H2 For You: Think Eric Bledsoe and John Wall at Kentucky, Except More Seasoned

Well, it’s hardly unknown that Alabama basketball’s strength is its guards this season. Both Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Shackelford were selected to the preseason All-SEC First Team today.

And they're primed to deliver as go-to contributors of the Crimson Tide.

But no other players from the defending conference champions, either returning or soon-to-debut, were picked to an All-SEC team. Which further emphasizes the Tide’s identity being clear i.e., leaning on its two veteran guards.

Which directs to the (most) obvious question: Could Quinerly and Shackelford rival the last notable SEC backcourt combination of such expected impact, Kentucky’s Eric Bledsoe and John Wall of 2009-10?

Differences are apparent, sure, largely because of an age gap and, in the case of Alabama, less national hype as Bledsoe and Wall both entered 12 years ago as five-star freshmen for possibly the most recognizable program in college basketball, Big Blue Nation.

And the Tide doesn’t have anyone like Mobile, Alabama, native DeMarcus Cousins who demands production and touches to that degree at the center position, to spot another difference.

Quinerly will be 23 years old in November and Shackelford is a third-year player, each far from learning on the job at this point, which makes for luxury in today’s climate of one-and-done talent and inexperience being more common than otherwise.

Though similar to the Kentucky duo, each player, Quinerly, named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List for nation's top point guard, and Shackelford, named to the Jerry West Award Watch List for nation's top shooting guard, is comfortable off-and-on ball as a scorer and distributor.

Like with any player-to-player comparison, however, one does some things better than the other, as was the case with the Wildcats guards. Shack is more score-first and JQ is more John Stockton Lite.

Both Bledsoe and Wall finished that season as all-conference selections, proving true to external, preseason expectations. Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, wound up First Team All-SEC while Bledsoe made the All-Rookie list.

John Calipari, still the head coach at Kentucky after signing both more than a decade ago, noted one time that people thought he was crazy pursuing two point guards in the same class. And, to the same point, Alabama coach Nate Oats recently remarked of how his roster isn’t built for the traditional one-man-brings-the-ball-up-the-floor type of team, referencing how many Crimson Tide players handled duties there at different points last season.

But there’s no Cousins down low, no national spotlight relative to that of Wall of Bledsoe in the 2009 preseason, no national coverage for any other Alabama players beyond the speculation of impact for first-year guard JD Davison, and no one saying the defending SEC champions should be a Final Four team.

Instead, there’s the notion of Quinerly and Shackelford having to lead the group more than either was forced last year, upon impactful departures such as Joshua Primo, John Petty Jr., and Herb Jones.

And that’s why at least one of the two making an All-American team isn’t wild to think, either, particularly when you consider how successful talented, multi-year starters at guard have been in college basketball.

Regardless of the other questions now surrounding the Crimson Tide, locally and nationally, the benefit of such, having a 23-year old and a returning leading scorer entering March, outweighs more distributed, evenly able rosters around the sport.

Just look at Baylor a year ago, you lean on your backcourt.

At least if you're able.