The Pac 10 was down last year with only two teams (Washington and Cal) making the NCAA Tournament. Certainly early departures to the NBA have hurt this conference recently, but the simpler solution to the conference’s woes is the downfall of powerhouses UCLA and Arizona. This conference will be perceived nationally on how those two bluebloods perform. Neither of them will start of in the Top 25 so another down year could be on the horizon.
The Pac 10 lost a lot of firepower this offseason with the departures of Landry Fields, Jerome Randle, and Quincy Pondexter, who all finished in the top four in scoring last season. Klay Thompson, who finished third in the conference in scoring at 19.6 points returns and is probably the top fantasy option in the league. Keep an eye on some of the younger talent that should emerge throughout the season as opportunities will be there for the savvy fantasy owner to pounce on.
Arizona Wildcats – The Wildcats were one of the youngest teams in all of college basketball last season with only two upperclassmen on the roster. Nic Wise has since moved on which should put the pressure to carry this team back to the postseason directly on the shoulders of Derrick Williams. He had a fabulous freshman season leading the team in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.1). He should be able to improve on those numbers but he will need someone to keep teams from packing in the lane on defense. Kyle Fogg (11.1 points) is the only other returning player that averaged double figures last year. Fogg (41.7%) and Jamelle Horne (43.5%) will need to continue to excel from behind the arc if this team is going to score enough to be a contender for the league title. Lamont Jones aka "MoMo" will get the first crack to replace Wise at point guard. He needs to work on becoming a better distributor (1.6 assists in 18.8 minutes last year) and his outside shot (18.9% from behind the arc) but he should instantly upgrade the defense with his toughness and tenacity. Watch out for freshman Daniel Bejarano who could become the scoring wing that this team desperately needs to get back to the top of the conference standings.
Arizona State Sun Devils – The Sun Devils recorded their third straight 20+ win season but fell just short of the Big Dance last year. Three senior starters should help ease the pain of losing Derek Glasser and Eric Boateng. Ty Abbott (12.0 points) and Rihards Kuksiks (12.1 points) should provide the outside shooting but they will need someone to step up and provide a presence in the paint to keep defenses honest. Jamelle McMillan figures to take over the point guard duties but he is known more for his shooting than distributing. Trent Lockett showed flashes last year of being a good player but he will need to be more consistent to reach fantasy worthiness. The team is already loaded on the wings but should get an instant upgrade athletically with the arrival of three talented newcomers. Freshman Keala King is a 6-foot-5 scoring wing but may be the best option to run the offense due to his excellent court vision and passing ability. Freshman Corey Hawkins, son of Hersey, is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard that scored more points than any high school player in the history of the state of Arizona. In the frontcourt, the Sun Devils will welcome Carrick Felix and Kyle Cain to the fold. Felix, a 6-foot-6 high-flying wing, had been the first junior college player to ever sign with Duke under Mike Krzyzewski before asking for his release. Cain, a 6-foot-8 interior player, is a good finisher around the rim and should excel on offensive putbacks. It will be interesting to see with all the new athletes on campus if the offense opens up a little more and the Sun Devils get out in transition. Overall, they have some holes to fill at point guard and center but it is hard to count out a Herb Sendek coached team out.
California Golden Bears - If Mike Montgomery can get back to the NCAA Tournament this season he should be rewarded with a lifetime contract. The Bears lost four senior starters including Pac 10 Player of the Year Jerome Randle. If that wasn’t enough attrition, Omondi Amoke was dismissed from the team and D.J. Seeley transferred. The leading returner scorer from last season is Jorge Gutierrez and he only scored 5.5 points. Am I painting a bleak enough picture? Alright, now to the good news. Harper Kamp is back after missing last season with a knee injury. He gives the Bears an inside presence and some experience in the frontcourt. Max Zhang, a 7-foot-3 import from China, led the team in blocked shots in limited action and should finally see consistent playing time. The odds-on favorite to lead the team in scoring is 6-foot-6 freshman shooting guard Allen Crabbe. He was the California Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds at Price High School. He has a smooth shooting stroke out to 23 feet but will need to working on creating his own shot to be a big time college player. Two other freshmen should be considerable action this year. Alex Rossi is one of the best shooters in this high school crop and could remind some people in the Bay Area of Casey Jacobsen. Gary Franklin is a tough combo guard that can make plays off the dribble and should be an immediate force on the defensive end. He should share ball-handling duties with Gutierrez to begin the season but eventually he will take over the point guard responsibilities. The Bears will be rebuilding this year but dynasty league owners should pay attention because their might be some gems in Berkley to be found.
