The 2017-18 college basketball season is quickly approaching, and thus, we turn our attention to previewing the upcoming Marquette Golden Eagles men’s basketball season.

As you may have noticed, we’ve got a few new voices here on the site since the school year started. We’re going to take advantage of that and do something new for the season preview. We’ve got a stacked up list of questions about the 2017-18 campaign, and each of the new contributors to AE are going to take a crack at answering them. There will be a new question every weekday afternoon between now and the start of the season, so be sure to stop back every day to find the new one.

Onwards, then, to the very last question of the day:

Who will be the Marquette team MVP?

Pistol Brad: The team MVP this season will be Sam Hauser. Hauser is the most complete player on the team with his ability to score at all three levels, defend multiple positions, and rebound the ball very well for a power forward. Hauser has shown an increased ability to score this year by putting up 27 points against UW-Milwaukee and 20 points in the nearly disastrous exhibition against Lindenwood. Not only has he put up good scoring numbers in the preseason, but Hauser has also done this with great efficiency. It’s not a huge jump in logic that Wojo trusts Hauser the most of any player on the team, as he did lead the team in minutes last season as a freshman. I believe that Hauser will lead the team in minutes again along with being a top two rebounder, top three scorer, and probably the best defender. His ability to contribute in multiple facets will make him the most valuable player on this team.

NHammertime: Markus Howard is coming off of a record breaking freshman campaign in which he was the MVP of the team. He has quickly become a leader and the face of Marquette basketball. I only see his game expanding in this upcoming year. A better understanding of the system Wojo wants to run and an improved court vision should lead to him facilitating much of the offense. The jump shot is there, we know that, but in order to take his game to the next level, it is going to come down to improving in other areas of his game. I have seen the workouts he does in the offseason with his older brothers. Markus is always working on improving, and I think that work ethic will translate into a better overall player on the court this year. Simply put, Howard is already the best player on the team, and he is only getting better.

Sam Newberry: Sam Hauser showed last year he can do everything on a basketball court: shoot, play inside, handle the ball, defend, rebound, pass well. He makes everybody else on the team better when he plays. He’ll be a lynchpin in the offense and while he may not score as much as Markus Howard or Andrew Rowsey, might not rebound as well as Matt Heldt or Theo John, and might not be as athletic as Jamal Cain or Greg Elliott, but he’s the (in my opinion) the heart and soul of this team.

CLagore: I'm going to define MVP as the actual most valuable player, not just the best player, but the most integral to team success. So I'm going with Harry Froling. Like I said earlier this week, I think the Thunder from Down Under (caught on yet?) has the biggest impact of any newcomer, and I think that impact will be big enough to bring the team up a level. I'm confident in his scoring abilities and his versatility, and that's something Marquette's going to need. For the first half of the season, I think MU's reliance on the three-ball is going to be their biggest strength and weakness, but if teams have to start worrying about much more offense in the post, floor spacing for cutter, and pick-and-pop/roll, this offense becomes a lot more potent. So I see Froling's value not just as 13 extra points and 7 extra rebounds or whatever it'll be, but as a new door for the team to step through and hopefully take them up a notch to an NCAA Tournament-caliber team.

Besay: Now that we've had the benefit to see the Golden Eagles in action in two exhibition games, I see Sam Hauser emerging as Marquette's most valuable player. Although I think Markus Howard will end up getting more national recognition come March, Hauser will be the key to Marquette's success because of his ability to play well offensively and defensively. Last year, Hauser was second on the team in rebounds and second in 3-point percentage. Early indications suggest he will be just as good (if not better) on both sides of the ball. He leads the team in points and rebounds through the two exhibition games with 47 and 15 respectively. I know it's just two games and two exhibitions at that, but if he can continue to produce at this rate he will be Marquette's most valuable player by the end of the season.

Broadway Brown: The team MVP this year will be Sam Hauser. All eyes have been on Markus Howard this offseason and Sam is kinda flying under the radar. Hauser is a very good player who can play pretty much any position. FUN FACT: 247 Sports says he’s a point guard! He is a fantastic shooter and is not scared to post up or drive into the lane to create a shot.

Ben Snider: Remember how nuts last season was for Markus Howard? He was 17! I’m so excited to see how his game develops. Even a sophomore slump will still make him an above average player, but his game is so multifaceted that he can just compensate in the other areas that he’s good at if one starts to slump. He’s a man out there. Sidenote: I really wish basketball players had walkup songs like they do for baseball. I feel like Howard’s would be something that would hype everyone up. My walkup suggestions for him if that were to ever happen would be DNA by Kendrick Lamar, A Milli by Lil Wayne, and of course Pablo Sanchez’ theme song. I personally would have him go with Pablo Sanchez because Howard is a lot like him in that he is short, has a big head, and is the GOAT. Plus anyone with the coconuts to look their opponent dead in the eye with that guitar and trumpet building up in the background has to make them a bit uneasy. And because you asked, my song would be Pony by Ginuwine.