Thoughts on the WAC Most Valuable Player award

What are the official guidelines in determining the WAC Player of the Year?

PTW's guess is that they don't exist but it's an honor usually awarded based on a combination of how a certain player performed in conjunction with his team's W-L record.

With such in mind, there are a trio of candidates in the running:

* Wendell McKines featuring 18.4 points and 10.1 rebounds a game with  New Mexico State standing at 9-3

* Deonte Burton featuring 17.8 points and 3.9 assists per game and the Wolf Pack on top at 11-1

* Vander Joaquim featuring 17.5 points and 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots a game while shooting 67% for 6-6 Hawaii

Going strictly by the individual numbers ... it's Joaquim.
 
Going strictly by the placement of the team ... hand it over to Burton.

Going strictly by value to the team (try defining that) Kevin Olekaibe (hey, how'd he get in here) is hands down the most valuable player.

It could be argued that Burton is the individual among the trio who makes his teammates more effective offensively but both McKines and Joaquim certainly draw more-than-their-defender focus from opponents.

Officially, it's going to be Burton.

In the estimation of PTW, it should be ...

Burton.

Because of a combination of Nevada winning league, his numbers and making Dario Hunt and Olek Czyz more effective offensively primarily due to his ballhandling and penetration and his being the team leader yet just a sophomore.

Deonte Burton WAC POW

Nevada’s Deonte Burton has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 2-8. The honor marks the fourth career WAC Player of the Week award and third this season for Burton.

Burton, a sophomore guard from Los Angeles, Calif. (Compton Centennial HS), led Nevada to a pair of WAC road wins to open conference play last week. In a 73-55 win at Idaho, Burton scored a game-high 26 points connecting on 9-of-13 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 shots from beyond the arc. He finished the game with a game-high six assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block in 33 minutes of play.

At Utah State, Burton scored a game-high 25 points in helping the Pack to a 78-71 victory. The win snapped Utah State’s 33-game WAC home win steak. Burton hit 10-of-19 shots from the field, including three makes from three-point range. He dished out five assists, grabbed three rebounds and had two steals while playing all 40 minutes. With Nevada leading 70-68 with 41 seconds to play, Burton nailed a three-pointer and made a free throw after being fouled to complete the four-point play to put the Pack up by six to help secure the win.

On the week, Burton averaged 25.5 points, 5.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 59.4 percent (19-of-32) from the field, 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from three-point range and 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from the free throw line. In the two games, Burton had 11 assists and just three turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.7.

Other nominees:

* Fresno State sophomore forward Jerry Brown III
* Hawai‘i junior forward Joston Thomas
* Idaho sophomore guard Stephen Madison
* New Mexico State senior forward Wendell McKines
* San Jose State senior forward Wil Carter
* Utah State sophomore guard Preston Medlin

Deonte Burton named WAC POW

Nevada's Deonte Burton has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 5-11. The honor marks the third career WAC Player of the Week award for Burton.

Burton, a sophomore guard from Los Angeles, Calif. (Compton Centennial HS), led the Wolf Pack to a pair of road victories over Arizona State and Montana last week. Burton began the week scoring a game-high 28 points in a 69-61 victory at Arizona State, connecting on 6-of-11 field goals, 3-of-6 three-pointers and 13-of-15 free throws. It was Nevada's second consecutive victory over a Pac-12 opponent. In a 70-64 win at Montana, Burton again posted a game-high for the third consecutive outing scoring 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 makes from beyond the arc. He finished the night against Montana with a game-high five assists without a turnover.

On the week, Burton averaged 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He shot 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from the field, 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from three-point range and 87.5 percent (21-of-24) from the free throw line.

Other nominees:

* Fresno State senior guard Jonathan Wills
* Hawai'i junior forward Vander Joaquim
* Idaho sophomore guard Stephen Madison
* Louisiana Tech sophomore guard Cordarius Johnson
* New Mexico State senior guard Hernst Laroche
* Utah State sophomore guard Preston Medlin

Deonte Burton WAC POW

Nevada’s Deonte Burton has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Novwmber 28 - December 4. The honor marks the second career WAC Player of the Week award for Burton.

Burton, a sophomore guard from Los Angeles, Calif. (Compton Centennial HS), led the Wolf Pack to a 76-73 win over Washington on ESPNU last week. Burton scored a game-high 31 points in leading Nevada to the upset victory in overtime as the Pack rallied from a 10-point second half deficit. Burton hit a three-point field goal with 4.3 seconds to go in the game to force overtime. His 3-pointer with 1:41 to play in overtime put the Pack up to stay 72-70. In the overtime period, he scored Nevada’s first eight points and the Pack’s final two points of the game. With 5:54 to play in the second half, Burton hit a 3-pointer which was the start of a run that saw him score 19 of Nevada’s next 22 points.

The game marks Burton’s first career 30-point game at Nevada and the 31 points is the high in the WAC this season. He tied career highs with four 3-pointers made and six attempted. The 40 minutes played, nine field goals made and 18 field goals attempted are also career highs. In addition to his 31 points, Burton also tallied a game-high six assists and six rebounds.

