Kansas vs Oklahoma State LIVE Radio Broadcast: Wiggins and Smart Gear Up for Showdown
ByBefore the college basketball season even started, Andrew Wiggins declared himself the number-one overall NBA Draft choice and Marcus Smart rebuked the statement.
Saturday, Wiggins and the Kansas Jayhawks (15) get to matchup with Smart and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (9). It was during the Big 12 media day when the conference's two most-talked-about players had to pose for promotional photos just after Smart commented on the hype surrounding Wiggins.
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"A lot of people are saying he's the best player now in college basketball," Smart said at the time, according to the Associated Press. "All I'm saying is how can you be the best player in something you haven't even played yet?"
Each player has had about half the season to prove himself and with the similarity in size and ability, we may just see them guarding one another. Smart is a 6-4 guard weighing 220 pounds and is averaging 17.8 points per game, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Wiggins is a 6-7, 200-pound forward and averages 15.8 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Smart said this week he is not thinking about his pre-season comments, just about the matchup at hand.
"A lot of people took their own opinions to that statement I made," Smart said, according to the AP. "I'm not really here to talk about that. This team has a lot on their minds, a lot on their plate to get ready for Saturday against a great team and a great coach and a great crowd."
Kansas has faced their fair share of ranked opponents and Saturday's game is the third of four consecutive matchups. They are 3-2 against ranked opponents, but Wiggins' scoring average jumps to nearly 20 points per game against such teams.
On media day, Wiggins heard Smart's comments and shrugged them off.
"It's just someone's opinion. It doesn't mean anything," Wiggins said at the time. "When someone says something, and I don't really care for the person, they don't influence me or nothing like that. It doesn't matter what he says."
Both have done a good job in letting their on-court play and team success speak for itself, but Saturday is their opportunity to show the other in person what they are capable of. The best part of the matchup, perhaps, is that we get to the two play again March 1.