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Marcus Sasser has certainly blossomed into the talent many thought he always had coming out of high school and his AAC Player of the Season gong is evidence enough of his immense talent. Despite being the number one seed, the Houston Cougars could not get past Miami in the sweet sixteen. The talented point guard, though, still showed out putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Even in the game before their defeat to Miami, Sasser put on a scoring display dropping 22 points to lead his team to victory against Auburn. What made the feat even more commendable was that he played through an injury scare to seal the win.
The fact that Marcus was up for the John R Wooden award for the men's basketball player of the year award alongside talents like Zach Edey and Jalen Wilson shows the vast potential he has since those two are projected to be first-round picks in this year's upcoming draft.
Is Marcus Sasser a first or second-round NBA draft pick?
While he is more natural as a shooting guard, when he makes the step up to the NBA, it is likely that Marcus will fit in as an undersized combo guard for a team in need of aggression in defence.
Apart from being a player who can make consistent perimeter jumpers and is a natural volume shooter, what works for Sasser is his ability to retain possession. Averaging just 1.6 turnovers this season, he'll be an interesting prospect for teams on the board.
Various mock drafts have him as a solid early second-round pick. With the Oklahoma City Thunder having the 35th and 37th pick, no one would bet against the wily Sam Presti nabbing the PG as a potential steal.
The Hakeem Olajuwon record
In a piece of bar room trivia, Marcus Sasser just happens to share a fairly interesting record with NBA great, Hakeem Olajuwon which should stand him in good stead in the future. Marcus is the first Houston consensus first-team all-American since Hakeem 'The Dream' in 1984! Let that sink in.
Marcus averaged 16.8 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds this season, statistics that will put him right at the top range of the draft class of 2023. Known for always being switched on in defence and his more than active dominantion while defending the perimeter, these talents combined with a quick first step will stand him in good stead when he makes the step up to the NBA.
