Rashad Vaughn: An Underrated Draft Pick

Rashad Vaughn’s stock is on the rise and it’s been on the up and up for over the past month. Despite the fact that the 6’5” shooting guard is now a lock to hear his name called in the first round of the draft, his talents are still being under-valued by scouts and front office personnel.

At this point in time, Chad Ford has Vaughn slotted to the Bulls at No. 22 while DraftExpress has Vaughn going 26^th to Spurs. It wasn’t that long ago when Vaughn’s name didn’t even appear in the first round on those websites. When Ford released his first version of his Top 100 last summer, Vaughn’s name was nowhere to be found and it took until Mock Draft No. 5 to get his name in the first round. Meanwhile DraftExpress started the season with Vaughn in the 20’s, but they soon dropped him to the second round in February before reinstating him in May.

Before We Begin:

Two years ago in the spring of 2013 Rashad Vaughn and Devin Booker were similar players while participating on undermanned teams in the Nike EYBL AAU circuit. Both players had free reign on the offensive end and dominated the ball trying to create off the dribble or from the pick and roll. Vaughn averaged 19.4 points per game on 43% shooting and shot just 32% from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Booker averaged 16.8 points per game on 43% shooting while going 33.7% from three.

Going back just one year, Rashad Vaughn was a fringe Top 10 player in the high school class of 2014 and also was considered the top ranked shooting guard. Now, it’s the 6’5” Devin Booker who is the consensus top shooting guard in the draft after being ranked below Vaughn just one year ago. After an extremely strong one and done season for the 39-1 Kentucky Wildcats, Booker is a projected top ten pick as both mock draft sites mentioned above have him pegged to the Hornets at pick number nine.

What Happened?

When Vaughn chose to play his college ball at UNLV, it wasn’t hard to predict what type of freshman season he would have.

Prior to the 2014-15 season, my scouting report on Vaughn noted the following:

“Vaughn will have free reign at UNLV, which might not be the best thing for his development. While he will score a lot I feel his game might have progressed better in a more structured setting with more talented teammates. Going into the summer before his senior year, Vaughn was “the man” on an AAU team that was less talented than the majority of opponents. He shot 43% with a high turnover ratio. With his ability to get shots from all over the floor, this often leads to forced shots or less than ideal shots during the course of the game harming his overall percentage. He can get hot in a hurry and hit numerous shots in a row, but he can also force a lot of shots trying to find his rhythm. In my mind, Vaughn will have a very high usage rate at UNLV, but his offensive efficiency might leave something to be desired.”

Sure enough, Vaughn averaged 17.8 points per game. Good for first among players at UNLV and second among all freshmen guards. With that, Vaughn shot just 44% from the field. He ended the season with an extremely high usage rating of 29.0 (No. 70 in the country) and a fairly putrid 101.4 offensive efficiency rating.

Contrast those stats with Booker and you see a tale of two different freshman seasons. While Vaughn took 32.7% of the shots at UNLV, Booker only received 21 minutes of playing time per game. In John Calipari’s platoon system he excelled producing 10 points per game with an offensive efficiency rating of 121.0. Booker also shot 41.1% from behind the three point arc and is now basically considered the top shooter in the draft.

UNLV Season:

UNLV started the season off 2-0, but their wins over Morehead State and Sam Houston State by a combined three points were also a sign of difficult times ahead. Soon after their home victories, the Rebels traveled to Brooklyn for the Coaches vs. Cancer Clinic. Playing at the Barclay’s Arena in front of a handful of NBA executives did not go exactly as planned for Vaughn. He went just 2-9 in a blowout loss to Stanford and followed that up with a 2-10 performance in a close win over Temple.

Subsequent to the Coaches vs. Cancer Clinic, Vaughn had his high points which included several key baskets in an upset win over Arizona, a 31 point, nine rebound effort against Utah State, and 30 point game against Colorado State where he went 12-21 and 6-10 from three. He also had additional low points including a 6-16 output against Utah, and an early end to his season with a torn meniscus against Fresno State which occurred after just 23 games.

from www.pointafter.com

Why Is Vaughn Underrated?

In his heart, Rashad Vaughn is a scorer. Not only is he a scorer, but he has ideal shooting guard size, decent athleticism, and oh yeah, he CAN shoot. In 23 games, Vaughn shot 38.3% from three making 54 out of 141 attempts. Meanwhile, the more highly regarded Booker hit only four more three’s than Vaughn did on the season going 58-141 from behind the arc.

