Way too early Preseason 2013-2014 All Americans from ESPN

[HooperScooper]

Shabazz on 3rd team.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...arly-all-americans-2013-14-college-basketball

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'm ready to not hear about Aaron Craft any more. I can't remember a kid that the media sweated as hard as this guy just for being "scrappy."

Hard to tell how good any of the freshmen will be, but I have a feeling that kid Randle at Kentucky is going to be a monster.

 

[aceboon]

Is Brennan saying Craft is "arguably" more deserving of being a preseason All American than Bazz with that awkaward opening line? I honestly can't tell. Respect to Craft's defense and what college refs allow him to get away with, but Craft averaged 10pts and a shade under 5 assts on an offensively challenged team(I wonder how many assts he got just feeding Thomas), he shouldn't be ahead of Bazz in any way.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think he's suggesting that it's a stretch to put him on the list, and that him doing so is going to generate that argument.

 

[Lefty2one]

I'm ready to not hear about Aaron Craft any more. I can't remember a kid that the media sweated as hard as this guy just for being "scrappy."

The kid just belongs at Dook. Makes sense with Paulus as an assistant at OSU, Craft is like a mini-me of Paulus, though he's def a better player.

 

[tzznandrew]

I'm ready to not hear about Aaron Craft any more. I can't remember a kid that the media sweated as hard as this guy just for being "scrappy."

We get it because, in the three previous years, Craft's team was three times in the Sweet 16, a #1 seed (2-seed the other years), a Final Four participant, in an Elite 8 they only made because of a Craft shot, a three-time B1G regular-season champion, and two-time B1G tournament champion (losing in the title game the other year).

Kid is overrated, but Ohio State has had an absurd amount of success and exposure since he's been there, so all those nice things that get said about scrappy players is magnified.

 

[imno1]

DD should be in the mix next year

 

[Kitaman]

There is nothing wrong with preseason 3rd team AA (albeit one man't opinion). It makes it easier to make 1st team at the end of the season.

Also some of this is 'no tourney' effect of last season. The other guards had post season exposure, which makes this recognition important, if just to get his name on the watch list.

 

[huskyniner]

I don't remember, was Kemba projected on any of these preseason team's prior to 2010-11?

 

[BoatShow]

The kid just belongs at Dook. Makes sense with Paulus as an assistant at OSU, Craft is like a mini-me of Paulus, though he's def a better player.

Remember when Paulus played QB at Cuse? LOLOLOL

 

[Jerry1714]

It has been a while since the talent pool has been this deep in the college game

 

[gtcam]

DD should be in the mix next year if he performs like he did at end of season he'll be in there. unfortunately 1/3 of a season and no post season exposure doesn't attract enough attention

 

[champs99and04]

I'm ready to not hear about Aaron Craft any more. I can't remember a kid that the media sweated as hard as this guy just for being "scrappy."

Hard to tell how good any of the freshmen will be, but I have a feeling that kid Randle at Kentucky is going to be a monster.

The biggesr mystery to me is boneyarders continuing to insist the kid isn't an extremely good player, when had he attended UConn they'd likely be drawing parallels to Ricky Moore. Anybody who thinks he's a good defender only because he's permitted to play physically is mistaken - the kid has exceptional latteral quickness, an uncanny ability to strip drivers without fouling, and an advanced understanding of defensive rotations. There hasn't been a more disruptive defensive guard in college basketball for quite some time, IMO - it's not a coincidence OSU has been ranked among the best in the nation in defensive efficiency the last few years.

I understand the annoying tendency of the media to gravitate to the scrappy white kid, but for my money the kid is deserving of all the praise he gets despite his limited offensive game.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

The biggesr mystery to me is boneyarders continuing to insist the kid isn't an extremely good player, when had he attended UConn they'd likely be drawing parallels to Ricky Moore. Anybody who thinks he's a good defender only because he's permitted to play physically is mistaken - the kid has exceptional latteral quickness, an uncanny ability to strip drivers without fouling, and an advanced understanding of defensive rotations. There hasn't been a more disruptive defensive guard in college basketball for quite some time, IMO - it's not a coincidence OSU has been ranked among the best in the nation in defensive efficiency the last few years.

I understand the annoying tendency of the media to gravitate to the scrappy white kid, but for my money the kid is deserving of all the praise he gets despite his limited offensive game.

Exactly the point. Nobody had Ricky Moore on All-American lists. And certainly announcers didnt fawn over Ricky Moore every single game for the entire game. Craft is a good player. And he works extremely hard. But he is massively overrated.

