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Texas Basketball Recruiting Notes: A Clean Shave

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We are slowly moving into “Mark Adams/Rodney Terry was the real genius behind Beard” territory, just like Tech fans 2 years ago 

Mitch Cumsteen
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I think we found Bitter White Guy's sock.

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14 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said:

This guy is a bucket. 

 


If we're "in the mix," I guess it's news to this author. He talks about how Knecht would fit in at a bunch of places, but not Austin: 

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-basketball-transfer-portal-How-prized-Northern-Colorado-guard-Dalton-Knecht-fits-with-top-contenders-207457483/Amp/

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IT Roster/Portal/Recruiting update

Basketball and recruiting

Rodney Terry currently has one position to fill on his bench, Inside Texas believes. The associate head coach position has been posted by the University of Texas. Inside Texas has a pretty good handle on who the leading candidate is behind the scenes headed into the weekend. We aren’t trying to be a tease, but are going to hold the name through the weekend with the Texas staff in Houston for the Final Four. 

Texas players for sure expected back:
F Brock Cunningham
F Alex Anamekwe

Texas players that can return:
G Tyrese Hunter
F Dylan Disu
G Arterio Morris – Can he block out the noise in DFW? We shall see.
F Dillon Mitchell – Has been in the facility putting work daily this week.
G Rowan Brumbaugh

2023 Prospects signed:
F Ron Holland – locked in with Texas. Terry and Brandon Chappell made in home with the Hollands Wednesday. 

G AJ Johnson – Locked in with Texas. Terry and Chappell are spending time with Johnson’s main circle today. 

Texas and the portal

The Longhorns have and will continue to reach out to a number of players in the portal. 

The current top two seen as talent and program fits are USC transfer Reese Dixon-Waters and Virginia transfer Kadin Shedrick. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Dixon-Waters, the 2023 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, is talking to Texas and the Longhorns are considered to have a realistic shot. 

The 6-foot-10.5 Shedrick is the top big man target. He has spoken with Terry and staff, and is scheduled to again next week. Indiana is seen a legit threat to win out for the North Carolina native. 

2024 Hoops recruiting

Terry and Chappell were in the DFW area Wednesday to see 2024’s No. 1 overall prospect Tre Johnson. The visit went very well, as expected. There are longstanding connections with Terry and Johnson’s father, Richard Johnson Jr. The Longhorns are considered to have as good of a shot as any in contention. Those seriously in contention are Texas, Baylor and Kentucky, as of today. Johnson will have professional options if he wishes. The family turned down the Overtime Elite league last summer. 

Inside Texas feels like the Longhorns are in solid positions with Johnson, 5-star wing Liam McNeeley, 6-foot-5 guard Cam Scott and 6-foot-9 forward Robert Miller III. All four will be top 35 prospects nationally when the rankings dust settles. 

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Here's The Athletic's ranking of the current transfer portal. There are a ton of names.  

Warning long article. 11k words

Spoiler

College basketball transfer portal: Ranking the best players available right now

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 11: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after a dunk against the Charleston Cougars during the second half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on November 11, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 102-86. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
By CJ Moore and Sam Vecenie
2h ago

10

It’s time to hit the transfer portal.

Only four teams are left in the men’s NCAA Tournament — the other 359 have started their offseason. And pretty much everywhere that includes players going into the portal, which should again approach 2,000 total names as the sport continues to feel the effects of the extra eligibility year given to all athletes during the 2020-21 season.

There’s no better way to quickly rebuild a roster in 2023 — just ask UConn, Miami, San Diego State and Florida Atlantic, all of which used the portal to supplement their rosters; or Kansas State, which made the Elite Eight with a roster entirely made up of transfers.

So who are the best talents available? That’s where this list, now in its third season, comes in. We’ll update this constantly, taking off players as they commit to their new schools and adding on new players as they hit the portal. Buckle up, it should be an eventful few months.

1. Jalen Cook | 6-0 guard | Two years of eligibility | Tulane

Much like how Kendric Davis was an undersized, productive guard out of the AAC last season before becoming one of the most popular targets in the portal, Cook will be similar in 2023. Cook’s goal is to get downhill and get into the paint. As the maestro for the second-fastest offense in the country, Cook constantly pushed tempo and probed, trying to find different ways into the paint where he could either finish at the rim or stop and pop for his little floater. He averaged 20 points and five assists per game on his way to first-team All-AAC honors, the second year in a row that he secured that award. He can run his own show, passing and playmaking well on the move, even if he is certainly more impressive as a scorer. However, he can also play next to a high-level, bigger guard because Cook is also a tremendous shooter off the catch. If you let him get into rhythm, you should expect that the ball is going to go in. Cook is the kind of older, senior, starting high-major guard that every single team in the country covets in today’s college basketball ecosystem. He will be sought after by everyone.

Not listed in the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, Cook will be an interesting litmus test for the rules and regulations regarding the one-time free transfer rule. In 2021, Cook transferred from LSU to Tulane. Is he going to be allowed to play immediately? Or would he be expected to have to sit out for a year? There are going to be players this year that stress test the NCAA stringency in this regard. Cook has also declared for the draft while maintaining his eligibility to play in college, so he has options no matter what. But this will be an interesting dynamic that will not just be limited to Cook.

2. Ace Baldwin | 6-0 guard | Two years of eligibility | VCU

Baldwin was the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year this season, leading the Rams to an NCAA Tournament berth after they won 22 of their final 26 games this season. On the surface, the numbers don’t jump off of the page with Baldwin. But as soon as you pop on the tape, you understand why he’s so impactful. First and foremost, there may not be a more disruptive guard defensively in the country. Baldwin is an absolute menace as an on-ball defender, annoying every single player that he comes up against with aggressive defense and insane hand-eye coordination. He was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year this season, settings he tone at the point of attack for everything the Rams’ top-15 defense nationally did on that end. Offensively, Baldwin is a consummate table-setter, averaging six assists per game and finding open teammates with ease all over the court. But don’t sleep on his ability to score, either. He’ll drive play out in transition and draw fouls at a solid level, then will also knock down jumpers both from the midrange and from 3. This is as well-rounded a guard as you’ll find in all of college basketball. He hit the portal following Mike Rhodes’ departure from VCU to Penn State, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him follow Rhodes just up the road to State College. Getting Baldwin would give the Nittany Lions a significant leg up in their journey to return to the NCAA Tournament again.

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JJ Starling left Notre Dame after Mike Brey ended his long run at the school. (Matt Cashore / USA Today)

3. JJ Starling | 6-4 guard | Three Years of eligibility | Notre Dame

The Scout: Starling was a five-star prospect and a potential one-and-done in the 2022 recruiting class as a creative combo guard who would take up the mantle from outgoing star Blake Wesley and lead Notre Dame back to the NCAA Tournament. That did not happen. Starling struggled to adjust to ACC play in his first year, averaging 11.2 points over his freshman season. Particularly, his shooting was a surprise, as he made only 29.9 percent of his 3-point attempts as a player who entered college as a terrific, attack-oriented scorer. The thing that I always liked about Starling at lower levels was that he never seemed to over-dribble. He didn’t have to dance to get to his spots; he just got there, did so in straight lines, and scored. He plays with great pace off of two feet out of ball-screens, and is an aggressive attacker of the rim. He can also stop and pop in the midrange with a nice little floater or a solid midrange pull-up. His preference is to attack out of spot-ups as opposed to shooting, but ultimately Starling will need to shoot. He has a bit of a low release point, but there is no reason why he won’t be able to shoot long-term. He has strong touch. I would expect Starling to spend one season in his new spot, play exceedingly well, and then head to the NBA.

