After my column last week regarding the value of seniors in college basketball, I thought it would only be fitting to discuss one of our own.
Ladies and gentlemen, Landry Fields is the future.

After a junior season in which he quietly led the Card in rebounding and shot nearly 50 percent from the floor, Fields has now emerged from the shadow of last year’s seniors, and has turned his final campaign into one of the best in Stanford history.

With the loss of guards Mitch Johnson, Anthony Goods and “Downtown” Kenny Brown, as well as forward Lawrence Hill, we Stanford fans were less than optimistic regarding the fortunes of this year’s squad. By now, all of you have heard that Stanford was “picked to finish last in the Pac-10” and that this is simply a “rebuilding year” for a team “deprived of talent.”

Landry couldn’t have cared less.

The six-foot-seven star forward has emerged as the frontrunner for Pac-10 Player of the Year and is having as good of a year as anyone in the nation. He may not look or act like the prototypical superstar, but for the relatively little hype that he receives, Fields has a very good shot at being a solid NBA player.

This season, Fields is leading the Cardinal in virtually every statistical category except for assists, where he ranks a measly second. He’s tied for fourth in the nation in points per game with 23, and accounts for more than a third of the Cardinal’s offensive output on any given night.

Right now you’re saying, “That’s tight and all, but he plays in the dregs of the NCAA, for a team starting several mediocre-at-best players, for a school that has quickly abandoned whatever basketball culture it once had and in an era where players in their 20s are considered old on draft day.”

And you’d be partially right. Fields, with productive but streaky help from sophomore guard Jeremy Green, is the only reason that Stanford, who currently sits at the bottom of the Pac-10, is just three games back of first place in the conference. He’s relied on more than any one player in recent Cardinal history and his numbers have undoubtedly been inflated as a result. It also may help that the Pac-10 is having its worst collective season of all time and will be extremely fortunate if they put two teams in the Big Dance. Lastly, his numbers became relevant just last year, and NBA teams will be highly skeptical over whether this year’s statistics are a legitimate reflection of his talent, or a one-year fluke as a product of situation.

However, Fields is doing serious work with alarming efficiency. Those 23 points don’t come from jacking up O.J. Mayo 35-footers — Fields is shooting an insane 48 percent from the floor. However, when need be, he can also step back and hit the three, with 23 makes from deep on the year. With limited assistance from teammates, Landry has developed a superb one-on-one game and an ability to handle a double team, and uses his athleticism to get to the rim at ease. (Questioning his athleticism? YouTube his dunk over NBA center Adonal Foyle during an offseason game and then come talk to me). Yes, his jump shot is undeniably flat, but you can’t complain about a guy that is nailing nearly half of his attempts. Think his shot won’t work at the next level? Meet my friend Shawn Marion.

Stanford’s lack of size has called for him to play the role of an undersized power forward. Although this has put him at a defensive disadvantage several times this season, it has only expanded his skill set. He averages 8.8 rebounds per game as a natural small forward. In addition, Fields leads Stanford in both blocks and steals, which speaks wonders about his improvements as both a help and post defender. His prowess on offense and his dramatic improvements on the defensive end have allowed him to expand his versatility and play nearly every position on the floor.

ESPN.com still lists him as a late second-round to undrafted prospect, but come April, don’t be surprised if his name is called well before this current projection. When Stanford was playing at USC last weekend, the Trojans’ commentators dubbed Fields as a guaranteed first-round talent and a possible lottery pick. While the latter prediction is a little optimistic, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear David Stern mention Fields as one of the first 25 names on draft night.

I’m not making the case that Landry Fields will be a superstar in the Association, but I am very confident in his abilities as a productive starting 3-guard. The scouts will absolutely knock the poor level of competition faced by Fields this year, but every team that passes on him will be missing out. Who knows, maybe he’ll even stay in the area and join a struggling Golden State team.

I’d be more than happy to rock a No. 2 Warriors jersey.

Zach Zimmerman had to include a reference to a Magic player, even if he’s 35 and hasn’t played all year. Try to e-mail him without mentioning the Magic at [email protected].