Preseason Top 10 Small Forwards

1. Alando Tucker- Wisconsin (19.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.7 APG)
Tucker has the size of an NBA shooting guard, but will play the small forward position on a Wisconsin team loaded with guard talent. Tucker has shown inconsistency with his shot, but always seems to end up with 20 points and 5 boards every night. He has exceptional athleticism, driving ability and would win defensive player of the year in the Big Ten, if there was one.

2. Jared Dudley- Boston College (16.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.2 APG)
Unflappable, consistent, dependable- all attributes you can associate with Jared Dudley. Dudley shined at BC right from the beginning, showing his ability to nail the long ball, while also hitting the boards when his jumper wasn’t 100%. While his rebounding numbers were slightly down from 04-05, he should be much more involved with Craig Smith’s graduation. Dudley will be the go-to scorer for BC, an honor he richly deserves.

3. Curtis Sumpter- Villanova (15.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.0 APG)
Villanova might have won the national championship with a post presence like Sumpter for the season, but unfortunately he was lost with a devastating injury. Now that Sumpter is healthy, look for him to take it out on the Big East, where he may average a double-double during conference play. Sumpter has incredible size and good athleticism, along with an aggressive style, that gets him many easy buckets.

4. Brandon Rush- Kansas (13.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.0 APG)
Rush led Kansas in points and rebounding last season. This might mean a Big 12 player of the year award for Brandon this March. Rush is a perfect NBA prospect with tremendous athleticism who can score from any spot on the floor. The defense is shaky but improving.

5. Corey Brewer- Florida (12.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.3 APG)
This defensive specialist was the unsung key to success for the Gators last year. His presence makes the Gators defense mobbing and relentless. Brewer also has a decent trigger and has shown sparks of toughness on the boards, but is a little undersized. His defense is NBA-ready, but not the offense quite yet.

6. Adam Haluska- Iowa (13.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.3 APG)
We saw Haluska disappear at certain points in big games, but overall put together a quality conference season for Steve Alford. Now he has to put up 19-20 a game for Iowa to be true contenders for the Big 10. He’s the best shooter on the team and arguably the best in the conference, plus he can drain on the move, coming off a pick, or from way downtown.

7. Marcus Williams- Arizona (13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG)
Struggled mightily at the beginning of the season to get fully involved in the Arizona offense, but found some shots and finished with 24 vs. Villanova. In the Pac-10 tourney, he scorched UCLA for 25 on 9 of 19. This super sophomore has great range and ball-handling ability, but seems to lack on the defensive end and becomes lazy. He also needs to improve on free throws.

8. Tasmin Mitchell- LSU (11.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG)
People forget about Mitchell because of his complete and utter disappearance in the NCAA tournament and down the stretch last year, but this kid can play. Mitchell is a very solid rebounder who seems to hit the boards or make the key pass when his shot is struggling.

9. Malik Hairston- Oregon (15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.2 APG)
For a bulky forward, Hairston loves to show off his impressive outside shot. He is an excellent catch-and-shoot athlete on a below average Oregon team, so he needs to carry the load. The rebounding numbers surely need to go up, and his passing skill is nothing to brag about.

10. Reyshawn Terry- North Carolina (14.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.4 APG)
You’ll most likely see Terry’s numbers go south this season with more scoring help in Chapel Hill. Still, Terry can sometimes be unconscious from the floor and go on huge scoring streaks. Roy Williams hopes those streaks come in bigger games in 06-07. Terry is also a very prolific rebounder.