Commentary

Top 10 frontcourts for 2011-12

With many top players shunning NBA draft, there will be plenty of talent in the middle

Updated: June 8, 2011, 1:17 PM ET
By John Gasaway | Basketball Prospectus

By now you've heard that a surprising number of quality players chose not to enter the 2011 NBA draft and will instead return to the college game for the 2011-12 season. Well, you heard right. Coming up with a list of the nation's 10 best frontcourts for this coming season is difficult, simply because there's so much talent to choose from. But at the end of the day, these are the frontcourts that stand out:

10. Gonzaga
In 7-footer Robert Sacre and 6-foot-8 Elias Harris, Bulldogs coach Mark Few has two veterans who throw their weight around on both sides of the ball. As a bonus, they are excellent from the stripe. Last season, Sacre and Harris shot a combined 80 percent at the line, which was good news for Gonzaga fans because, on average, the duo drew more than seven fouls for every 40 minutes they played together. Both are solid (if not spectacular) on the defensive glass, and Sacre in particular is a good offensive rebounder. Sacre can be erratic with his shooting, and made less than half of his two-point attempts last year, which is unusual for a 7-footer. But his shot-blocking and ability to get to the line (not to mention the 55 percent 2-point shooting the Zags get from Harris) more than offset the occasional miss.


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John Gasaway

ESPN Insider
  • ESPN Insider college basketball contributor
  • First began covering college hoops in 2004
  • Has written for Basketball Prospectus and the Wall Street Journal

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