Who will be the most improved player 2019-2020?

[mileskishnish72]

I'm rooting for several of them but I think one choice is the most logical.

[The Sultan]

Brendan Bailey

I just don't see much upside for Morrow, Anim, Howard and John.  I think Elliott is going to take awhile to get up to speed.  And that leaves Jamal Cain.  Oh the enigma that is Jamal.  Well, I just think Bailey is better who will get more time.

[JakeBarnes]

I think the key to our season is the improvement of BB, so I will optimistically state that it will be BB that makes the biggest step. I think that MH, Sacar, and Theo are known entities for now. Theo needs to improve on the offensive end and reducing fouls, but I think the addition of Jayce mitigates some of that need. Brendan needs to fill some of the Joey production this year for the team to really flourish on the offensive end.

[CTWarrior]

Bailey for the simple reason that I think everyone else is nearer their peak.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Bailey because he shook off the rust.

[mileskishnish72]

Well, the early returns jibe with my thinking. MH has a pretty high bar so if he were the most improved it would be incredible. Ed and Sacar seem to be what they are, Greg is coming off an injury. Theo has areas for improvement and it could happen. Jamal has demonstrated a trend that's not so favorable. That leaves BB - his shooting improved as last year progressed, he plays D and I think he's ready to hit his stride.

[Goose]

I think BB is going to have a big upside move this season. IMO he is the key to the overall success this season.

[Loose Cannon]

Bailey will be the natural choice here, but I think Ed will give him competition for that title.

Ed has never had a Consistent time at playing the 4.  Not here, nor at Nebraska. He has that  opportunity  here now.

I'm guessing we see the Best Ed Morrow he thought he would be.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm saying Sacar, mainly because every year when I think he reached his ceiling the season before, he gets better.

[MuMark]

Bailey will be the natural choice here, but I think Ed will give him competition for that title.

Ed has never had a Consistent time at playing the 4.  Not here, nor at Nebraska. He has that  opportunity  here now.

I'm guessing we see the Best Ed Morrow he thought he would be.

I also voted Ed.....let's hope it's a close call between 3 or 4 guys......

[zcg2013]

BB steadily improved throughout last year. I think everything is going to click this year.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think a lot of guys have good arguments.

Ed and Greg have never been 100% healthy at Marquette (no guarantee they will be this year) and if they are they could be really special.

Bailey came on strong at the end of the year last year and seems to be a consistent three point shot away from being very good.

I was one of the only ones last year who was down on Jamal last season but I still hold that he has more upside than most on our roster. If the game can slow down for him, he could be a starter. I could see him being the next Buycks or Jamil, no way we think they can make the NBA but a few more years of seasoning and they are getting cups of coffee.

Sacar has the defense, but his offense is consistently meh. However, we've seen moments of Super Sacar where he goes on a tear and can't be stopped. If he can find that on a more regular basis, he could one of the best two way players in the BEast.

Theo I have a hard time seeing him improving his offense but he can get better simply by picking his spots better on defense. Keep the same power with more control and he could be the defensive player of the year in the BEast (and maybe more).

Markus has improved every year so I can't count him out of improving again. Turnovers are where he needs the most work. Improve his control and he will live up to the hype of one of the top 2 players in the country.

[GoldenDieners32]

JC for sure, hopefully he got his confidence back

[MUHoopsFan2]

JC for sure, hopefully he got his confidence back

I hope this is the case. I hope that Jamal can have a breakout year but I picked Bailey. If Bailey, Cain and Greg can all be the answer to this question that would be great...

[harryp]

I may be alone in this, but I'll vote for Theo. All he has to do is learn to control his temper so he can focus on the game, and stop fouling. I think these things can be taught. He would  give us a beast in the center. He doesn't need to make a big improvement in offense.

[brewcity77]

I voted Bailey. He showed flashes last year of what he could be. His length, ability to get to the rim and stretch the floor, as well as his efficiency down the stretch shows what he can be.

That said, the same could've been said about Jamal Cain a year ago.

