by by D’Joumbarey A. Moreau, from Fansided.com
For some reason year after year, the Wisconsin Badgers quietly are one of the best teams in the NCAA and yet get no attention. They are led by a future Hall of Fame coach in Bo Ryan and yet a lot of teams are constantly underrating them, while the general population overlooks them. How many people even remember that last season Wisconsin made it to the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Tournament?
One of their future stars that played sparingly last year on that Final Four team and only averaged 15.5 minutes a game is someone you need to watch for, point guard Bronson Koenig.
The style of basketball the Badgers plays is not boring. They play a game that is very meticulous and careful. Their style is a brand that caters to the fundamentals, they play organized, and they share the wealth.
The one trait the Badgers are not, is flashy.
Next season that perception about Wisconsin is about to change because of their potentially new starting point guard Koenig.
If you’re looking for a revolutionary trailblazing point guard like the former Florida Gators and Sacramento Kings great Jason Williams, then stop right there. Koenig is not that.
If you’re looking for a reason to watch one of the most exciting point guards in the NCAA then congratulations. The man drops dimes so sweet you would think the basketball had syrup on it. Even if it did, his handle is so pure no one could rip the basketball from him.
*On another note: I watched this highlight tape so many times just to see the way this man drops dimes like he ran with a pocket full of change.
If you are indifferent and don’t know why you should even watch a Wisconsin game, then wait until you see Koenig fry your favorite team. The energy that Koenig plays with is one of the reasons why he has a lot of people excited to watch him play as a full-time starter (including myself).
Koenig last season played in 37 contests and often times he impressed having memorable games.
Against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Big Ten Tournament, Koenig came off the bench and scored 14 points in only 23 minutes. He also went 4-4 from the three-point line and dished out three assists.
In addition, while playing the Kentucky Wildcats in the national semifinal game in the 2014 NCAA Tournament he scored 11 points as a reserve — all in the first half.
One of the greatest attributes a point guard can have is not their ability to score or even dish out assists, but their ability to not make mistakes. Not committing turnovers is one of the key reasons why point guards are so valuable. When a floor general makes wise decisions that lead to quality shots during the game it often translates into victories.
Koenig is one intelligent guard. Last season he showed off his great court vision totaling 41 assists. The number that is more impressive is the fact he only committed 18 turnovers.
Next year the Wisconsin Badgers return most of their leading scorers from last season including Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Traevon Jackson. With sophomore Nigel Hayes still developing, this team again is going to make another long NCAA Tournament run.
With Koenig leading the ship, everyone is going to reap from his ability to share the basketball with all of his teammates.
Some more attention for a historically great basketball program, is always well deserved. With a guard like Koenig leading this team now we don’t have to hear how “boring” Wisconsin is.
Wake up, and smell the coffee.
(Story originally appears at: http://fansided.com/2014/09/21/bronson-koenig-meet-wisconsin-badgers-pg/)