The Fit: That new spot will be Syracuse, Starling has already announced. So this will be the only time he features on this list as opposed to the committed transfer list. A native of upstate New York, Starling is the perfect commitment to jumpstart the Adrian Autry era in Syracuse. He’ll either be a perfect replacement for Judah Mintz in the backcourt if Mintz decides to turn pro, or could even work together with Mintz to form what might be the best offensive backcourt in the ACC next season. The Orange have a long way to go to fill out the roster around Starling, as they’ll need to hit the portal hard for frontcourt players and wings. But it’s hard to envision a better start than getting one of the best transfers on the market to commit in your first month on the job.

4. TJ Bamba | 6-5 wing | Two years of eligibility | Washington State

A ridiculous omission from the All-Pac-12 teams this season, Bamba carried the offensive load for the Cougars this year and was probably the second-most improved player in the conference behind Oumar Ballo. After being mostly a dynamic defender who just chipped in on offense in 2022, Bamba blossomed in 2023. He averaged 15.2 points per game operating mostly as a slasher that excels getting downhill toward the rim. His game is very uncomplicated in that way. If he can’t get to the rim, he’s comfortable shooting from 3, particularly off the catch. He made 43 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season, per Synergy. Where he struggles is when he has to actually create his own jumper off the bounce. Washington State preaches 3s and layups, but even in the opportunities Bamba took from midrange, they weren’t all that successful. Basically, Bamba looks like a perfect fourth option on a legitimately good team, or a solid second option on an average team. Having said that, his growth trajectory to this point has been positive. With any sort of improvement in his game off the bounce and as a passer, Bamba could take that next step and become an all-conference player in any league. He’d fit just about anywhere.

5. Olivier Nkamhoua | 6-8 forward | One year of eligibility | Tennessee

Expect that Nkamhoua will be one of the more popular players in the portal. It’s surprising that he’d leave Tennessee, as he really came on late in the year. He likely would have been a preseason first-team All-SEC pick if he decided to go back. His 27-point outburst against Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament was one of the best performances we’ve seen in this Big Dance, and it was far from his only monster game. He only averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game for the Vols, but Rick Barnes’ team tended to spread the wealth on offense. Nkamhoua shot 51 percent from the field and grew into a potential 3-point threat over the course of the season. The 6-foot-8 forward was also a big part of one of the most stifling defenses in the country this year, constantly being aware of what’s happening around him rotationally and taking on tough frontcourt assignments. He’s been a reliable two-year starter, and he looks like he’s on the verge of breaking out into something even bigger. The question is whether or not that will be in college basketball or in a professional setting. Nkamhoua is a native of Finland, and won’t have any issues finding gainful employment overseas in a really strong league to start his career. That’s probably the more sensible move for him financially long-term. But if Nkamhoua does return to college, he’d likely be an all-conference player next season wherever he suits up.

6. Dalton Knecht | 6-6 wing | One Year of eligibility | Northern Colorado

Knecht was a sneaky NBA prospect in hiding at Northern Colorado. A second-team All-Big Sky selection this season after starting his career with two junior college seasons, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound wing is a legitimate shooter from distance who also pairs it with genuine above-the-rim athleticism. At the Big Sky level, he could finish from all three levels on his way to over 20 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3 and 77 percent from the line. That scoring number actually increased in conference play and resulted in him leading the league in points per game. Because of that shooting and well-rounded scoring package, his game looks tailor-made for success at higher levels of college basketball. He’s one of those guys who just gets better every time you catch up with his tape. I’d bet on him as a high-major difference-maker next season. Every team should be looking for real size and versatile scoring ability in the portal. A fit just down the road at Colorado would actually make a lot of sense, and could send the Buffs into the preseason top 25 if K.J. Simpson and Tristan Da Silva return along with the addition of five-star wing Cody Williams. But Knecht will be one of the more popular players available due to his multifaceted skill set.

7. Darrion Williams | 6-6 wing/forward | Three years of eligibility | Nevada

A power wing from hoops powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Williams was the Mountain West Rookie of the Year this season. He’s a classic college four-man, with a thick build physically and perimeter skills across the board. The big key is that he’s a clean shooter from distance, having hit 36 percent of his attempts from range. But he’s more well-rounded than that. Williams passes well, processing what’s happening around him well and hitting quick reads. Defensively, he’s sharp for a freshman and knows where he needs to go. And to top that off, he’ll crash the glass and end possessions on the defensive end. The counting stats don’t jump off the page at seven points, seven rebounds and three assists, but Nevada was drastically better with Williams on the court than when he was off of it. The team won the minutes where he played by 11.4 points per 100 possessions, and lost the minutes where he was off the court by 12 points per 100, per Pivot Analysis. Good, well-rounded wings are super valuable, and they’re hard to find. Williams is one, and he should be incredibly popular.

8. Walter Clayton Jr. | 6-2 guard | Two Years of Eligibility | Iona

The name of the game with Clayton is touch. Clayton is one of the best shooters in the portal, with a feathery soft release and terrific efficiency. The MAAC Player of the Year, Clayton averaged over 16 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field, 43 percent from 3, and 95 percent from the foul line last year. But more impressively, he did it out of a variety of different situations. He’s always on balance, playing consistently off of two feet and making himself available to be in position to shoot the ball. He’s not the most explosive player, but his footwork is terrific and he has great instincts once he gets into the paint. He makes the right decision consistently, sets the table for his teammates, rarely takes terrible shots. And genuinely, he will space the floor for his teammates at an elite level as more of a complementary starter at the high-major level. I love him for teams that have high-level creators at the wing position next year, where he can be more of a secondary ballhandler that knocks down shots off the catch and takes side ball-screens. A reunion with Rick Pitino at St. John’s would make worlds of sense, but Clayton is also considering heading closer to home and attending Florida, where he’d also immediately step into the starting lineup in Todd Golden’s second season there. No bad options for Clayton, who should be a two-year starter wherever he ends up with the upside of making an all-conference team.

9. Hakim Hart | 6-8 wing | One year of eligibility | Maryland

It’s harder to find well-rounded wings than you would think even on the college level. Hart certainly applies. A three-year starter at Maryland, Hart just does a lot of things well. All due respect to Jahmir Young, but no one was more impactful on winning this year for the Terps than Hart. With him on the court, Maryland beat its opponents by nearly 15 points per 100 possessions. When he was off the court, they lost those minutes by almost nine points per 100, per Pivot Analysis. It’s a staggering differential. Hart has been an efficient scorer the last three seasons. He doesn’t have the game to be a go-to guy, but he’s fine as the secondary or third scorer. He can knock down a 3-pointer. His release is quick but funky. He’s shot around 33 percent from 3 each of the last three seasons, and his shot is what the numbers say. Where he’s best is attacking the basket. He handles it really well for his size and can even play out of ball screens. He’s best suited as a mismatch four. He takes some questionable shots and has some bad misses, but again, the efficiency is solid. He had the highest offensive rating during Big Ten games in his junior year. He can play both wing positions but he’s better guarding up than down. He struggles to keep quicker players in front of him and can get hung up on screens. But his diverse skill set in a 6-8 package is certainly intriguing.

