This 2010-2011 NCAA basketball season so far has been filled with so many outstanding individual moments from players like BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, and Texas’ Jordan Hamilton. But 3 other Division I players have a chance to accomplish something special that has only been done by three players total over the past 12 seasons, being that they are very close to averaging 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists for a collegiate season.

Since the 2000 season, amazingly only Hofstra’s Speedy Claxton(‘00), Morehead State’s Ricky Minard(‘04), and Ohio State’s Evan Turner(‘10) last season have averaged 20-5-5 for an entire season, proving it is truly a rare feat. This season, UConn’s Kemba Walker, Cleveland State’s Norris Cole, and Duke’s Nolan Smith are all on par to at least stand a chance at achieving the historic milestone by season’s end.

Norris Cole

Cleveland State

Senior

By now you’ve probably heard of Cleveland State’s outstanding point guard Norris Cole. Just last week he made national headlines for dropping 41 points and an amazing 20 rebounds on Horizon League foe Valparaiso to join Blake Griffin(‘09) as the only players in the past 15 seasons to tally 40 points and 20 boards in a game. He is among the finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, annually given out to the nation’s best point guard and should be one of the many names called during the 201 NBA Draft this June.

On the season, Norris is averaging 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists and barring a total collapse should eclipse the historic 20-5-5 mark in his sleep. Considering that fact that he and his Viking teammates are in the hunt for a Horizon League title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, Cole should be in attack mode for the remainder of the season. Surely his squad will rely heavily on the senior guard to pad the stats in an effort to get back to the “Big Dance.”

Nolan Smith

Duke

Senior

Surely Nolan Smith can’t be happy that teammate Kyrie Irving went down with that horrific toe injury earlier this season but ever since the freshman phenom has been out of the line-up, Smith has been tearing up the hardwood to the tune of nearly 30 ppg as one of the nation’s hardest to guard perimeter players. The 4th year senior who played his high school ball at the famed Oak Hill Academy is actually the son of former 9 year NBA veteran Derek Smith. Nolan has become an especially great player in his own right, helping to lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 National Championship.

This year, the former McDonald’s All American has been forming an impressive all around resume that will surely bode well for making it as an NBA player somewhere next season. For the season, Nolan is averaging 21.4 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. He has grabbed 5 or more rebounds in 14 games this season, so it’s entirely possible for Nolan to finish the year with a rebounding average above 5 boards. Although Smith has a number of very talented players surrounding him on the Duke roster and as long as Irving remains out, Nolan will be counted upon heavily to jump-start the Blue Devils’ high powered offense.

Kemba Walker

Connecticut

Junior

Coach Calhoun’s offensive dynamo has been outright spectacular this season and probably ranks at or near the top of everyone’s NCAA POY Rankings. The former New York City stand-out at Rice HS has finally learned how to channel his immense potential by being much more efficient in his junior season. With a number of upperclassmen leaving Storrs after last season to either graduation or the NBA, Walker has taken the reigns to lead the Huskies back to national prominence and a much deserved ranking among the Top 25 teams in the country. He has been dynamic as team leader and leading scorer until the rest of the young Huskies develop into prime time players.

This year, Kemba has ranked among the Top 10 in the nation in scoring virtually all season, even leading the entire nation for a good chunk of the early portion of the schedule. For the season, he is averaging 22.9 ppg, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. Kemba has shown the ability to reach double figures in assists on a number of occasions this season and even notched a triple-double on December 3rd, making it entirely possible for Walker to reach the desired 20-5-5 mark for the season.

Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.  Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.