While Booker might have the purest shooting stroke out of the two and was significantly better from the free throw line there is basically no difference when it comes to comparing three point percentage. Well, there is one. Booker was the beneficiary of playing on the most talented team in the country. A majority of his shots came with his feet set and open looks at the basket. A lot of Vaughn’s looks came off the dribble or with a defender in his face. Given the high usage rate, a 38.3% three point percentage is pretty damn good.

After a strong draft combine, Vaughn put on a sizzling performance in Santa Monica. From Chad Ford’s recap he noted “Vaughn had the best workout I've seen the past few weeks on the road. Crammed into the Boys & Girls Club in Santa Monica along with 150 scouts lining the walls, he put on a shooting show, effortlessly knocking down shots from everywhere on the floor, outshooting two of the better shooters in the draft -- Notre Dame's Pat Connaughton and Stanford's Anthony Brown.”

While Vaughn had a fairly inefficient freshman season, he also was able to learn more about his game given the increased opportunities provided to him. Often times Vaughn was asked to make decisions off of the pick and roll where he was able to explore his mid-range game in addition to a variety of floaters and soft shots in the paint. As an offensive player, Vaughn’s game is advanced and he has an ability to get shots in a plethora of ways which can also lend to taking difficult, low percentage shots while forcing the issue at times.

A perfect example came during Vaughn’s junior season in Minneapolis when he was going up against Tyus Jones in the Target Center. Vaughn hit a tough one-footed fade away jumper that led to Fred Hoiberg and Roy Williams shaking their head in disbelief. While he made this acrobatic shot, it then led to two even more difficult shots, both of which were missed. With talented teammates in the fold, the degree of difficulty in Vaughn’s shot attempts will decrease and his offensive efficiency will subsequently increase.

In addition, Vaughn is extremely young for his age. Right now he is still only 18 and won’t turn 19 until August making him one of the youngest players in the draft.

Concerns:

As far as concerns go, well those definitely exist. Along with his offensive shot selection, Vaughn gives the air of an alpha dog player. DraftExpress eloquently notes:

“Vaughn's skill-set dictates he would be best suited operating as a role-player at the NBA level, but his mentality and body language often looks like that of a star. While he's clearly very talented, and many laud his work ethic, there are quite a few question marks about his lack of discipline and whether he's unselfish enough to thrive in a competitive team setting, particularly when playing time needs to be earned.”

Could Vaughn cause chemistry issues on an already established playoff team? In an interview after his Wizards draft workout, Vaughn noted that the Wizards needed a guy to come off the bench behind Bradley Beal and John Wall to score the ball and he alluded to his ability to do that. Whether that positive attitude can continue remains to be seen.

Thoughts From A Former Coach:

As a senior in high school, Vaughn left the friendly confines of Minnesota to enhance his game at Findlay Prep. While there Vaughn played with another potential lottery pick in Kelly Oubre. While honing his game in Henderson, NV, current Findlay Prep head coach Andy Johnson said “He learned how to play with other good players and they pushed each other.”

Coach Johnson also had high praise for Vaughn’s future noting “I think he’s going to have a real good career. The sky is the limit and he’s so young for his age. He’s such a hard worker and a gym rat and that really translates at every level. He’s a kid that will put the work in and he’ll keep pushing himself to be great. His ability to shoot is what really, really stands out. Shooting is at a premium now with how the game is being played at every level, especially the NBA. With his great personality that he’s got, very outgoing, great teammate, and like I said earlier, his ability to work, you put that all together and I think he’s going to have a great NBA career.

He’s got a chance to be a really, really good player just due to the fact that he’s more than just a shooter. For the first time in a long time he’s 100 percent healthy right now. He’s been able to put in a lot of work without being hurt finally and all of the aspects of his game are starting to come together.”

Conclusion:

Rashad Vaughn did not have an ideal freshman year at UNLV and there are definitely question marks surrounding him. As expected, his usage rate was high and his effectiveness was low and it all ended after just 23 games.

That being said, Vaughn will be ready to put up points from the time he enters the league. With textbook form, Vaughn’s shot will be effortless from three and he will be able to score in a variety of ways while spacing the floor which is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving NBA game. Right now, it appears that teams with draft picks in the 20’s are looking at Vaughn, but it will soon be apparent that teams with earlier picks will regret passing on one of the more underrated players in the draft. 