10. Caleb Love | 6-3 guard | Two years of eligibility | North Carolina

Love might be the most complicated evaluation in the portal, a player who has experienced the dizzying heights of being named to an All-NCAA Tournament team in 2022 and the drastic lows of being the most inefficient freshman at the high-major level in decades. His junior year was a mix of both, but more a repeat of his freshman year. Love became the third high-major player of the last decade to take at least seven 3s per game and make under 30 percent of them. It takes real skill to generate those shots, hence why Anthony Edwards is one of the other two that met those inauspicious thresholds, but his ability to convert requires a lot of work. And largely, I think that comes back to decision-making for Love. Far too many of Love’s shots are extremely difficult opportunities off of complex moves off the bounce. He needs to be willing to pass on contested shots to make reads to his teammates as opposed to going on his own more often than he should. He has displayed the ability to make those passes. He just often doesn’t at the expense of being a tunnel-visioned scorer. It’s a mindset adjustment more so than a talent adjustment. It’s possible that the humbling nature of this season could spark a change in his game, as well as a new coaching staff bringing a different perspective to the table. Love has every chance to be a great player; he just needs to be willing to make better choices on the court.

11. Kel’el Ware | 7-0 center | Three years of eligibility | Oregon

Seen as a potential one-and-done entering his freshman year at Oregon, the world was at Ware’s fingertips. He’s a 7-footer who moves like a wing, has legitimate length, and has potential to shoot it. The tools are tantalizing. But Ware has long been seen as a relatively polarizing prospect – even as a five-star recruit – due to production that has never necessarily matched the incredible potential. The downside of that unfortunately played out this year at Oregon, as Ware was beaten out for frontcourt roles by N’Faly Dante and Nate Bittle. Ware shot just 46 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3, averaging seven points, four rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 15 minutes per game. Ware will not enter the draft this year, and will be seen as a high-upside swing in the portal. More than anything, he should be looking for a role and situation that provides him offensive freedom. Too often, it didn’t seem like Ware was being utilized to his best strengths this season. Was that his fault, or was that more of the coaching staff trying to fit a square peg in a round hole? We’ll find out. Originally from Arkansas, it might make a lot of sense for Ware to head back toward Fayetteville and the transfer haven that Eric Musselman has created. Musselman is more than willing to play a five-out style of offense, which is what Ware should be playing. This is one of those transfers who will either work out perfectly, or will be tremendously disappointing if Ware can’t reach the ceiling that his abilities allow. I don’t see much of an in-between. And even if it works out well, you still probably only get him for one year.

12. Micah Handlogten | 7-1 center | Three years of eligibility | Marshall

Handlogten is going to be one of the most underrated transfers in the portal this year. Already as a freshman, the Michigan native developed into a fairly dominant defensive player in the Sun Belt. He was the league’s rookie of the year this season, not only consistently shutting down the paint but also displaying some impressive movement skills out on the perimeter that will allow his new landing spot to use him in versatile ways in ball-screen coverages. He swatted 2.3 shots per game, swallowed up the glass as a rebounder, and got a ton of deflections with his terrific hand-eye coordination. Offensively, Handlogten is definitely a bit limited, but he averaged an efficient eight points per game while shooting 66 percent from the field. He also showed some interesting signs as a passer and playmaker. Handlogten will be extremely popular, and should be, because he doesn’t have many holes in his game. He’ll be a multi-year starter at a high-major, and might win one of those league’s defensive player of the year awards before he’s done. I would expect him to end up at a bigger school that is one of the more analytically inclined because while his counting stats don’t look wildly impressive, his below-the-surface numbers pop off the page in a real way.

13. Keyon Menifield | 6-1 guard | Three years of eligibility | Washington

Menifield is one of those guys that has just been on a purely upward trajectory over the last two years, after leading Nike’s EYBL circuit in scoring, then following that up by being the Division 3 Michigan Player of the Year in high school. Then this season, he earned his status as an All-Freshman team performer in thre Pac-12, averaging 10 points and three assists versus 1.8 turnovers. He is one of the better ballhandlers you’ll find in college basketball, stringing together moves like crazy and finding open creases out of ball-screens. His partnership with Braxton Meah out of ball-screens was really fun, as the duo combined for some high-flying alley oops. Still, there is even more room for growth with Menifield. He is very comfortable pulling up from the midrange right now, but needs to work on his jumper from distance after having only hit 33 percent last year. His vision is pretty solid, and generally he makes good decision with the ball even if it does involve some contested midrange pull-ups. Menifield left the door open for a return to Washington, but there are a number of schools across the country interested in his game, so it’ll be tough for Mike Hopkins and company to retain him.

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Keyon Menifield averaged 10 points a game as a freshman at Washington. (Joe Nicholson / USA Today)

14. Jackson Paveletzke | 6-3 guard | Three years of eligibility | Wofford

Paveletzke is your typical floor general guard, but there is more here than meets the eye. He looks like a skinny little shooter type, but he’s got way more to him. The freshman of the year in the SoCon, he’s quicker and shiftier than you expect when you first put on the tape, and he’s tough. His little inside-out hesitation move really gets separation from his man, and he plays with longer strides than you think from a 6-3 guard. His bag of tricks, crossovers, and footwork is very real. Everything he does seems to come with a level of decisiveness. He plays at speed, but doesn’t seem out of control. He’s a pull-up threat from all over the court. He made 35 percent of his pull-up 3s this year, and had a 50.1 effective field goal percentage on his pull-up jumpers as a whole, per Synergy. He can finish at the rim and doesn’t shy away from contact. His center of gravity and body control are strong even when he’s bumped. Paveletzke can definitely pass and isn’t selfish, but he’s a bit more developed as a scorer right now. One coach I talked to compared him to former Marquette star Travis Diener in the mid-2000s, and that’s about right to me. There are a lot of holes to fix defensively with him, and Wofford’s defense was kind of a mess this season in part because he wasn’t disruptive at the point of attack. But if he cleans that part of his game up, Paveletzke has every chance to be an all-league player at the high-major level as an upperclassman.

15. Kerr Kriisa | 6-3 guard | Two years of eligibility | Arizona

A surprising entrant into the portal, Kriisa has been the lead guard carrying some of the best offenses in the country over the last two seasons for Tommy Lloyd at Arizona. Known entering college from his native Estonia as a lights-out 3-point shooter, Kerr has been extremely confident throughout his career at firing when he has even a bit of daylight. But where he has really shown growth is in his ball-screen playmaking within the team’s continuity offense. He got extremely comfortable with all of the reads, and was a solid two-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio guy. Being the maestro of back-to-back top-10 offenses, Kerr will certainly have his pick of a number of different opportunities. He averaged about 10 points, five assists, and shot 36.6 percent from 3 while playing unselfishly and getting his teammates involved. There are some moments of poor decision-making, and he very rarely pressures the rim to score. Defensively, he can be a bit of an issue at the point of attack. But this is an older, experienced guard who will jump start your offense by being on the court. You can trust that he’ll be a positive contributor, especially if you are playing an uptempo scheme where you surround him with shooters and a rim roller.

16. Andrew Rohde | 6-6 wing | Three years of eligibility | St. Thomas

Rohde is maybe the most underappreciated freshman in the portal this year given what his accomplishments were at newly Division I St. Thomas this season. The first-year wing averaged 17 points and almost four rebounds and four assists on his way to being named first-team All-Summit League and the conference’s Rookie of the Year. But he’s also not quite what you expect when you first put on the tape, either. He’s a good shooter, not a great one. His release takes a little too long to load into at times, although he does show some upside for not needing to dip the ball to get into rhythm and also for hitting them off of movement actions. Really, it’s the fact that he can attack off of these actions at a very high level for a teenager. He is comfortable getting into the paint if you close out on him too hard, and can really actually operate out of ball-screens as a playmaker. He’ll drive and get to the rim, particularly attacking with his left hand to get to his inside right hand for a finish. Coaches that want to run a dribble hand-off-heavy attack would also do well to look at Rohde, as he excels in these actions because he can flatten out behind them and pull-up quickly, or he can stay downhill out of these situations and get to the basket. And all of this is before we get to his passing ability, which is quite creative off of a live dribble. Rohde is a high-major starter with all-conference upside by the time he’s an upperclassman. It might take a year to get him adjusted from playing Summit-level defenses, but there are a number of Big Ten teams that should look at Rohde that are around his Milwaukee hometown.

