Roundball Review's Super 6 College Players

Note: the players are listed in alphabetical order.

Duke sophomore F / C Elton Brand will lead the Blue Devils this season toward their hopes of

capturing another NCAA championship. At 6’8, 260 lbs., Elton possesses very soft hands, great foot work, tremendous work ethic and a very reliable turn around baseline jump shot. His positioning down on the post is excellent. Elton probably runs the court better than any other big man in college basketball.

While playing for the US Goodwill Games team this summer, Elton was practically unstoppable. His superior performance against international competition should provide him the confidence to be a major factor in the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as the nation. Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, has stated in the past, “I’ve never had a player have as big an impact as Elton’s had in such a short time period."

Source of photo: Mike Cragg, Duke Sports Information Department.

Michigan State’s junior G Mateen Cleaves is the best point guard in the Big Ten. At 6’2 and a solidly built 195 pounds, Mateen punishes the opposition with strong drives to the hoop. He was last season’s Big Ten Player of the Year while leading the Spartans in scoring at 16.1 ppg, dishing out 7.2 apg, and gathering 2.4 spg. He was the only college player to make the US World Championships Team which played in Greece this summer. Unfortunately, he suffered a severely sprained ankle and was unable to join the team in Greece. He was picked as the conference’s Player of the Year for this season as well. His biggest weakness is his perimeter shooting: last year he connected on only 40% of his field goal attempts.

Northwestern’s 6th year C Evan Eschmeyer is the best center in the Big Ten as well as the top center in the country. He didn’t play his first two seasons due to recurring foot injuries. Last season, Evan led all Big Ten centers in scoring (21.7 ppg) and rebounding (10.7 rpg). Despite constant double and triple teams from defenses, Evan always seems to produce 20 points and 10 boards a contest.

Source: Northwestern University's media services dept.

Connecticut’s swingman Richard Hamilton may be the best player in the country. He may be slight at 6’6 and 180 pounds but he has a quick shot release on his stand still perimeter shot. However, what separates him from the rest is his exceptional first step to the basket. Richard has the ability to explode to the hoop and finish strong. He also has a good mid range jump shot (which is a lost art in basketball). He will help lead the Huskies toward their goal of reaching the Final Four.

Source: Big East Conference

Miami of Ohio’s Wally Szczerbiak may be unheralded to most people; but, he is one of the top players in the country. He stands 6’8 and weighs a solid 243 pounds. As a junior, he earned first team all Mid American Conference (MAC) and all MAC honors last season. Wally has a complete offensive game. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He missed 8 games last season due to a broken bone in his shooting wrist. Wally is an outstanding perimeter shooter who also moves well without the ball and shooting off screens. He also was a member of this summer’s Goodwill Games team. Szczerbiak scored 15 points and dished our four assists as the U.S. defeated Australia, 93-85 in overtime, on July 24. In the semifinals, Wally scored 20 points on Lithuania.

Source: Mike Wolf, Miami of Ohio.

Utah’s Andre Miller is the most complete point guard in the country. He is 6’2 and 205 pounds and plays a very physical brand of basketball. He has an excellent work ethic and has improved each season under Utah head coach Rick Majerus. Andre helped lead the Utes to last season’s NCAA title game. He recorded what is believed to be the first triple-double (tallying 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists) in school history as the Utes upset Arizona in last season’s West Region Finals. He was a member of the 1998 gold medal winning US Goodwill Games team.

Source: Western Athletic Conference.

Copyright © 1999, The Houston Roundball Review, All Rights Reserved.