Every team, college or professional, has one, and every losing franchise yearns for one. Star players are easy to find. Their names are at the top of statistical categories, and they don all-star jerseys or make the list of all-Americans every season. However, what wins championships is not star power.
In the first three-year stint of the Bulls championship teams, the stars were obvious, with the sensational play of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. But saying that the Bulls would be at all successful without the hard-nosed play of Horace Grant would be telling an outright lie.
The Badgers men's basketball season starts on Friday, and while Norfolk State won't be a valid example of the level of teams the Badgers will face over the course of the season, Bo Ryan's club has to play at a regular season level.
With the departure of Mike Wilkinson, the offense will run through junior forward Alando Tucker. I know that, you know that and every coach in the world knows that. Number 42 will be the focus of 75 percent of the plays the Badgers run.
So, the question everybody has been waiting for: who will be the Badgers' X-factor for the 2005-'06 season?
Who will be Wisconsin's Horace Grant? Who will force opposing defenses to think twice about concentrating solely on Tucker?
I promise no Chris Rock jokes, but I can't help but wonder if junior point guard Kammron Taylor will come down to earth following a strong sophomore season. Taylor started only 12 of 34 games, but still managed to average 8.4 points last season. His game winner against Michigan State sealed a huge 11-point comeback for the Badgers last year and kept their Kohl Center win streak alive for the time being.
Taylor has the experience. The Minneapolis native played in crunch time in big games. Ryan trusted him enough to put the ball in his hands in the final minutes of their Elite 8 loss to North Carolina.
Taylor hurts himself, though, with his ball handling. The junior led the Badgers in turnovers with 69 last season in only 34 games, at 24 minutes-per-game.
The player ESPN's Doug Gottlieb called the most overrated player in the Big Ten has a chance to redeem himself this year. Brian Butch, sidelined for a while because of mononucleosis last season, averaged 3.6 points.
The 240-pound presence has been criticized for not using his size to his advantage. If Butch stays away from the 3-pointers and fade-aways and concentrates more on becoming a tenacious inside presence, he has the chance to become a terrific second option for the Badgers.
Finally, at 6'8'', the athletic Ray Nixon has the body NBA scouts drool over. He has a terrific mix of athleticism and range, shooting 40.5 percent from the 3-point arc last year.
But what Nixon has more than any other player on the team, is the trust of his fellow Badgers. He is the lone senior on the team and leads the Badgers in career games played at 81.
'We listen to him when he's got something to say,' sophomore Greg Stiemsma said. 'He's just a fun guy to be around, makes us laugh most of the time. He knows what he's talking about.'
Nixon only averaged 2.5 points-per-game last year, so there is most definitely room for improvement.
'I'm not exactly happy right now,' Nixon said. 'I mean, there is always more work to do. You can always get better. That's what I am trying to do now, strive to get better.'
In a starting role, Nixon will have a chance to do just that. With the trust of his teammates and another year under his belt, Nixon will emerge has the Badgers' X-factor this season.
If not, Ryan's boys might be in for a long year.
