Wednesday, July 24, 2013

So What It Ain't Floyd/Canelo?....Tune in.. Berto/Soto Karass, Thurman/Chaves(July 27th)

Saturday on Showtime(9 PM ET) features a great and what should be an action packed card with 2 big Welterweight fights in Andre Berto(28-2) vs. Jesus Soto Karass(27-8-3) with the co-feature pitting Keith Thurman against Diego Gabriel Chaves. Maybe at the conclusion of these 2 fights, we'll get a fight a lot of people would love to see in Andre Berto and Keith Thurman booked. Maybe we'll get Broner/Thurman. Prolly not but I can Hope! But, I'm getting ahead of myself, so let's get to the breakdown of these fights. 

Andre Berto's career started off very promising, securing an exclusive HBO deal allegedly getting 1 Million a fight from them. He was touted as the next big star of the sport and looked to be on track not losing a fight in his career(but boxing heads knew the real deal). He hit a snag when he lost his first career fight in an upset to Victor Ortiz, where all his offensive and defense flaws were exposed. 


He won his next fight against Jan Zaveck, a tough opponent, but again in the Robert Guerrero fight, his offensive and defensive flaws were exposed yet again. He even revealed some poor shoulder roll variation that he abandoned early in the fight(yikes). Berto's refusal to be consistent with the jab, poor inside fighting and general lack of defense have been glaring in his last 3 fights.


Jesus Soto Karass on the other hand hasn't been anything special over his career. He's 3-5 in his last 8 fights with losses to notable fighters such as Gabriel Rosado and Marcos Maidana. With that said, he does hold a solid win against Selcuk Aydin(24-2) of Turkey. His fight against Marcos Maidana showed a very game opponent and was a very entertaining fight until the knockout. Karass was aggressive as usual, giving a lot of offense, but taking a lot of punishment as well.


In all honesty, this is a perfect fight for Berto to reestablish himself in the Welterweight division. A fighter who will come forward and absorb punishment. Soto Karass doesn't present the same dangers that Ortiz and Guerrero did. Berto needs to fight aggressively but also smart(which sometimes he forgets to do). Use the jab, try not to get caught inside fighting, and PLEASE abandon that abomination of a shoulder roll he used last fight. Soto Karass's best and only chance is to take it to Berto and get him into an ugly fight.

Going with Berto to end this fight by Knockout.



 Keith Thurman(20-0) vs Diego Chaves(22-0) is an intriguing fight that pits 2 undefeated Welterweights against each other, with the winner assuredly propelled to the next level of their careers. Both fighters possess knockout power with 36 KO's between them in 42 fights. Expect fireworks in this one.

Keith Thurman's rise came quick and unexpected ever since he burst onto HBO and immediately called out a grip of fighters after a knockout win. Thurman has shown off an intriguing skill set and is improving as each fight passes. His tenacity in(and outside) of the ring might be his best asset and the knockouts and exciting are more than welcome. 

Prior to his last 2 fights he didn't have anyone really of note on his resume, but with the names Carlos Quintana(Former WW Champ, Win over Paul Williams) and Jan Zaveck(IBF WW Champ) on there now, he gained some level of credibility with the fans.

Diego Chaves is similarly undefeated prospect, but without the name recognition or even resume to warrant any reaction by boxing fans, but he is undefeated for a reason. He is a good, solid fighter with power and a very aggressive approach in the ring.

Hailing from Argentina, home of professional fighters you may recognize by the names of Sergio Martinez and Lucas Matthyssee, he should be not taken lightly at all. Every fighter has had a soft resume before and needed a come up somewhere. Maybe this fight will be his chance to show the world his abilities on a grand stage.

In this fight, Thurman needs to be cautious of the power Chaves possesses. He needs to use the jab often and and employ the defense that he has shown at times throughout his last couple of fights. And if the opportunity for big shots presents itself(which it undoubtedly will), take it. Well, you know Thurman will take the opportunity. lol.

Chaves himself in my opinion is at a skills and talent disadvantage in this fight, but that never stopped a fighter from winning a fight. He has the power and aggression and we know he won't hold back the first couple of rounds. Thurman's defense isn't impregnable(mike!), not just yet, so Chaves will have a good amount of opportunities to get some big shots in, especially when Thurman is lunging in.