[Herman Cain]

I voted for Greg. He had a very solid freshman season playing injured. He has put on some meaningful muscle during his absence and is no longer a bean pole . Once his ankle is healed, I think he  is poised to take his game to an even higher level both Offensively and Defensively. Also fully embraces his role in a Markus led world, which will allow him to maximize his performance . 

Honorable mention to Ed. If he can get fully healthy, we may see some consistent upper level performance from him as well.   

[MU82]

BB is the logical choice. I like the idea that it could be Morrow, because that would mean he has earned additional playing time, likely at PF, by showing he is an improved scorer. And obviously, we're all rooting for the others, as well.

I'm not predicting but I am hoping it will be Markus.

I don't really expect him to score more or shoot better, and he really improved quite a bit as a defender last year. But if he can improve his decision-making with the ball, his shot selection, his court vision and his passing -- thereby making his teammates better, reducing his turnovers and improving his efficiency -- we could be a top-10 team and he could be a first-round draft pick.

As good as he was last season (and pretty darn good the two seasons before, too), he still can improve SO much. Here's hoping!

[war1980rior]

I selected quickly and went with obvious, BB.  After reading a lot of the comments, it's really wide open. 

Here's to MU having a brutal competition to winning this title, with every player close to getting it!

[Marcus92]

This is a great question for the 2019-20 season. The answer will likely be the most important factor in determining Marquette's ceiling.

Can Markus get better? He's expanded his game every year -- adding an array of crafty floaters in the lane to his outstanding perimeter shooting, increasing his assist rate (from 19.9% as a freshman to 27.2% in 2018-19 per KenPom) and free throw rate (23.4% to 42.5%) while making significant strides on the defensive end. Even incremental improvement to improve his efficiency would have a significant impact on the team, given Markus' usage rate.

Can Sacar get better? He's been a steady role player as a starter the past two seasons. The defense has always been there and he takes good care of the ball (14.9% turnover rate). He seems to have found his groove from outside, shooting 39.1% last year -- but took fewer than 2 shots a game. He also had fewer two-point makes and attempts last season and saw his free throw rate drop to the lowest level (26.1%) of his MU career. Stepping up his offensive game as a senior would give Marquette another much-needed weapon.

Can Theo get better? The improvement from his freshman year to last season was dramatic, emerging as a dominant shot blocker (11.1% block percentage, 17th best nationally) and strong offensive rebounder. If he can continue to cut down on his fouls (7.4 committed per 40 minutes) and 20.9% turnover rate, he'll help the team on both ends.

Can Ed get better? At times, Ed looked like the most dominant rebounder and inside player on the floor. He posted career highs in offensive rating (105.5), offensive rebounding percentage (15.5%) and free throw rate (30.9%). But like Theo, he rarely looked to pass out of the post and turned it over far too often (23.7% TORate). One very positive sign: Ed was at his best during the conference season -- posting a 112.5 ORtg against Big East opponents.

Can Brendan get better? As a freshman, his defensive versatility earned him a lot of minutes. And he improved over the course of the season -- posting a 117.2 ORtg, making 63.2% of his 2-point shots, hitting 32.0% from outside the arc, and turning the ball over at an impressive 6.8% rate in conference play. Adding strength should help his game overall, from defense and rebounding to finishing at the rim.

Can Jamal get better? He seemed to lose confidence in his shot and his minutes dropped by more than 50% as a sophomore. But the tools are there. He might be the team's best pure athlete, led the team in defensive rebound percentage (19.8%) and was second in steal percentage (2.5%). He also showed flashes of his potential during the summer trip to Spain and France.

I voted Sacar, mostly because he's a senior and has the ability to be a dominant player (4 games scoring 16+ last season, including 18 in the win against Villanova). But you could say the same about Markus or Ed. It's easy to justify votes for Theo and Brendan, as well.

My hope is that so many returning players improve that this question is just as difficult to answer at the end of the season.

[Its DJOver]

This is a great question for the 2019-20 season. The answer will likely be the most important factor in determining Marquette's ceiling.

