Three years ago, Vander Blue was on top of the basketball world.
After playing in the shadows of players like Jimmy Butler, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder his first two years, Blue culminated a breakout junior season at Marquette by leading the Golden Eagles to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
With a knack for making big plays at crunch time — what MU fan doesn't remember his game-winning drive with a second to go against Davidson? — he had Marquette close to a Final Four, 10 years after the Golden Eagles last made it to the marquee event.