The Union University men’s basketball season is swiftly approaching. With it comes questions of how the team is looking, who is returning and, for some, it may even be who in the world is on the basketball team? For those who are wondering, everyone from last year’s team is back, including four newcomers.
Our Bulldogs are nearing the time that they can step on the court for their first game, which also means that NBA teams are readying themselves for their season openers as well. With that being said, it is the perfect time to compare Union’s very own basketball team to NBA players that each of them resembles.
Consider this a tentative season preview for this year’s men’s basketball team. Without further ado, let’s meet the basketball team and their NBA doppelgangers.
JC Hawkins is… One of the first things one notices about Hawkins is how smooth he is with the ball for someone his height. He is listed as a forward, but the Kentucky-native has been a key ball-handler in his time with the “Dawgs” so far. Not only that, but he is a reliable shooter from distance. The junior makes the right decisions with the ball and possesses a high basketball IQ, much like his NBA comparison. His “play-alike” (I clearly made this term up) is slow and methodical in the way he plays, but effective. …Kyle Anderson.
Bryson Butler is… Butler is a very charismatic and exciting player to watch. It’s not every day that we have the opportunity to watch a player who has been on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top Plays. Butler came in last year and helped take part of the point guard role with Payton Stovall after the injury to Tyree Boykin. He plays with an exciting energy and can get on hot streaks that hype the team up. His athleticism is evident in the way that he plays. His first step helps him to blow past bigger defenders, while his shooting causes smaller defenders to have to respect him on the perimeter. …Ja Morant.
Tyree Boykin is… Boykin returns as one of the leaders and starting point guard for the Dawgs this year. In the limited time Boykin was able to play last year (due to medical reasons), one can tell that he is a floor general that can take over a game with his shooting ability, even dropping 48 points in a game (this earned him USBWA D2 National Player of the Week honors). Boykin’s style of play is largely reminiscent of someone who he used to model his Instagram handle after. Boykin is a lights-out shooter with great handles and a killer mentality. Although his counterpart is in the NBA, Boykin is most certainly a better team player and leader. …Kyrie Irving.
JC Clausi is… Clausi can shoot. Last year, he shot 43 percent from beyond the arc, which is statistically better than who he is being compared to. Clausi primarily would come in as a spot-up shooter to provide a quality “kick-out” for post players as well as being someone who could consistently knock down shots for the Dawgs. Not only that, but his hair is somewhat similar to his “play-alike.”…Nick Young.
Samory Gueye is… The 6’10” Frenchman returns as the tallest player on the team, by a pretty close margin. Gueye was a reliable low post scorer and defender for the Dawgs, scoring in double digits ten times last year. He has great footwork for a big man, possessing good post moves that are able to get him shots in a variety of ways. Much like his NBA “play-alike,” he is also able to step out past the three-point line and knock down threes, which helps him to stretch the floor against opposing teams. …Marc Gasol.
Terrandus Smith is… Affectionately known as “Super Ran” by many of his fans, Smith represents West Tennessee well as a part of the Dawgs. His athleticism and sharpshooting ability make him quite impossible to guard; he eclipsed the 20-point mark 11 times last season. Not only was he effective on the offensive side, but he was arguably one of the best defenders on the team due to his ability to generate steals. For the season, Smith averaged almost 18 points to go along with, two assists, five rebounds and nearly two steals per game. …Paul George.
Payton Stovall is… Stovall came in last year as a reliable point guard from the jump. The lefty not only has great vision, but he is stellar at creating his own shot. Whenever he had the chance, he knocked down jumpers whether it be within or outside the three-point arc. He shot 47 percent from the field as well as 47 percent from downtown. Stovall’s production from deep is much better than that of his “play-alike” while also rivaling his productivity as a passer. To finish the year, he scored in double digits in 10 of his last 12 games, and I’m sure he is looking to carry that hot streak into this year. …Goran Dragic.
LiDonta Hicks-Gentry is… Hicks-Gentry was a quality player down low for the Dawgs last year. Opposing teams had to respect him because of his ability to use his size to his advantage when rebounding, defending and scoring. His outside shooting improved over the course of last season, making him even more similar to his “play-alike.” Hicks-Gentry and his NBA comparison are hard-nosed and tough players who are able to get up and down the floor easily while having an almost identical shooting motion. …Draymond Green.
Ty Parks is… Right off the bat, one can tell that Parks is a high flyer. Whether it was in warm-ups or in a game, he can throw down at any point in time. Much like his NBA comparison, Parks is very difficult to match up with because of his combination of length and speed. Even though his “play-alike” outweighs him by almost 100 pounds, Parks still had 10 games of double digit rebounds. One area that Parks has that his comparison does not is outside shooting. Couple that with a knack for shot-blocking and you get a dangerous player, that is Ty Parks. … skinny Zion Williamson.
Donavan Henry is… I’m going to be honest, I have not been able to see Henry play. Although, from what I’ve heard he is “cold.” The transfer from Trevecca Nazarene sat out last year as a redshirt-sophomore but is looking to come in and contribute this year. From what I have heard, he is a good shooter and can handle the ball very well. For that reason, his NBA comparison is… Lou Williams.
The New Guys
For the incoming freshmen basketball players, I decided to turn this into more of a list of predictions (let’s see how this pans out).
Dusan Djordevic is… Willy Hernangomez.
Hernangomez is a solid low-post scorer in the NBA; I see Djordevic as being the same for the Dawgs. However, I believe that Djordevic runs the floor and is a much better shooter than Hernangomez.
Ousmane Gueye is… young Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Ousmane is, indeed, the younger brother of Samory. Gueye is similar in build to that of a young Antetokounmpo. There is talk that he has a better shooting stroke than the Greek Freak though.
Jeremiah Littlepage is… Jerami Grant.
Unlike the previous two, I was actually able to find some high school footage of Littlepage and boy, was I impressed. He had 12 blocks in one game in high school (that is tough to pull off). Much like Grant, Littlepage is uber athletic and plays above the rim.
Cooper Meadows is… Gordon Hayward (before the injury.)
I was also able to find video of Meadows, and I was equally impressed with him. He is also very athletic and has a beautiful shot from anywhere. I look at him as being a mini Hayward clone for the Dawgs.