Benjamin, who Bill Walton likes to call "Snoop Dogg." I'll let you do the Googling, but suffice to say, there is kind of a resemblance. Oregon's version is a tad taller and a tad better at basketball, though.

CHECK STATUS

Brandon Ingram, G, Duke – Few coaches could lose three players to the first round of the NBA Draft and still field a superb team the following year. Of course, not every coach is Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K lost problem child Jahlil Okafor, man child Justise Winslow and point guard Tyus Jones to the League, but restocked with Derryck Thornton, Luke Kennard and Ingram. While the Blue Devils have been relying mostly on sophomore Grayson Allen as the squad's catalyst to begin the year, Ingram has turned up the heat in recent games. He is averaging 23.5 points and seven rebounds over his last two contests, shooting an impressive 60-percent from the field over that span. Ingram is 6-9 but has the skill set of a guard, making him a matchup nightmare for the opposition. It remains to be seen if he can keep up this level of production, but the minutes should be there after Duke lost so much firepower from their championship team.

Przemek Karnowski, C, Gonzaga – The huge Polish center with the soft touch around the basket has been battling back spasms this season. The Zags happen to be stacked in the frontcourt, with Domantas Sabonis at 6-11 and Kyle Wiltjer at 6-10 joining the 7-1 behemoth Karnowski. Wiltjer poured in 33 points in Saturday's loss to Arizona, while Sabonis compiled a huge double-double with 18 points and 16 bounds. Still, Gonzaga is not whole without Karnowski in the middle, and he has missed the last three games due to the back issues. While he should return shortly, backs can be fickle, and this could be a season-long problem for Karnowski and the Bulldogs. In the interim, Wiltjer and Sabonis should continue to rack up huge numbers.

Phil Forte, G, Oklahoma State – A hyperextended elbow has forced Forte to miss the last five games for the Cowboys, though he could be close to returning to action. It seems as though the senior has been around forever, playing with the likes of Marcus Smart, Markel Brown and LeBryan Nash. Still, the diminutive Forte was supposed to be the main scorer this season for the Cowboys, who have dropped three of the last five games without Forte in the lineup. Jeff Newberry has been the chief beneficiary of Forte's absence, scoring in double figures in four of the last five tilts. Forte's return will be a welcome sight for OSU; he has shot at least 38-percent from three-point land in each of the last two seasons.

Skal Labissiere, F, Kentucky – One of the top recruits of this year's incoming class, Labissiere has struggled for the Wildcats to begin his freshman campaign. In particular, the long, lanky forward has allowed himself to get pushed around in the post, resulting in limited production, foul woes, and an overall concern regarding an apparent lack of toughness. Labissiere remains raw, as he missed large chunks of his high school career due to back and foot ailments. As a result, he is still learning how to use his body to his advantage, rather than being hampered by the fact that he is nearly 7-foot but weighs 225 pounds soaking wet. Is he soft? It's way too early to give him that label. However, the low rebound totals and the appearance of a dislike for contact have plenty of people concerned.

DOWNGRADE

Jalen Adams, G, Connecticut – Adams has not necessarily played poorly to begin his collegiate career. The downgrade is more about opportunity, or lack thereof. Adams could have started at point guard for the Huskies straight out of high school, but Sterling Gibbs decided to transfer to UConn as a graduate student, which allowed him to come in and play right away. As a result, the veteran Gibbs, who had previously played at Seton Hall, predictably has seen more time than the freshman Adams. After all, Gibbs averaged 16.3 points and 3.8 assists per game last season at the collegiate level. As such, Adams is averaging just 18.1 minutes per game, parlaying his rather limited time on the court into averages of 6.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Adams has a bright future, but he may not get to put all his talents on display this year.

Dale Jones, F, Iowa – Injuries are a part of sports, but some players appear to have worse luck than others. Jones recently suffered the second season-ending knee injury of his collegiate career, and he will undergo surgery. The JUCO transfer was expected to be a crucial part of the Hawkeye rotation this year. Iowa is suddenly rather thin at forward behind star Jared Uthoff. German forward Dom Uhl looks to gain the most from the injury to Jones. In fact, Uhl notched a double-double on Saturday against UMKC.

Deshawn Freeman, F, Rutgers – The Scarlet Knights can't seem to catch a break. Another JUCO transfer, Freeman was actually the leading scorer for Rutgers, averaging 13.1 points per game, before suffering a knee injury of his own. Fortunately, Freeman's injury is not considered serious at this time, and he was simply prescribed rest for the sore knee for the next two weeks. As a result, the Scarlet Knights hope to have Freeman back before the new year, though it is clear Rutgers will struggle even more so without him. The Scarlet Knights already had three losses with Freeman in the lineup, then got trounced by 29 points by archrival Seton Hall on Saturday. Losing the battle of New Jersey is not a good way to start the season.

Codi Miller-McIntyre, G, Wake Forest – The senior guard and catalyst for the Demon Deacon offense has yet to tale the floor this season after breaking his foot in October. Fortunately for Wake Forest, the squad has been buoyed by the monstrous play of fellow senior Devin Thomas in the frontcourt. Thomas has been a double-double machine through eight games, posting five such outputs over that span. That included a huge 20-point, 12-rebound performance against SEC opponent Arkansas, where he got the better of impressive-looking sophomore forward Moses Kingsley on Arkansas. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons have also had competent guard play in the absence of Miller-McIntyre, as both Mitchell Wilbekin and freshman sensation Bryant Crawford have served to energize the squad. Miller-McIntyre averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season, though, so whenever he returns, which could be shortly, he will certainly provide a boost.