Oregon – Dana Altman wasn’t given any favors upon taking the Ducks job. The Ducks finished in eighth place last season and he had to watch as four players decided to transfer. Jamil Wilson was the biggest defection as he was a highly recruited player that was supposed to have a great career for the Ducks. The good news is that the cupboard isn’t exactly bare in Eugene even though they only have 10 players left on scholarship. Point guard Malcolm Armstead decided to stick around and could lead the conference in assists after finishing third last year with 4.3 per game. He also set a school record with 65 steals. Center Michael Dunigan (9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds) flashes elite potential but needs to be more consistent. Big men usually take longer to adjust to the competition so hopefully his junior season will see him make the jump. Wings E.J. Singler (6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds) and Jeremy Jacob (7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds) really started to come around at the end of last season and both could easily reach double figures in scoring. The Ducks also will see the return of rugged big man Joevan Catron who only played in four games last season due to a lingering back injury. The Ducks aren’t a Tournament team, but they also might surprise some people and not finish in the cellar.
Oregon State – The Beavers surprisingly finished tied for fifth in the conference last season even though they finished 8-10 in league play. They are going to have to improve on that mark if they want to be known for anything other than “The School where Obama’s brother-in-law coaches”. The Beavers were a horrible offensive team last year but there is some young talent that looks ready to emerge. Calvin Haynes scored a team leading 12.5 points but he will really need to focus on becoming more efficient after shooting 40.4% from the floor. Jared Cunningham averaged 15.5 points over his last four contests and looks like he can get anywhere on the court he wants. Joe Burton is load down low and started to look like he may be an elite rebounder if he can improve his conditioning. While the development of those players is exciting, everyone in Corvallis can’t wait for freshmen Devon Collier and Roberto Nelson to don the orange and black. Collier is a 6-foot-9 power forward from the Bronx that can play inside and out. He turned down numerous Big East programs to play in the Pacific Northwest and might be on the most highly recruited players the Beavers have signed in a long time. He will need to add some weight to be more effective down low but he has already shown the touch to make 15 to 18 foot jumpers. Nelson was a heralded recruit (turned down UCLA) last year who sat out with academic issues. The 6-foot-3 scoring guard was the best player in practice last year and will finally get to show the rest of the conference what all the hype was about. This is definitely a team on the rise.
Stanford – The Cardinal were a two-man team for most of last season and this year they will be without all-everything forward Landry Fields. It would be hard enough to replace 22 points a game but they will also have to find someone to grab his 8.8 rebounds. Jeremy Green finished sixth in the conference in scoring at 16.6 points per game last season and set a school record with 93 three-pointers. He figures to step up his scoring average a little but he can’t do it alone. Point guard Jarrett Mann is a cheap source of assists (4.2) but doesn’t offer much else in the fantasy world. Forward Josh Owens returns after redshirting last season with an undisclosed medical condition. He started 28 games as a sophomore in 2008-2009 and averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. The Cardinal signed a Top 20 recruiting class headlined by athletic big man Dwight Powell. The 6-foot-10 phenom averaged 23.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game last year in high school. He operates most effectively in the high post but has shown the ability to post up and make three’s as well. He should immediately slide into the lineup and be a player to target. Anthony Brown is a 6-foot-6 wing player that has a chance to be special. Expectations should be low for him this year as he is still only 17 years old. Given some time in the weight room and to mature, he could be an elite player in a couple of years.
UCLA – The premier program on the West Coast finally showed the affects of all the early departures to the NBA last season. While they weren’t expected to be a Top 10 team last season, no one saw a 14-18 season coming. The Bruins weren’t a great offensive team last year and now will have to find a way to replace the production of Michael Roll (14.1 points) and Nikola Dragovic (12.0 points). Also gone are transfers Drew Gordon (New Mexico), J'mison Morgan (Baylor), and Mike Moser (UNLV). The Bruins desperately need a playmaker at the point guard position and have brought in junior college transfer Lazeric Jones in to compete with Jerime Anderson. If one of those players can take over the point, then Malcolm Lee (12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists) will be freed up to assume more of a scoring role. Tyler Honeycutt should emerge as one of the best players in the conference this year. The multi-dimensional talent is a fantasy owner’s dream. While he isn’t a big scorer (7.2 points), he does just about everything on the floor. He should be at amongst the league leaders in rebounds, steals, and blocks this season. Reeves Nelson’s physical style provided instant production (11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds) last season. The Bruins frontcourt will get a big (and I mean big) boost from incoming freshman Josh Smith. The 6-foot-10, 300 pounder will instantly be a force in the middle with his soft hands and nimble feet. He has a shot to be an All-Conference performer but he will need to work on his conditioning and stay out of foul trouble. Tyler Lamb will come off the bench early but should see considerable minutes. He has an excellent basketball IQ and should back up both guard positions this year. A NCAA Tournament bid isn’t out of the question this year and next year the Bruins should be headed back to being the elite program in the conference.
