We Should Be Watching the NCAAs: Here's An Alternative, With One Omission

We should be watching the opening games of the NCAA Tournament right now.

Which means eyeballing the best players in college basketball, sitting in awe of the supremely talented individuals, most of whom would be leading the nation's top teams through the bracket.

Instead, arenas sit empty, players remain out of sight and fans can only squirm and wonder what might have been.

During this uncomfortable sporting hiatus, meant to keep all of us basketball aficionados safe from a sweeping pandemic, Sports Illustrated offers the top 50 players from the abruptly ended 2019-20 season. S-I's Jeremy Woo gives his expert analysis in the accompanying video.

It's an impressive list. Meant to be admired.

See who's No. 1, goes 1-10, lands among the 10 fivesomes.

Just one question.

Spoiler alert: Where's Isaiah Stewart?

On a last-place team, you argue.

"We try to pick guys on winning teams," Woo explained.

Doesn't matter, Husky Maven/S-I counters.

If the Washington player isn't among this select group of hipsters, he's at least No. 51 in the country. But for anyone who saw him up close at Alaska Airlines Arena and in opposing gyms, he's much better than that.

The 6-foot-9 forward from Rochester, New York, turned in arguably the finest freshman season in Husky basketball history, doing it without a lot of help from those around him.

Stewart, expected to move to the NBA whenever there's an NBA again, led the UW in scoring (17.0 per game), rebounding (8.8), shooting (57 percent) and blocked shots (2.1).

He topped a 15-17 team in scoring 17 times and rebounding 20 times.

Stewart was as good from the start -- 15 points and 7 rebounds in a season-opening upset of Baylor -- as he was at the finish -- a 29-point, 12-rebound effort in a loss to Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament.

He was first-team All-Pac-12 and one of the five selections to the conference all-freshman team.

The S-I top 50 offers nine freshman. Four of them came out of the Pac-12. Two of them couldn't hang with Stewart head to head.

Another spoiler alert, USC freshman Onyeka Okongwu ranks No. 15.

Stewart outplayed the Trojans center in their lone meeting, collecting 18 points and 10 rebounds to Okongwu's 10 and 9. Isaiah's team won by 32 over USC.

Then there was Arizona's Zeke Nnaji, No. 30 on the S-I list.

In their three meetings, Stewart outscored the Wildcat post player twice and tied him once in points, and outrebounded him twice and tied him once in boards -- finishing with a collective 54 points and 34 rebounds to Nnaji's 32 and 28.

It's an impressive list. All are deserving recipients. The Pac-12 is well represented.

Yet Stewart, who some say could be another Zion Williamson in the pros with his talent and especially his desire, should ask for a recount.

Tell us what you think. Any arguments from the Washington followers?