Brandon Costner

8th: - Utah Flash - Brandon Costner, North Carolina State

Last year was Costner's professional season, and he missed much of it due to injury. When he did play, he was almost as inconsistent as his minutes. Costner spent the year with Belgium team Dexia Mons-Hainaut, and finished the year with Belgian league averages of 9.5ppg and 4.3rpg, yet it wasn't a smooth ride. He took more three pointers than twos, and almost took more FT's than two's as well, cementing his transition into a perimeter player. Yet despite his perimeter play, Costner is no small forward; he's a not-especially-athletic-but-talented 6'9 face-up power forward, and a power forward only. He's everything Marcus Fizer wanted to be. Fizer, however, was (is) much bigger and a far better rebounder. (When he wanted to be, at least.) Costner doesn't rebound well, defends largely via the foul, and spends increasingly little time around the basket. Nevertheless, he makes shots.

- Brandon Costner

NC State product Costner was Coleman's teammate at Dexia before getting hurt in late October. He was replaced by Curtis Sumpter, but rejoined the team in early December, and is averaging 10.6 points and 4.0 rebounds on the Belgian league season. He was doing a lot better before the injury.

From what I've seen of him there this year, Costner has foresaken any remaining impulses to pretend he's a power forward any more.