5 UNLV players to watch this season

Basketball is back at UNLV. Depending on who you are, that’s could be either a good or bad thing.

You’re probably the optimist that looks at this Runnin’ Rebels roster that fields one of the best recruiting classes in the country and thinks Dave Rice has some serious talent to work with. Or you’re the pessimist who thinks the world is bad for having college sports.

Maybe not that extreme, but you get the point.

The Runnin’ Rebels are back with eight new players and lofty expectations. Here are some of the players you should watch out for as this season progresses.

1. Rashad Vaughn

As if there was any doubt, the star freshman who put the ribbon on UNLV’s recruiting class will be asked to lead this team from day one.

In this era of college basketball, groups of freshmen are leading teams to national championships. It’s a burden, but it’s also reality. And the reality is if the Rebels want any shot at winning the Mountain West this season, it’s on the shoulders of Rashad Vaughn.

With Bryce Dejean-Jones leaving for Iowa State during the offseason, Vaughn becomes the No. 1 scoring option for the Rebels. He has all the intangibles of a bonafide star — he can shoot from anywhere on the floor, can attack the basket and plays solid defense.

UNLV could use all three of those qualities this season. While Vaughn is talented as they come — and might be the best recruit Rice has had, based on talent — he’s still a freshman. He’ll have his growing pains, but he should still be the conference’s Freshman of the Year come March.

2. Cody Doolin

UNLV has all the talent in the world. But a team like this needs a floor general who is capable of leading its talented youngsters.

That’s why Cody Doolin’s progress is vital to this team.

The Rebels have gone a number of years without having a point guard that could facilitate an offense. Doolin is the kind of guy UNLV needs. He’s a pass-first point guard who doesn’t care about his own points.

He is capable of scoring though. Doolin averaged 13 points and seven assists per game last season at San Francisco. But with this team, Doolin won’t need to score, and he’s probably fine with that.

Doolin had nine assists in the exhibition game against Florida National last week, and while an exhibition game is a small sample size, he also only had one turnover.

If Doolin can distribute the ball and keep turnovers to a minimum, UNLV should be in position to win a lot of games this season.

3. Goodluck Okonoboh

It’s a tall task to replace a two-time MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Then again, when Goodluck Okonoboh announced he was coming to UNLV, he probably thought he’d be playing with Khem Birch.

Now it appears Okonoboh is the starting power forward by default, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He does all the things Birch did while he was at UNLV – rebound, block shots and run the fast break effectively.

But it could prove to be beneficial for Okonoboh knowing he has Christian Wood playing alongside him in the post. As the center last season, Birch struggled against players who were much bigger than him.

Okonoboh won’t be asked to fill that part of Birch’s role, which could help him a great deal in his first season at UNLV.

The only concern about Okonoboh is that he’ll try to do too much offensively when he doesn’t have to. He doesn’t have to go take 6 shots from the floor like he did against Florida National last week. Just rebound, block shots and dunk. That’s it.

4. Dwayne Morgan

Dwayne Morgan was the first member of this UNLV recruiting class. Somehow, he’s become the most overlooked.

It’s understandable. We’re in an era where new is always better. But here’s why people need to pay more attention to Morgan this season: He’s insanely athletic, can score at will and is more than likely going to be UNLV’s X-Factor.

There will be nights Rashad Vaughn struggles. Whenever that may be, Morgan will be asked to be the No. 2 scoring option.

Think of it this way: Morgan is 6-foot-8. He’s one inch taller than Roscoe Smith. Smith played power forward last season. Morgan will be the small forward this season.

That is unreal.

5. Christian Wood

If early indications mean anything, Wood will be spending a lot of time as a traditional center this season.

Wood, originally known for being a center who can space the floor, will need to play more towards the basket this season. So far, that’s proving to be beneficial.

The 6-foot-11 sophomore should be a mismatch for many teams the Rebels play this year. If he can perform in the post like he should, and put up anything like his 23-point, 14-rebound performance he had in the exhibition game last week, that’ll be another plus for UNLV.

If Wood can play to his strengths, the sky’s the limit for him.

Danny Webster is a sports contributor for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Find him on Twitter @DannyWebster21.