Player: Tyler Kolek
Class: Senior
Height: 6’3
School: Marquette
When it comes to tournament time, whether it is conference tournaments or March Madness, players simply elevate their level of play. One of the most fascinating players in the country, that many will know but there still are a few that don’t, is senior guard Tyler Kolek at Marquette. The Golden Eagles are racking up the wins and Kolek has been a HUGE part of the team’s success. And with him leading the charge, Marquette could be a sneaky team to watch.
When you watch Kolek’s game and what he provides, you simply have to walk away with a “wow” feeling about how he operates on the court. On the season, he is averaging around 16.1ppg, 7.4apg, 5.0rpg, and 1.7spg, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from behind the arc. He is one of the top guards in dishing out assists, averaging 6.0 assists per game throughout his career and showing off-the-charts vision.
When you watch highlights and games of Kolek/ Marquette, you see incredible instincts and feel, along with IQ in his game. He may not be the quickest or the most athletic guard out there, but he flourishes with his feel and just how smart he is. Kolek has a smooth feel and can mix it up with his pace, creating with different speeds, understanding where teammates should be, and showing tremendous touch on his passes to find teammates along with pinpoint precision. He understands angles on his drives, can hurt you from the perimeter, and mixes it up extremely well as he can hurt you in so many ways.
He quietly has that “wow” factor in his game, and when it comes tournament time, Kolek could be the “magic man” in helping lead the Golden Eagles.
