Let’s get one thing clear right now…Chris Singleton is not making this list because of his offensive skills.
He’s making it because he’s one of the best defenders in the nation, with a good shot of winning back-to-back “Defensive Player of the Year awards.
At 6’9 with a NBA-ready frame, Singleton can do it all on the defensive side of the ball. Last year he led the ACC in steals (2.2), was fifth in blocks (1.5) and grabbed 4.9 defensive rebounds per game (8th best in the conference). He’s a lock-down defender who takes it quite personally if the person he is guarding scores.
The problem again was on the offensive end. The issue wasn’t that Singleton couldn’t score (he did average 10.2 per game). The issue was, he was a power forward, who played small forward, pretending to be a shooting guard.
Despite boasting the kind of NBA-caliber quickness and explosiveness that Kyle Singler can only dream about, Singleton lives and dies at the three-point line. This would be fine if he shot it well, but he hit just 29% from three last year. This is a real problem when 42% of your shots are three pointers.
The fact is, the defensive stud is afraid to get dirty on the offensive end. He never takes it inside the paint and he couldn’t dribble to his left if his mother’s life depended on it.
Hell, despite being one of the best defensive rebounders in the conference, he barely sniffs the boards on the offensive end. Only 29% of his rebounds last year were offensive, as he averaged less than two per game.
Worse yet, down the stretch, he actually became a liability for Coach Hamilton’s team, because he made Shaq look like Mark Price on the free throw line. Singleton shot just 42% from the charity stripe last year, allowing opponents to play hack-a-Chris at the end of close games.
Yet, all is not lost. There is hope for Singleton next season. The simple truth is, the kid has all the upside in the world. With his size and athleticism, Singleton won’t ever be held down because of a physical limitation.
Offense can be taught. With Alabi gone, scoring will be needed, particularly on the inside. While Singleton shouldn’t give up on the three, he needs to develop some inside presence. For now, he shouldn’t press on the dribble-drive. He can work off screens, finding mid-range shots, much like Kyle Singler did well last season. With his hop, few will be able to get a hand in his face 15-feet from the basket.
On top of that, he should be spending the summer developing a couple post-up moves. At SF, he’ll be bigger and stronger than most defenders. An effective turnaround or pump fake will work wonders for Singleton.
If he can add about five points to his scoring average, bringing his shooting percentage to a more respectable 45%, all while keeping his defensive production at its current level, there is little reason why Singleton can’t crack second-team All-ACC.
#10 – DORENZO HUDSON, GUARD – VIRGINIA TECH
#11 – DEMONTEZ STITT, GUARD – CLEMSON
#12 – REGGIE JACKSON, GUARD – BOSTON COLLEGE
#13 – JEFF ALLEN, FORWARD – VIRGINIA TECH
#14 – JOHN HENSON, FORWARD – NORTH CAROLINA
#15 – XAVIER GIBSON, CENTER – FLORIDA STATE
#16 – C.J. LESLIE, FORWARD – NORTH CAROLINA STATE
#17 – GLEN RICE JR., GUARD – GEORGIA TECH
#18 – REGGIE BULLOCK, GUARD – NORTH CAROLINA
#19 – MASON PLUMLEE, FORWARD – DUKE
#20 – C.J. HARRIS, GUARD – WAKE FOREST
#21 – SETH CURRY, GUARD – DUKE
#22 – SEAN MOSLEY, GUARD – MARYLAND
#23 – JOE TRAPANI, FORWARD – BOSTON COLLEGE
#24 – MIKE SCOTT, FORWARD – VIRGINIA
#25 – IMAN SHUMPERT, GUARD – GEORGIA TECH