We have the next two-and-a-half weeks to figure out the best player in the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps a bunch-scoring senior such as Creighton’s Doug McDermott or Louisville’s Russ Smith. Maybe a lottery-ticketed freshman such as Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins or Duke’s Jabari Parker. But there’s no question who’s the biggest: It’s 7-foot-5, 355-pound New Mexico State […]
We have the next two-and-a-half weeks to figure out the best player in the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps a bunch-scoring senior such as Creighton’s Doug McDermott or Louisville’s Russ Smith. Maybe a lottery-ticketed freshman such as Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins or Duke’s Jabari Parker.
But there’s no question who’s the biggest: It’s 7-foot-5, 355-pound New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar, hands (the size of dinner plates) down. Bhullar, a native of Toronto who is of Punjabi heritage (the “Slammin’ Sikh” nickname doesn’t seem like it will get off the ground), isn’t just an oversize curiosity.
The 21-year-old sophomore behemoth — who was 6-foot-5 by the sixth grade, and now has size-22 feet and an 8-foot wingspan — can play a tiny bit. He put up 10.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 blocks while averaging 26.2 minutes per game for the WAC champion Aggies. No. 13 seed New Mexico State opens against No. 4 San Diego State on Thursday night in Spokane, Wash.
“He’s so vastly improved,” San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said of Bhullar, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “He’s a force.” His not-so-little brother Tanveer, who stands only 7-foot-3, is a freshman at New Mexico State.
– By Jonathan Lehman
http://nypost.com/