Branden Dawson Due For Breakout Season

Michigan State's Braden Dawson has played just 35+ minutes once in his three-year Spartan career, opening night freshman year. That same season was cut short due to a knee injury and he was brought back into the rotational slowly during his sophomore campaign. Fully healed as a junior, Dawson is primed for a breakout season in 2013-14.

With the size of a wing at 6'6", but the muscular build of a linebacker, Dawson presents mismatches for nearly every single opponent he is matched up against. Even with his prior knee injury, Dawson remains one of the most athletic, in fact, surprisingly athletic given his bulk, wings in the nation. And yet Dawson remains skilled enough to play nearly any position on the floor, point-forward to power forward. In just 24 minutes in the season opener, Dawson logged 12 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists.

But the one area the junior wing needs to improve upon is his offensive arsenal. He failed to log a single free-throw, nor a 3-point attempt. Scouts would be smitten to see both areas of this game increase as Dawson climbs on draft boards.

By Steven Spector -11-11-13