CBS College Basketball writer Gary Parrish says this will be one of the hardest years to come up with a preseason All-American list. While Parrish said there were many under consideration he did have Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell on his list of five.
Gary Parrish’s Preseason All-Americans
| G | Fred VanVleet | Wichita St. |
| G | Marcus Paige | N. Carolina |
| G | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | Arizona |
| F | Montrezl Harrell | Louisville |
| F | Jahlil Okafor | Duke |
One thing I do agree on with Parrish is, there is a plethora of talent in College Basketball this season. What I don’t agree with is that all five of these guys have a possible replacement. In my opinion Wichita State’s Fred VanVleet and our own Montrezl Harrell are clear cut 1st Team All-Americans.
While I am one that was 100% against Wichita getting a #1 seed, you have to give credit where it’s due. VanVleet averaged 11 pts, 6 asst., and 3 rebounds while hitting 48% of his shots on an undefeated basketball team. I don’t see any other PG coming into the season next year that tops that. Parrish list WVU’s Juwan Staten and Duke’s Tyus Jones as possible other candidates. Staten is solid but nowhere near a 1st team player and Duke’s Tyus Jones may not even start on his own team.
Trez’s 14 point 8 rebound averages is impressive by itself, but anyone who watched the Cards last season knows that doesn’t do justice to just how dominate Harrell is. Montrezl turned the NBA down last year when he would’ve been a top 25 pick and maybe even lottery. Now he returns to College Basketball with the work ethic of a machine and looks to be in the mold of a top 5 pick. Parrish list ISU’s George Niang and Kentucky’s Karl Towns as possibilities but Montrezl Harrell will without a doubt be the most dominate PF in the Nation this season.
Yes this will be one of the most talented years we have seen in College Basketball in a while BUT there are some sure things. I am just glad one of those sure things will be in a Louisville uniform this season. #L1C4
