Arizona Basketball: Rawle Alkins is the glue-guy for the Wildcats

Rawle Alkins was told by a reporter after the Arizona Basketball win over Colorado that he was going to be included on the Seth Davis All-Glue team. Whether he is or isn’t, he is the Wildcats glue guy.

Each year, Sports Illustrated’s college basketball guru Seth Davis publishes his All-Glue Team. The All-Glue Team is released each season for the last two decades, and according to Sports Illustrated, it shines a “Light on players who might be unheralded but are critical to their team’s success.” For Arizona Basketball, it’s proven, the glue guy is Rawle Alkins. You could make a great case for Parker Jackson-Cartwright as well, breaking the press like no other Wildcat, but King Rawle takes the crown.

We have said this before, but it bears repeating, Alkins just has that extra something special that does not show up in the stats but shows up in his teams win column. The combo guard without a position prides himself on doing everything well. The way he thinks about his career moving forward if one part of his game isn’t working then all the other parts of his game will make up for it. For example, if he is not scoring well, he can still play great defense.

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Adjectives that come to mind are intense, persistent, heart, team player, and highly skilled. Alkins wants to be known as a versatile player, “I just try to do everything — whatever it takes to win — When I was younger, since I was younger, I was always taught to play the right way, you know make the right plays — I think that’s working, my play style,” said Alkins to a reporter after the Colorado tournament game.

Davis writes that glue guys don’t always start out planning this different path to stardom, “Many Glue Guys take to their role reluctantly, and only after realizing their dreams of being featured performer are not panning out. ”

Maybe not, but Alkins has gone from a role player in his freshman year to the player that has proven to be a game-changer for the Wildcats in his sophomore year. Since Alkins returned to the lineup, the Wildcats have gone 13-4, and only one of those losses was a home game against UCLA.

Let’s just look at his last game against the Colorado Buffalos. Rawle made four of Arizona’s 11 steals. Add to that 12 points, two of his field goals were three-pointers, four rebounds, and a block. But it’s not the stat line that should impress NBA Scouts, its when those stats are earned. Alkins helped keep the game alive.

There is no stat for scrambling on the floor to make sure your team keeps the ball. There is no stat for getting your hands in an opponents face making them miss a shot. There is no stat for a great pass which results in points, but not an assist because the player took a dribble. On the two missed King Rawle dunks, Alkins was rewarded with free-throws. Colorado committed fouls would eventually add to the Buffs demise.

The Pac-12 announcers discussed Alkins dunking ability, one terming it the “Best” in the Pac-12:

The NBA brass told Alkins to add a few things to his game. They wanted him to be able to shoot a three-pointer. Check, he ranks No, 10 in the Pac-12 making 50% of his threes. He also ranks No. 8 in blocked shots in the Pac-12, in only 17 games. They wanted him to step up and lead, check. They wanted him to get more experience, check. Alkins is great on defense, and that is missing in so many players toolkits. The putback points out-jumping his opponents as they attempt shots crucial to winning. Hitting free-throws at the end of games, as he did against Oregon State, are priceless.

You can add to that list keeping up his positivity through adversity. There has been plenty of adversity this season from recovering early from his foot injury to FBI Investigation firing of a beloved assistant coach to an ESPN roasting of his head coach and teammate without facts. Who else can say that they have lived through that accept Allonzo Trier? And still, the Arizona Wildcats won more games than any team in the Pac-12.

Last year, Seth Davis named Oregon junior Jordan Bell the all-glue team captain. Bell was the fifth-leading scorer on the Ducks averaging 10.7 points. Also, he was the only player to rank as one of the top ten players in the Pac-12’s in three categories: blocks, rebounds, and steals.

Bell entered the draft as a junior. Skip ahead to the 2017 NBA Draft and Bell was drafted 38th in second round to the Chicago Bulls, then traded to Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors where he hasn’t disappointed.

Another Pac-12 player who is killing it in the NBA is Utah’s Kyle Kuzma, who also left in after his third season. Kuzma’s Lakers GM Magic Johnson came to Las Vegas to watch the quarterfinals. Why not draft again from the Pac-12? And if he did his homework, he will realize that having college experience helps a lot in the NBA.

The NBA, once they get to know this Wildcat a bit more, and be able to review this season’s highlights, should put Alkins in the top 25 if not top 14 of the NBA Draft. These regular season highlights show Alkins offensive skills; I would love to see a defensive highlight reel. It’s hot none-the-less:

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I always say Rawle never gives up, and I think you would agree with that statement.  It’s no secret that Alkins has been a favorite of mine from before he came to the University of Arizona. I saw it in him coming out of high school, that intensity when all the other basketball stars were taking it easy in the ballislife showcase, Alkins was balling out like it was a tournament game. Keep it up, King Rawle. It’s those little things, the experience and the heart you play with that make you such an intriguing draft choice. You are the glue guy for the Wildcats.