ESPN’s Dereck Whittenburg Breaks Down 10 Mid-Major Players to Watch

Image via Complex Original

One-and-done athletes have turned the NCAA's traditional powerhouses into a flight layover—hanging out for a season before catching a plane to the NBA. And while big conference schools shuffle their rosters like a split-flap display at O'Hare Airport, the mid-majors have been able to build and develop their programs with calculated stability. The result? Butler makes a championship, George Mason shocks the world and Jeremy Lin saves a franchise.

While you may not recognize the names on the back of the jerseys (or the front for that matter) and scoff at their goofy mascots, the days of mid-major inferiority are history. With conference tournaments, Selection Sunday and March Madness upon us, Complex is hooking you up with all you need to know about the best ballers you've never heard of.

Derrick Whittenburg knows a thing or two about mid-majors. After he won a title with NC State when his air ball pass to Lorenzo Charles sealed the 1983 National Championship—he coached for Long Beach State, George Mason and Fordham before landing his current gig as an analyst with ESPN. So grab a seat on a bubble and let the madness begin as ESPN's Dereck Whittenburg Breaks Down 10 Mid-Major Players to Watch.

As told to Sean Evans (@seanseaevans)

Devon Saddler, Delaware

Reminds Me Of: "Similar to Allen Iverson—obviously not as talented—but a quick kid who can score whenever he wants."

"This guy is a straight up scoring machine. He's a little guy but he has a tremendous motor and gives maximum effort every game. He can shoot the three and get to the basket. He's one of the more explosive players in college basketball, one of those guys who's just fun to watch."

Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State

Reminds Me Of: "Along the line of Robert Parrish: long arms, big body, and can shoot a little bit from outside."

"This is a player that nobody has ever heard of and it's a shame! Kevin O'Quinn is one of the best, unknown big guys in the country. He just plain gets it done and averages a double-double. He's another guy whose size is not exaggerated—he is huge!"

Scott Machado, Iona

Reminds Me Of: "Passing ability and craftiness like Chris Paul, but his shot is not as consistent as I'd like."

"With the exception of [North Carolina's] Kendall Marshall, Scott Machado is arguably the best passer in the country. He's a heady point guard, unselfish and knows how to get the ball to people in transition as well as the half court. His style could be more suited for the NBA, like Jeremy Lin in New York. I love his low center of gravity and he's really quick with the ball."

Garrett Stutz, Wichita State

Reminds Me Of: "He plays like Detlef Schrempf baby! He's a body who can score, rebound and pass."

"Big kid. He's a legit seven-footer, and that's no exaggeration. He caught my eye in last year's NIT and I love the way he's improved his game. I see Wichita State in the Sweet 16 because this kid does it all, he's basically averaging a double-double and he makes his foul shots. He's big and knows how to use his body, creates a lot of space with his frame. I really like his future on the next level."

Keith Wright, Harvard

Reminds Me Of: "Reminds me of an old-school combination between Paul Silas and Wes Unseld."

"He's led Harvard to their third consecutive season with 20+ wins, that's like big boy. He's been incredible and the key guy in Tommy Amaker's system. He doesn't give you the eye test, you'll watch him warm up and think he's slow or goofy but when the game starts he turns into an unbelievable player."

Robert Sacre, Gonzaga

Reminds Me Of: "A poor man's Tim Duncan."

"Good inside moves, knows how to play, but people forget that he's a really good passer in the post. Sacre brings a nastiness to Gonzaga that they haven't had in a long time. The Zags have been good for a lot of years, but they're usually too nice—he makes them scary. Sacre could take Gonzaga a long way if they draw the right matchup in the tournament."

Casper Ware, Long Beach State

Reminds Me Of: "Kemba Walker because of his ability to drive and draw fouls."

"Ware stood out to me earlier this season when I watched him play against Pitt. He was flying around the court and scored 28 points against supposedly superior athletes. He's very physical and versatile for a guard, kind of a slasher. He can play with anybody and I used to coach at Long Beach State, so I know how hard it is to go 15-1 in the Big West Conference. He's one of those must-watch players, Long Beach is dangerous and it's mostly because of Ware."

Mike Glover, Iona

Reminds Me Of: "I don't know what his style is—he's just a junkyard dog."

"I love Glover! I've seen a lot of him having coached in New York. He's really crafty in the paint and shoots over 50 percent. He's one of the few big men—only 6-foot-7 but I call him a big man—who can shoot but still get nasty in the paint and score. He's strong enough and tough enough to score against anybody in the country under the basket. He's very capable of playing on the next level."

Isaiah Canaan, Murray State

Reminds Me Of: "Plays kind of like Allen Iverson, but not as crafty with the ball."

"A terrific point guard that does more than run the offense, he can really knock the shot down from deep. He's a kid that we could see in the league shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arch. There's been a lot of attention and hype around the Murray State program and Canaan's the reason why. He needs to get a little better at defense if he's going to last on the next level."

Doug McDermott, Creighton

Reminds Me Of: "A kid I recruited at Georgia Tech named Matt Harpring—he's dangerous from any spot on the court."

"He's probably the most gifted player from a mid-major school. Very versatile, he can shoot from outside and score inside. He's really crafty around the basket. Can handle well enough in college, but he'll probably be a three on the next level. He's basically carried that Creighton team to a 28-5 record and top 25 ranking."