17. Josh Oduro | 6-10 big | One year of eligibility | George Mason

The Scout: Oduro has been an All-Atlantic 10 big man for the last two seasons, essentially acting as a central hub for Kim English’s Patriots. The 6-foot-10 big man with all sorts of touch and skill exploded once English got there, averaging 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists over the last two seasons, shooting 54 percent from the field. He has terrific length and great feet, which he uses well both on the block and out of dribble-handoffs. This results in a lot of drawn fouls. The cooler thing about his game, though, is that you can play him as a genuine five-out big man on offense. His handle is absolutely terrific for a player his size, allowing him to attack centers on an island, get by them, and use that footwork to pivot, reverse pivot, spin, and finish at the rim. Don’t sleep on his passing, either. Oduro does a great job of reading double-teams and finding open cutters toward the rim. His footspeed and lack of lift could be a bit more concerning at the high-major level on the defensive end, but he improved on that end of the court this season in terms of his positioning and timing. He’s a high-major starting center.

The Fit: From the moment he hit the portal, the assumption was that Oduro would follow his former coach English to Providence. That ended up being the result, as Oduro committed to Providence quickly. English will utilize Oduro similarly as a five-out center. If the Friars are able to retain Bryce Hopkins, Oduro will be a good fit next to him offensively as a big due to his ability to play in that five-out style. If not, Oduro should be fine in the Big East as an offensive hub. It would really help him take his game to the next level if he can add the jumper to his repertoire consistently as opposed to just occasionally. But he’ll help English reload the Providence roster that graduates a few players and has an enormous decision forthcoming with Hopkins.

18. Nick Timberlake | 6-5 wing | One year of eligibility | Towson

Timberlake will be a sixth-year senior this coming campaign, and he’ll enter it essentially as a professional floor-spacer and shooter. Genuinely, Timberlake is one of the best shooters in all of college basketball. Over his last two seasons, he’s hit 41 percent from 3 on over six attempts per game. The mechanics are pristine; he takes them off the hop or off of a 1-2 step, he’ll hit them off of movement. He’s lethal if you leave him open, and that translates to any level of play. He’s been first-team All-CAA the last two years, and for good reason given the way that he can fill it up. At Towson, he was also asked to be the primary scoring option, and he developed a bit as a ballhandler and driver. But he could also get a bit wild from time to time being asked to do so much, and my bet is that those parts of his game will get cleaned up in a new stop at the high-major level playing around better players. Timberlake has already started taking visits, and North Carolina is seen as a potential landing spot along with St. John’s.

19. Graham Ike | 6-9 center | Three years of eligibility | Wyoming

The fit matters here a lot. Ike was in one of the most unique offenses in college basketball in 2021-22. Wyoming posted up more than any team ever has in the modern era. Ike had the third-highest usage rate in college hoops. Wyoming coach Jeff Linder would give him the ball and let him back his man down from anywhere on the court. The lefty is as crafty as they come in terms of low-post scorers. He’s got massive hands — bigger than Kawhi Leonard’s — and a 7-foot-5 wingspan, which allows him to deal well with double teams. He didn’t play much in pick-and-roll, but it’s possible his mid-range jumper is good enough to be a good fit in a pick-and-pop system. Not sure he has the speed to be an elite rim roller. Some could have pause with his injury history. He tore his right ACL in high school and missed all of this last season with a lower right leg injury. He’s a good rebounder but offers very little in rim protection. He’ll need to go to a team that’s used to playing drop coverage with its center in pick-and-roll. He’s not going to get pushed around, but defending in space could be a concern. But in the right system that is all about feeding its big man in the post, he’s capable of being a go-to scorer at the high-major level.

20. Jalen DeLoach | 6-9 forward | Two years of eligibility | VCU

Part of the mass exodus of VCU players following Mike Rhoades’ decision to go to Penn State, DeLoach will be a very popular portal entry if he doesn’t just decide to head up north to State College. A third-team All-Atlantic-10 player this year, DeLoach blossomed, particularly over the second half of the season, into the kind of versatile big man that schools around the country crave. It starts on defense for DeLoach, where he was a lengthy, versatile defender that dealt with both bigs on the interior as we all as bigger wings and forwards. He’s mobile and extremely active, showcasing a real competitiveness every time he’s on the floor. He gets into passing lanes to try to get steals, then will swat shots on the interior. Then on offense, he’s going to try to dunk everything he gets on the interior and finish through contact. He crashes the glass hard, creates second-chance opportunities, and just continually forces his man to keep track of where he is. A late bloomer that shot up from 6-foot tall when he was a freshman in high school, DeLoach is still growing into his frame a bit. As he gets stronger and fills out, it’s very easy to imagine him continuing to grow into being a defensive monster at even higher levels. Penn State could obviously use someone like this, as the team played very small last year.

21. Brandon Murray | 6-5 wing | Two years of eligibility | Georgetown

One of the top transfer options a season ago after an All-Freshman campaign in the SEC, Murray chose to join Patrick Ewing at Georgetown. Seen as a potentially interesting 3-and-D style draft prospect after a solid year at LSU the season before, the Hoyas tried to make Murray more of a primary option and it didn’t really work. He was wildly inefficient in that role, shooting under 40 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3, and 70 percent from the line. Simply put, Murray just didn’t really have the juice off the bounce to be able to consistently create advantages for himself. Now, Murray is more of a reclamation project for a team that can slot him into the role that worked best for him at LSU: an off-ball wing who can shoot from distance, attack when advantages present themselves, and defend. One other hitch is that Murray will certainly be stress-testing the idea of the waiver process for transfers this year after sitting out a season ago. If he can’t get eligible immediately, he might be better off staying at Georgetown, where Ed Cooley figures to create a roster that will benefit Murray’s game much more.

22. Jameer Nelson Jr. | 6-1 point guard | One year of eligibility | Delaware

Nelson should get some high-major interest considering the bloodlines and his numbers. He averaged 20.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game and was All-Defense in the CAA. He anticipates well on the defensive end and is built similarly to his dad, albeit slightly taller and not quite as thick. Like his dad, he knows how to use his body and get to the basket. Crafty handle and finishes well at the rim (61 percent, per Synergy). He also gets to the line frequently. He put up a 47.4 free throw rate. He shoots a lot but isn’t a great shooter. He can make a tough shot and maybe his percentage creeps up if he’s not taking such hard shots. Obviously his role would change at a bigger school. There should be hope he can score at a higher level, considering he averaged 10.4 points per game at George Washington in the A-10 as a freshman.

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Jameer Nelson Jr. is looking for his third college. (Rob Kinnan / USA Today)

23. Taran Armstrong | 6-6 guard | Two years of eligibility | California Baptist

A dynamic lead guard with tremendous size at 6-foot-6, Armstrong is one of the smartest teenage guards I’ve gotten to talk to about his game. As an 18-year-old, he was already expertly reading help-side defenders on the back-line out of ball screens and making advanced, high-level passing reads. He averaged 11 points, five rebounds and five assists this season for the Lancers, but has far more upside than that long-term as he continues to grow into a skinny frame. He improved as a driver and finisher inside this year, but the next step in his growth beyond the physical aspect will be with his shooting. Armstrong has hit about 30 percent from 3. He doesn’t have bad mechanics; it just seems like he’s really forcing it up to hoist the ball toward the rim. Again, strength will help. Armstrong is an unfinished product, and as an Australian he will likely be courted by professional teams looking to add him to their roster in the NBL. But Armstrong’s feel for the game is seen as special by evaluators. If he can add the necessary strength, he has every opportunity to be a difference-making starting point guard at the high-major level.

