The Skinny:
Having perhaps the best name in this year’s NBA draft, forward Cleanthony Early took a circuitous but effective route toward stardom on a national stage.
After dealing with his older brother’s unfortunate death, the Middletown, New York native was a two-time Division III NJCAA Player of the Year with Sullivan County Community College (NY) before he jumped to Division I and helped lead the Wichita State Shockers from relative anonymity to national prominence.
As a junior, Early was the Missouri Valley Conference’s Newcomer of the Year before being named to the All-Final Four team. A year later, Early led the Shockers in scoring and rebounding while guiding them to the first 35-0 record of any team in NCAA men’s Division I history, before Kentucky ended Wichita State’s run in the third round of this year’s NCAA tournament.
Turning 23 years old in a few days, Early will see if his stock continues to rise as he makes his next move up in competition, to the NBA.