Every man on any men’s basketball roster is essential to the success of the team. Whether a player’s value is primarily seen in his contributions at practice or when the bright lights of regulation are on, each player brings strengths and attributes that teams need to succeed. Some players are great at providing intangibles while others simply dominate through skill. Once in a while, a player like Steph Curry develops into both.
The Flames this season have a robust roster, but I have attempted to highlight three players I think are essential to the success of the team this year.
Colin Porter
Why start with a true freshman who stands only 5’9” tall? It’s a valid question with an even more important answer. Last season Liberty lacked in the primary ball-handling department. Drake Dobbs and DJ Moore were initially thought to be the on-ball support cast for Darius McGhee, but ultimately those options proved to be of some value. DJ continues to grow in his ability to provide supportive ball-handling and brings exceptional defensive energy, but it was obvious Liberty was lacking a true point guard/floor general.
As a result, Kyle Rode stepped into the role of point forward and supported the facilitating efforts alongside Darius. There were some ideal moments of offensive flow, but there was still a hole. Colin has a perfect on-ramp to providing the ball handling the Flames need to supplement the efforts of Darius McGhee as an off-ball scoring threat. The more support Darius has handling the ball, the more scoring opportunities he will get. If Darius is not expected to be the consuming offensive possession option, this keeps defenses honest to guess between his ability to create or score. This kind of tension for the defense will help Darius take advantage of the variety created on offense. Essentially, Porter can open up the offense for others, especially Darius.
Porter will certainly have support in Rode, McGhee, and others with the ball, but I think his presence as the floor general can accelerate the offensive efficiency of the Flames, if Coach McKay chooses to implement him into the lineup immediately.
Kyle Rode
Rode is the ideal fundamental basketball player. I would confidently take a bet that Rode has coaching in his future. He is a cerebral, team-first player who has an understanding of all five positions. He serves as the defensive anchor and vocal team presence. His maturity and understanding of personnel is essential for the success of the Flames.
When we observe Kyle, it is clear his teammates respect his influence within the program and that he is the “real deal.” His faith is evident in his personality and his approach to the game is a win-first, team-first mentality. He serves as the perfect fit to Darius’ soft-spoken star power. The Flames will be looking to Kyle’s experience and steadfastness in close games, as well as his control of the floor and tempo throughout the entire season.
Darius McGhee
I would be totally tone deaf to the moment if I didn’t mention the star power and scoring potential of Darius. Last season was nothing short of incredible. Darius surprised opponents again and again, especially when the Flames were playing on a national stage. Darius has all the makings of a Steph Curry-esque Davidson season. I want to add to this point, though. Coach McKay is given credit for originally coining the equation between Steph and Darius, but I think the excitement (at least for me) is the potential for Darius to have his own explosive season in a different fashion. Darius has Steph’s range and exciting shooting potential at the collegiate level, but McGhee is an insanely gifted athlete. I can remember creating quite a few NBA 2k MyPlayers with Darius under-six-foot height and crazy athleticism. He is a wonderfully exciting combo of what basketball fans love in offense: the potential to demonstrate graceful dunks and deep range.
I think this season we will see a very refined McGhee. I think he will show us a mature, efficient, yet electric side of his offense that we have yet to see. Lastly, he is essential to this Flames team for many reasons. I think his presence sets the program up to be on the national stage this season, a lot like Malik Willis did for football. I also think he is simply a great talent who can give the Flames the nitrus boost they need to go deep into the tournament in March.
Every Flames’ fan has his or her favorite player, but these are the three key pieces, in my perspective, that could help the Flames maximize their potential this season.