24. Denver Jones | 6-4 guard | Two years of eligibility | FIU

Conference USA has taken over college basketball this postseason with a team in the Final Four, both NIT finalists, and Charlotte having won the CBI. So what if I could interest you in a player that made first-team all-league this year? Jones is a scoring guard, through and through. He averaged 20.2 points while shooting over 37 percent from distance as one of the higher usage players in college basketball. He plays with tremendous pace off two feet and is always ready to fire from distance from all three levels. He excels out of ball-screen action, where teams have to be cognizant of his pull-up. His release is quick, but so is his first step if you overcommit to trying to contest his jumper. The team that gets Jones, though, would be better off playing him off of the ball and using him as a second-side creator. Jones is a superb floor-spacer off the catch, having hit over 40 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s this year, per Synergy. Jones should be able to step in and be a starter from the jump for whatever high-major team ends up with him.

25. Marcus Domask | 6-6 wing | One year of eligibility | Southern Illinois

A three-time All-Missouri Valley member, Domask is a veteran four-year college player that you can slot into your lineup and not worry at all about him being productive. He’s one of those dudes that just knows how to play. He doesn’t need to dribble the ball to death to score. He moves exceedingly well without the ball, has deep range on his jumper, and consistently just finds little creases and openings to score. On top of that, Domask is a terrific passer who averaged 17 points and four assists per game on his way to a first-team all-league berth this year. Southern Illinois used him an awful lot on post-ups in a way that I don’t think a high-major offense will. Domask has also entered the draft, but he’ll likely be able to make more by staying in school. He was Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin in 2019, and everything about his game is tailor-made to be a fit with Greg Gard and the Badgers. You have to wonder if they’d want to get involved as he’d give them a bit more size on the wings this year.

26. Kamari Lands | 6-8 wing/forward | Three years of eligibility | Louisville

Lands is a high-upside wing with boatloads of talent that NBA evaluators were pretty interested in getting eyes on prior to Louisville’s disastrous campaign. He’ll be something of a post-hype sleeper this year, a creative wing who can grab the ball off of the defensive glass and lead the break. In the halfcourt, he’s a rangy slasher in a straight line who uses a bevy of spin moves and crossovers to cover ground with his long strides. Once he gets an edge on a defender, it’s hard to catch up. He also has pretty real touch from the midrange and is more than comfortable dribbling into a jumper. In ACC play, he hit 37 percent from 3 this year once he got adjusted more to the speed of the college game. Lands was basically Louisville’s sixth man by the end of the year and playing 25 minutes or so per game. He’d also cleaned up some of the efficiency questions that plagued him then. A former four-star recruit, Lands will be a popular bet for coaching staffs that are willing to bet on their developmental acumen. As a big wing who has real touch and ballhandling ability, Lands should morph into a high-level college player. Don’t let the stench of this Louisville season overshadow the real physical gifts Lands possesses.

27. Rienk Mast | 6-9 big | Two years of eligibility | Bradley

Another first-team All-Missouri Valley player hitting the portal. Mast is a versatile Dutch big man who can operate on the block and create a shot with high-arcing hooks. That tends to be his home base, as he is ambidextrous with his finishing hand. But the more interesting skill he flashed this season was as a pick-and-pop threat. Mast hit 35 percent of his three 3-point attempts per game, with a pure looking shot that he can take quickly off the hop. He looks like a very legitimate option for a team that wants to play a floor-spacing five-man that can stretch the floor. And then weirdly he’ll be able to flash to the mid-post and drive an opposing player with an attack. The big thing that separates him from other offensive big men, though, is that he’s already been a part of pretty good defenses at Bradley. The Braves had the best defense in the Missouri Valley this year, and he was a big part of it. In total, Bradley won their minutes with Mast on the court by about 18 points per 100 possessions, and won them only by one point per 100 when he was off the court. He’s a real difference-maker that I’d buy playing at the high-major level next year.

28. Kevin “Boopie” Miller | 6-0 point guard | Three years of eligibility | Central Michigan

The Scout: Miller can fly with the ball in his hands, and that’s important going up a level. Speed usually translates. See Souley Boum. Miller played just four games as a sophomore because of a foot injury, but he was off to a good start, averaging 18.5 points and 5.3 assists. He can really score off the bounce and works well out of ball screens. He’s shot a solid 36.1 percent from 3 and is comfortable shooting off the catch or bounce. His assist rate was super high, especially for a young player. Considering Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes track record with transfers, it’s probably smart to bet on Miller.

The Fit: Miller will slide right into the Tyree Appleby role at Wake Forest. His advanced numbers actually look a lot like Appleby’s from his first two years at Cleveland State. Forbes featured Appleby in a ton of ball screen action and Miller is equipped to be used the same way. He’s got a competitive streak in him too, which should play well on a Forbes-coached team.

29. Skyy Clark | 6-3 guard | Three years of eligibility | Illinois

The Scout: Clark has the game to be a really good scorer at the college level. The jump shot looks good, and he can knock it down off the dribble or catch. He shot a solid 41.9 percent off the dribble in 13 games, per Synergy. The sample size is small, but the stroke looks legit. He’s got some wiggle and speed with the ball in his hands. He’s built well too, equipped to get into the paint and finish around big bodies. He’s more of a combo guard than a true point. He’s built to score. He wasn’t quite ready to run a team as a freshman and had just as many turnovers (27) as assists. He took a leave of absence for personal reasons in early January and then left the Illini program shortly thereafter. He needs some seasoning, but the package is there to be a big scorer at some point. He’d fit best in a system that can utilize his abilities off the bounce.

The Fit: Louisville just needs guards. So for Kenny Payne to go into the portal early and pick up a former five-star guard in Clark is a terrific outcome, and one that will hopefully lead to more efficient offense in 2023-24. Even if Clark ends up settling in more as a combo guard and the team needs to find more of a true point, just having another shot creator and ballhandler out there would be immensely beneficial because the Cardinals just simply did not have enough of that this past season.

30. Jayden Nunn | 6-4 guard | Two years of eligibility | VCU

Nunn was someone that scouts thought had a real chance to break out this season and potentially pop up onto NBA Draft radars after a strong all-freshman season in the Atlantic-10 in 2022. Alas, it didn’t quite happen. It was more of the same as a solid starter for the Rams. He averaged nine points and shot 40 percent from 3 this season, and that’s always been a part of his game. Having said that, Nunn also covers ground quickly both out in transition and as a driver, as he uses long strides to get all the way to the basket. If he gets an angle on you, it’s tough to recover. It also helps that Nunn was a part of a terrific defense at VCU, and he uses his long arms to shoot passing lanes and aggressively cover his man. It’s very possible that Nunn just looks at this as an opportunity to reconnect with his former coach, Mike Rhoades, who was named the new coach at Penn State earlier this offseason. Having said that, I think Nunn has a bit more talent than what he always showed at VCU. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him break out in a different environment if he can get just a little bit stronger and be able to deal with more physicality as a driver.

