Two years ago, Myles Rice was taking a redshirt season on the Palouse. The South Carolina product was developing his game behind the scenes of a veteran roster, and had hoped to debut last fall for Washington State. When he went home over the summer before the beginning of last season, though, a strange lump was noticed on his neck. Rice went to the doctor, and it was discovered that the young guard had non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Basketball was put on hold, treatment began, and Rice’s life changed forever. These days, happily, he is recovered, cancer-free – and playing some of the best ball of any freshman out there.
Rice is one of the many young players in the Pac-12 Conference who are enjoying more of the spotlight than ever before due to their excellent play to start this new season. Now that we are more than a month into the festivities, it’s time to take a look at the players who have spent the past few weeks breaking out. Whether they’re new to their teams, new to a significant role, or newly-come to true stardom, these are some names you really ought to know!
Myles Rice & Isaac Jones – Washington State
Rice: 15.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.9 spg – 38.1% 3FG / Jones: 15.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 bpg – 63.4% FG
With the top four scorers from last season having moved on, Wazzu had a tremendous need of reliable scoring headed into this season. Thankfully for Cougars fans, Rice and newly-arrived big man Isaac Jones have been posting more than 30 points per game combined so far. Since scoring 13 points in the first game of his career, Rice has quickly become a fixture for head coach Kyle Smith. “It’s been two years coming,” Rice told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News in November. “Just staying true to who I am, being that energy guy for the team, just being the guy who always has that smile no matter what hardships he goes through.” The young guard has had plenty to smile about, and Rice is putting hopeful smiles onto the faces around Pullman. He’s been named the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Week twice already, and Rice has only failed to reach double figures twice in his 11 games so far. He is scoring from all three levels while also proving a capable distributor – especially since veteran Joseph Yesufu has been out with a hip injury. With his confident ballhandling and natural talent for helping out his friends, Rice is leading the Cougs in assists. He’s also tops in 3FG percentage and steals; in fact, Rice ranks fifth in the league in thefts per game. He’s a smart and steady youngster who has proven already to have a great feel on both ends of the floor. Rice is injecting just the right type of fresh energy and beyond-his-years savvy into this Wazzu lineup, and the result is a tenacious team that’s off to a fast start.
A Washington native who starred for Idaho last season, Jones has continued to be a standout for the Cougars. A genuine low-post scorer, Jones is strong, plays with some aggression, and goes hard to the rack whenever he sees an opportunity. He’s a good lob threat, and Jones cuts assertively after setting solid screens. Increasingly, Jones has proven that Wazzu can toss him the ball and let him manufacture a look inside. He’s even done Rice one better, scoring in all but one of the Cougars’ games so far. In an important matchup with Boise State’s own breakout big O’Mar Stanley, Jones was terrific last Thursday, putting up 21 points and knocking down some big free throws late to finish off the Broncos. He can sink elbow jumpers or go to a reliable hook shot, and Jones is converting a strong 48.1% of his mid-range attempts in addition to his excellent 75.8% mark from closer to the rim, per Bart Torvik. Overall, Jones has the best field goal rate in the league at 63.4%. One of three Cougars averaging at least a block per game, Jones is also showing up on the other end of the floor for a deep Wazzu frontcourt. Jones fills a valuable role on the offensive glass in addition to his ability to get buckets: his 27 reloads of Cougar misses rank third in the conference. There is versatility and contrast among Smith’s collection of bigs, and Jones has been the centerpiece who allows everyone else to play their best role. With their new inside-out combination, Washington State is looking strong and looking to contend in the Pac-12’s final season.