Class of 2014 Look Back: Part 1

The 2014 recruiting class did not come in as hyped as the 2013 class with Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and others but it certainly produced. While the freshmen class took an early hit with Emmanuel Mudiay’s departure to China, the number one ranked player in Jahlil Okafor put together an All-American season. Certain players exceeded their ranking like D’Angelo Russell who was the main surprise out of the Top 25 players and then there were others such as Cliff Alexander that did not live up to the hype in their inaugural college season. In each recap, the year-end high school rankings are provided along with Sports Illustrated’s projected stats from the pre-season.

Note: Rankings are from the Recruiting ServicesConsensus Index which takes the rankings from Scout, Rivals, ESPN, etc to form a "consensus."

1.       Jahlil Okafor, 6’11”, C, Duke

Actual:              MPG: 30.7 PPG: 17.6 RPG: 9.2 APG: 1.5 ORTG: 117.2 (27.5)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 16.1 RPG: 9.1 APG: 1.1 ORTG: 121 (24)

The top ranked high school recruit certainly lived up to his top billing in his one year at Duke. The big man from Chicago dominated from the get-go and scored in double-figures in 30 out of 31 games while shooting 67% from the field. Okafor scored a career high 30 points in a win against Virginia Tech and frequently used his size and strength to bully opposing big men down low. Despite struggling from the line, Okafor recently was named the ACC player of the year and is also a front runner for national player of the year. The projected top pick in the draft is now looking to lead the Blue Devils to the final four for just the second time in 12 years.

Rank: Scout - #1, ESPN - #1, Rivals - #1, 247 - #6

2.       Emmanuel Mudiay, 6’5”, PG, China

Mudiay’s journey is well documented so I will just link to the ESPN articles written about him in the last week. The athletic guard could have benefited from a year under Larry Brown, but he is still a projected Top 5 draft pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

Rank: Scout - #2, ESPN - #5, Rivals - #2, 247 - #1

3.       Stanley Johnson, 6’7”, SF, Arizona

Actual:              MPG: 28.2 PPG: 13.9 RPG: 6.6 APG: 1.8 ORTG: 107.6 (27)     

SI Projections:                           PPG: 13.4 RPG: 5.6 APG: 1.6 ORTG:  1115 (23)

PAC 12 Freshmen of the Year? Eh, not bad.

Stanley Johnson made a steady climb to the top of the rankings during his junior and senior year, and his game is still on the upswing. In his first year in Tucson, the four-time California state champion replaced his former AAU teammate in Aaron Gordon and won the PAC-12 freshmen of the year award while also being named to the first team all-conference. Johnson led the Wildcats in scoring and even when he struggled scoring the ball he always managed to grab double-digit rebounds. Johnson’s main weakness coming into college centered on his three point shooting but he finished the regular season shooting 35%.

Rank: Scout - #3, ESPN - #7, Rivals - #3, 247 - #5

4.       Cliff Alexander, 6’8”, PF, Kansas

Actual:              MPG: 17.6 PPG: 7.1   RPG: 5.3 APG: 0.4 ORTG: 114.1 (20.5)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 11.7 RPG: 6.8 APG: 1.1 ORTG:  117 (23)

It certainly wasn’t the season that anyone expected from “Big Cliff.” After a summer spent dominating the EYBL and high school scene, it was a rough adjustment to the college game for Alexander. Lacking refined offensive moves, Alexander struggled to earn Bill Self’s trust early on. He put together a strong game in Austin with 15 points and nine rebounds to lead the Jayhawks to an early road win, but it was mostly downhill after that. Alexander played just six minutes in a loss to West Virginia and scored just a combined 21 points in his next two games. His freshmen season then came to a quick end when the NCAA began to investigate a loan for his mother last week. Back in his high school days, Alexander constantly played Okafor to stand-offs, but while one Chicago native soared the other faltered.  

Rank: Scout - #6, ESPN - #3, Rivals - #4, 247 - #4

5.       Karl Anthony-Towns, 7’0”, C, Kentucky

Actual:              MPG: 20.7 PPG: 9.7 RPG: 6.6 APG: 1.2 ORTG: 121.6 (23.6)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 10.3 RPG: 6.1 APG: 0.7 ORTG:  115 (23)

Towns showed his vast potential last year at both the McDonald’s All-American practices and the Hoop Summit game and despite playing under 21 minutes a game, he is now making a run at the top pick in the NBA draft. Towns sits at No. 2 in Ken Pomeroy’s player of the year rankings and is shooting 56% from the floor and almost 80% from the line. Scouts love his versatility and defensive prowess to go along with his potential pick and pop ability.

