Mr. (Kyle) Anderson Manipulates The (College Basketball) Matrix

Jan 12, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Members of the UCLA Bruins pep band extend their arms as guard/forward Kyle Anderson (5) attempts a free throw in the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA defeated Arizona State 87-72. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Fielding-USA TODAY Sports

What is the (College Basketball) Matrix? Whatever it is, Mr. Kyle Anderson knows how to manipulate it and make it his own.

If you have been paying attention to Mr. Anderson, you know he is the UCLA Bruin’s 6’9” point guard. In his second year in Westwood, he has taken the reigns as the main offensive force for the Bruins and is undoubtedly the “Floor General”. What he does is nothing short of amazing. A testament to that is how teammate Jordan Adams has proclaimed him “Instant Offense”.

This year, Mr. Anderson has collected 15.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, making him one of the most productive players in college hoops. Anderson is a noticeable figure in his world and it is not just his height that draws attention to him. It comes down to his style of play and how he manipulates the game of college basketball.

In modern college hoops, it is all about trying to get the best four and five-star players that glisten with athleticism. Big-time dunks, crossover mid-range jumpers and a big paint presence are some of what is pined for these days. Anderson is not exactly that type of player. Sure, he was a five-star rated player (according to Scout.com) in high school, but he is not exactly “athletic”. He just has a damn good basketball IQ.

Before Anderson was dubbed, “Instant Offense”, he had been known as “Slowmo”. Even though Anderson plays in a fast-tempo offense with UCLA, he paces his game the way that best suits him. A tad slower, but in control. In reality, he is playing better than anyone thinks he is.

One of the things that helps him in his college basketball matrix manipulation, are his hands. His hands are of a classic nature. He knows how to control the ball, which gives him control of the game. It helps him get to the ball to the basket or often times gets the ball to an open man under the rim. Basically, he gets his offense going… even when others cannot.

One example of this was UCLA’s loss to Utah. In the first half, none of the Bruins were getting any offense, even Mr. Anderson. It was an “anomaly”.

Jan 18, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; UCLA Bruins guard/forward Kyle Anderson (5) shoots against Utah Utes guard Delon Wright (55) during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

He pushed through. He was the only one to push through. Anderson finished the game with 28 points, 13 points more than the next Bruin. He also contributed 7 rebounds and 7 assists to the game, again leading his team in those statistics.

So has Mr. Anderson freed our minds from the stereotypical brand of college basketball? Can Mr. Anderson dodge,

bullets

defenses? Will he be able to defeat powerful (NBA) agents and come back to college basketball?

I don’t know about all of that, frankly, it was getting a bit weird writing that, but never the less, Mr. Anderson is proving “old skool basketball” still exists and is helping him get the job done. But therein lies the next question… is he getting it done, too well?

Even before the season started, Mr. Anderson’s father, Mr. Kyle Anderson, Sr. stated:

"It’s more than likely that it will be time for Kyle to move on at the end of the season.”"

For whatever reason the Andersons decided to release this information before his sophomore season (and way after his freshman season) is unknown. The only reasonable explanation is that Mr. Anderson wants to get to the NBA as quickly as possible. Good for him.

Mr. Anderson came back to improve his skills. So, have they improved so far this season? I am going to wait until tourney time to answer that one.

Mike W.R.

Twitter: TheBigDisco