As my colleague
Braeden Proctor and I have been taking a look at potential Mr. Basketball candidates, we've noted that there a few mid-major commits who could explode and steal the award. Historically speaking, this is not likely, as typically a Michigan or Michigan State commit takes the award. In fact, 25 of the previous 36 Mr. Basketball winners were committed to Michigan State (15) or Michigan (10), while no other college has had more than 1 Mr. Basketball from Michigan. However, Wade is certainly talented enough - I have been vocal about the fact that I believe Wade is capable of being a high-major player. Personal opinions aside, let's take a look at some facts: at PrepHoops, we have the 6'2" point guard ranked as a top-10 player in the loaded 2018 class, which is a testament to how good he is. Before committing to Duquesne recently, Wade held nearly 20 D1 offers. Last year, as a junior, he averaged 21 points per game, 6.6 assists per game and 4 rebounds per game while leading Skyline to its first conference title in school history. Also, Wade has always been the type of player to step up in big games or against the top competition - last year, he dropped 35 points on eventual state champ Clarkston, in addition to a 32 point game against Belleville, who's widely considered the second most-talented team in Class A.
In today's guard-dominated game of basketball, Wade fits the mold perfectly. He's capable of both scoring and facilitating at a high-level. He can shoot from anywhere with range extending a couple feet behind the three point line. He can hit off the dribble or off the catch, including off-balance shots such as fade-aways and step-backs. He has great handles that allow him to get wherever he wants to go on the court. He has good vision and makes accurate passes that are delivered on time. He's shown that he can get to the rack and make a living at the rim if the defense gives it to him. Offensively, he's a complete player, with the only possible knock on him being that he doesn't play above the rim. It's important to note that he's an able defender as well.
While the high-major Mr. Basketball candidates come with a bevy of rankings and accolades, Wade doesn't. Regardless of the reason for this, one thing that Wade does have over some of the other high-major candidates is that he's consistently performed well against top competition. Whether that be for his high school or AAU team, Wade has proven he can not only hang but also excel with the best. With all things being considered, I broke my prediction down into three main categories: individual production, team performance and competition. When taking a look at past Mr. Basketball competitions, these have been the three biggest factors the voting coaches have taken into consideration. So, without further ado:
Production
Wade is no stranger to putting up big numbers. His aforementioned stat line (21ppg, 6.6apg, 4rpg) from his junior campaign is very impressive. However, in terms of consideration for the Mr. Basketball award, Wade will need to improve on those stats if he wants to be a serious contender. For example, Foster Loyer, who will be a favorite to win the award this year, put similar assist and rebound number while averaging 25 points per game last year. Wade will not only have to match, but top that this coming season, given the fact that Loyer has the historical advantage of being committed to Michigan State. With that being said, he's in a great position to do just that. Wade will be the leader of what is shaping up to be one of the best offenses in the state this year. He's surrounded by a plethora of elite shooters at Skyline, which could help bolster his assist numbers up to 8,9 or 10 assists per game. He will need to do just that, along with averaging north of 25 points per game, in order to be a serious contender for the award. Also, it's important to note that he will need to be uber-efficient from the field, including three point percentage and free throw percentage. He certainly has the skill/ability to do all these things.
Team Production
Ann Arbor Skyline is a preseason top-10 team in Class A. They will perhaps be the best three point shooting team in the entire state, regardless of class. They should post at least 15 wins despite playing a very tough non-conference schedule. With that being said, there are other Mr. Basketball candidates who's teams are in a position to go undefeated - a feat that is difficult no matter how talented the team. Wade has an uphill battle already given the fact that he's not committed to Michigan or Michigan State, so he will have to clearly prove that he has outperformed other candidates in every aspect. In order for Wade to make a strong case for Mr. Basketball, he will have to lead his team to a 17, 18 or 19 win season, including some wins over quality teams such as Belleville. Skyline certainly has the talent to do so - if they get hot from beyond the arc, they will be tough to beat, regardless of who they're playing.
Competition
This year's Mr. Basketball competition is stiff. There are 8 high-major commits/recruits in the 2018 class alone – that's not to mention the plethora of top notch mid-major talent the 2018 class boasts. Thomas Kithier's transfer to Clarkston puts 3 of the 8 high-major players on the same team. With only so much ball to go around, that might help desaturate the field for Wade. That's not a guarantee, however, and that doesn't even take into account the other 5 high-major players. With that being said, I believe Wade, if any mid-major, has the best shot to win Mr. Basketball. As I harped on earlier, Wade has proven time and time again that he's capable of excelling against any level of competition. In fact, he's had big games against nearly all of the high-major Mr. Basketball candidates. He certainly has the track record to go with the talent.
When taking a look at the other Mr. Basketball candidates, many of them have teams that are in a position to suffer 1 or 2 losses at the worst throughout the season. Combine that with what should be some impressive production, and Wade certainly has his work cut out for him. He will undoubtedly have to put up some monster numbers to top all of the other candidates individually. Wade will need to do just that, as well as lead his team to a perfect or near perfect record in order to be a serious contender for this season's Mr. Basketball.
