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The Card Chronicle Preseason Fab 50

The Fab 50 is back, and in a big way baby...or in exactly the same way it was last year...baby.

50. DeMarcus Nelson, Sr, G, Duke

The Blue Devils will go as as far as their guards can carry them, and that means Nelson - the team's leading retuning scorer at 14.1 ppg - had better step up.

49. Lawrence Hill, Jr, F, Stanford

An extremely versatile 6-8 forward, Hill will be the benefactor of all the attention the Lopez twins are sure to garner in the post.

48. Arizona Reid, Sr, F, High Point

The reigning Big South Player of the Year, Reid plays much, much larger than his 6-foot-5, 205-pound frame.

47. Terrence Williams, Jr, F, Louisville

Williams dominated box scores when Louisville turned things around late last season, and reportedly put on a show at the Adidas Nations Basketball Experience this summer.

46. Jon Brockman, Jr, F, Washington

Hasn't quite lived up to expectations in his first two seasons, but must in his third now that Spencer Hawes is gone.

45. A.J. Graves, Sr, G, Butler

Constantly being double-teamed and shadowed finally caught up with Graves, who looked like a tennis player in a fifth set tiebreak once March rolled around. If he can figure out how to pace himself, he should be poised to have a tremendous senior season.

44. Richard Hendrix, Jr, F, Alabama

Losing Ronald Steele for another season means that Hendrix will have to be especially dominant in the post on both ends of the court if the Tide want to head back to the dance.

43. Mario Chalmers, Jr, G, Kansas

A deadly three-point shooter who just might be the best defender in the Big 12.

42. Wayne Ellington, So, G, North Carolina

Ellington comes into '07-'08 with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after clanking what could have been the game-winner in the regional finals against Georgetown.

41. Brandon Costner, So, F, North Carolina State

Costner scored more than 20 points in five of the Pack's last eight games. If he can keep his intensity level up then he figures to be one of the best players in the ACC, if he can't then this could be the only time you see him on this list.

40. Courtney Lee, Sr, F, Western Kentucky

His foot is reportedly back to 100%, meaning Lee should be the best player in the state of Kentucky this season.

39. Geoff McDermott, Jr, F, Providence

Arguably the most versatile player in the Big East, McDermott was averaging a double-double before he tore his meniscus in late January.

38. Randal Falker, Sr, F, Southern Illinois

The runaway favorite to take home MVC Player of the Year honors, Falker is the most feared low-post player in the conference despite being just 6-7.

37. Jeff Adrien, Jr, F, Connecticut

Adrien led the Big East in double-doubles last season with 15, and is the guy Jim Calhoun hopes will carry this senior-less team (sorry Ben Spencer) back to the NCAA Tournament.

36. Darrell Arthur, So, F, Kansas

Big things are expected from the highly gifted Arthur, who figures to be a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA Draft if he shows the amount of improvement some are predicting.

35. Joey Dorsey, Sr, C, Memphis

The best body in college basketball, and it isn't even in close.

34. Patrick Beverley, So, G, Arkansas

The SEC's Freshman of the Year in '07, Beverley is a pure scorer and a streak shooter who can take over a game on any given night.

33. O.J. Mayo, Fr, G, USC

We're just a week in and already this thing is getting very interesting. Please stay tuned.

32. Bo McCalebb, Sr, G, New Orleans

No one in college basketball has a bigger green light than McCalebb.

31. Ryan Anderson, So, F, California

The only question here is how the return of DeVon Hardin is going to affect his game.

30. Jaycee Carroll, Sr, G, Utah State

Carroll toyed with the idea of leaving early for the draft, but ultimately decided to return to Utah State where he will inevitably become the all-time leading scorer this season.

29. Kevin Love, Fr, C, UCLA

The national pundits absolutely love this guy, but both times I've seen him play he's been extremely underwhelming. He'll have plenty of chances to show me what everyone else sees early on this season.

28. Tyrese Rice, Jr, G, Boston College

Rice played 39 or more minutes in each of Boston College's final ten games, and he's going to be relied on even more now that Jared Dudley has moved on.

27. Marcelus Kemp, Sr, G, Nevada

Kemp is the only returning starter to a Nevada team that loses three-time WAC Player of the Year Nick Fazekas. The First-Team All-Conference performer is an explosive scorer who, despite playing alongside Fazekas, managed to average 18.5 ppg a year ago.

