It isn’t always true, but most teams that make deep runs in March have an alpha dog player that can win you a game by putting the team on his back when everything else is going wrong. 2013 it was obviously Burke. 2014 was Stauskas. And 2018 was Moe. I think Livers was probably that guy for us, which is concerning. Smith is great, but just not physically dominant enough. And Hunter could be it, but he’s obviously inconsistent. That really leaves Franz. I think he has it in him, but I’m concerned he’s a year away from really being at that level. Right now he’s an elite talent but maybe not quite a truly elite player.
That being said, if he takes it up a level, I think we absolutely can make it to the Final Four. But put me down as thinking his emergence as an alpha is going to be the x-factor.
That being said, if he takes it up a level, I think we absolutely can make it to the Final Four. But put me down as thinking his emergence as an alpha is going to be the x-factor.