Other nominees included:

* Fresno State sophomore guard Kevin Olekaibe
* Idaho sophomore guard Stephen Madison
* Louisiana Tech junior forward J.L. Lewis
* New Mexico State senior forward Wendell McKines
* San Jose State junior guard James Kinney

An NBA draft profile of Deonte Burton

Matt Kamalsky of The Draft Express has a look at Deonte Burton:

A largely unheralded recruit coming out of Centennial HS in Compton, Deonte Burton had a tremendous freshman year at Nevada, garnering WAC Freshman of the Year honors. He did not stand out in any one particular area, but made an immediate impact for the Wolfpack, and will be a key part of the success of what will be one of the more talented teams Nevada has had in some time as a sophomore. Considering what he was able to accomplish as a true freshman, Burton is a prospect worth keeping an eye on as he looks to take a step forward in his sophomore year.

Athletically, Burton fits the profile of a NBA point guard fairly well. He isn't overwhelmingly quick or explosive, but he has a nice first step, a frame that still has potential for growth, and will surprise defenders with his ability to rise up and play above the rim when he jumps off of two feet. Like many freshmen, he could stand to slow down and become a bit more discerning with the way he utilizes his athleticism as he gets a bit out of control at times, especially in traffic ...

Go here for the remainder.

How can this be?

How could the WAC coaches prognosticate that a s-o-p-h-o-m-o-r-e will become the 2011-12 Player of the Year?

Because it's Deonte Burton, that's who and why -- a rare combination of strength, quickness, skill and youth.

Because the ball is going to be in his hands to score and create.

Because how many first-year players have led their respective teams in conference scoring?

Because how many freshman backcourters go from 42% overall shooting to 49% come league play?

Because how many freshman guards go from 35% overall long distance shooting to 45% in conference action?

The biggest question really is how long can Nevada keep him?

*** PTW is not a member of the Deonte Burton Marching & Chowder Society but approves of this ad.

Friday's WAC roundball items

Chris Murray and Dan Hinxman double-team Deonte Burton.

Chris then dishes on Malik Story who should be switching to #23 this season.

Chris also fleshes out Nevada recruiting target Cole Huff, whose name conjures up the image of an Old West gunslinger.

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Tony Jones looks at the small forward/wing candidates for Utah State.

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The Utah Statesman men's basketball edition contains a number of quotes for Stew Morrill, including these:

“What’s important to me is that he [Brockeith Pane] gets better. Everybody in the league knows he’s a power guard and that he gets to the line and that he gets in the lane and makes plays, and we certainly need that and expect that, but we also need him to be a more consistent shooter and to be a better defender. We can’t hide him defensively like we could at times last year, so the parts of his game that weren’t as strong, I expect to improve and yet still remember where his strengths are”.

and

“Brady’s [Jardine] been like a starter the last couple years in a lot of ways, even though he hasn’t had the opportunities that a starter gets minute--wise and shots and those kinds of things, so I’m really anxious, and I’m sure Brady is too, to see what he can do as a go-to-guy, and that’s what he’s got to be for us is a go-to-guy. I have no question of the effort and the confidence he’ll put into it. Brady is a very valuable guy in terms of character and effort, so his senior season should be really special. That’s what we think and I know that’s what he wants too.”

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Dayton Morinaga profiles Assistant Coach Scott Fisher who provides quite the closing line.

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The Vandal Nation folks take a look at the Idaho roster.

A fourth MVP contender

Nobody had a better freshman season in the WAC than Deonte Burton. His outside shooting improved from his prep days and he retained his marvelous ability to drive and finish. Heck, just look at what he did pre-conference play compared to the WAC schedule: 42% overall shooting to 49%, 35% to 45% from long distance and 13.7 points per game to 15.8. He also topped the Wolf Pack in assists -- all this as a frosh.

So what can he do better in 2011-12?

1) This will be a task for Burton, his teammates and Coach Carter to work out -- that being a sophomore as the leader of the team. It's something accomplishable but will require the other team mainstays to fully buy in. The shot attempts of Burton, Dario Hunt and Olek Czyz need to go up while Malik Story's (36% overall, 30% from long distance) are reduced, at least to a degree.

2) Which Burton numbers can be elevated and which reduced?

PTW envisions Burton at 20 points per game in 2011-12 plus something better than a 72% number at the foul line. It's difficult to pinpoint a reduction but he did average more than two turnovers a game last season.

3) What can he do to make his teammates more effective?

Additional dishing on his dribble-drives -- he's really the sole creator in the backcourt so a greater amount of layups and open looks for his teammates have to come from him.

4) Sort of tied into the first listing -- be a coach on the floor -- as Nevada is minus a true point and, although  teams rarely look at a sophomore (for good reason), Burton can handle this task.

Deonte Burton checks in at #83

National Hoops Report has chosen Deonte Burton as its #83 best college basketball player in the country.

Deonte Burton and the NBA draft

Chris Murray covers the topic of sophomore Deonte Burton and the NBA draft.

AW Prince owns Monday

AW Prince at his Silver and Blue Sports site has the Monday WAC report all to himself as he reports on Deonte Burton via print, video and especially audio as the sophomore-to-be competes in southern California's top summer league.

There will be a lot of pressure on the young backcourter but PTW believes fans will be viewing a budding conference MVP, possibly in 2011-12.

Thursday's WAC basketball rundown

Former LT Director of Basketball of Operations Cody Fueger has landed in the same position at UC Riverside.

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Brian McInnis reports here and here on another walk-on to the UH basketball program, this one a frontcourter. Brian will also be covering the Rainbow Warrior excursion to China and Japan in person so kudos to the Star Advertiser suits for okaying that.

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A.W. Prince features Deonte Burton in print and video.

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On Jason Groves refurbished Twitter account, he notes offers here and here to prospects.