31. Ben Krikke | 6-9 big | One year of eligibility | Valparaiso

It’ll be interesting to see how the portal evaluates Krikke’s unique game. Offensively, there isn’t much that the Valparaiso big man can’t do. He’s a tremendous post finisher, ending this season as a top-70 scorer in terms of volume as well as one of the five most efficient post scorers in the country, averaging 1.13 points per possession each time he took a shot down there. His footwork, balance, and touch in those areas are ridiculous. He has a bevy of weird hook shots, flip shots and post moves that give him just that little bit of separation he needs. If he gets in close to the basket, the ball is going in. But he’s not just a post threat. I loved his work in ball-screens this season as a pick-and-pop player. He’d get the ball from the perimeter and attack his man, throwing up some wild moves including the occasional spin move into a 16-foot jumper. He only made 28 percent from 3, but someone with this kind of touch would only need a summer to really improve that part of his game and make it a real weapon. This is how Krikke made three straight All-Missouri Valley Conference teams, including a first-team berth this season. He does present some inherent limitations at the highest level defensively because he doesn’t move all that well laterally, and doesn’t protect the rim at a super high level. But in the right spot, Krikke could be a real difference-maker at the high-major level. I wonder if a spot at Notre Dame down the road with Micah Shrewsberry, a coach known to be willing to post and play five-out, could fit.

32. Javon Small | 6-2 guard | Two years of eligibility | East Carolina

This will be the second straight season that East Carolina will lose its starting point guard. The last one, Tristen Newton, ended up as a starter for a Final Four team in Connecticut. Small is very different than Newton, though. He’s an athletic, attack-oriented smaller guard who averaged 16 points, five rebounds and six assists in 18 games this year before he hurt his knee in January and ended up missing the rest of the season. This is your typical 6-2 guard that excels out of ball-screens. His handle keeps the ball tight to his body with the ability to string together multiple moves in a row to separate from his man. He’s a fairly real three-level scorer, as he can pull up from 3, has a nice little floater from midrange, and is more than willing to put his body on the line and fly into contact at the basket, drawing fouls at a high level. But he also pairs that with real vision and passing ability. He is a creative distributor, particularly to rollers at the rim. He is a high-major-quality starting guard and will have no shortage of suitors in the portal. Originally from South Bend, Indiana, it’s worth wondering if new Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry might be a good fit here.

33. Posh Alexander | 6-0 guard | Two years of eligibility | St. John’s

A three-year starter in the Big East, Alexander decided to hit the portal after Rick Pitino took over at St. John’s. Alexander is New York, through and through. He’s from Brooklyn and went to Our Savior Lutheran, then decided to stay home and play for the Red Storm. Alexander was a menace in his first year, winning the Big East’s co-Defensive Player of the Year award as a pest on the perimeter on defense. He also won the league’s Freshman of the Year award that season. He just plays with nonstop tenacity and energy, constantly just living in the space of opposing players. Offensively, he took a leap as a sophomore then seemed to regress a bit this past season, posting lows in scoring, assist rate, and overall efficiency shooting metrics, all while playing on a team that was the fastest-paced group in the country. Finding the right blend of his aggression while minimizing his inability to shoot will be the key for the coach at Alexander’s next stop. I wonder if a place like Fordham, which is looking to replace standout point guard Darius Quisenberry, makes sense.

34. Chris Ledlum | 6-6 wing/forward | One year of eligibility | Harvard

An All-Ivy League player this season, Ledlum is a powerful 6-foot-6 wrecking ball at that level who averaged 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. That’s basically what Ledlum does; he’s your typical undersized four-man in college basketball. He rebounds well and powers through defenders using his strength. In the Ivy, he was a walking mismatch, especially in the minutes he played as a small-ball center. He’s an aggressive straight-line driver who attacks off the bounce and tries to get all the way to the rim to finish. He averaged over eight shots at the rim per game, with most of those coming on slashes. If he can’t get all the way there, he does have a nice little jump stop/push shot counter that he’ll throw up at the basket. Having said that, I do have some questions about how this translates at the highest levels of college hoops. Ledlum really struggled with his efficiency in the games he played against good defenses like Kansas, Fordham, UC Irvine, and Yale this season. To become a legitimate high-major starter, I think Ledlum is going to have to really improve as a shooter this offseason after making 29.4 percent from 3 up to this point. Without the shot, I don’t know that his power driving game will be as effective against athletes at the high-major level that are more likely to be both physically strong and his size.

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Chris Ledlum has one more year of eligibility after leaving Harvard. (Jay Biggerstaff / USA Today)

35. Cormac Ryan | 6-5 wing | One Year of Eligibility | Notre Dame

Ryan is just a sharp, well-rounded offensive wing. If you leave him open off the catch, he’s going to hit a 3. He made 39 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season. He has deep range and a quick release that does not require him to dip the ball all the time to get into rhythm. If you close out on him hard, he can attack and get to the rim. He’s best off of the ball playing off of his shooting, but he can also run ball-screens on occasion and actually is a pretty smart passer out of those situations, too. He’s just a reliable, older player that will space the floor for you, make good decisions, and keep your offense in rhythm. He’s also a bit bigger, and while he’s not the best defender, he will at least rotate and be in the right spots. A graduate transfer with one year remaining, I’d expect Ryan to end up at the high-major level.

36. Jayden Epps | 6-1 guard | Three years of eligibility | Illinois

Epps is a former four-star recruit that started part-time at Illinois this season as a freshman. He was hit or miss. Among the three young guards – Epps, Sencire Harris, and Skyy Clark – the team was worse offensively with him out there than the other two on a per-100 possession basis. But Epps did showcase real ability as a downhill driver and consistently put pressure on the pain in a way that this team lacked at times. Epps averaged nine points per game, and derived a large portion of his offense at the bucket and on runners after he got two feet in the paint. He also tried to push the pace in transition and generally attacked with aggressiveness. Ultimately, Epps needs to keep improving as a distributor, as he only dished out a 12 percent assist rate this season as a smaller guard. Long known as a combo guard as opposed to a true point, Epps does probably slide a bit more toward the scoring side right now. But it’s reasonable to expect that he could continue to grow into his game and end up as a starting guard at a strong destination. His speed and fearlessness attacking the paint are real skills to build upon.

37. Teafale Lenard | 6-7 wing | Two years of eligibility | Middle Tennessee State

Why does a wing who averaged only 8.3 points on a below-average 53.7 true-shooting percentage feature on this list? Well, it’s because Lenard might be the most impactful defensive transfer available on the wing. Lenard is a 6-foot-7 skywalker with truly elite length and all sorts of bounce. He flies off the court and finishes drastically above the rim as a cutter. But also similarly uses that length and athleticism to make an impact on defense. He slides around and is a menace in help situations, blocking nearly two shots per game. He gets home more often than not in passing lanes because it’s almost impossible to properly judge his length. On the ball, he’s extremely difficult to get by. He’ll be an impact player on that end wherever he ends up. But don’t sleep on the offensive upside, either. He shows real moments as a passer and playmaker that make you believe he could be something of an equivalent to how Connecticut utilized Andre Jackson Jr. on its way to a title run this season. More than anything, he’s just still growing into his frame. It’s clear he’s a late bloomer. High-majors should take a shot on Lenard. If they trust their development staff, he could end up being an enormous upside swing that connects.

38. Kadin Shedrick | 6-11 center | One year of eligibility | Virginia

Shedrick was one of the enigmas of this college basketball season. Long and athletic, he profiles as the kind of shot-blocker and defensive player that would excel in Virginia’s pack-line scheme. But Virginia was actually slightly worse per 100 possessions on that end of the court when he was on the court. They excelled when he was on the court offensively though, scoring 7.5 points per 100 possessions more with him out there. How much of that was him versus the players he played with? It’s a fair question, but Shedrick does crash the offensive glass hard, roll aggressively to the rim, and present as a strong option in the dunker spot. In total, he only averaged six points and four rebounds per game. But I bet that a team sees more in him and gives him another shot as a starting center for a high-major team. His tools and length are intriguing enough, and as only a one-year commitment, there is no long-term obligation.

