Nate Mason is not my first team all Big Ten point guard.
Also DW is Mr. Clutch of the Big Ten.
next season. He has really blossomed into a top caliber player this season.
Dude put an exclamation point on what should have been a non-debate between him and Mason today.
Holla 'We want recount, we want recount'. (Kanye voice)
but, seriously, recount
DWJ - Shades of Trey Burke!!!
Honestly, kid is just dialed in right now...
This team is looking great - hopefully they can continue to roll
Yeah no disrespect to Nate Mason but I think Derrick Walton showed why he's better than Mason. Mason's a great guard but anyone can look good with enough volume. Walton doesn't succeed by volume but instead does what need's to be done to win. Great game.
Agreed!
His play has been - dare I say it? - Burke-esque.
This is the Academy Awards show all over again. Somebody read the wrong envelope.
Ball don't lie!
I like 'em both though. Mason can get himself to the rim in a hurry.
That's my 1st team all Big Ten.
Let's win the title!
GO BLUE!!
Let's pump the breaks he's balling out of control, but he's still 6' tall on his best day. NBA is about potential.
Remember Marcus Paige from UNC? Exact same thing. Check out his stats as a sophomore...and on a high profile team. He had to play all 4 years and was a late 2nd rounder.
Walton will likely be the same, IMO.
EDIT: That said, he absolutely should be 1st Team All-B1G and he should have a ton of votes for B1G POY. Hopefully he gets tournament MVP and 1st team all tourney team after a championship win tomorrow.
No one is saying Walton isn't going to carve out a role. I don't see how this is even a point. I never said anything about his performance in the NBA. I just said he's not going to get drafted high and playing at this level earlier wouldn't change that.
Personally, I feel NBA should draft more on production, but that's not what we're discussing here.
Who's arguing that potential is the reason why there are so many busts? I 100% agree with you on that.
And you literally just proved my point. He's not going to get drafted high and even if he was a freshman or a sophomore he wouldn't. You just mentioned two guys and neither was drafted high despite strong careers.
Walton could be a GREAT NBA player, but he's not going to get drafted high and playing like he's playing 2 years ago wouldn't have changed that.
Case and point...every name we've mentioned thus far.
Playing at this level 2 years ago changes NOTHING is my point. Just like Paige...he was playing at this level his sophomore year. He had to return. If Walton was playing like this as a sophomore, he'd be back for his junior year too (or be a 2nd round pick).
All I was saying is the NBA drafts potential and Walton playing at this level at a younger age changes nothing. Only that he comes back to Michigan as a preseason POY (like Ferrel).
He's become everything we hoped for when he got here. At the perfect time.
He's a better distributor than Trey Burke. And rebounds, too.
just playing out of his mind.. his jumper reminds me a bit of former Warriors great Tim Hardaway, Sr.
He doesn't have elite quickness, but don't underestimate his heart, leadership, smarts and strength. Given the right circumstance, a coach would absolutely feel comfortable with Derrick running a team off the bench next year.
Jameer Nelson or Patty Mills are good comparisons in my mind, and I'm hoping he gets a chance as a late draft pick/ FA signee next year.
Not wanting to bash Trey Burke, but I think Walton is a better defender, rebounder, and leader overall.
Yeah, I was upset when Walton did not make the list initially, but now that we've seen our way to the Big Ten Touranment finals thanks in no small part to the leadership and play of Derrick Walton, Jr., I am simply flabbergasted as to the reason for the snub. I truly don't see what, well, they don't see, if you will.