Pac-12 Basketball: Top 10 returning players for 2017 - 2 UofA players in Top 10

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Despite losing a ton of talented players, including two projected Top 3 picks, the Pac-12 has a great pool returning players for the 2017-2018 season.

1) Allonzo Trier (Arizona)
The best player on one of the NCAA Championship favorites, Allonzo Trier tops the list of best returning players in the Pac-12. His decision to return to Arizona followed a season in which a failed drug test caused him to miss half the season with a suspension.
Despite the early setback, Trier emerged as one of the best players in the country, leading Arizona to a Pac-12 Title and a Sweet Sixteen appearance. In his 18 games last season, Trier averaged a team-high 17.2 points, adding 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
These numbers increased in the Pac-12 and NCAA Tournaments, during which he averaged 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. His performance led some to consider him the Pac-12 Player of the Year, despite missing the first six conference games.

2) Chimezie Metu (USC)
It may come as a surprise to see Chimezie Metu above his Trojan teammate Bennie Boatwright, but Metu's skillset is undeniable. Metu provides the Trojans with one of the country's best interior players on both ends of the floor.
On offense, Metu averaged 14.8 points on .552 shooting. He was also relatively efficient from the free-throw line, shooting .741 from the stripe. His most impressive ability on that end of the court is his ability to dunk, as he ranked among the top 10 nationally in dunks per game.
On the defensive end, Metu cleaned up the interior, averaging team highs with 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. It is this defensive effort that gives Metu the slight edge over Boatwright on this list.
Chimezie Metu will be a key factor in the Trojans pursuit of a Pac-12 Conference Title. Last season's Pac-12 Most Improved Player, Metu is another legitimate contender for Pac-12 Player of the Year.

3) Reid Travis (Stanford)
The top player to watch outside the Pac-12's top teams is Stanford Cardinal forward Reid Travis. Travis is the only returning player from last season's All-Pac-12 First Team and should compete for Pac-12 Player of the Year this season.
Averaging 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds last year, Travis is the conference's top offensive big man returning next season. Travis leads all Pac-12 returnees in both points and rebounds, and it wouldn't be surprising if he led the conference this season.
Travis had a few huge games last season: 29 points and 9 rebounds at Kansas, 26 points and 11 rebounds at Arizona, and 27 points and 14 rebounds against Oregon. This production against top teams will need to continue if Stanford aims to make the NCAA Tournament.
Cardinal fans rely on Travis to lift their team above bubble status. Stanford has the talent around Travis to be successful, but it will be up to him to lead that team to success.

4) Bennie Boatwright (USC)
The team leader and top scorer for the Tojans, Bennie Boatwright will be an All-Pac-12 First Teamer if he can stay healthy. After missing 17 games last season, Boatwright health will be a factor in the Trojan's ability to compete for a Pac-12 Title.
In his limited court time last season, Boatwright averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. As a stretch forward, Boatwright shot a respectable .364 from beyond the arc.
Despite his 6'10" height, Boatwright trailed 6'4" De'Anthony Melton in rebounds for the Trojans. While his offense does rely on three-pointers, Boatwright's effort on the defensive boards will still need to improve.
Boatwright will be interesting to watch this year. Billed as USC's star, he will need to live up to this label to lift USC into the top tier of the NCAA. If he does this, he will be a lock for All-Pac-12 First Team honors.

5) Thomas Welsh (UCLA)
Another major piece returning to UCLA is center Thomas Welsh, a rising senior for the Bruins. During the Bruin's amazing offensive showcase, Thomas Welsh established himself as quite possibly the best mid-range shooter in the country.
Welsh was one of the Bruins better interior defenders, and he was still able to produce on the offensive end. He battled on the boards and led the Bruins with 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Welsh was also the most efficient shooter on the offensive end, shooting the second-highest percentage from the floor (.585) and a team-high .894 from the free throw line. In fact, Welsh had 15 games in which he shot 60% or better from the floor.
Welsh enters this season as a potential double-double machine for the Bruins, having recorded nine last season on an overloaded roster. If Welsh is able to help Holiday keep the Bruins in Pac-12 Title contention, he has a good chance at making the All-Pac-12 First Team.



