8. Santiago Vescovi | 6-3 scoring guard | senior | Tennessee
A two-time first-team All-SEC player, Vescovi is the kind of smart shooter with on-ball skill that every team could use. The raw numbers don’t always look incredible as he plays for a Tennessee team that tends to spread the wealth offensively, but Vescovi has averaged about 13 points per game in each of the last two seasons while firing away from 3 over seven times per game. He makes those 3s at about a 39 percent clip, and does so off of a variety of different actions that make it difficult to guard. Then, he also can run ball screens and initiate sets, as well as attack closeouts and keep defenses in rotation. Off that, he’s a smart decision-maker and sharp passer, rarely turning the ball over. The Uruguayan started his career as a real problem on defense but has turned himself into a positive player on that end who is constantly in the right spots.
Tennessee had the best defense in the country last year, and while nobody would necessarily say he was the biggest reason why, I do think it’s reasonable to say he’s a piece of the success. In all, Vescovi has just turned himself into an exceptionally well-rounded guard. That’s why coaches across the Tennessee love him, and he’ll likely be a three-time All-SEC guard by the end of the year.
theathletic.com