Rank: Scout - #4, ESPN - #9, Rivals - #5, 247 - #2

6.       Myles Turner, 7’0”, C, Texas

Actual:              MPG: 22.9 PPG: 10.8 RPG: 6.6 BPG: 2.8 ORTG: 111.2 (24)      

SI Projections:                           PPG: 12.3 RPG: 8.2                   ORTG:  121 (21)

It’s been a tumultuous season in Austin. One that started with high hopes has the Longhorns clawing for a NCAA tourney bid. While Texas struggled in the Big XII, Myles Turner was named the conference freshmen of the year and averaged almost three blocks per game. The seven footer had four double-doubles on the year including a 25 point, 12 rebound performance against TCU. He also hit 16 three’s on the year, although at just a 25% clip. Texas will need a strong showing in the Big XII conference tournament in order for Turner to get a few more games on the national stage.

Rank: Scout - #5, ESPN - #2, Rivals - #9, 247 - #7

7.       Tyus Jones, 6’1”, PG, Duke

Actual:              MPG: 33.1 PPG: 11.8 RPG: 3.7 APG: 5.7 ORTG: 124.7 (19.9)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 12.3 RPG: 3.6 APG: 4.9 ORTG:  117 (22)

As a high school sophomore, Jones was labeled the best point guard in high school. Now in his first year in college, Jones was handed the keys to the offense on day one in Durham. Jones received high praise from his coach for his high level of play and was rewarded by being named to the ACC All-Freshmen team. When the stage gets brighter for Duke, Jones always manages to kick his game into another gear. On the road In Madison he went for 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists and most recently in Chapel Hill Jones scored 24 points to go with six rebounds, and seven assists. As a junior, Jones was the No. 1 player in his class and while he took a slight tumble at the end of his senior year (due to his NBA potential), Jones has proved to be one of the best point guards in the game.

Rank: Scout - #9, ESPN - #4, Rivals - #7, 247 - #8

8.       Kelly Oubre, 6’7”, SF, Kansas

Actual:              MPG: 20.4 PPG: 9.0 RPG: 5.1 APG: 0.8 ORTG: 111.1 (21.6)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 10.6 RPG: 4.4 APG: 1.2 ORTG:  117 (23)

Oubre’s early season struggles were well documented, but the sinewy wing bounced back to put together a decent showing in conference play. The 6’7” Oubre knocked in his three’s at a 37% clip and scored in double figures in his last four conference games including a 12 point, 10 rebound against Oklahoma. The Jayhawks suffered an early loss last year in the tournament and Bill Self will need Oubre to be on top of his game from here on out.

Rank: Scout - #7, ESPN - #11, Rivals - #6, 247 - #3

9.       Justin Jackson, 6’8”, SF, North Carolina

Actual:              MPG: 26.3 PPG: 10.1 RPG: 3.8 APG: 2.5 ORTG: 112.9 (19.3)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 13.1 RPG: 5.7 APG: 1.5 ORTG:  117 (22)

The ultra-thin Jackson started every game for the Tar Heels and was named to the ACC all-freshmen team. He averaged 10.1 points during the year and had some very efficient games but also some games where he disappeared and seemed to struggle with the physicality of the college game. In his first ACC game Jackson scored 13 points on 6-8 shooting but then later on he only played 17 minutes in a road loss to Duke going just 1-8. He loves his floater and while it found the bottom of the net a fair amount of the time, Jackson also seemed to rush it as well. The Texas native scored in double figures in his last five games, but struggled from the three point line on the season shooting under 25%. It was a solid regular season from Jackson, but it was evident that he will need to add some weight for his sophomore season.

Rank: Scout - #10, ESPN - #8, Rivals - #11, 247 - #9

10.   Rashad Vaughn, 6’5”, SG, UNLV

Actual:              MPG: 32.2 PPG: 17.8 RPG: 4.8 APG: 1.6 ORTG: 101.3 (28.9)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 16.0 RPG: 6.7 APG: 2.3 ORTG:  118 (23)

The high scoring Vaughn had his season end early with a torn meniscus. While healthy, Vaughn averaged almost 18 points per game, but shot just 44% from the field. It’s no surprise that Vaughn was a high usage and low efficiency type player. He was given the freedom to shoot almost any time he wanted at UNLV and while talented, he forced the issue at times with no repercussions. Sometimes this was a good thing like when he scored 21 points in an upset of Arizona and sometimes a bad thing when he went 4-19 against Stanford and Temple. It looked like Vaughn was turning the corner before his injury as he scored 30 points on 12-21 shooting against Colorado State and then 18 points on 5-11 shooting in his last game. Vaughn definitely wanted to be a one and done player, but will his injury keep him in school another year?

