After several seasons of watching talented underclassmen leave for the NBA, the Pac-10 is once again retaining names that garner national recognition.
It’s even more promising to note that none of the top 10 scorers in the conference are freshmen, and this top five contains only one sophomore. 5. Matthew Bryan-Amaning, senior forward, Washington
Bryan-Amaning is sure to have some scouts drooling at the end of the season. At 6-foot-9-inches and 240 pounds with a 7-foot-4-inch wingspan, he is a premiere defensive presence.
He averaged 3.3 blocks per game during the NCAA tournament last season and is averaging 1.5 blocks and one steal a game this year.
The biggest improvement has come from his offensive game, which has gone from 8.8 points a game to 15.2.
Sunday’s 22-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over California is becoming commonplace during Pac-10 play for Bryan-Amaning.
4. Nikola Vucevic, junior forward, USC
The biggest man on this list roams the paint for the Trojans, but don’t be caught off guard when he steps outside the three-point line.
At 6-foot-10-inches, Vucevic has attempted 45 three pointers through 18 games, but he also averages 10.1 rebounds a game, leading the Pac-10.
His best performance of the season came in a losing effort at home against Washington where he recorded 28 points and 14 rebounds while going 14-for-14 from the free throw line.
He certainly presents trouble for teams without a strong front court, such as ASU.
3. Isaiah Thomas, junior guard, Washington
Don’t worry if his name is the same as another famous guard, Thomas is exciting to watch.
The No. 20 Huskies point guard is third in the Pac-10 in scoring, first in assists, and he has found an extra gear over the last five games, averaging 19.4 points and 9.2 assists over that span.
The 5-foot-9-inch guard even averages 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game.
Thomas matches up with UA’s Derrick Williams and the No. 25 Wildcats on Thursday in Washington.
2. Derrick Williams, sophomore forward, UA
It’s hard to place Williams as the No. 2 player in the Pac-10 after the beat down he gave ASU on Saturday, but the sophomore has shown signs of inexperience this season.
None of it was visible against the Sun Devils when he dropped 31 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Probably even more remarkable is his 17 made three pointers out of 24 attempts this season.
The Wildcat offense heavily relies on the big man’s performance. In two of the team’s three losses Williams scored 16 points or less and grabbed less than seven rebounds.
But, it’s hard to nitpick when he is leading his team to the top of the Pac-10.
1. Klay Thompson, junior guard, Washington State
Thompson can score, and he can score with efficiency. The 6-foot-6-inch guard is shooting 47 percent from the floor while attempting fewer than 16 shots a game.
He has scored over 30 points three times this season, including a 36 point effort against California on Jan. 13.
But the scoring shouldn’t take away from the other aspects of his game. He is currently averaging five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block per game.
It’s hard to imagine the Cougars having much success without Thompson leading the way.
Reach the reporter at nathan.meacham@asu.edu
