ESPN Chicago's Top 30 players in the state of Illinois

[Da Coach]

ESPN Chicago's Scott Powers lists his Top 30 players in the state of Illinois.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/colleges/post/_/id/4214/chicagos-top-30-college-basketball-players

Dyricus Simms Edwards at #9, Taylor Brown at #17, and Sam Maniscalco at #10- I could take issue with several players on the list, but we'll see how it plays out.

[tornado]

I agree - some odd choices...

Melvin at #2 - must be a bit of a hometown bias...sure the guy put some points on the board but do they look at anything else but scoring averages...
the kid took a ton of shots
and if they're saying TWO of the TOP FIVE players in the state both play for DePaul -- then how come the Blue Demons aren't unbeatable??

#6 Averkamp - ditto - plays a lot of minutes, takes a lot of shots and averages 12 & 5

But at the end of the list the writer kinda begins to stretch...
-Hayden Humes?? He's a new transfer who has never played before for UIC, coming over from Toledo where he tore up the court for 5 ppg.
-Darrin Williams - seems to make the list because he "dropped 25 pounds"
-then Jeremy Robinson?? I guess the writer felt compelled to put one Chicago State player on the list, but ...

[Da Coach]

Scott Powers seems to favor DePaul a bit more than logic dictates.
The list has 4 DePaul players in the top 15, and 5 in the top 19! Wow!
DePaul must really be good to have their entire starting 5 ranked in the top 19 players in Illinois, right? And one of DePaul's top players, Tony Freeland, is not listed because he is injured and out for the season.
DePaul's record over the past 3 years is:
Year.........overall..Big East..RPI
2008-09.....7-24.....1-17.....234
2009-10.....8-23.....1-17.....212
2010-11.....9-24.....0-18.....206

And Jeremiah Kelly at #14? Powers calls him "among the Big East’s top 3-point shooters when he’s on".
His shooting stats are awful. Kelly is a career 31.5% three point shooter, and even worse in the Big East. Last year was his best percentage shooting year yet, and still Kelly did not rank in the top 50 Big East players in three point shooting percentage.

[tornado]

hey -- I am a good shooter "when I'm on"....this statement is kinda like saying --
he looks like he hits a lot of his shots when you watch his highlight video...

[Freshjive2103]

Tornado,

Curious where you think Melvin should rank. I also did not think 11.6 shots per game was a whole lot of shots. And even if it is, he hit 52.2% of them, so he was not a chucker. Now I can see taking issue with 4 DePaul players in the top 15, however, Melvin is ranked accordingly; 17.4pts, 6.3 rebounds, .511FG% on 14.6 shots per game in Big East conference games is darn good.

[Future Walk-On]

sorry.....but Luka Mirkovic is not that good......I personally think he is terrible.

[Da Coach]

sorry.....but Luka Mirkovic is not that good......I personally think he is terrible.

I feel several MVC players- Taylor Brown, Mamadou Seck, and Jackie Carmichael to name 3- should be ahead of players like Luka Mirkovic, Jeremiah Kelly, Krys Faber, Ceola Clark, and Ben Averkamp. Just my opinion. I'll save this list and revive it after the season to see who was closer to reality.

[Braves4Life]

Anybody else surprised that DSE ranks above Maniscalco? I'd put DSE above Sammy based on potential but not based upon past performance.

[Future Walk-On]

I feel several MVC players- Taylor Brown, Mamadou Seck, and Jackie Carmichael to name 3- should be ahead of players like Luka Mirkovic, Jeremiah Kelly, Krys Faber, Ceola Clark, and Ben Averkamp. Just my opinion. I'll save this list and revive it after the season to see who was closer to reality.

true i would be interested to see that.

[electricmayhem]

Sorry to be negative, but Krys Faber is awful. Ranking him above TB is a total joke.

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

Anybody else surprised that DSE ranks above Maniscalco? I'd put DSE above Sammy based on potential but not based upon past performance.

I'm not surprised. SM doesn't sound to be healthy and is playing for a new team. If he was 100%, then I would expect SM above DSE.