Rank: Scout - #8, ESPN - #19, Rivals - #8, 247 - #13

11.   Kevon Looney, 6’8”, F, UCLA

Actual:              MPG: 31.5 PPG: 12.3 RPG: 9.5 APG: 1.5 ORTG: 113.2 (20.8)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 10.1 RPG: 5.9 APG: 0.8 ORTG:  112 (21)

Looney wasn’t the top rookie in the PAC-12, but he was certainly one of the top freshmen in the country. He started the year with a bang and was often a lone bright spot on a UCLA team that struggled in non-conference play. The Milwaukee native can be considered a stretch four and he showed his ability to score inside and out (20-45 from 3PT). The second team all PAC-12 player had his best game in a loss to Stanford with 27 points and 19 rebounds and was a double-double machine in conference play. With his versatility, Looney is looking like a likely lottery pick after one year in Westwood.

Rank: Scout - #15, ESPN - #12, Rivals - #10, 247 - #11

12.   Trey Lyles, 6’10”, PF, Kentucky

Actual:              MPG: 21.9 PPG: 8.3 RPG: 5.0 APG: 1.2 ORTG: 114.4 (20.2)    

Trey Lyles left high school as one of the most polished offensive players. He could score with a variety of moves in the post and had a nice touch on his outside jump shot. While playing on the undefeated Wildcats, Lyles has continued to show his offensive skills while playing both forward positions. He’s often played small forward and while he lacks some lateral quickness he has been stellar curling around picks on the offensive end for mid-range jump shots. Lyles has hit over 50% of his shots, but struggles when he gets past 19 feet shooting just 14%.

Rank: Scout - #11, ESPN - #16, Rivals - #13, 247 - #17

13.   Justise Winslow, 6’7”, SF, Duke

Actual:              MPG: 28.8 PPG: 12.4 RPG: 5.8 APG: 2.0 ORTG: 110.5 (22.2)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 10.1 RPG: 4.3 APG: 1.3 ORTG:  112 (20)

Just like Okafor and Jones, Justise Winslow started for Duke from the first game. He began his career with five straight double figure scoring games and was a match-up problem due to his strength and quickness. His main weakness coming out of high school revolved around his outside shooting, but he hit a three in each of his first 15 games. Winslow struggled in January when Duke lost to N.C. State and Miami and scored just 12 points in four games. He came alive in a comeback win at Virginia and exceled while playing the “four” for Duke. He started Duke’s comeback against North Carolina in Durham and shot over 50 % in his final six ACC games.

Rank: Scout - #12, ESPN - #15, Rivals - #12, 247 - #15

14.   Isaiah Whitehead, 6’4”, G, Seton Hall

Actual:              MPG: 27.8 PPG: 12.0 RPG: 3.9 APG: 3.5 ORTG: 90.8 (29.6)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 12.6 RPG: 3.9 APG: 1.9 ORTG:  109 (24)

Isaiah Whitehead was named to the all Big East freshmen team; however he did not have the freshman of the year type season that was expected out of the Brooklyn product. The 6’4” guard has a picture perfect form on his jump shot, but just like Rashad Vaughn, Whitehead took a lot of tough, contested shots and finished the regular season shooting just 36% with an overall paltry 90.8 ORTG. Whitehead had two stellar back to back games in December when he scored 48 points against Rutgers and Wichita State on 17-30 shooting but he then missed nine games from late December through January with an injury and never really regained his mojo in conference play. He shot less than 50% in all of these February and March contests and finished with just two points in his last match-up against Georgetown.

Rank: Scout - #14, ESPN - #14, Rivals - #16, 247 - #10

15.   Theo Pinson, 6’6”, SF, North Carolina

Actual:              MPG: 13.7 PPG: 3.2 RPG: 3.4 APG: 1.7 ORTG: 104.5 (16.0)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 8.5 RPG: 3.8 APG: 1.1 ORTG:  112 (19)

It was tough sledding for the athletic small forward in Chapel Hill this year. Coming off the bench, Pinson struggled to make much of an impact on the offensive end. With an unorthodox shooting motion, defenses sagged off and begged him to shoot outside jump shots (7-25 overall from 3PT). The high energy wing did not make it into double digits on the season, but he did have his best game in a home loss to UNC. In the loss, Pinson scored seven points (in a matter of minutes) to go with eight rebounds. His confidence was at an all-time high giving Tar Heel fans a glimpse of the Pinson’s potential. In late January Pinson suffered a broken foot and missed 10 games before coming back to play against Georgia Tech and Duke. The athleticism is there for Pinson he just needs to work hard on fixing his shot mechanics.