39. Eddie Lampkin Jr. | 6-11 center | Two years of eligibility | TCU

It was rumored that Lampkin would be joining Ed Cooley at Georgetown — a rumor Lampkin shot down on Twitter — but that would make sense. Lampkin is the prototype of an Ed Cooley center. Lampkin is a giant human (6-11, 263 pounds) and an immovable object. He eats up rebounds and is a weapon on the offensive glass. He’s got some touch around the basket but his footwork can get a little sloppy when he gets the ball in space. He hasn’t been much of a low-post scorer, but there’s potential there. His body improved every year and he’d benefit from continuing to slim down, increasing his foot speed. He doesn’t block shots but he is a deterrent in the paint. He does a good job contesting without fouling, and TCU’s defense was better with him on the floor. He’s played in a lot of big games, and he’s an emotional player, which can be the best thing about him and the worst thing. It didn’t end well with TCU, and he’ll need to go to a place where he can connect with the coach.

40. Jordan Minor | 6-8 forward | One year of eligibility | Merrimack

The NEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, it could have easily been Minor and the Merrimack Warriors upsetting Purdue in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament after the team won the NEC Tournament. However, Merrimack was not eligible for the NCAA Tournament, as they’re still transitioning from a lower division in college basketball. Minor dominated athletically at the NEC level as an undersized 5 man who was stronger and more physical than anyone else in the league. He powered through opposing players on the block, crashed the offensive glass hard, beat opposing players down the floor in transition regularly, and was a nightmare for opposing teams to deal with as a roller toward the rim. Essentially, he out-worked everyone, every single night. Then defensively, he was just an absolute menace rotating over as a rim protector. He has real vertical pop. And honestly, I think he’ll be able to do some of that even at the high-major level. It’ll be popular to compare Minor to the success that undersized Miami center Norchad Omier had after transferring up from the mid-major level last year, but Omier’s feet are better, and he’s generally just a more skilled player than what Minor is. Honestly, I think Minor is probably best as a terrific small-ball center at the high mid-major level (think Mountain West or Atlantic-10). But if he wants to go high-major, he’ll have his chances.

41. Sahvir Wheeler | 5-9 point guard | One year of eligibility | Kentucky

Ever since seeing him at the grassroots level, I’ve always been a fan. Back then what stood out was his motor and willingness to guard 94 feet. He needs to get in a program that can really bring that defensive pest out of him. He also needs to play in the right system offensively, where his speed and passing can be utilized. He can get his feet in the paint and get guys shots. He’s never been a good shooter, but he deserves some credit for getting to a point where he can at least make an open 3. He made 15-of-41 (36.6 percent) this season. He probably caught too much flak for his play at Kentucky. He wasn’t the type of talent Kentucky fans are used to seeing at point guard. But it takes a real pro to shine in John Calipari’s offense, which lacks creativity and flow. Put shooters around him and a big who can catch and finish, and he’s going to rack up assists. Obviously there’s some limitations defensively because of his size, but he’s going to battle.

42. MJ Rice | 6-5 wing | Three years of eligibility | Kansas

Rice could end up the next Bryce Hopkins if he ends up in the right spot with the same kind of opportunity. Both were top-40 recruits who went to blue bloods and were buried on the bench. Rice actually had an opportunity to earn playing time because KU’s bench was not very good, but he never could earn Bill Self’s trust. His biggest issue was on the defensive end, lacking awareness and ability to keep the ball in front of him. But anyone who saw him at the grassroots level knows he’s equipped to score. He looked like an explosive athlete at that level. Some of it was bully ball, which doesn’t always translate to the high-major level, but odds are eventually this guy is going to be able to score. He flashed it one time at Kansas, putting up 19 points in a November win against Texas Southern. He scored just 32 points in all other games. At his best, he stole a few hustle buckets and showed off his strength and leaping ability at the rim. He never shot it with confidence at KU, but he was a three-level scorer in high school. He has the body and strength to play a small-ball four, and that could maybe hide some of his defensive limitations. That might take some convincing for any coach that would want to use him that way. Considering how it played out at Kansas, he’ll probably want to go somewhere where he’s told he’ll start and have a high-usage role. He’ll be an interesting one to watch.

43. Jayden Taylor | 6-4 guard | Two years of eligibility | Butler

Taylor is your classic combo guard. He led Butler in scoring this year at about 13 points per game, consistently finding advantages either by attacking downhill or being willing to stop and fire from 3. With Manny Bates on the interior and a team that didn’t really have a ton of floor-spacing, having shot 32 percent from 3, Taylor didn’t really have a ton of space to attack and get to the rim all that often. Because of that, I could see Taylor finding a new landing spot and having a lot more success if he can go to a well-spaced offense that allows him to utilize some of his tools to their fullest extent. Schools in the midwest, such as Xavier, Cincinnati, and Michigan State have already reached out, and those seem like pretty strong landing spots.

44. Damian Dunn | 6-5 guard | Two years of eligibility | Temple

Old wins in college basketball, and Dunn is one of those experienced guys who just plays old. He knows how to get to his spots and score. He averaged 15.3 points this past season and has averaged 14.6 for his career. He can operate in the mid-post/mid-range, and then he’s also a capable spot-up shooter. He also has a smooth handle and can work out of ball screen. He’s shot it only 31.2 percent from 3 for his career, but I think he’s a better shooter than that. He made 37.3 percent of his 3s in conference play this past season, and that’s probably more representative of what kind of shooter he is. He had to take some hard shots in Temple’s offense, but he’d fit really well in a high-major offense with talented players around him where he doesn’t have to take such hard shots. He’s not a very explosive athlete and struggles to finish around length at the basket. But in the right system where he’s getting good shots from his spots, he could be a useful, efficient scorer.

45. Jamison Battle | 6-7 wing | One year of eligibility | Minnesota

Throughout his career, Battle has been a terrific scoring threat as a bigger wing on bad teams. In his four-year college career at both Minnesota and George Washington, he’s never played on a winning team. So in that vein, I can see why Battle would want to experience some success at some point in his career. He’s probably been asked to do a bit too much over those years, as he’s made just 42 percent of his shots from the field. But what Battle can do is shoot it at a high level, and he’ll do it at volume. Battle consistently has gotten up seven 3s per game in his college career, and made them at a 35 percent clip despite being tightly guarded as a top option all the time. I’d love to see him at a school where he can not be as responsible for creating shots, and can instead play off of others. Last year, Battle took 49 percent of his shots off the dribble. It’s a role he’s capable of handling, but I don’t know that it’s his idealized form, either. I think it’s likely Battle is better than a 35 percent shooter if you put him in positions where he’s getting consistent open looks as opposed to being asked to create them himself. I’d like to see him at a good program where he can be asked to do just a little bit less. That’s probably the way to get the most out of him from a winning perspective. But as a consistent high-major double-figure scorer, I think he can help a lot of teams.

46. Joseph Girard III | 6-1 guard | One year of eligibility | Syracuse

Anyone need a floor-spacer? At 6-foot-1, Girard doesn’t necessarily have the size that you typically want out of a shooter, but he can certainly fill it up when he gets going. Playing for some pretty rough Syracuse teams the last two years, Girard made 39 percent of his seven 3-point attempts per game. He also improved a bit over that time as a driver and scorer. But he’s also not really a point guard despite the team’s best efforts to settle him in as one, and he operated much better this past season playing off of Judah Mintz. On some level, Girard has shown in the past two years that he’s capable of getting buckets in the ACC, and that’s valuable. But he also has played in that 2-3 zone the last two years, and I don’t think he did a particularly good job at the point of attack in it, either. So he might not fit all coaches that have a bit more of a defensive mindset. Still, fifth-year guards that can shoot and score are valuable. Girard should find another landing spot at the high-major level. The Big East seems like the kind of league that would work best for him.