Going with Thurman here. possible KO.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

UFC 162 FX Prelim Card

Edson Barboza Vs. Rafaello Oliveira
We kick off the preliminary fights on FX with the entertaining and rising lightweight Edson Barboza facing the experienced brazilian black belt, Rafael Oliveira. Initially, Barboza was supposed to face the entertaining Canadian striker, John Makdessi, but an injury forced Makdessi to pull out off the fight, and the UFC asked Oliveira to take his place. Since suffering the 1st loss of his career last year to Jamie Varner, Barboza has comeback to defeat Lucas Martins where he stopped the fellow Brazilian early in the first round. Oliveira himself got his 2nd win under the UFC brass with a decision victory last year against Yoislandy Izquierdo.

 After his loss to Jamie Varner, Barboza decided to move his camp up to New Jersey to work on his weaknesses with Frankie Edgar (who will be co main eventing this card) and his camp.

Reports are that Barboza has fit in so well that he even got his main training partner rising WSOF fighter Marlon Moraes to New Jersey with him as well as his Muay Thai coach from Brazil. Since arriving to the UFC, Barboza has made a name for himself with a very dynamic striking arsenal which has resulted in entertaining fights sometimes ending with highlight reel KO's(his spinning back kick KO of Terry Etim will be remembered for years to come). After that win he was labeled the future of the Lightweight division and someone who could eventually contend for the Lightweight title . These hopes hit a brick wall, though, against Jamie Varner. In that fight, Varner was able to expose Barboza's weaknesses in the areas of wrestling and boxing. Varner fought a great fight, eating Barboza's kicks and getting inside with his boxing and wrestling, eventually stopping the young fighter and derailing his hype.

Barboza took the loss very well and acknowledged the holes in his game by making the trip to New Jersey to train with former UFC Lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar and remedy his issues. Although we've only seen one fight from him since the move against an unknown fighter, I still feel Barboza will show he is a much improved fighter since the move in this fight.

Rafael Oliveira on the other hand, has had a very underachieving career. Despite posting a 15-5 record, 4 of his 5 losses have been in the UFC where he's posted a 2-4 record. He's lost to the likes of tough fighters like Nik Lentz, Andre Winner, Glesion Tibau and Yves Edwards, but you will never get anywhere in your UFC career without a win that sticks out on your resume. Which Rafael lacks. But this can all change this Sunday when Oliveira locks horns with Barboza. Oliveira has everything to gain and nothing really to lose in this fight, and sometimes thats the best situation to be in.

Despite all this I expect Barboza to put on a show and restart his ascent in the UFC lightweight division. I believe that loss against Varner helped Barboza more than it derailed him as he continues to work on the kinks in his game. I expect Barboza to finish Oliveira in devastating fashion, adding another highlight reel KO to his resume and the possibility of earning a match against a top 10 Lightweight for his next fight.

My Prediction: Edson Barboza - TKO 1st Round.

Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Dave Herman

The only heavyweight fight of the night should be an interesting and very entertaining scrap. In what could be a "loser leaves the UFC" fight, former #1 contender Gabriel Gonzaga takes on the entertaining Dave Herman. Both fighters are coming off losses, and with the recent UFC cuts, both need to win here to secure their job with the UFC. Dave Herman has lost his last 3 bouts against Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira… And while all 3 fighters are in the top 10 of the official UFC rankings, losing 3 straight is not a good look. All of Herman's fights have been entertaining, though, so the UFC felt the need to give him another shot. Gonzaga himself is coming off a controversial fight against Travis Browne where he felt he was illegally elbowed in route to the loss.

Gabriel Gonzaga at one time was at the top of the UFC heavyweight contendership, when he shocked the world, knocking out Mirko Cro Cop in England(which will go down as one of the biggest upsets in UFC & MMA history), but he failed in his title shot against the legendary Randy Couture back in 2007. For many years, Gonzaga has been one of the most skilled heavyweights in the division. He has very well ranged striking with decent hands and nice MMA style Muay Thai along with his BJJ skill set, where has competed and won many international Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournaments. Gonzaga has been able to translate his BJJ into MMA very well as he has many wins ranging from different kinds of submissions. But with all of Gonzaga's skill set, he has underachieved in the sport. At one point, many felt he could've been a world champion, but with so many young, athletic fighters coming into the sport it appears the days of Gonzaga being a contender is over.