Can Markus get better? He's expanded his game every year -- adding an array of crafty floaters in the lane to his outstanding perimeter shooting, increasing his assist rate (from 19.9% as a freshman to 27.2% in 2018-19 per KenPom) and free throw rate (23.4% to 42.5%) while making significant strides on the defensive end. Even incremental improvement to improve his efficiency would have a significant impact on the team, given Markus' usage rate.

Can Sacar get better? He's been a steady role player as a starter the past two seasons. The defense has always been there and he takes good care of the ball (14.9% turnover rate). He seems to have found his groove from outside, shooting 39.1% last year -- but took fewer than 2 shots a game. He also had fewer two-point makes and attempts last season and saw his free throw rate drop to the lowest level (26.1%) of his MU career. Stepping up his offensive game as a senior would give Marquette another much-needed weapon.

Can Theo get better? The improvement from his freshman year to last season was dramatic, emerging as a dominant shot blocker (11.1% block percentage, 17th best nationally) and strong offensive rebounder. If he can continue to cut down on his fouls (7.4 committed per 40 minutes) and 20.9% turnover rate, he'll help the team on both ends.

Can Ed get better? At times, Ed looked like the most dominant rebounder and inside player on the floor. He posted career highs in offensive rating (105.5), offensive rebounding percentage (15.5%) and free throw rate (30.9%). But like Theo, he rarely looked to pass out of the post and turned it over far too often (23.7% TORate). One very positive sign: Ed was at his best during the conference season -- posting a 112.5 ORtg against Big East opponents.

Can Brendan get better? As a freshman, his defensive versatility earned him a lot of minutes. And he improved over the course of the season -- posting a 117.2 ORtg, making 63.2% of his 2-point shots, hitting 32.0% from outside the arc, and turning the ball over at an impressive 6.8% rate in conference play. Adding strength should help his game overall, from defense and rebounding to finishing at the rim.

Can Jamal get better? He seemed to lose confidence in his shot and his minutes dropped by more than 50% as a sophomore. But the tools are there. He might be the team's best pure athlete, led the team in defensive rebound percentage (19.8%) and was second in steal percentage (2.5%). He also showed flashes of his potential during the summer trip to Spain and France.

I voted Sacar, mostly because he's a senior and has the ability to be a dominant player (4 games scoring 16+ last season, including 18 in the win against Villanova). But you could say the same about Markus or Ed. It's easy to justify votes for Theo and Brendan, as well.

My hope is that so many returning players improve that this question is just as difficult to answer at the end of the season.

Good stuff here, but you, like many other are overlooking Greg IMO.  Had a solid Freshman campaign while playing injured and while we haven't seen anyone on the team play in the last 6 months, we haven't seen him play in the last 18, much more time to get stronger and improve.  He was listed at 165 coming out of High School, and he is currently at 185. I think he can have a season like pre break out JFB or red shirt sophomore Sacar, where he doesn't put up huge number, but is efficient and plays good D with few mistakes, making it tough to take him out.

[GB Warrior]

Bailey is the logical choice, but John 'improving' by purely being able to survive for more minutes could be profound

[Marcus92]

Good stuff here, but you, like many other are overlooking Greg IMO.  Had a solid Freshman campaign while playing injured and while we haven't seen anyone on the team play in the last 6 months, we haven't seen him play in the last 18, much more time to get stronger and improve.  He was listed at 165 coming out of High School, and he is currently at 185. I think he can have a season like pre break out JFB or red shirt sophomore Sacar, where he doesn't put up huge number, but is efficient and plays good D with few mistakes, making it tough to take him out.

I didn't forget about Greg, and would love to see him make a big jump. But with all the injuries, I'm just not sure what to expect. We not only haven't seen him on the court -- we haven't even seen him take part in scrimmages during open practices or games during the foreign tour. A healthy Greg Elliott would definitely help the team this season.

[muwarrior69]

Maybe I am wrong but when Markus was double teamed he struggled to get the ball to an open man. If he can show defenses that he can get the ball to an open man and that open man can make the defense pay we just might have a decent season.

[MU82]

Superb stuff, M92 and Its DJO. Thanks.