Markus Howard, Guard, Marquette (West #5 seed)
Season Averages: 25.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 59.6 TS%, 8.1 BPM
Ladies and Gentlemen, Markus Howard. Howard is Marquette’s Junior floor general, and he is certainly a stat-sheet stuffer.
Howard is pouring in a ridiculous 29.9 points per-40 minutes to go with 4.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals. Another insane stat? His volume. Howard has a usage rate north of 37 percent and is taking 17.4 shots per game. He’s also taking 7.6 free throws per game and is shooting .424/.408/.892. He’s an incredible scorer who can score from anywhere on the floor and is a decent playmaker.
Howard is a bit ball-dominant and can be inconsistent as a shooter. He’s also not a great finisher, but neither was Marvin Bagley III when he entered the league (supposedly). Howard’s biggest knock might be his size, as he sits at just 5-11, which makes him a bit undersized to be an NBA point guard. It’s certianly not the end-all-be-all though, but it worth keeping in mind.
Howard’s Marquette is set to face off against the sensational Ja Morant, and Murray State in their opening March Madness tilt, meaning not only will this be one of the best games of the opening round, but also that Howard’s tournament is cut short. Fans may only get one chance to watch Howard play college ball again, and they should make sure they do, because he is special.
Markus Howard is currently sitting at an average big board ranking of 49th overall; right in range for the Sacramento Kings, without needing any trades.