26. Aleks Maric, Sr, C, Nebraska

The Roy Hibbert of the Big 12 only a little shorter, a little less talented, and a lot more Australian.

25. Josh Heytvelt, Jr, C, Gonzaga

Heytvelt figures to guide Gonzaga to yet another WCC title if he can lay off the psychedelics.

24. Shan Foster, Sr, F, Vanderbilt

Expect Foster to pick up right where Derrick Byars left off.

23. Stephen Curry, So, G, Davidson

It still blows my mind that in this day and age a kid this good can end up at Davidson.

22. Scottie Reynolds, So, G, Villanova

The Wildcats will live and die with the reigning Big East Freshman of the Year.

21. Kyle Weaver, Sr, G, Washington State

He's not a great outside shooter, but Weaver is a guy who can stuff the stat-sheet, and really makes the Wazzou offense go.

20. Dominic James, Jr, G, Marquette

Expect the bouncy Golden Eagle point guard to bounce right back after a less than stellar sophomore campaign.

19. Michael Beasley, Fr, F, Kansas State

If he can find it within himself to try hard for one season in college then he could compete for national Freshman of the Year honors.  

18. Derrick Low, Sr, G, Washington State

Perhaps the most entertaining player to watch in college basketball, especially on a hot shooting night.

17. Eric Maynor, Jr, G, Virginia Commonwealth

Made quite the name for himself during a two-week stretch last March, but now we get to see how he performs now that people know who he is.

16. Jamont Gordon, Jr, G, Mississippi State

Made a considerable leap from his freshman to sophomore year, and if he can make a similar jump this season then expect it to be his last in a Bulldog uniform.

15. Brook Lopez, So, F, Stanford

Lopez is out for the first nine games of the season because he forgot that at Stanford you actually have to go to class to play basketball, but once he returns he should show off the same set of skills that helped the Trees steal an NCAA bid a season ago.

14. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jr, F, Memphis

The quintessential Memphis Tiger: above average shooter, solid defender, terrific athlete, outstanding finisher.

13. D.J. White, Sr, C, Indiana

Had a terrific summer for Team USA at the Pan Am games, and returns to school as the Big Ten's top big man now that Greg Oden has moved on.

12. Derrick Rose, Fr, G, Memphis

Could very well be the player Memphis has been needing to get over the hump and into the Final Four.

11. Tywon Lawson, So, G, North Carolina

He's being placed behind a lot of other point guards on a lot of preseason lists, but by the end of last season Lawson had established himself as one of the top three floor generals in the nation.

10. Drew Neitzel, Sr, G, Michigan State

I was as surprised as anyone at Neitzel's scoring explosion last season, I mean this was a guy who refused to shoot as a freshman. He'll be asked to do it all again for the Spartans as a senior captain.

9. Eric Gordon, Fr, G, Indiana

By far my favorite player in the class of '07. Gordon should remind folks around here of another guy who wore red and white during his college years: Darrell Griffith.

8. D.J. Augustin, So, G, Texas

With Kevin Durant now donning a hideous Seattle Sonics uniform, it's Augustin's show in Austin.

7. Brandon Rush, Jr, F, Kansas

Rush could rise or fall on this list quickly depending on how he looks early after coming back from an ACL injury.

6. Chase Budinger, So, F, Arizona

Budinger's going to have to be even better than he was as a freshman if he wants to avoid being a part of the first Arizona team to miss the NCAA Tournament in 24 years.

5. Darren Collison, Jr, G, UCLA

Good shooter, great distributor, great defender, and no one controls tempo better.

4. Chris Lofton, Sr, G, Tennessee

The best pure shooter the college game has seen in a while, and that includes the J.J. Redick years.

3. Sean Singletary, Sr, G, Virginia

Singletary may have saved the Cavaliers from the ACC basement when he announced he was returning for one more year, but it will be interesting just how heavy a load he's able to shoulder now that his partner in crime J.R. Reynolds is gone.

2. Roy Hibbert, Sr, C, Georgetown

When you look at how much he's improved in each of his prior three seasons, it's scary to think about what big Roy is capable of doing in the Big East this year.

1. Tyler Hansbrough, Jr, F, North Carolina

I think it's safe to say that a large number of postseason awards are his to lose at this point.