The Race for Mr. Basketball: Marquise Kennedy
In this series we take a look at the potential candidates for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois for this upcoming season. Here we profile Brother Rice senior point guard Marquise Kennedy.
Profile:
It has been quite a rise for Kennedy over the last year. Heading into his junior season he was barely known to the casual basketball fan in the Chicago area. At Brother Rice he posted a strong close to his junior season, but it was really what he did with the Illinois Wolves on the UAA circuit that boosted his stock to the #4 recruit in the state. Playmaking guard that gets downhill where he scores at the rim. Committed to Loyola.
Odds to Win:
20/1
Why He Can Win:
Momentum! Never doubt momentum in an award like this. He definitely has that going into the season after his rise during summer circuit. Kennedy will be one of the marquee players this season in the Chicago Catholic League being one of the favorites to capture the player of the year in that conference. Brother Rice is on the rise with Coach Bobby Frasor and we expect them to have a very good season.
Obstacles to Win:
Will he have enough primetime games to showcase his skills on a wide enough stage? Most of Brother Rice’s games will be in Chicago so that will limit his voting appeal across the state. Traditionally unless it is a no doubt candidate Public League players have a significant edge over Catholic prospects because of the media coverage in the Chicago land area.