6) Rawle Alkins (Arizona)
Alkins, one of the more underrated guards in the conference last season, will be one of the top players on a NCAA Championship contender.
Averaging 10.9 points, 4.9 points, and 2.1 assists, Alkins did not suffer from the same ups-and-downs that much of the Arizona roster experienced last year. Alkins can score from anywhere, shooting 37% from three-point range, while also having the ability to finish at the rim.
With Kadeem Allen gone, Alkins will also be expected to increase his defensive efficiency, to fill the void left by last season's top perimeter defender. The defense he showed last season was promising, and he was able to record 0.5 blocks and 0.9 steals while using his 6'5" height to contest shots.
With DeAndre Ayton and Allonzo Trier on the roster, it would be easy to sleep on Alkins — but that would be a huge mistake. He can be expected to once again be a consistent force for the Wildcat offense.

7) Drew Eubanks (Oregon State)
One of the few bright spots on Oregon State's 1-17 Pac-12 record last season was the play of sophomore forward Drew Eubanks. Eubanks, who announced his decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft last month, is the final piece for an Oregon State team that should be competitive.
Eubanks is top five among returning Pac-12 players in points, field goal percentage, rebounds, and blocks. He will re-join Tres Tinkle to form one of the best front courts in the conference and should make interior scoring difficult for any team.
Averaging 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks, Eubanks will be a solid two-way player with an opportunity to raise his NBA Draft stock.
Now that Oregon State features a healthy roster, there will be less pressure on Eubanks to carry the load. This should help free Eubanks up to do more offensively, without the pressure he had last season as the Beavers' only true interior threat.

Tra Holder (Arizona State)
At number eight on our list, Tra Holder is a great combo guard, with the ability to contribute both points and assists to Arizona State. Second among returning scorers, Holder will be the likely candidate to replace Torian Graham as the Sun Devils' leading scorer.
After averaging 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, Holder makes the most of his 6'1" frame with insane effort. If he can improve upon his .368 shooting, he could be among the best scorers in the Pac-12 next year.
Holder's size and length does not do him any favors on the defensive end, but his quickness led to 0.9 steals per game last year. Arizona State will rely on his offensive production, but his effort on defense will be needed as well.
While Arizona State is not expected to make the NCAA Tournament or even be on the bubble, Holder and teammate Shannon Evans II will be one of the best one-two scoring punches in the Pac-12.

9) Aaron Holiday (UCLA)
Many analysts, including myself, expected UCLA guard Aaron Holiday to remain in the draft and join his two brothers in the NBA. However, Holiday decided to return to a depleted UCLA squad reloaded with freshman talent and looks to lead them back the Big Dance.
It became clear last season that Holiday is a team-first player, who saw his play time dip by over five minutes per game. Despite this, Holiday increased his shooting efficiency from .394 to .485 and recorded more points and assists. He also established himself as a solid perimeter defender.
As the top returning scorer on UCLA with 12.6 points as a sophomore, Holiday will be the most likely first scoring option for the Bruins. Holiday is also a fantastic distributor, averaging 4.4 assists last year, second on the team to NCAA leader Lonzo Ball.
Holiday has an opportunity to use this season as a mean to improve his draft stock for the 2018 NBA Draft. UCLA should be returning to the NCAA Tournament again, and Holiday will be a big part of the team's success.

10) De'Anthony Melton (USC)
As a freshman, USC guard De'Anthony Melton proved to be a "do everything" type of player. Averaging 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.9 steals, there didn't seem to be much Melton couldn't do.
Melton will benefit from playing on one of the more talented rosters in the country and could focus on his defensive contribution. It would not be a surprise if he emerges as the best perimeter defender in the conference.
It will be interesting to see how Melton's development and contribution on the offensive end progresses. An underwhelming three-point shooter, Melton will need to rely on his ability to drive and finish this season.
Andy Enfield has fortunate problem of having a roster filled with talent and will need to find creative ways to allow each player to shine. Melton's defense will be the area where he excels and helps USC compete for a Pac-12 title.


Honorable Mention

Dusan Ristic (Arizona)
While Dusan Ristic will not be winning any awards this season, he provides Arizona with a solid, low-post scoring option. A senior, Ristic will help lead a deep Wildcats team, which is one of the early contenders for the National Championship.

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