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Nick Perkins comes in at number 9 on our list. This was on of the toughest guys in the entire conference to rate. The 6’8, 250 pound forward from Ypsilanti is raw. At times he disappears in games. He also has the potential to play at the next level.
One of the better 6th men last season, he averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds. His shooting percentage was sub-optimal across the board, however. He shot 41% from the floor, 26% from beyond the arch, and 63% from the free throw line. He has a good stroke, I think like most of his game, it just needs polished.
Tonight against Daemen, he spent a lot of time on the offensive end beyond the arch. He was setting picks and he was moving, and that’s great. It would also be great if he crept into the paint more. In sports we use a term “The light has come on.” What it means is that a player finally gets it. He isn’t out there thinking, he is reacting and in the right spots. I don’t think the light has come on for Perkins and that’s good news if you are a Buffalo and/or Nick Perkins fan.
This season, he is now a starter. I expect him to get more minutes and he is a year older. The thing about the light coming on is that you can never predict when, or even if, it happens. If it doesn’t, expect a 15 point, 8 rebound per kind of season for Perkins, and a second team All-MAC selection, which is where we currently have him. If it does, he has the potential to be a 25 point, 10 rebound type of player. While that would be great news for Buffalo fans this season, it might just be enough that he will be getting paid next year.