Rank: Scout - #19, ESPN - #10, Rivals - #17, 247 - #14

16.   D’Angelo Russell, 6’5”, G, Ohio State

Actual:              MPG: 33.4 PPG: 19.2 RPG: 5.6 APG: 5.2 ORTG: 116.2 (30.1)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 13.3 RPG: 4.5 APG: 2.1 ORTG:  109 (24)

While Okafor was the best player out of this group, Russell had the most impressive rookie campaign. He was often over-shadowed in AAU and high school play (Kasey Hill, Ben Simmons, and Joel Berry), but the combo guard entered into the perfect scenario at Ohio State with ample playing time awaiting him in Columbus. He didn’t disappoint going for 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists in his first game and then adding 32 points and nine rebounds in his third game. At 6’5”, Russell used his combo guard skills to sky rocket up the draft charts and into consideration for the Big 10 player of the year talks. He led the conference in scoring and was second in assists and tied for 11^th in rebounding. Russell slapped together a triple double against Northwestern and shot an outstanding 42% from three on the year with his extremely quick release. Thad Matta probably thought he was getting more than one year out of Russell, but it is safe to say that he outplayed his high school ranking.

Rank: Scout - #13, ESPN - #13, Rivals - #18, 247 - #30

17.   Daniel Hamilton, 6’8” SF, UConn

Actual:              MPG: 30.8 PPG: 10.8 RPG: 7.6 APG: 3.6 ORTG: 94.7 (25.5)    

SI Projections:                           PPG: 10.3 RPG: 4.4 APG: 1.8 ORTG:  108 (22)

Hamilton did not turn out to be the most efficient of players, but he often put together impressive stat lines. The Cali native was named a unanimous selection to the American Athletic Conference all-freshmen team and also picked up honorable mention honors as well. The 6’8” wing had several double-doubles on the year including a 25 point, 13 rebound, seven assist game against Memphis. He also shot a respectable 33% from behind the arc.

Rank: Scout - #21, ESPN - #30, Rivals - #14, 247 - #18

18.   Tyler Ulis, 5’8”, PG, Kentucky

Actual:              MPG: 22.9 PPG: 5.4 RPG: 1.7 APG: 3.6 ORTG: 120.4 (14.8)    

Ulis was another steady riser in the high school rankings and parlayed a strong senior season into becoming a Top 20 player. His numbers don’t jump out at you, but the diminutive guard was just what Calipari needed coming off the bench for his undefeated Wildcats. As one of the quickest guards in college, Ulis is a defensive pest that is allowed to gamble and disrupts the other team’s offense when he picks up his man full-court. He can get into the lane and has the ability to deliver pin point passes to his teammates on the wing or big men down low. He would start for most other teams in the country, but even though he averages just under 23 minutes a game he has certainly produced while on the court.

Rank: Scout - #20, ESPN - #25, Rivals - #21, 247 - #20

19.   Chris McCullough, 6’10”, PF, Syracuse

Actual:              MPG: 28.1 PPG: 9.3 RPG: 6.9 BPG: 2.1 ORTG: 92.5 (21.3)       

SI Projections:                           PPG: 9.3 RPG: 5.3                    ORTG:  108 (23)

In a forgettable season for the Orange, McCullough showed flashes off potential including a 20 point, nine rebound, three block game in November against Iowa but then suffered a torn ACL as ACC play began in January. The lanky big man scored in double figures in his first eight games, but then finished his next eight games scoring in single digits. The 6’10” New Yorker averaged 2.1 blocks a game and will be a key cog next season for Jim Boeheim.

