Here is what it said about Zeke. And for those of you who didn't think Zeke was a potential NBA talent, there are apparently several folks who would disagree with that.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Zeke Marshall is a video gamer by heart, a computer information science major at Akron. He didn't start playing basketball until he was in eighth grade, and only then it was by his mother's prodding.
Some people learn quickly.
Both NBADraft.net and Draft Express currently have Marshall as a late second-round pick in their 2013 mock drafts. He's already Akron's all-time leader in blocks, ranking in the top 20 nationally in that category the last two seasons.
Offensively, the Zips have a balanced system that saw seven players average at least seven points per game last season, so Marshall isn't likely to blossom into a 20-PPG man overnight. Still, games like his 17-point night against Northwestern in the first round of the NIT suggest that the potential is there.
Marshall made a strong improvement in his shooting stroke last season, evidenced by his free-throw percentage increasing from 58.1 to 70.6.
Akron opens the season in Puerto Rico against an Oklahoma State team that is long on talent but short on size. Marshall could have a chance to overpower the smaller Cowboys and open a few eyes on an ESPN network. By season's end, he may be more than the MAC's best-kept secret.