Dave Herman on the other hand, has never really been a top level heavyweight but more of a gatekeeper in the division. He is someone you want to test yourself out against to see if you can crack the top 10 rankings. Herman has fought all over the world in various different promotions, and for his credit has put on good performances and good fights. He always brings it when he fights, and I have yet to see a boring Dave Herman fight, win or lose. That is why it's difdicult to cut fighters like him, because of this ability to get the crowd going. If Herman wants to keep his job he needs to start winning, and that has to start Saturday night.

I expect Gonzaga's skill set to be too much for Herman… Herman always tends to keep his hands low and with Gonzaga's power he will capitalize on that and it will end in a brutal KO for Herman, possibly in the 2nd round once Gonzaga finds his range.

My Prediction: Gabriel Gonzaga - TKO in the 2nd Round

Norman Parke Vs. Kazuki Tokudome

Norman Parke makes his UFC PPV debut against prospect Kazuki Tokudome after winning The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes. This should prove to be a huge step up for the Japanese fighter. Tokudome looks to add the biggest name on his resume as he looks to defeat Norman Parke who has gained international fame throughout his MMA career, whereas the Ultimate Fighter winner Parke will look to notch his first UFC win after winning the first ever Australia Vs. England version of the Ultimate Fighter where he impressed everyone.

Norman Parke isn't your typical "Northern Ireland/British" fighter, instead, Parke comes from a wrestling/judo background which gave him the edge over other fighters in the Ultimate Fighter house. He was able to grind his way to winning in his lightweight division. 12 of Parke's 17 victories have come by submission and his grappling should improve as he has decided to train at famed world Abu-Dhabi Submission champion Robert Drysdale's camp in Las Vegas. Parke already possesses some of the best wrestling I've seen from a British fighter in the lightweight division and taking his talents there will only add to that. Parke has been known for years around the English and Irish MMA scene, where he competed in various different promotions before getting his shot in the Ultimate Fighter house. Only 27 years young, Parke will look to rise and become a contender in the lightweight division. Gicen his skill set I feel he can really make some noise.

Not too much is know about Parke's opponent Kazuki Tokudome, despite him being a Pancrase veteran. Kazuki made his UFC debut in March back in his homeland Japan, winning a unanimous decision over Cristiano Marcello. Kazuki was well know in Pancrase where he became the #1 Lightweight contender for the King of Pancrase, before falling to the champion Isao Kobayashi. Kazuki comes from a judo & boxing background. Parke hasn't shown too much of his stand up ability, so if Kazuki can keep the fight on his feet he can try to expose that.

My prediction is Parke grinds out Kazuki for an easy decision. I feel the ceiling is really high for the Brit and he will continue to improve. While it may be boring for some people, Parke needs to play it smart and get this victory and continue to climb up the lightweight ladder.

My Prediction: Norman Parke - Unanimous Decision

Chris Leben Vs. Andrew Craig

To finish off the UFC 162 preliminary card on FX, we get the fan favorite Chris Leben looking to stay relevant against the entertaining Andrew Craig. This fight could mean the end for Chris Leben, who is known by almost all fans for his time in the infamous first season of the Ultimate Fighter, which helped catapult the UFC into the mainstream light. Leben could be on the chopping block with the UFC despite being with the company since I was a senior in High School. He's going to have his hands full with the hungry Andrew Craig, who might not be as well known as Leben is, but is a very solid middleweight.

Chris Leben for this camp has decided to go with Alliance MMA, where the likes of Phil Davis, Mike Easton, Brandon Vera, and UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz all train. This could be a good move for Leben as it's a very good camp with lots of good fighters, but Leben has been all over the place since the beginning of his MMA career when he started at Team Quest. Leben looked out of it and not all into the fight when he fought Derek Brunson last December in what was a snoozer of a match. Before that fight, Leben was out for a year after testing positive for oxycodone and morphine after his loss to Mark Munoz. You could use the ring rust excuse for Leben, but to me, he appeared to be the same Chris Leben we saw for years.

