Cade Cunningham – by Nick Zoll, Contributor
Despite having played a limited number of games in the 2020 NCAA season, Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham’s early season performances and overall versatility make him the most talented college basketball player in the nation.
A no-doubt one-and-done prospect, the highly-touted phenom’s playstyle has been compared to former NBA great Grant Hill. However, comparisons are just comparisons. The most important thing to examine is how Cunningham has handled the transition from the high school level to the collegiate stage.
In his college debut, the former Montverde Academy standout lived up to the lofty expectations, posting a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. Proving his worth on the defensive end with the rebound totals, it’s possible we could see the double-doubles turn into triple-doubles once the assist numbers start to rise. His encore performance in the following contest resulted in tallying another 20-point effort.
It’s important to note that, at 6-feet-8-inches tall and weighing 220 pounds, Cunningham’s build immediately sets him up for success at the college level, despite his NCAA inexperience. The well-rounded guard is incredibly versatile due to his skill set. He can be a ball-dominant volume shooter, play off the ball, score from the post or be a distributor. It’s worth mentioning that he is extremely efficient on the defensive end as well.
Iowa’s Luka Garza, who Mason is arguing as best, is a stud in his own right. With his first three years under his belt, the 6-foot-11-inch center has developed into a prolific scorer with a 3-point shot.
Garza is simply not as athletic as Cunningham is, and that makes the latter the best player in the nation. Oklahoma State has not advanced to the Sweet Sixteen since 2005, but a player like Cade Cunningham puts them in a position to be great.
Luka Garza – by Mason Klemm, Contributor
Luka Garza is by far the best college basketball player right now.
The Iowa Hawkeyes senior showed out in his first two games of the season, leading his team in both points and rebounds for the pair of victories.
Notably, he had a 36-point first half against Southern, outscoring the Jaguars’ entire team. He was a perfect 12-12 from the field during the half and nearly recorded his second double-double of the season.
Garza comes back for his senior season leading an Iowa team ranked No. 3 in the nation, the highest ranked the program has been since 2016. He has the experience and has already shown he can still play, leading the country with 33.5 points per game.
Even last year, Garza was a star, finishing fifth in the country with 23.9 points per game on his way to winning Big Ten Player of The Year and becoming a first team All-American. He was a Naismith Award and Wooden Award finalist and is looking to build off that finish to possibly win the awards this year. So far, he’s on the right track.
While other players such as Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham have shined, Garza has outpaced him and many others in points, rebounds and field goal percentage so far this season. Cunningham is projected to be a possible No. 1 pick, but Garza can lead his team to success, making him the best.
I know it’s early, but Garza looks good from what I’ve seen. With him in their corner, Iowa has a good chance of claiming its first-ever John Wooden Award winner and possibly more accolades.