 

 

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Js1

Js1 87214

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

Inside Texas has a pretty good handle on who the leading candidate is behind the scenes headed into the weekend. We aren’t trying to be a tease, but are going to hold the name through the weekend with the Texas staff in Houston for the Final Four. 

skeet ulrich horror GIF

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HtownHorn

HtownHorn 15235

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Mason Ramsey said:

Hunter to test out the draft with the chance of coming back.

 

I expect Morris, Mitchell, and Hunter to all do this, get feedback and make a final decision. You can do this once while maintaining eligibility. It is a smart decision.

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SamMan

SamMan 1502

Posted
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Posted
6 hours ago, ATXbronco said:

Is Hunter any good?  
He was a scrub back when I was watching him play behind Colin Castleton.  

Actually, we should check whether Colin is available!

https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/colin-castleton/15301

anton-chigurh-no-country-for-old-men.gif

With all due respect, you write some of the most naive/flat out foolish posts I’ve seen on this site..always in a somewhat quizzical manner. I can’t recall if you said you are extremely young or English is not your primary language (nothing wrong with either, just trying to account for your naïveté), but yes, the seven-foot dude who earned second team all-American as a freshman, and improved upon those numbers to approximately a double-double per game, is generally considered to be pretty good. You never watched him play “behind” Castleton, because he never played with Castleton. I’m not sure which player you are thinking of, but it wasn’t him.

Google works even if you don’t understand basketball, as I believe you described your scant knowledge of baseball previously. “Scrubs” generally don’t receive scholarships, particularly big men, to play at Michigan for a former nba all-star big man who spent 25 years playing and coaching in the league. They also generally do not star in hs ball at DeMatha, one of the most prestigious prep basketball programs in the country historically, known for producing scores of nba players over the past 50+ years. Apologies for the uncouth remarks, but you seriously post like a twelve-year old who just woke up from a decade-long coma sometimes. Nothing you said made the slightest semblance of sense.

So, to recap: Dickinson is good, he never played with Castleton in any capacity, and Castleton doesn’t have any eligibility left. It’s fine to ask the question, but don’t follow it up with a nonsensical statement, and then prove that you can competently find relevant information on the internet while ignoring the fact that the refutation to your statement is available directly on the page you linked. 

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HenryJames

HenryJames 67423

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, SamMan said:

anton-chigurh-no-country-for-old-men.gif

With all due respect, you write some of the most naive/flat out foolish posts I’ve seen on this site..always in a somewhat quizzical manner. I can’t recall if you said you are extremely young or English is not your primary language (nothing wrong with either, just trying to account for your naïveté), but yes, the seven-foot dude who earned second team all-American as a freshman, and improved upon those numbers to approximately a double-double per game, is generally considered to be pretty good. You never watched him play “behind” Castleton, because he never played with Castleton. I’m not sure which player you are thinking of, but it wasn’t him.

Google works even if you don’t understand basketball, as I believe you described your scant knowledge of baseball previously. “Scrubs” generally don’t receive scholarships, particularly big men, to play at Michigan for a former nba all-star big man who spent 25 years playing and coaching in the league. They also generally do not star in hs ball at DeMatha, one of the most prestigious prep basketball programs in the country historically, known for producing scores of nba players over the past 50+ years. Apologies for the uncouth remarks, but you seriously post like a twelve-year old who just woke up from a decade-long coma sometimes. Nothing you said made the slightest semblance of sense.

So, to recap: Dickinson is good, he never played with Castleton in any capacity, and Castleton doesn’t have any eligibility left. It’s fine to ask the question, but don’t follow it up with a nonsensical statement, and then prove that you can competently find relevant information on the internet while ignoring the fact that the refutation to your statement is available directly on the page you linked. 

 

333890B7-77A3-4C9E-AE81-0C77DFFA5187.webp

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Irieguy

Irieguy 1059

Posted
Posted
On 3/31/2023 at 8:45 AM, ClubWhatever said:

I’d like to release my final 358.  AGTG!

I’ve always thought it would be funny for a star recruit to never release a list but instead eliminate one school a day starting 128 days from his commitment. We are getting close!

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Irieguy

Irieguy 1059

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, ATXbronco said:

Hah, no need to be so serious!

I'm just a fan who obviously doesn't know shit about basketball.  :)

And you're right, I'm totally thinking of someone else.  I stopped paying attention to Michigan after Colin left.

 

 

I too am shocked that an idiotic post is met with derision on Surly. Shocked I tell you. 

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Post Oak

Post Oak 20570

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, SamMan said:

anton-chigurh-no-country-for-old-men.gif

With all due respect, you write some of the most naive/flat out foolish posts I’ve seen on this site..always in a somewhat quizzical manner. I can’t recall if you said you are extremely young or English is not your primary language (nothing wrong with either, just trying to account for your naïveté), but yes, the seven-foot dude who earned second team all-American as a freshman, and improved upon those numbers to approximately a double-double per game, is generally considered to be pretty good. You never watched him play “behind” Castleton, because he never played with Castleton. I’m not sure which player you are thinking of, but it wasn’t him.

Google works even if you don’t understand basketball, as I believe you described your scant knowledge of baseball previously. “Scrubs” generally don’t receive scholarships, particularly big men, to play at Michigan for a former nba all-star big man who spent 25 years playing and coaching in the league. They also generally do not star in hs ball at DeMatha, one of the most prestigious prep basketball programs in the country historically, known for producing scores of nba players over the past 50+ years. Apologies for the uncouth remarks, but you seriously post like a twelve-year old who just woke up from a decade-long coma sometimes. Nothing you said made the slightest semblance of sense.

So, to recap: Dickinson is good, he never played with Castleton in any capacity, and Castleton doesn’t have any eligibility left. It’s fine to ask the question, but don’t follow it up with a nonsensical statement, and then prove that you can competently find relevant information on the internet while ignoring the fact that the refutation to your statement is available directly on the page you linked. 

This post is like if CTJ went through 10 years of intense anger therapy but couldn't help himself.

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Lonestar88

Lonestar88 5181

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

5th yr guard averaging over ~20 ppg for his career and shooting .388 from three, from Rockwell via Dallas Jesuit. 

Yeah, I'd hope we're interested. 

That .388 doesn’t even tell the whole story imo. This dude shot 43% from three when he actually had another good player with him in Kevin Obanor. 
 

Obanor transferred to Tech right after their tourney run a few years ago and defenses got to tee off on just Abmas.

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Js1

Js1 87214

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, Lonestar88 said:

That .388 doesn’t even tell the whole story imo. This dude shot 43% from three when he actually had another good player with him in Kevin Obanor. 
 

Obanor transferred to Tech right after their tourney run a few years ago and defenses got to tee off on just Abmas.

Either he follows Mills to Wichita or he annoys the shit out of us by going to play for Mills’ old boss Scott Drew 

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Lonestar88

Lonestar88 5181

Posted
Posted
49 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Either he follows Mills to Wichita or he annoys the shit out of us by going to play for Mills’ old boss Scott Drew 

He stayed at ORU for much longer than I thought he would so he must like Mills a lot. I think it’s in his best interest to go to a bigger program though.

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