The Pac 12 hasn’t been nearly as strong lately as it is accustomed to, so some coaches were looking for quick fixes to try and get an invite to the postseason. Half of the teams in the conference have contributors playing meaningful minutes that weren’t high school recruits. Oregon and UCLA looked like the biggest benefactor of transfers, but it has been Colorado and USC that have reaped the rewards of relocated players. Here are a couple of names to watch out for this season and some could turn out to be fantasy gold in dynasty leagues.
Chris Colvin, guard, Arizona State Sun Devils
The 6-foot-3 native of Chicago must have got fed up with cold weather. He played his freshman season at Iowa State (3.0 points and 1.9 assists) before he fled for the sunshine of Palm Beach CC and the warmth of Arizona State. He has found himself in the starting lineup for Sun Devils’ first three games as Jahii Carson still hasn’t been cleared academically. He is averaging 9.0 points and 4.0 assists but he has only shot 29% while committing 4.7 turnovers. He should hold some value in Pac 12 leagues as long as he is in the starting lineup and Carson is in street clothes.
Justin Cobbs, guard, California Golden Bears
The 6-foot-2 combo guard decided to return home to California after playing his freshman year at Minnesota (2.1 points and 1.3 assists in 34 games). He has come off the bench in the first five games but is averaging 9.0 points, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in a little under 24 minutes. He has showed some nice things early on with 16 points against George Washington and four steals versus Missouri. He has allowed Jorge Gutierrez to play off the ball every now and then which should help both players down the stretch. He is a solid keeper option for those in Pac 12 leagues but he could be useful now if you need assists.
Carlon Brown, guard, Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffaloes were in desperate need for someone who could put the ball in the basket after losing their top four scorers. The 6-foot-5 senior came to Boulder from Salt Lake City with a reputation as a scorer and he has lived up to the billing. He led Utah in scoring (12.6 points) as a junior and left the school ranked 36th on the all-time scoring list. He is off to a fast start this year averaging a career-high 16.3 points while shooting 53% from the floor. That average might be inflated by a 23-point performance in the win over Western Michigan but he has a decent shot to finish among the top 10 scorers in the conference.
Olu Ashaolu, forward, Oregon Ducks
The 6-foot-7 senior was expected to be one of the top newcomers in the league this year after averaging 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds last season at Louisiana Tech. After three games, that isn’t the case. He started the first two games but came off the bench for the last one. He has yet to score in double-figures and his season high in rebounds is four. Foul trouble may be the real culprit here as he is averaging 4.3 fouls in only 18.3 minutes. Expect him to improve on his 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds but he probably won’t be the double-double machine many anticipated.
Tony Woods, center, Oregon Ducks
At 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Woods looks outstanding coming off the bus. He caught some early fantasy buzz as centers are so hard to find in Tier 1 leagues but that has faded as the season has progressed. For some reason the sum of the parts don’t add up for Woods. His per minute numbers are pretty good (8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 17.0 minutes) but he can’t seem to get any quality run. He only averages 2.0 fouls so that isn’t what is holding him back either. In his two seasons at Wake Forest he never averaged more than 13.3 minutes. Don’t expect him to all of a sudden blossom into a stud fantasy center this year but his potential is still intriguing in keeper leagues.
Devoe Joseph, guard, Oregon Ducks
The 6-foot-4 senior averaged 11.3 points and 3.5 assists as a junior at Minnesota before heading to Eugene. We haven’t seen him yet as he won’t be eligible until December. While the possible transfer of Jabari Brown is bad news for the team, it may be great news for Joseph. If Brown doesn’t return then he has a clear path to a starting spot. Hopefully the time off has allowed him to work on his jumper as he is only a 40% career shooter. Don’t anticipate much more than his averages as a junior but he could help teams in look for some assists.
David Wear, forward, UCLA Bruins
The 6-foot-10 sophomore transfer from North Carolina had a strong opener (13 points, five rebounds and three steals) but hasn’t played well since. A concussion kept him out of the game against Chaminade and he only managed two points and four rebounds in the loss to Kansas. He is playing over 32 minutes so the coaches must believe in him even though he is only averaging 7.0 points and 3.7 rebounds. He is playing out of position at the three spot but it doesn’t look like he will play inside much as long as Reeves Nelson is around. His minutes suggest he is due for an outbreak but his production suggests he may not be that good. Roll the dice at your own risk.
Travis Wear, forward, UCLA Bruins
Travis is playing better than his twin brother at the moment but that might have to do with him playing his more natural position. He is averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 27 minutes but is shooting just 40% from the floor. The minutes will continue to be there as long as Joshua Smith keeps eating himself out of the NBA and Reeves Nelson is coming off the bench. The downside is that those guys will eventually eat (no pun intended) into his playing time and cause his numbers to come down a little. Either way, there isn’t much upside here unless you can roster him at the center position.
Aaron Fuller, forward, USC Trojans
The 6-foot-6 junior transfer from Iowa has been the bright spot on the Trojans squad this year. They are really struggling to score (321st in the nation) but that hasn’t stopped Fuller from piling up the points. He is averaging 15.0 points and has scored in double-figures in all five of their games. He is shooting 63% from the field while the rest of his teammates are shooting a dismal 35% from the floor. The offense should be running through Fuller and not guard Maurice Jones. While his offensive game has been impressive, his rebounding (6.6) has left a little to be desired. If he can pull down a couple more boards per game, then we could be talking about one of the top forwards in the entire conference.
Dewayne Dedmon, center, USC Trojans
The 7-foot sophomore oozes talent and head coach Kevin O’Neill said that he will be a first round pick in the NBA Draft even though he only averaged 6.6 points and 7.8 rebounds at Antelope Valley CC. He is a classic production vs potential prospect. In the opener he scored 16 points, grabbed eight boards and swatted three shots to get the hype machine rolling even more. Since then he has crashed back to earth (7.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.0 block) due to foul trouble and lack of aggression. He still has a lot of work to do on the offensive end and probably can’t be counted on in fantasy leagues unless you are desperate for a center. A must have in keeper leagues if only for hopes of hitting the jackpot at fantasy’s weakest position.