Rank: Scout - #18, ESPN - #24, Rivals - #19, 247 - #32

20.   Devin Robinson, 6’8” SF, Florida

Actual:              MPG: 19.1 PPG: 6.4 RPG: 2.9 APG: 0.7 ORTG: 94.8 (21)          

SI Projections:                           PPG: 8.6 RPG: 4.2 APG: 1.2 ORTG:  112 (20)

The lanky wing was named to the all-SEC Freshmen team after recording double figures in five of his last eight conference games. While Robinson has good size for a wing, he will need some more time in the weight room to realize his full potential. Robinson struggled from the floor (as did Florida as a whole) and shot just 40% from the field and 25% from three. Robinson was a late bloomer in high school and will most likely see a big jump as a sophomore in Gainesville.

Rank: Scout - #16, ESPN - #23, Rivals - #20, 247 - #24

21.   James Blackmon, 6’4”, SG, Indiana

Actual:              MPG: 30.1 PPG: 15.8 RPG: 5.3 APG: 1.4 ORTG: 114.2 (24.9)  

SI Projections:                           PPG: 11.8 RPG: 3.9 APG: 1.9 ORTG:  108 (23)

James Blackmon was the best shooter in high school and he certainly didn’t disappoint hitting 69 three’s throughout his first year in Bloomington. The Hoosiers were looking for a scorer and Blackmon fit that role. He scored 20 plus points in four of his first six games. He finished 13^th in the Big 10 in scoring and had one of his best games against Minnesota when he poured in 24 points on 6-10 from three.

Rank: Scout - #33, ESPN - #20, Rivals - #22, 247 - #12

22.   Dwayne Morgan, 6’8”, F, UNLV

Actual:              MPG: 17.2 PPG: 5.6 RPG: 3.0 APG: 0.4 ORTG: 86.0 (21.7)      

SI Projections:                           PPG: 9.4 RPG: 5.2 APG: 1.3 ORTG:  108 (20)

Morgan has the honor of producing the lowest ORTG of any top 25 player. The Baltimore native struggled early on in conference play but looks to have found his groove as of late. In mid-January to mid-February Morgan went just 5-30 over a seven game stretch before going 6-6 against Utah State. Morgan finished the year with two double figure scoring games.

Rank: Scout - #26, ESPN - #39, Rivals - #15, 247 - #25

23.   Devin Booker, 6’5”, SG, Kentucky

Actual:              MPG: 21.8 PPG: 10.9 RPG: 1.8 APG: 1.3 ORTG: 124.1 (21.3)  

Devin Booker is another guard that has vaulted up the NBA draft charts with a stellar first year. He finished the regular season with a 124.1 ORTG and was also named the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. The second leading scorer on the Wildcats finished the season shooting 43.6% from behind the arc and was routinely in double-figures for Kentucky. More than just a shooter, Booker can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket at times. In high school, Booker’s stroke was pure but he routinely struggled to put together an efficient game like he is doing now pretty much all the time. As a high usage AAU player, Booker shot just 43% from the field and 33% from three but now at Kentucky he has come into his own and is a key cog for the top team in basketball.

Rank: Scout - #29, ESPN - #18, Rivals - #29, 247 - #22

24.   Grayson Allen, 6’5”, SG, Duke

Actual:              MPG: 8.1 PPG: 4.0 RPG: 0.9 APG: 0.4 ORTG: 124.5 (21.4)      

Out of the top 25 players, Allen is the only one to average under 10 minutes a game. The high flying guard started his season off by scoring 18 points in his first game, but then became relatively non-existent for a long stretch after that. He recorded numerous scoreless games and DNP’s in December and had scored a total of just 10 points in conference play while Rasheed Sulaimon was on the time. After Sulaimon’s dismissal Allen’s playing time has increased and he scored a career high 27 points against Wake Forest and followed that up with seven points against UNC. Allen was stuck to the bench for most of the season, but is starting to perform as of late.

Rank: Scout - #22, ESPN - #21, Rivals - #28, 247 - #39

25.   Joel Berry, 6’0”, PG, North Carolina

Actual:              MPG: 12.3 PPG: 3.5 RPG: 0.7 APG: 1.9 ORTG: 110.6 (15.6)    

Similar to teammate Theo Pinson, Joel Berry’s freshman season has not exactly gone to plan. Early on Berry struggled to get minutes playing behind Marcus Paige and Nate Britt, but he did have his moments which included a five point, four assist effort against Ohio State in December. In ACC play, Berry has missed a total of eight games due to injury and sickness and just recently recorded his first double-digit scoring game of the year (15 points against Georgia Tech). His playing time also started to increase as he became the first point guard off the bench for the Tar Heels but only received seven minutes in a home finale against Duke. For the three time Florida player of the year it was certainly and up and down first season although glimpses of his ability to lead a team were certainly shown at times.