Many may not know to much about Andrew Craig, but this kid is a very entertaining fighter who possesses a very dynamic striking game. He is much more well versed than Chris Leben who always tries to slug it out and take strikes right on the head. Craig uses a lot more movement and varies with his strikes. Although he lost his first fight against rising middleweight Ronny Markes, he looked good, and in the process gave the Brazilian a really tough fight in a very close decision loss. In this fight, Craig will look to avoid the power punches from Leben and counterstrike him as he engages.

I feel this will be one of the upsets of the night. I've been impressed with Andrew Craig over the last few years, while Chris Leben has failed to impressed me since his back to back wins over Aaron Simpson and Sexyama back in 2010. I feel Craig is the quicker fighter and will avoid the knockout power of Leben in route to a decision, beating Leben to the punch in their striking engages.

My Prediction: Andrew Craig -- Unanimous Decision

UFC 162 Prelim Predictions Facebook

UFC 162 is one of the most interesting cards of 2013 and is tendency, the cards on the weekends of the 4th of July tend to be more stacked. This year proves to be no different. For the 2nd straight year, on the 4th of July weekend, Anderson Silva puts his middleweight title on the line against the rising star in Chris Weidman, while Frankie Edgar looks to notch his first win since 2011 as he goes up against submission specialist Charles Oliveira. But before we get to the main card, there will be a stacked card of preliminary fights which will be live on Facebook as well as FX… So lets cut all the extra stuff and get to my predictions.

 
David Mitchell Vs. Mike Pierce

Heading off the fights on Facebook is Mike Pierce(who is on the verge of being a top 10 welterweight), who is facing off against the relatively unknown David Mitchell. Pierce, who acknowledged feelings of disrespect, feels he should be higher on the totem poll of the UFC, receiving better fights than he has been. To Pierce's credit, I believe he is in the right and should feel disrespected with this fight. Since he lost a razor close decision to Josh Koscheck, he's been on a 3 fight winning streak, defeating solid competition like Carlos Eduardo Rocha, Aaron Simpson, and Seth Baczynski. Pierce shouldn't complain too much and allow himself to underestimate a fighter like David Mitchell, because upsets often occur this way. Pierce is a tough, hard-nosed grinder who has lots of power in his hands. He's a fighter who is constantly active, whether engaged in stand up, or on the ground.

David Mitchell, although unknown, is a very solid fighter with wins over highly touted Bobby Green, UFC and WEC vet Tim McKenzie, and the first win he notched in his UFc career in in January over Simeon Thoresen. With 9 of 12 of his victories coming by way of submission, Mitchell has become known as somewhat of a submission specialist in the UFC. But in this fight,  he's going to have a lot of trouble trying to submit Mike Pierce, who possesses with those short arms and stumpy neck. I don't expect Pierce to be in any danger of submission.

I expect Pierce to come in chip on his shoulder and see him getting the TKO over Mitchell, showing the UFC brass that he deserves a top 10 level fight. Althought Mitchell is good on the ground with solid submissions, he won't have Pierce in any danger. Pierce has faced better fighters with much more advanced BJJ skill sets and has never been submitted. I see Pierce taking out Mitchell in the first round.

My Prediction: Mike Pierce - KO 1st Round



Seth Baczynski Vs. Brian Melancon  

Ultimate Fighter 11 veteran, Seth Baczynski, welcomes UFC newcomer and former Strikeforce veteran, Brian Melancon, into the UFC, in the final Facebook fight on the card. 

Seth Baczynski is a solid, underrated fighter who is primarily utilized as a gatekeeper in the UFC. Having being on Tito Ortiz's team on TUF 11, Seth has since improved as a fighter exhibiting a very well rounded game. He has victories over Lance Benoist, Clay Harvison, and a victory over rising welterweight Matt Brown(which was probably his biggest win). Although he sustained a loss to Mike Pierce back in December, Seth is still a solid gatekeeper in the UFC and is perfect for the situation he is in right now, which is welcoming new fighters and finding their true worth. 

Brian Melancon enters the UFC as a relative newcomer despite being 31… Though not much is known about him as he's only had 8 fights in the sport, he has fought on somewhat of a big stage with Strikeforce(going 1-1). When Strikeforce folded, UFC decided he was good enough to pick up his contract and have him fight on the biggest MMA stage in the world. Brian comes into this fight very confident, feeling he has what it takes to make a name of himself in the UFC. But with Seth, he's facing someone with over twice his level of experience. 

