If Brandon can lead next year's team in scoring, we will either be very good, or very bad.
I see two scenarios - if Brandon really grows in confidence as a player to the point that he truly is our leader (which would be a bit of a personality change ...), then he could score 16+ ppg and be our leader at crunch time. Can he step up and be a 1st team Big East ? If he does, we've got great pieces all around him.
On the other hand, if Brandon doesn't improve his game dramatically, but just kind of remains the same player he's been for the past 3 years - and THAT guy is our leading scorer, well, that means that MCW and Southerland and Fair and Coleman have not really stepped up as much as we hoped they would.
So for that reason, I would kind of like to see Brandon remain the sidekick and steadying influence, and would love to see two guys among MCW, Southerland, Fair and Coleman emerge as reliable scorers (10+ ppg), one of whom is our go-to guy. I want to see both a low post scorer and an outside scorer if we are to compete for a deep run in the NCAA tournament, so that we have a balanced offense.
Looking at all their upsides, Coleman may have the best chance among them to be our offensive go-to guy. He reminds me a lot of Sullinger - good hands, solid body, good footwork. We haven't had a low post scorer like him since Arinze. He could easily be a 10-12 ppg guy for us, which would be huge.
Looking at the other guys, Southerland strikes me as a guy who could really put it together in his final go-round. I see a more athletic Preston Shumpert when I look at James. He could become an explosive 3 point shooter and has the athleticism to run the break and throw down some thunder dunks. Southerland could be our leading scorer, even if he comes off the bench. He is that explosive if he can just put it all together.
Carter Williams will have the ball in his hands, he can drive, he can hit the 3. He is gangly as hell, though, and dribbles a little high. How will he stand up to really physical defense in the Big East? I think he has huge upside, like everybody else, but I think he will need a year before he really becomes a star. I see him also around 10 ppg and about 5 assists.
I look at CJ, and I see a player who reminds me of a taller Josh Pace, with a little better jump shot. A great glue guy with a high basketball IQ, but I don't see him as a go-to player. His go-to shot is a drive from the left side of the floor either along the baseline or across the lane, where he puts up that floater. He can also hit the 10-12 foot baseline jumper, but I don't see him having the combination of moves and shooting range to be our leading scorer. A great teammate, and a necessary skill set on any winning team, but not 'the man", IMO.
So, realistically, I'd like to see Brandon continue to be a solid, supporting guy that people can rely on, but I think others are better suited to being our leading scorer. My personal hope is that Southerland blows up, but it could be Coleman or MCW. I just don't see any other guys as having the skill set to be "the man" for us this year.
