ACC Basketball: Top Six Players

ACC Basketball

Pick Six: ACC

Throughout the week, check back for articles highlighting the Top 6 players in each BCS league. Then next week we’ll be rolling out the Top 6 at each position.

The usual suspects should be battling it out for the top spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference again this season.  Not surprisingly these two combatants also dominate the top players in the ACC rankings.

1.  Tyler Hansbrough – UNC – Senior

No real shock here.  Not only is Tyler Hansbrough the best player in the ACC, he’s the best player in all of college basketball.  After the Heels crushing defeat to Kansas in last year’s Final Four, Psycho T should be at his most psychotic this season, trying to push Carolina to the title.

Stats: 22.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 0.9 apg

2. Ty Lawson – UNC – Junior

While Hansbrough rules the paint, little Ty Lawson controls the rest of the court for the Tar Heels.  Possibly the fastest player in college, Lawson is also thickly built to help ward off defenders.  While quite capable of scoring on his own, Lawson knows his role is to run the Heels offense and get the ball into the psycho one, so his very good assist to turnover ratio and steal numbers are more important than his scoring output.

Stats: 12.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.2 apg

3. Wayne Ellington – UNC – Junior

The third member of UNC’s triple-headed monster is shooting guard Wayne Ellington.  Every successful team needs a reliable second scoring option and Ellington fits that role to a T for Carolina.  Good for about 17 points a night, Ellington is also money from the charity stripe and a dead-eye long-range shooter (40% from 3pts).

Stats: 16.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg

4. Kyle Singler – Duke – Sophomore

On a desperately undersize Duke roster, Kyle Singler was a godsend last season (and will be again this year). At 6’8” 220lbs, Singler is better suited to play on the wing, but he has been forced to bang with the big boys for Coach K’s squad.  This didn’t stop him from going for 13 and 6 last season, numbers that should take a healthy bump up this year.

Stats: 13.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 apg

5. Al-Farouq Aminu – Wake Forest - Freshman

It takes a real special player to crack this list as a freshman, ahead of some players who made All-ACC last season.  Well, Al-Farouq Aminu is that special of a player.  With the size and skills to punish opponents from the outside or down low, he should be the best player on a very good Demon Deacon roster.  The bad news for Wake fans, and good news for the rest of the league, is Aminu has the makings of a one-and-done player, so don’t be surprised to see him taken high in next June’s NBA draft.

Stats: Freshman

6. Greivis Vasquez – Maryland – Junior

Pretty much the lone bright spot for Gary Williams’ Terrapins is junior guard Greivis Vasquez.  Life in the ACC looks to be a struggle for Maryland again this year, but Vasquez should continue to shine.  The Venezuelan is a dynamic talent, capable of stuffing the stat sheet (unfortunately turnovers and missed three-pointers are among the stats being stuffed). 

Stats: 17.0ppg, 6.8apg, 5.7rpg, 1.4spg

Next in line:  Tyrese Rice, Boston College; Jack McClinton, Miami; Gerald Henderson, Duke; A.D. Vassallo, Virginia Tech; Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech.

Tomorrow: Big 12