Venoy Overton

Venoy Overton - Overton might be the best defender on the list, which is impressive, considering there is some good defensive talent on this list. (Certainly more than there is offensive talent.) Overton is quick and athletic, if rather small, and his energy and hustle are incessant, if rather foul prone. Offensively, there's less going on - Overton's speed allows for the occasional drive and transition play, and he's improved his decision making and passing game as he's aged, although he still can't shoot.

Unfortunately, Overton managed to cripple his fledgling stock by being accused of the rape of a 16 year old girl in January. Overton claimed that the girl was a willing participant in an orgy that had been arranged during a meeting at a McDonald's. Charges of rape were later dropped, although Overton was still charged with furnishing a minor with alcohol, receiving community service. And this very week, Overton was arrested for, essentially, being a pimp. That's your senior leader right there, apparently.

The biggest thing for Washington is their smallest. Point guard Isaiah Thomas (no relation) is hugely athletic, quick, crafty and thoroughly unafraid. He takes it into the trees, hits his high arcing layups and floaters, and is a good outside shooter. He is also immeasurably improved as a point guard, despite being a natural two, and is now amongst the nation's leaders in assists, doing it mainly in drive-and-dish and transition situations. Comparisons to Nate Robinson are inevitable, but they have some basis in fact, and should be regarded as flattering. Alongside him, similarly athletic small guard Venoy Overton is possibly the best guard defender in the nation, using relentless energy to overcome his size disadvantage, even on some off-guards far bigger than he. Furthermore, starting wing Justin Holiday (Jrue's brother) has broken out as a senior. Always an athlete, Holiday was largely just a defender only heading into this season, yet now he demonstrates a greatly improved offensive game. He gets open for threes and is hitting them at 36%, as well as scoring in transition. There's little dribble-drive game at the moment, but as a shooting/defending role player, Holiday has become interesting.