Kylan Boswell – Arizona
12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.9 spg – 43.1% 3FG
Last year, though Kylan Boswell was a 5-star prospect, he played a reserve role behind since-departed veteran point guard Kerr Kriisa. This year, though Boswell played with Team USA over the summer, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd brought in another former star prospect from the transfer portal to compete at the point. This time around, though, Boswell isn’t taking a back seat. The Illinois native has made a significant leap at both ends of the floor, and he’s coordinating a Wildcat attack which has competed at a very high level. Arizona has a balanced lineup – all five starters average at least a dozen points per game – thanks in large part to Boswell’s steady distribution of good looks. More than half of Boswell’s own shots have come from the land of trey, filling in capably for the many triples lost when Kriisa lit out for West Virginia. He’s making those ranged attempts at a terrific 43.1% rate so far, and Boswell had made multiple deep balls in all but one of the Wildcats’ 11 games. Though he’s been largely a jump shooter through his first season-plus, Boswell is adept at driving in from the perimeter to draw defenders and then set up his buddies. He currently ranks sixth in the conference in assists per game, and Boswell holds a 48:22 assist to turnover ratio. An excellent defender, Boswell spearheads Arizona’s efforts on the perimeter. He’s physical, quick, and very smart. Boswell rarely gets caught out of position or unaware, and his consistency on that end allows Boswell to take opportunistic chances on occasion to deny his man the ball and create steals. With such a player at the controls on offense and defense, Arizona can continue aiming for the highest heights of March Madness.
Jordan Pope – Oregon State
16.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.5 spg – 39.1% 3FG
One might argue that Jordan Poole has been padding his stats thus far via the 25 combined minutes of overtime periods that Oregon State has played already this year. Thing is, though, he’s been terrific even in the regular 40 minutes per game that any team plays. Pope has been on the floor for an average 37.4 minutes per game, which ranks seventh among all Division I players, but it hasn’t sapped him of the spark he brings to the Beavers’ attack. He was named to the league’s All-Freshman team last year, and Pope has taken a considerable step forward to begin his second campaign. He’s been the clear top option for head coach Wayne Tinkle’s crew, and Pope is driving the action while generating high-quality chances for himself and his teammates. He leads Oregon State in both scoring and assists, and though everyone on the opposing team is aware by now that Pope is going to be the featured guy, he’s been smooth and efficient. A slick and confident ballhandler, Pope uses his handle and quick moves to get to his preferred spots by taking defenders off the bounce and then unleashing his arsenal. Though he’s making his attempts near the rim at a 68.2% clip, per Bart Torvik – terrific efficiency for a 6’2″, 165-pound guard among the trees – Pope generally relies upon his jumper to do the most damage. After 60 makes at a 37.7% mark in his rookie year, Pope owns the fourth-most triples in the league so far (25) at a 39.1% rate. He’s continuing to establish himself as a top deep threat, and Pope is such a pure shooter that he’s splashed 93.1% of his free throw attempts this year. He’s scored 10+ points in every one of the Beavers’ games this season, and Pope has already gone for 25 points in a game three times. It’s never easy to pile up wins in Corvallis – even when the league isn’t trying to leave the Beavs behind – and Tinkle’s team finished 11-21 last winter. Even so, Oregon State is off to an 8-3 start behind Pope’s heroics, and the Beavers are planning to keep afloat right through their final Pac-12 slate and into the conference tourney this time around.
Cody Williams – Colorado
14.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.9 spg – 62.3% FG
Some guys make playing high major ball as an 18-year-old look really quite easy. Cody Williams is just such a dude. Though he’s missed a handful of games due to a wrist injury, the Colorado freshman has made quite an impression in the seven games he’s played. A big, rangy wing who has the easy athleticism to do damage wherever he wants, Williams has been hell on wheels getting into the paint and scoring near the basket. He slashes in among the trees effectively with or without the ball in his hands, and as his handle becomes even more refined, Williams looks like a devastating dribble-drive scorer. He also has the fluidity and good feel around the lane to cash in quick post-ups, and Williams has shown a willingness to go right at a favorable matchup. He may not shoot an abundance of jumpers yet, but to start his career, Williams is making better than 60% of his shot attempts both inside the arc and from the land of trey. His length allows Williams to lean into good looks up close, and his jumper is nigh on unblockable for most perimeter players. More than anything, Williams doesn’t seem to waste energy or his team’s possessions. He flows smoothly from good spot to good spot, doesn’t gamble much defensively, and stays in front of his man without getting rattled. Colorado shares the ball extremely well – the Buffs rank in the top ten nationally with more than 19 helpers per game as a unit – in head coach Tad Boyle’s motion-principle offense, and Williams fits that style nicely. After playing with the USA’s U-19 national team this summer, Williams arrived in Boulder with a familiarity in the system because Boyle had the honor of coaching that squad. Overall, Williams has shown that he can be an elite, efficient x-factor whose evolution could be a key force in the conference title race. With veteran stars like KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva having terrific seasons, the return of Williams should supercharge the Buffs.