USC – The Trojans were a train wreck offensively last year averaging only 59.6 points. While you won’t get help in the scoring department from their players, they do have a couple of big men that can help your fantasy team. Nikola Vucevic led the conference in rebounding (9.4) and recorded ten double-doubles. He added 10.7 points and 1.3 blocks and could see both of those numbers rise this year. He should be the second big man drafted out of the conference behind Derrick Williams. Fellow frontcourt mate Alex Stepheson is the second leading returning rebounder (7.4) and shot blocker (1.6) in the conference from last season. While those two will anchor the interior, the Trojans have plenty of questions on the perimeter after losing the other three starters to graduation. Fordham transfer Jio Fontan is expected to be their top scoring threat but he won’t be eligible until January. Fontan should be owned in all Pac 10 leagues after averaging 15.3 points and 4.7 assists as a freshman for the Rams. There are three talented recruits that should be pushing for starting spots this year. Maurice Jones, a 5-foot-7 jitterbug, could very well hold down the point until Fontan is eligible. Jones averaged 30 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and four steals last year and was named a finalist for the Michigan “Mr. Basketball Award.” Garrett Jackson, a 6-foot-6 small forward, has a non-stop motor and excels in transition. His length should make him a good defender but he will have to continue to work on his outside shot to be a complete player. Bryce Jones, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, is the highest rated incoming player and he can affect the game in a variety of ways. He is a good passer who also loves to rebound. He shows a great knack for slithering his way to the basket and finishing at the rim. He will have to work on his jump shot as well in order to keep defenses honest. There should be some decent sleepers here amongst the newcomers due to only two starting spots being locked up heading into the season.
Washington – The Huskies advanced to the Sweet 16 last year and gave the conference something to be proud of in down year. They should be the favorites to win the conference but it will be hard to repeat that success this year without star forward Quincy Pondexter’s (19.3 points and 7.4 rebounds) contributions. The Huskies have a talented backcourt led by Isaiah Thomas. Thomas averaged 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last year. The team was at its best when he was distributing and creating easy opportunities for other players. He could easily see his scoring average reach 20 points but it can’t come at the cost of efficiency if this team is going to live up to expectations. The key to the backcourt and maybe the entire team is point guard Abdul Gaddy. He didn’t live up to the hype last year averaging only 3.9 points and 2.2 assists. He was the youngest player in the conference last year and he spent all summer building his confidence on Team USA’s U18 team (he was the only college player on the squad). The hope is that experience will allow him to regain his swagger and start producing for the Huskies. If he can be a solid floor general, then that will allow Thomas to move off the ball and becoming more of a scoring force. Matthew Bryan-Amaning (8.8 points and 5.9 rebounds) showed at times last year that he can be one of the best post players in the conference. He really responded after being benched mid-way through last season and the hope is that he carries that momentum into this year. Junior college transfer Aziz N’Diaye should help the interior defense with his shot-blocking prowess. The 7-foot-1 native of Senegal won’t be much of an offense force this year but is an intriguing dynasty league pick due to his athleticism and the rarity at the center position in most leagues. There are high hopes that two freshman can provide a scoring punch at the wing positions. C.J. Wilcox redshirted last season but he is a big-time athlete that can score in bunches. He led the state of Utah is scoring at 23.7 points per game as a high school junior. Terrence Ross is a prototypical college three man. He is athletic, long, and has a tremendous stroke. He has a chance to start and should be one of the best freshmen in the conference, if not in the entire country. He has a chance to be exceptional.
Washington State – The Cougars have the talent to place both of the Evergreen State squads at the top of the conference standings at the end of the season even though they finished in the cellar last season. Klay Thompson headlines a strong trio of returning players on the Palouse. He is the early frontrunner for Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 19.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.5 threes per game last season. He started off last season on fire but really regressed during conference play. Hopefully a summer of weight-lifting and getting stronger will help him avoid another mid-season slump. He should be the top fantasy player selected in the conference and is a borderline Top 10 pick in national leagues. Guard Reggie Moore looks to build on a solid freshman campaign last season that saw him average 12.7 points and 4.2 assists. He is very quick off the dribble and can be a handful in the open court. He needs to work on his long distance shot to become a top tier point guard but he showed he has range by connecting on six triples against UCLA. The paint is patrolled by 6-foot-8 enforcer DeAngelo Casto. He led the conference in blocks (2.2) and finished seventh in rebounding (7.0). He also provided 10.7 points and is one of the better big men in the league. This team lacks depth though and it is still uncertain how they will replace the production of Nikola Koprivica. There aren’t any freshman that look like they will provide an immediate fantasy impact so it going to come down to these three to stay healthy and make shots.