POLL: Who Will Be the Best Player On Our Team This Year?

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Note: the question is NOT who will be the Most Important player, but who will be the Best player.

To illustrate the difference, a few years back, Kendall Marshall was arguably the most important player on the team. But with guys like Barnes, Henson and Zeller, it would be hard to argue that Kendall was the best player.

Of course it's entirely possible for the best player to also be the most important player. But the poll question asks you to focus on who will be the best player.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Personally, I think Justin will be the best player, but Joel will be most important. Theo and Isaiah are also in the running. And I would love it to be Kennedy. A full season of Kennedy at his best would be awesome.

 

[Spaceytoyz]

I voted Berry, Justin disappears from time to time..

 

[DSouthr]

OK, so I voted for Joel as the best player, kind of a toss up between he and Justin but if I ask which of the 2 would be harder to replace in the event of injury it had to be Joel that would by far be the harder to replace.

Now ya may think I made that decision based more on who is more important than who is best but I didn't, I think the most important player is Meeks. In my view, Joel & Justin can take us so far but if Meeks can find that extra level in his play it makes us contenders for a natty, if he can't then IMO elite 8 is our ceiling.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

OK, so I voted for Joel as the best player, kind of a toss up between he and Justin but if I ask which of the 2 would be harder to replace in the event of injury it had to be Joel that would by far be the harder to replace.

Now ya may think I made that decision based more on who is more important than who is best but I didn't, I think the most important player is Meeks. In my view, Joel & Justin can take us so far but if Meeks can find that extra level in his play it makes us contenders for a natty, if he can't then IMO elite 8 is our ceiling.

Yeah. Kennedy could well determine how far we go. I hope - for his sake and ours - he has a Sean May kind of season. Especially down the stretch.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Berry will win this, might be interesting to run it again right before we start ACC play and see if it changes.

 

[gary-7]

Yeah. Kennedy could well determine how far we go. I hope - for his sake and ours - he has a Sean May kind of season. Especially down the stretch.

Crossing my fingers that he maintains healthy wheels. The first-hand reports I got from Pro-Am done got my hopes up! If he stays healthy and Hicks stays on the floor and all I got to say is "Duck!"

To borrow Cam Newton's mantra from 2010: "We comin'..."

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I think the decision is between Hicks and JBII. JJ is so smooth that ,like Perkins, his contribution to the team will be underestimated for years to come. Meeks will have to step up in a big way also, but TB can replace his production if needed. JBII is irreplaceable, but we have a glut of guards and I believe Roy could coach one of them up to at least keep the car on the track. Hicks is the deciding factor to me. He only has to change one thing(silly fouls) to be the great attention-demander our team needs. Our system often depends on that guy who warps the D by his presence and production (usually in the post); Hicks is that guy. I think both JBII and Hicks are the guys we need to stay on the court for FF aspirations, but I think Hicks will take us over the top if he progresses like I think he will!

 

[goheels653]

I think Berry was already the best player last year, although Brice obviously had the better statistical season. Not sure this is really a close call on this team. Berry is still a complete stud.

 

[gunslingerdick]

I can't separate "best" from "most important". Being the best is partly based on the importance of one's role and how one handles those responsibilities. So for that reason, I went with Berry.

 

[DSouthr]

I think the decision is between Hicks and JBII. JJ is so smooth that ,like Perkins, his contribution to the team will be underestimated for years to come. Meeks will have to step up in a big way also, but TB can replace his production if needed. JBII is irreplaceable, but we have a glut of guards and I believe Roy could coach one of them up to at least keep the car on the track. Hicks is the deciding factor to me. He only has to change one thing(silly fouls) to be the great attention-demander our team needs. Our system often depends on that guy who warps the D by his presence and production (usually in the post); Hicks is that guy. I think both JBII and Hicks are the guys we need to stay on the court for FF aspirations, but I think Hicks will take us over the top if he progresses like I think he will!

The reason for my pick of Meeks for most important is that I see him as the DMZ, the separation difference maker. I expect Hicks to take it up a notch (in the area of 14/7), I expect Tony can for the most part replace Hicks production from last season off the bench. That for me moves Meeks in to the difference maker position (in our front court and IMO we go as far as our front court will allow, I think we have a back court able to lead us to play in the first week of April).

 

[DSouthr]

I think Berry was already the best player last year, although Brice obviously had the better statistical season. Not sure this is really a close call on this team. Berry is still a complete stud.

Not to be argumentative, just opinion, but I saw Joel as the most important player for us last season, I saw Brice as the best player for us last season. Joel and his PG play was the difference maker, he was the guy that took things to that next level with his production that gave us separation margin over expectations prior to the season.

I don't mean to be nit picky in this, I do see a difference, at least in my mind between best player and most important to the over all team success. Joel is IMO by far the least replaceable player we will have for next season, he is the one guy we can not lose. But I am not assuming injury forcing the need to replace anyone. I just think if everyone else plays as expected that the difference maker guy will be Meeks and his ability IMO to raise his game above what is expected from him based on the last 2 seasons.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I think the decision is between Hicks and JBII. JJ is so smooth that ,like Perkins, his contribution to the team will be underestimated for years to come. Meeks will have to step up in a big way also, but TB can replace his production if needed. JBII is irreplaceable, but we have a glut of guards and I believe Roy could coach one of them up to at least keep the car on the track. Hicks is the deciding factor to me. He only has to change one thing(silly fouls) to be the great attention-demander our team needs. Our system often depends on that guy who warps the D by his presence and production (usually in the post); Hicks is that guy. I think both JBII and Hicks are the guys we need to stay on the court for FF aspirations, but I think Hicks will take us over the top if he progresses like I think he will!

Roy will modify the offense around Hicks' strengths. That should help him break out. He probably could have broken out last season, but it made more sense to mold the offense to emphasize Brice's skill set.

We need at least 25 mpg each from Isaiah and Kennedy. Preferably closer to 30. Otherwise we will be forced to rely on Tony and Luke more than they may be ready to give - or else be forced into small ball.

We'll be a very good small ball team, so that isn't a big worry. But we should go to small ball when we want to, not because we are forced to by our bigs being unable to play enough minutes.

 

[goheels653]

Not to be argumentative, just opinion, but I saw Joel as the most important player for us last season, I saw Brice as the best player for us last season. Joel and his PG play was the difference maker, he was the guy that took things to that next level with his production that gave us separation margin over expectations prior to the season.

I don't mean to be nit picky in this, I do see a difference, at least in my mind between best player and most important to the over all team success. Joel is IMO by far the least replaceable player we will have for next season, he is the one guy we can not lose. But I am not assuming injury forcing the need to replace anyone. I just think if everyone else plays as expected that the difference maker guy will be Meeks and his ability IMO to raise his game above what is expected from him based on the last 2 seasons.

I hear you on the distinction. I just think Joel is/was the best overall basketball player, pound for pound so to speak. Close call with Brice and Marcus for sure.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Berry is the one we'd be least able to survive losing, but JJ will be the best overall player for us this year.