It’s a question that gets discussed amongst basketball minds across the sport: How much room is there for the true big man?
The game has evolved so much out on the perimeter, with 3-point shooting rising to unprecedented levels. That said, with so many teams attempting to adapt to that trend, being able to have a post presence can be a differentiator in games. The BIG EAST was loaded with guards last year, from Markus Howard to Myles Powell to Kamar Baldwin and Ty-Shon Alexander, among others. This season, the preseason talk around star players navigates around the guards again, with Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski and Villanova’s Collin Gillespie leading many storylines.
There are true big men, though, that certain teams can especially play through and find success with in their approach. Let’s take a look at five teams who could rely significantly on their frontcourt standouts in the coming season.
Providence - Senior Nate Watson
The 6-10 senior averaged nine points and nearly five boards per game last season, and will be relied upon to hold down the center spot this year with Kalif Young graduated. As a junior, Watson dealt with some knee issues early on in the campaign but started to get back to his true form in conference play, scoring in double figures in four out of five games from the end of January into the beginning of February. There are times when Watson can dominate a game, when Ed Cooley’s flex offense goes through the Portsmouth, Va., native. The key for the Friar center, like many big men, is to defend without fouling. This was problematic for Watson last season, as he had three fouls or more in 15 of the 27 games he played, forcing Cooley to juggle his lineup and go to Young, or play smaller. This year, the clear center for this team is Watson, and the Friars will be looking to him to play the type of “bully ball” he is capable of playing in the post.
Marquette - Senior Theo John
The leading returning shot blocker in the BIG EAST, the 6-9, 255-pound John is a bruiser in the paint who can shut opposing players down on the interior. When he was involved even a little bit in the Golden Eagles’ offense, Marquette found success. Up until their last three games of the season, the Golden Eagles were 11-2 when John scored at least six points. For a team that did so much around Howard, and rightly so, coach Steve Wojciechowski’s squad was able to find a different dimension when John was involved. With 151 career blocks, John can absolutely hit the 200-mark in his final campaign. It will be interesting to see how the Golden Eagles’ highly-anticipated freshman class, with a trio of players who are at least 6-foot-7, factor in with John in the frontcourt. Marquette’s length will have a very different look, and that’s something that excites Wojciechowski, who would like the defense-first mindset he had in his playing days at Duke to translate on the court for the Golden Eagles.
Georgetown - Sophomore Qudus Wahab
Having a coming-out party at Madison Square Garden is about as good as it can get for a freshman in college basketball. That was the case for Hoya center Qudus Wahab, who had nine points in 22 minutes and played a major role in Georgetown’s signature non-conference win over Texas last season, which earned a date with Duke in the 2K Legends Classic.
“He played big boy basketball tonight,” said his head coach Patrick Ewing, who knows a thing or two about performing at The World’s Most Famous Arena, after Wahab’s performance that November night. In conference play, the freshman’s minutes continued to increase with graduate center Omer Yurtseven sidelined due to an injury. Wahab played at least 20 minutes in seven of the Hoyas’ final nine games, highlighted by a six-block performance in a win against DePaul.
“That one game he had six blocked shots, I told him, ‘Don’t tease me just getting one of those,’” said Ewing. “The sky’s the limit for him. I believe in him.” Look for the 6-11 Nigeria native to only heighten his impact as a sophomore.
Connecticut - Senior Josh Carlton, Sophomore Akok Akok, Freshman Adama Sanogo
On paper, the Huskies have the most frontcourt depth in the BIG EAST. Carlton, the 6-11 senior out of Winterville, N.C., is a veteran presence who averaged eight points and six boards last season in 21.3 minutes per game. Where UConn could find some major difference-makers in the coming season is in two underclassmen. Sanogo was a late addition who reclassified from the class of 2021 to 2020. The four-star prospect from the Patrick School in New Jersey is expected to factor in immediately, and his head coach Dan Hurley has major expectations.
“He’s a man,” said Hurley. “He’s very, very developed. Usually with freshmen, there are growing pains, but Adama’s an old-school type of warrior. He will make a huge impact for us right away.”
Akok is working his way back from an Achilles injury and is expected to return in late December or January. As a freshman, he averaged 5.8 points and 5.5 boards per game, but with increased use could make a leap. Hurley said there’s no doubt the 6-9 big man out of Manchester, N.H., could be an NBA Draft pick down the road.
Xavier - Sophomore Zach Freemantle
He isn’t the definition of a true center, but his versatility and motor can allow for him to play like that for the Musketeers. Freemantle, an All-BIG EAST Freshman Team selection last season, really came on as conference play went on, scoring in double-figures in eight league games. Most notably, the 6-9 New Jersey native scored the game-winning basket against St. John’s in his Madison Square Garden debut last February, turning in an 11-point, seven-rebound performance. With double-double machine Tyrique Jones having graduated, the Musketeers have a significant void to fill down low. Expect senior transfer Bryan Griffin and redshirt freshman Dieonte Miles to assist some, but Freemantle has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Xavier big men in the past like Matt Stainbrook and Sean O’Mara. His role should only grow in year two, and the Musketeers can play through him in the post area.