I had OSU in my Final Four, so I was glad he hit that game winner (but also sort of mad because I knew everyone would fawn all over it). People ignore the fact that Craft basically threw away both the Iowa St (game winner) and Arizona (Ross game winner) games. He had had two or three turnovers down the stretch in both games. Had the ATROCIOUS foul against Arizona at halfcourt with 10 sec on the shot clock and 24 on the game clock. Then he played matador d and let his man walk in for two layups. He basically blew both games.

People wouldnt hate on him if the announcers and analysts recognized him for what he is instead of making him out to be the Tim Tebow of college hoops. Craft brings very little offensively. He doesn't get to the hole consistently. He isn't a great shooter. And hes a good passer but not great (ala Marcus Williams). He is a nice player but he is a glorified game manager; a good leader who plays aggressive d and gets away with it.

 

[champs99and04]

Exactly the point. Nobody had Ricky Moore on All-American lists. And certainly announcers didnt fawn over Ricky Moore every single game for the entire game. Craft is a good player. And he works extremely hard. But he is massively overrated.

I had OSU in my Final Four, so I was glad he hit that game winner (but also sort of mad because I knew everyone would fawn all over it). People ignore the fact that Craft basically threw away both the Iowa St (game winner) and Arizona (Ross game winner) games. He had had two or three turnovers down the stretch in both games. Had the ATROCIOUS foul against Arizona at halfcourt with 10 sec on the shot clock and 24 on the game clock. Then he played matador d and let his man walk in for two layups. He basically blew both games.

People wouldnt hate on him if the announcers and analysts recognized him for what he is instead of making him out to be the Tim Tebow of college hoops. Craft brings very little offensively. He doesn't get to the hole consistently. He isn't a great shooter. And hes a good passer but not great (ala Marcus Williams). He is a nice player but he is a glorified game manager; a good leader who plays aggressive d and gets away with it.

I suppose he is massively overrated by certain members in the media, but I don't think giving him a third team pre-season All-American spot is woefully over-valuing him. Nobody's confusing him for a player who's going to throw a team on his back, ala Kemba, but you can't turn on an OSU game without him frustrating the out of the guy he's guarding (oftentimes the oppositions best player), completely disrupting the rhythm of the opposing teams offense, and making at least a couple plays a half that directly save baskets and/or lead to run outs and baskets on the other end. I don't think it's ridiculous to bank on marginal improvement offensivley (maybe 13 points, 6 assists next season) and award him a third team All-American spot on the basis of his game-changing defensive abilities.

 

[DanDar]

Deandre Daniels should be on that list.

 

[willie99]

I'm ready to not hear about Aaron Craft any more. I can't remember a kid that the media sweated as hard as this guy just for being "scrappy."

Hard to tell how good any of the freshmen will be, but I have a feeling that kid Randle at Kentucky is going to be a monster.

Craft? he was totally exposed in the NCAA tournament. Witch St didn't even guard him in Ohio St's elimination game, they left him wide open and he couldn't then wouldn't take a shot.

I learned a lot about him watching that game, and it was very different than what I was taught about him before that game.

I'll give a "scrappy defender", but that's it

 

[UConn990411]

Aaron Craft is awesome. He's exactly what you'd want in a point guard. (Well, you'd want Kemba, but you get my point.)

Shabazz is simply on another level from Craft. I think he was easily one of the top 5 point guards in the country THIS season, but he got no attention because of the postseason ban.

I don't ever make declarations about All-American teams, but it would surprise me if Shabazz didn't land on the 1st Team. He's that good.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Craft? he was totally exposed in the NCAA tournament. Witch St didn't even guard him in Ohio St's elimination game, they left him wide open and he couldn't then wouldn't take a shot.

I learned a lot about him watching that game, and it was very different than what I was taught about him before that game.

I'll give a "scrappy defender", but that's it

It's unfair to say he was exposed in the entire tournament. If not for his three-pointer against Iowa State, OSU goes home in the first weekend.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

I suppose he is massively overrated by certain members in the media, but I don't think giving him a third team pre-season All-American spot is woefully over-valuing him. Nobody's confusing him for a player who's going to throw a team on his back, ala Kemba, but you can't turn on an OSU game without him frustrating the out of the guy he's guarding (oftentimes the oppositions best player), completely disrupting the rhythm of the opposing teams offense, and making at least a couple plays a half that directly save baskets and/or lead to run outs and baskets on the other end. I don't think it's ridiculous to bank on marginal improvement offensivley (maybe 13 points, 6 assists next season) and award him a third team All-American spot on the basis of his game-changing defensive abilities.

Completely agree. Third team pre season is fair. But some analysts/ announcers describe him as if he's magic Johnson.