by Jason Mulford

Created on: March 03, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The 2007 NCAA Tournament is almost upon us and as always, there's plenty of star-watching that's going to be taking place. Never can you show me a team that won a championship without having a guy who stood out as THE man on that particular team. Here is my list of the possible standouts in this years tournament.

Greg Oden, Ohio State - This will be his chance to shine in the national spotlight. To this point in the season, he's been an enigma. Sometimes he's been great, sometimes he's been average but there's no doubt that Ohio State's chances will be resting squarely on his large shoulders.

Acie Law, Texas A&M - Texas A&M's star guard is the best player nobody's heard of. This kid just flat out has the heart of a champion. He will do whatever it takes to win and already has shown he is clutch under pressure. I question the talent around him but with this kid, they can still come out on top.

Kevin Durant, Texas - Not much to say about him that hasn't been said. He can flat out do it all. Shoot 3's, drive to the hoop, pass it off to an open teammate, block shots. The list goes on and on. We need to enjoy this kid while he's here because he'll be gone very soon. With him, Texas has to be one of the favorites in this tournament, especially after what Carmelo Anthony did a few years back.

Nick Fazekas, Nevada - Maybe the second best player in the country behind Durant. He can score and rebound with the best of them and really has the most pressure on him of any player in this tournament, as he truly has everything on him if Nevada's going to go anywhere this year.

Cartier Martin, Kansas St. - This is the second best player nobody's heard of. He may not be quite as talented as some but he is another one with the heart of a champion. The way he and Bob Huggins have led Kansas St. from obscurity to prominence in the Big 12 truly is amazing. Now let's see if they can avoid a one or two round and out in the tournament.

Greg Paulus/Josh McRoberts, Duke - There two come as a pair as they are the heart and soul of an underachieving Duke basketball team. If Duke is to continue its greatness in the books of college basketball, it's going to fall on these two. Paulus has to hit his open shots and McRoberts has to be the bigman that he's expected to be.

Branden Wright, North Carolina - Everyone focuses on Tyler Hansborough when they play North Carolina but for them to be a tournament success, Branden Wright is going to have to play his best basketball. He may be the most dynamic player in the game but as all young kids tend to do, his focus can lapse.

Those are a few of the players to watch. I could go on and on but the truth is, no matter who or what we're watching, we all win because the NCAA Tournament is the best sports show on the planet. Enjoy.

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