College Basketball: Top 4 Players At Each Position

Dec 9, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) defends Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks guard Devin Martin (4) during the 2nd half a game at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Denzel Valentine, Michigan State SF

At 6’ 5”, you could categorize Michigan State’s senior leader Denzel Valentine as a point guard, shooting guard or small forward, and one fact would remain the same: he’s probably the best player in the NCAA right now. He’s certainly proven that through nine games, averaging 18.8 points, nearly nine boards and around eight assists per game, leading Michigan State to 9-0 record so far and an early-season number one ranking. That assist total means Valentine is responsible for 48.6 percent of his team’s stats. And with a true shooting percentage that hovers around 62 percent, Valentine is one of the more efficient players in the nation.

Valentine garnered third-team All-B1G honors last year as part of a Michigan State team that made the final four. This year, he’s probably leading the Player of the Year race in many people’s minds. The Spartans are favorites to finish at or near the top of the B1G, and have seen quite a bit of early season success with wins over Kansas, Providence and Louisville stick out. With a B1G slate that features matchups with Maryland, Purdue and Indiana, the Spartans seem to be in the perfect position to secure one of four number one seeds in March, all things considered. Valentine’s talent, toughness and leadership will be a key ingredient in Tom Izzo’s winning recipe.

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