Experience vs lack of will be a heavy factor in this fight. Seth has beaten the tough competition he has faced, and I think that Seth's solid ground game will be too much for Melancon He should take him out early in the 2nd round by the way of submission.

My Prediction: Seth Bacyznski - Submission in the 2nd round.


Edson Barboza Vs. Rafaello Oliveira 

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Weak Draft? Yeah Aight. Top 3 At Each Position in 2013's NBA Draft

Almost every other year we hear about the supposed weakness of the upcoming draft
by nameless and faceless(no H'ghar) draft experts. Because of this and how often people flock to the opinion of these analysts and "experts", this opinion spreads like wildfire(apologies for the cliche) and because accepted very quickly and without any thought by Casual college basketball watchers(no shots) and even some who follow it and the draft process very closely! My opinion? Not quite. There are some solid players with potential to start for a couple years and a few with star potential. I'm going to give you the positives of these players because the overwhelming feel to the 2013 NBA Draft is a negative one. Been a damn long while since I've even dropped a post so excuse all my grammatical errors and whatnot. Lemme get into this now
with my top 3 at each position. 


Point Guard:  


1. Trey Burke. By now pretty much everyone knows Burke due to the amount of big shots
he has made, as well as the great season Michigan had in 2012-2013 with their NCAA Championship appearance. His range, ball handling ability, vision, and just good overall playmaking skills has propelled him high into the lottery since his freshman year in college. He is a very good pick & roll player and might be the closest to a pure point guard in this draft. The common nba comparison this sophomore receives is Jameer Nelson(who has had a great nba career out of St. Joes). With Burke there might be potential to be better due to his all around game.  



2. Isiah Canaan. CANAAN!  This senior out of Murray State had somewhat of a down season( by his standards) as did his team, compared to his junior year where they were in the top 10. Still, he had an amazing season shooting and scoring as usual. His shooting which is prodigious, ball handling scoring are what make me rank him this high in a pretty good pg class. But what is underrated about Canaan is his strength and quickness. He at times looked really explosive in college and this ability should help him transition to the competition of the NBA. His combine numbers(tho I'm skeptical of combine numbers alone), reflect that, with a 40 inch vertical as well as a good 6'5 wingspan which should aid him defensively.



3. C.J. McCollum.  With a season cut short by injury, he still managed to put up some incredibly efficient numbers. In 12 games he shot 49% from the field, 51% from 3, 85% from the line and averaged 24 ppg. Even with the injury, the hype remained due to what he has accomplished in his college career as well as the big upset in last year's NCAA Tournament over Duke. He has better size(6'3 with a 6'6 wingspan) than the 1st 2 prospects who would be considered somewhat undersized for the position. Not an insane athlete or much of a passer but like the 1st 2, he's a very good shooter and scorer and has a mastery of pace and hesitation that allows him to get his shot off.

Honorable Mention: Ray McCallum(Detroit)

Shooting Guard 



1. Victor Oladipo. Amazing athlete, hard worker, incredible improvement in his 3 years in college. During his sophomore year at Indiana, I thought, "Why isn't this guy more of a prospect on draft boards", but it wasn't until during his Junior year which he really rose and became that big can't miss prospect. Improved his shooting and overall offense from soph to Junior which was the big question mark before this season. His defense has always been great and got even better(somehow!). His quickness and overall athleticism reminds people of a certain multiple all nba team, all star guard but we won't know until he actually hits the NBA. For now, he remains one of the upper echelon prospects in this upcoming draft.



2. Shabazz Muhammad. Coming out of High School, he was seen as the best prospect and a potential future NBA superstar. The hype came crashing down as he came to UCLA out of shape and as the season progressed, his athleticism appeared not as good as touted, and his ability to score off the dribble and general dominance from high school did not exist in the NCAA. Fast forward a couple months and the world finds out that Shabazz is actually a YEAR OLDER. Talk about plummeting stock. (This might be the most negative I've written on this post lol). The good news is that his overall offense still appeared quite good. His ability and willingness to score off the ball and post up are good signs even tho he may not 
be the can't miss prospect he was once. He still is a solid rebounder and physically strong. He works hard so you can't discount the guy. 




