Mizzou’s Porter is No. 1 player in college hoops for upcoming season, USA Today says

For the seventh straight year, USA Today’s The Big Lead has ranked the top 50 players ahead of the college basketball season.

This year’s No. 1 is a player who has yet to step on the court on the college level: Missouri’s Michael Porter.

According to Jason McIntyre, the author of the story, the criteria for determining the players is broken equally into thirds: their NBA prospects, their individual talent and how vital they are to their team’s success.

Landing in the top spot is Porter, a 6-foot-10 wing from Nathan Hale High in Seattle who signed with Mizzou in April. He was the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the Year and helped his high school to the Washington Class 3A state title.

“Best player in the country as a high school senior, and I see some Tracy McGrady in Porter,” McIntyre wrote about Porter.

Wichita State’s Landry Shamet is ranked No. 10. “The Shockers are loaded, and Shamet is their most talented player. Made 44 percent of his 3-pointers as a freshman,” McIntyre wrote.

Three players from Kansas are on the list: Malik Newman (No. 35), Devonte’ Graham (No. 38) and Svi Mykhailiuk (No. 44).

You can see the whole list here.

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 11:56 AM.