Trey Burke, sophomore point guard for the Michigan Wolverines was just named the Oscar Robertson national player of the year. And since only coaches and players care about these awards, we won’t expound on this any further. Articles/posts about awards are always web traffic killers.
Although it is interesting that this season has no clear-cut, defined #1 overall college basketball player. Trey Burke has exceeded expectations in Ann Arbor and brought the Wolverines to the Final Four this weekend. The Columbus, Ohio native and Big Ten Player of the Year led the Wolverines (30-7) to a 16-0 start, a number one national ranking (Jan. 28) and the school’s first Final Four appearance since 1993.
Trey Burke leads the team in scoring (18.8 ppg) and assists (6.8 apg) while also grabbing 3.1 rebounds per game. He also is shooting 80.8 percent from the free-throw line. Michigan has committed the fewest turnovers per game (9.4) of any team in the country.
Trey Burke has started all 37 games this season and has scored in double figures in each contest as the Wolverines have been ranked among the nation’s top ten for the entire season
But how will the talents of Trey Burke translate to the next level?
Positives:
At 6-foot-1, 175 lbs, Burke has good size for a true point guard. He also has great speed and quickness, which will allow him to matchup with what has become a class of elite athletes at the point guard position in the NBA.
Burke excels when taking jump shots off the dribble, where he rarely has trouble shooting over opposing defenders. Add that to his court vision and passing ability, which are second to none. Ask Wolverines’ junior Tim Hardaway Jr., who has frequently been the beneficiary of Burke’s precise passing this season.
The freshman’s best asset, however, is his poise. Unlike most freshman, Trey Burke continues to display a senior-like composure in the toughest situations. While the Wolverines aren’t exactly the best road team this season, Burke has—for the most part—remained poised.
In the NCAA Tournament, after being held scoreless in the first half vs. the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks, Trey Burke scored 23 points after halftime, including a dramatic 30-foot three-pointer with four seconds left in regulation that sent the game to overtime. After Michigan defeated the Jayhawks, the Wolverines disposed of Florida two days later behind a 15-point, 8-assist, 7-rebound effort effort from Trey Burke advancing them to Atlanta. To date, Michigan has not lost a non-conference game (17-0) this season.
Negatives:
Trey Burke needs to improve his defensive mechanics. The freshman has a tendency to relax when defending one-on-one. He also seems to lack that intensity and aggression that he always provides on offense.
Projection
Trey Burke is not a John Wall or Derrick Rose-level talent. But with a dearth of good true point guards in the college ranks, Trey Burke is appearing on many draft boards. Currently we have Trey Burke as the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, a Google News site generating millions of visitors. He’s an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
Banks has appeared on Comcast SportsNet and the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks)