Vanderbilt lost a tremendously valuable player when James Siakam graduated, but a big season from Luke Kornet could replace Siakam's contributions - and put the junior on the track to the NBA.
Who was Vanderbilt's most important player in 2014-15? The statistics say it was James Siakam.
The undersized power forward led the team in PER, True Shooting, rebounding rate, and win shares. Those numbers fail to quantify his biggest impact on the Commodores; his veteran leadership on a team loaded with underclassmen. Siakam's steady play helped the team shake off a midseason lull and finish the season on a 10-4 run.