Rob Wright III ready to prove why he's the best point guard in America

CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein named Rob Wright III his preseason Big 12 Player of the Year this week. This comes after the BYU guard put up 101 points in a Powder League pro-am game, going 32-of-52 from the floor with 14 triples. Don't expect that in a conference game, but still a tremendous feat. 

What comes next for Wright as he prepares for a career year in Provo? 

With AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders both in the NBA, his time to take over is now. He averaged 18 points and five assists per night as the third man in the scoring rotation. Not bad considering the two ahead of him were considered first-round talents. If it wasn't for a late-season injury to Saunders, he would've been a lottery selection with BYU likely having a deep run in the NCAA tournament. 

Wright's has yet to hit his ceiling for Kevin Young and the Cougars. By making the decision to return to BYU, he's telling the coaching staff he can be trusted to be the floor general. Wright entered the transfer portal, but still came back. After a terrible visit to Kentucky, he found out where BYU stood and wanted not to be part of being in the SEC. Mark Pope had a golden opportunity for the taking and fumbled. 

Everybody knew Wright could've exited BYU and chased down a bigger pay day. He wasn't after extra zeros on a check. Young is an NBA guru when it comes to how the Cougars operate. The team's culture is modeled around being pro from day one. 

Wright wanted his shot at the NBA and another year at BYU was his best option. This one was plain and simple. Young and the Cougars have one returning starter. The one who's expected to make the biggest impact. Wright's third year in the Big 12. But the first he's projected at the top.  

After being at Baylor, the former five-star waited for his time to shine. November seems like a lifetime away. If Wright's pro-am game was a preview of coming attractions, Rothstein's prediction carries a lot of weight. Except he'll be in the running for national Player of the Year, instead of just for the Big 12. 

For those who are late to the party, don't sleep on Wright. Coming back to BYU was one of the most underrated moves for all parties involved. He's ready to prove why in a few short months. 

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