3. Ben McLemore. Relatively unknown before this season. Burst on to the scene with some  huge shooting performances. Great athlete, great shooter, good defender. Not much of a ball handler but there have been a number of players in the NBA at that position whose strengths weren't in dribbling but were successful nonetheless. Because of his athleticism he was able to get a lot of points in transition just off running the wing and at the same time he projects to become a good defender because of those gifts(tho defense is more about effort than tools). 

Honorable Mention: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope(Georgia) 


Small Forward


1. James Ennis.  Coming from Long Beach State, a Mid Major conference(Big West), not many people will know of him, but Ennis is one of the most underrated prospects in this draft. His athleticism is probably the first thing people notice about him, but his improved shooting %'s, scoring, rebounding and great effort on defense should propel him in the NBA. He probably won't project to be a one on one player in the NBA but I've his ability to take players off the dribble, but with his gifts and improved 3 point shooting he should be able to score in a myriad of other ways. Big steal if he gets drafted in the 2nd round like expected.





2. Otto Porter. Just a High Bball IQ player who seems to do all the right things on the court. Solid athlete who depends more on skills than gifts. As for scoring, he can shoot a bit, post a bit and get points on hard cuts. His rebounding and defense was pretty good as well. Just a well rounded player who may not look like an overwhelming prospect but should be a good starter and possible #3 option in the NBA. 





3. Reggie Bullock.  Doesn't possess a high ceiling but might be immediately ready to make a contribution on the right team. Got a lot of opportunities playing on a fast paced and up and down UNC team. Good shooter, good all around player. Good defensive potential for the nba. His skills are exactly what you want out of your roleplayers. 


Honorable Mention: Solomon Hill


Power Forward



1. Anthony Bennett. Canada!  A lot of potential. Lot. Kinda undersized for the 4 but makes up for it with his superior athleticism, strong physique and solid wingspan(7'1"). Likes to play like a SF at times but gets to the rim and line at a good rate. A great all around offensive player with potential to improve if he dedicates himself to posting up more often than he does. Good rebounder who utilizes his great leaping ability to snab boards but also boxes out pretty well at times. I expect him to contribute immediately, especially on one of the bad teams he gets drafted high to.




2. Kelly Olynyk.  Canada! A great post player and college center who seems to be project as more of a PF in the NBA(due to poor wingspan). Feasted in the WCC on Gonzaga after sitting out a year due to lack of expected playing time. Shot up the draft boards with monster performances throughout the season. Plays very physically and is aggressive on offense. Not only a post up player, though, he shows the ability to hit jumpshots as well. Supremely skilled. Just a decent rebounder but he does show decent effort on defense and drew a good amount of charges this season. 



3. Cody Zeller. Very good college player who showed an array of skills with his back to the back in the post and facing up. Got to the line at a tremendous rate at Indiana. Solid rebounder who has the same issues as Olynyk with his poor wingspan. Very good athlete, though and should be able to use that to his advantage in the NBA. Would've been a lottery pick in 2012's NBA Draft as well(a strong draft class), so that bodes well in projecting the quality of this year's. 

Honorable Mention: Tony Mitchell(North Texas)


Center. Favorite position and deepest in this class.




1. Steven Adams. A Raw prospect but what he does contribute right now is great defense and rebounding. Possesses a very high ceiling and wowed the scouts at the combine with his athleticism and intensity on the court. Has a great frame, standing at 7 feet 255 pounds with a great wingspan of almost 7'5". With the centers of this era experienced a clear drop off from the quality of the 90s, you can't argue against a center who can possibly average a double double with great defense in your frontcourt. 


2. Nerlens Noel.  Similar to Adams in his rawness offensively but was arguably the best defensive player in College Basketball before his scary knee injury. Says a lot that he's still projected to be a possible #1 draft pick this year while rehabbing a devastating knee injury. Great shotblocker(4.4 bpg) and rebounder and even managed to snag a high amount of steals(2.1 spg). A high ceiling but the knee injuries put a question mark on what his NBA career may amount to(Oden :-/ ) 


3. Gorgui Dieng. Old, but improved every year at Louisville. This season he showed a much improved jumper and post up skills to go with his already great defensive ability. His defensive contribution is more than just his shotblocking ability, it's his help defense, rotations and even his lateral quickness in guarding players of different positions. Should be an immediate impact at the next level due to his maturity and translatable abilities. 

Honorable Mention: Alex Len 

Au Revoir, mes amis. Until next time...