What’s next for Kelan Martin?

After averaging 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game his freshman year, fans knew who Kelan Martin was. But they didn’t know him.

After averaging 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game his sophomore year, you betcha fans knew who he was after that.

Martin started to breakout early last season coming off the bench, earning his first career double-double during the season opener against The Citadel. (Butler also scored 144 points during that game, but that’s a different story.)

But it wasn’t until the Bulldogs Dec. 12 game against Tennessee in front of a sold-out Hinkle Fieldhouse that we really began to see Martin shine. Martin notched 25 points and 11 rebounds coming off the bench during that game.

“Honestly, I’ll take Kelan coming off the bench against anybody in the country,” teammate Roosevelt Jones said after that game. “I think he’s going to be sixth man of the year.”

Try Second-team All-BIG EAST, Roosevelt. Martin’s bench days were coming to a close.

After a concussion took Tyler Lewis out of the starting lineup, it put Martin into it.

And he never left.

Now with a breakout sophomore season under his belt, we are left to wonder what is next for Martin. With the team leaders of Jones and Kellen Dunham gone after throwing their caps, will Martin step up into that leadership role? Or will he leave that to the more veteran players of seniors Lewis and Andrew Chrabascz?

Martin certainly has the raw talent and abilities to become the team leader. He’s shown that he can get hot off the three and drive it to the basket time and time again. But will he step up?

Until next season begins, I leave with you with a highlight tape of his game against Indiana State (another standout performance with 24 points), where he shows a little bit of everything he can do. And it’s all good stuff.