Jaylon Tyson and Jalen Cone – California
Tyson: 19.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.1 spg – 47.9% FG / Cone: 16.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.7 spg – 35.7% 3FG
It may have taken longer than it should have to get Jaylon Tyson onto the floor this year, but he’s quickly become invaluable in Berkeley. A two-time transfer who left Texas Tech last year in the wake of hearing unacceptably insensitive things from his coach, Tyson has forged ahead since his debut as a Golden Bear, showing a tremendous range of skills at his size. On the cusp of being rated a 5-star prospect coming out of Texas at the conclusion of his prep career, Tyson initially played for the Longhorns before choosing Tech, and he had been enjoying a smaller-scale breakout season last winter before things went off the rails in Lubbock. This year, there’s no doubt: Tyson has become a front-line star, and he’s wearing a whole bunch of hats for new head coach Mark Madsen. Tyson is hitting the boards at both ends, providing Cal with nearly 20 points per game, spending more time defending on the wing than ever before – oh, and he leads the team in assists. A slashing, powerful driver who gets to the rack and makes things happen along the way, Tyson has become a main focus of opponents’ defensive game plans. He’s not just averaging 19.4 per tilt because of a couple big games – Tyson has scored 20 or more points in six of the ten games he’s played. He’s also getting to the free throw line more than five times per contest, making a strong 79.2% of those attempts, and Tyson is making 63.1% of his tries around the basket when he’s able to fight through the gauntlet to the rim. He’s also a legitimate deep threat; though his jumper has been a bit streaky, it’s understandable given his 29.7% usage rate. A 37.1% career shooter from the land of trey, Tyson is developing a full range of offensive skills.
Unfortunately, the broken fire hydrant of injuries in Berkeley hasn’t been capped yet, and most of the team’s best perimeter players have missed significant chunks of this season. Madsen’s one constant in the backcourt has been Jalen Cone, who is trying to do virtually all of the heavy lifting despite his 5’10” frame. A blur with the ball in his hands, Cone can get to his spots with speed and his confident, highly experienced handle. There’s almost no shot he doesn’t like, and since Cal has needed all they can get from Cone, he’s been happy to fire away. After leading the Big Sky in made three’s over the past two seasons at Northern Arizona, Cone is now leading the Pac-12 in deep balls, and his 41 hits so far rank 14th among all Division I players. Speaking of leading at things, Cone averages the most minutes of any player in the league, and his 38.4 played per contest are the second-most of any player in any country so far. Happily, Cone has cut his turnover rate while seeing such heavy duty, and has provided a helpful, veteran distributor to help lead the way. With excellent big man Fardaws Aimaq heading the charge up front, Madsen has a proven core to rely upon. Aimaq, who was named WAC Player of the Year a couple of seasons ago at Utah Valley, is healthy and back to star form in his final season, and he’s playing like another future pro. Unfortunately, Cal has not gotten off to the start they’d hoped, in large part due to the many backcourt injuries. If the Golden Bears can get healthier in the new year, they’ve got the star power to do some damage before their league rides off into the sunset.
Guys to Keep on Keeping an Eye on
Isaiah Collier – Southern Cal
Maxime Reynaud – Stanford
Sebastian Mack – UCLA
Gabe Madsen – Utah
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