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Joe Boozell | krikya18.com | February 25, 2019

Here are 7 of the most versatile college basketball players

Gonzaga moves to No. 1 in Andy Katz's new Power 36 rankings

These guys may not wow you with one specific skill. But they do just about everything well. Add all of their attributes up, and you have some immensely valuable players.

Here are seven of the most versatile guys in America.

Charles Matthews, Michigan

Matthews hasn't taken the leap many had hoped for after his breakout 2017-18 season, but he's as steady as ever. The Wolverine wing is capable of guarding three positions (four, depending on the matchup) and can also carry an offense.

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Matthews' outside shot could use some work, but he's a threat from 3-point range, shooting 32.1 percent from distance. That's the closest thing he has to a weakness. He's a plus defender, can create for himself and others, and has a high basketball IQ. Wings are extremely valuable in this era of of the game, and Matthews checks just about every box you'd want a wing to check.

If Michigan makes another deep March Madness run, he'll be a big reason why.

Eric Paschall, Villanova

It's extremely impressive when a player can transition from a complementary role into a starring role seamlessly. That's Paschall; he could have made this list last year, when he was the fifth starter on a title winner. Paschall was an ace defender and ball mover last season who was mostly just asked to keep the offense moving and hit open 3s.

He's still able to do all of that, but now he creates offense for himself and others. Paschall's efficiency has barely dipped despite a usage spike. He's averaging 17.3 points and 6.1 rebounds on 45.9 percent shooting for Villanova.

 

Paschall can guard just about everyone and is a top option for a solid offense. He's an outstanding player who does everything at a B-plus level or higher.

Keldon Johnson, Kentucky

Johnson has a bit of Matthews to his game. He's capable of being a top option on offense, and was for the beginning part of the season. P.J. Washington has grown into Kentucky's alpha dog, and Johnson has taken on more of a complementary role. He's excellent doing either. 

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Johnson is averaging 13.6 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting and 39.6 percent from 3-point range. He's a good athlete, but not a great one. Johnson is a knockdown shooter who's also capable of posting up smaller defenders and making plays for others.

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And, like everyone on this list, he can guard multiple positions well. John Calipari mostly uses him at small forward, but he could slide up to power forward and stick just about every four in the SEC. He's not flashy, but Johnson is a key cog for Kentucky.

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

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Culver is the best player on this list, but it's not as if he's a crazy athlete or a ridiculous perimeter sniper. He's explosive enough and a threat from the perimeter. But Culver just knows how to play, and doesn't have anything even resembling a weakness.

He's averaging 18 points per game and making nearly half of his field goal attempts. That's really rare for a perimeter player of Culver's usage; he's also averaging 3.7 assists. Texas Tech only ranks 47th in offense, per KenPom, and it might rank outside of the top 100 without Culver. He's easily the Red Raiders' top option.

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And he's about as good on defense as he is on offense, which isn't normally something you say about big-time scorers. If you had to describe Culver's game in one word, "complete" comes to mind. That's the ultimate compliment.

Kamar Baldwin, Butler

It makes sense that there would be a bunch of wings on this list, as they are easiest to slot up or down a position in a given lineup. Baldwin is easily the smallest player here at 6-1. But he has long arms, and is able to guard bigger wings along with speedy point guards. Baldwin has recorded at least 10 blocks in every college season, which may not sound like much, but it quite the accomplishment for someone barely over six feet tall.

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And he's the driving force behind the Bulldogs' offense. Baldwin leads the team in scoring at 17.3 points per game, and his five boards per night are excellent for a guard of his size. Butler may make the NCAA tournament; it may not. But it wouldn't even be close to sniffing the dance without Baldwin.

Cam Johnson, North Carolina

Johnson is more than just a shooter, but man, he is a great shooter. Johnson is making 47.3 percent of his triples on 5.5 attempts per game. There aren't a lot of high efficiency, high volume snipers out there. Johnson fits the description.

But his game is well-rounded. He's averaging 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, both solid marks. At 6-9 with decent quickness, he's able to check a variety of players. He did a nice job on R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish in the Duke game, and is able to smother smaller guards with his length. 

Johnson's performance was up and down in his first season as a Tar Heel. It's mostly been up in his second.

Dean Wade, Kansas State

Wade's efficiency is off the charts. He's making 44 percent of his 3s for the second year in a row and is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor. And he's a 6-10 big man. Wade is a true stretch five when Bruce Weber decides to use him there, and he can bully foes in the post. Wade is a walking mismatch.

He could be more assertive. He averages less than 10 field goal attempts per game and still averages 13.1 points. But his shooting alone brings a lot of offensive value, and he's a mobile athlete. Wade is able to check smaller players in ball screen defense, and while he's not bulky, can hold his own playing post defense. Wade isn't a rim protector, but he's solid in every other area of defense.

Wade's lack of aggression can often be frustrating. But he's such a smooth player who does so much well that it's hard to dispute his value. He's a major reason the Wildcats are in the hunt for the Big 12 title.

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