TylerDurden wrote:Question for WSU fans: Are you comfortable with your PG/ball handling situation? I'm no expert about WSU's roster, but it appears that Van Vleet is the only true PG on the roster at the moment (with a couple of freshman PGs coming) - the rest are combos with varying levels of ball-handling ability, no?
If Van Vleet takes a huge step forward, the Shox could run the table. If he doesn't, they'll play a lot of low-scoring grinders and likely end up in the 13-15 win range, IMO.
I probably watched VanVleet a little more closely in the NCAA's than fans of other schools. VanVleet doesn't appear to need either "a huge step forward" or even "a step forward". He was playing in the 20-minute range during the NCAA's. VanVleet was brought along slowly, and was playing very conservatively in Valley games compared to what he's capable of doing.
Baker got some minutes at PG after he returned from injury. I would have to think Marshall was getting him some on-court experience in preparation for this year. Cotton has also played some PG. By maybe the second half of the Valley schedule, a Fr (D.J. Bowles) may be the primary backup at PG.
Bowles was a top-150 (by at least one service) player and it's been said that he's picking up the basics of the WSU system a bit quicker than VanVleet did last year. That's my interpretation of Marshall's comment that he's ahead of where Fred was at this time last year.
WSU has some pretty good defenders, but VanVleet had some filmed moments in summer games that made them look ineffective. The players have commented that VanVleet is very deceptive. From the stands or on TV you can't see the subtleties he uses to get past people or get to a spot to make a pass.
I think VanVleet will be one of the upper-tier PG's in the Valley this year.