One eye on the present, one to the future: A look at the future of Shocker basketball

“One last ride” is something of a theme, a viewpoint, even a mantra, in sports over the past year.

The Kansas City Royals taking advantage of every player before contracts run out, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon racing for his fifth championship in his final year, and Peyton Manning gunning for another Super Bowl ring.

It seems as though fans of nearly any sport cannot evade this feeling of the final run for glory, prior to team stars leaving or moving on with another chapter of their life.

This is something that pervades Shocker basketball, and indeed the university, as some wonder what the team that has made WSU a household name will do after the current group of seniors graduate.

Five players are leaving after the 2015-16 season: Anton Grady, Tom “Bush” Wamukota, Evan Wessel, Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker.

Each of these men has left lasting impressions in Shocker basketball. Wamukota has become somewhat of a defensive powerhouse, but has also shown steady progression on the offensive end as of late.

Wessel, VanVleet and Baker combined are a trio right up there with the best in college basketball. Wessel showed the world just how clutch he could be from beyond the arc when it mattered in the tournament last year. VanVleet and Baker have commanded the court in their Shocker careers and were named All-Americans — VanVleet on second team and Baker on first.

 Multiple media outlets have mentioned VanVleet as perhaps the best true point guard in college basketball, and at this point he and Baker are likely to find themselves picked early in the NBA draft.

Grady, an incoming transfer from Cleveland State, is likely to make an impact, as well. In the 2014-15 season, he tallied 14.3 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds each game to land first team all-conference honors and was named to the league’s all-defensive squad. ESPN.com named Grady the No. 10 transfer this offseason in a list of the top 25 transfers.

Undoubtedly, there will be no replacing these men when the 2016-17 season rolls around. But, will someone step up to fill the role? Is all hope lost for Shocker basketball after the final buzzer of this season? I think not, and I’ll tell you why.

Rashard Kelly, Zach Brown and KU transfer Connor Frankamp — these players have been able to step up and hold their own after stepping onto the court, despite not being the biggest stars in the arena.

Let’s begin with Rashard Kelly. He was the only Shocker coming from the bench to play minutes in every game last season. Kelly even gained some experience starting for an injured Evan Wessel. He was instrumental in putting WSU in the finals of the Diamond Head Classic last year, getting a put-back with just three seconds to go in overtime to give the Shockers a one-point win.

One of his other great performances of the season came in a matchup against St. Louis at Intrust Bank Arena. The guy is clutch, and will only continue to grow under coach Gregg Marshall.

Zach Brown is Mr. Consistent. In just 10.5 minutes a game, Brown shot 42.3 percent beyond the three line and 51.8 percent overall from the field.

He is a player that has shown improvement, playing some of his best games in the NCAA tournament last year, and a key player in the run that doused the hopes of KU. Brown also earned the recognition of his teammates, being voted the Most Improved Player at the end-of-season banquet.

Connor Frankamp is relatively unknown on the Shocker side of the ball. However, that should not take away from what he has accomplished during his high school and KU careers.

 Frankamp set a precedent of hard work and strong play, earning the recognition of his peers and catching the eye of Marshall. Frankamp averaged 11 points a game in 27 games as a Jayhawk, despite limited playing time and not being a starter.

In high school, he was a record-setter. Frankamp left Wichita’s North High School as the Wichita City League’s all-time leading scorer (2,275 points), passing former fellow Jayhawk Perry Ellis (2,231). He was ranked No. 46 in the ESPN 100 for high school players, was a three-time All-Class 6A performer and All-City selection, and averaged 31.1 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game as a senior in 2012-13.

All three of these men have an impressive track record. So realistically, how could anyone fear for the future of the Shockers? These three are all sophomores, which means they theoretically could finish their college careers together just as Wessel, VanVleet and Baker are doing. They will continue to grow as players and develop chemistry with each other, just as Wessel, VanVleet and Baker have.

Lest we forget, a mere two years ago these three men were sophomores, and the team went undefeated in the regular season. Last season, we were wondering what would become of the team after Darius Carter and Tekele Cotton left.

The aforementioned sophomores, along with others, will step up and fill the void. This year is already being bet on as another championship run. Not to sell Wessel, VanVleet or Baker short by any stretch, but that will not change next year without them on the team.

In my opinion, that is because of the absolute coaching prowess of Marshall. He is absolute, definitive, smart, aggressive, kind, polite and driven — all depending on who he needs to be, when he needs to be it. Marshall is right up there with some of the biggest names in college basketball.

That is why WSU made sure to lock him down for the next seven years. That means he will call Wichita his home until at least 2022. And with a strong coaching and recruiting staff behind him, that has to give Shocker fans comfort.

The future is upon us, and the future is bright.