Rank: Scout - #34, ESPN - #17, Rivals - #27, 247 - #50

Freshmen Tracker: March Edition

One week remains in the college regular season for this year’s impact freshmen to make their move. Okafor and Russell have the top two spots locked up, but Melo Trimble jumps up to No. 3 and Winslow goes from outside the Top 10 to number six on the Freshmen Tracker.

1.       Okafor, C, Duke

18.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 66.3 FG%

Okafor needed a game to recover from his ankle injury suffered during the UNC game and he scored 30 points in his return in a close overtime win at Virginia Tech. Okafor only scored 13 on Saturday against Syracuse but added 14 boards. The top rated recruit in the 2014 high school class has also been the top freshmen throughout the year and is in the front running for ACC Player of the Year and also the National Player of the Year. The only down fall for Okafor right now comes at the charity stripe. He’s shooting 52.5% and is just 5-22 in his last three games.

2.       D’Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State

18.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.4 apg

Russell has gone the last five games shooting under 50% from the field, but spurred the Ohio State comeback on Sunday night against Purdue. The 6’5” freshman finished with 28 points and seven rebounds and was fantastic in the second half. Despite the low shooting percentage, Russell has still knocked in two or more three’s in 11 of his last 12 games. He’s scored in double figures in every game this year besides his second game of his career against Marquette and has been one of the best players throughout Big 10 play.

3.       Melo Trimble, PG, Maryland

16.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg

The Terps have quietly won five in a row in Big 10 play and they just notched a pair of home wins against Wisconsin and Michigan in the past week. During the winning streak, Trimble has been scoring just under 20 points per game. He struggled for a few games in the middle of conference play, but Trimble has helped revitalize the Maryland program in their first year of Big 10 play.

4.       Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona

14.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.8 apg

Playing for one of the top teams in the country, Stanley Johnson took over the early role as Arizona’s leading scorer. He’s had significant struggles from the field in two of his last three games, but managed to grab double-digit rebounds in both. In the primetime Saturday match-up, Johnson went just 3-19 from the field just one week after going 1-9 against UCLA. Despite the poor performances, Johnson is a lock for first team all Pac-12 for an Arizona team that is looking for their first final four appearance under Sean Miller.

5.       Karl Anthony-Towns, PF, Kentucky

9.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 56.0 FG%

Anthony-Towns is still only playing 20 minutes per game on an undefeated Kentucky team, but with his play he is starting to get more consideration for the No. 1 pick in this summer’s draft. Over his last five games, Anthony-Towns has missed just three shots (20-23) and sits at No. 5 in the Ken Pomeroy player of the year ratings due to his 121.2 offensive efficiency rating. He also put up double-doubles in wins over Auburn and Mississippi State.

6.       Justise Winslow, F, Duke

12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg

Justise Winslow makes the biggest leap from the last Top 10 rankings as he previously just missed the cut. Winslow made a key defensive stop against Brice Johnson in the final minutes of Duke’s comeback win and then subsequently took advantage of his offensive miss-match by hitting an open three and a driving and one. Winslow then went for 20 points and 13 rebounds against Clemson, 15 points and seven rebounds at Virginia Tech, and 23 points and nine rebounds against Syracuse.

7.       Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA

12.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg

The Milwaukee native hasn’t recorded a double-double since UCLA’s win over Oregon; however the lanky freshmen is still a double-double machine. Over his last six games, Looney has been on a quiet tear from three going 10-16 from behind the arc making him a viable pick and pop threat. Looney recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in his last game as UCLA moved to 10-7 in Pac-12 play.

8.       Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

11.1 ppg, 43.6 3PT%

Booker has come down back to earth a bit over the last few games; however the freshman reserve is still the co-leading scorer for the top ranked Wildcats at 11.1 points per game in just under 22 minutes. He’s scored in double figures over his last four games and is shooting 43.6% from behind the arc and 83% from the line.

9.       James Blackmon Jr., SG, Indiana

15.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 82.4% FT’s

The sweet shooting Indiana guard has teamed up with Yogi Ferrell to re-unite the Bloomington faithful. He struggled in an upset loss at Northwestern going just 1-10 from the floor, but Blackmon is hitting 39.4% from three and just put together a 17 point, seven rebound performance against Rutgers.  

10.   Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

11.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.7 apg

Yes, having Tyus Jones on the list gives Duke three players in the top ten; however the highly regarded freshman has lived up to his billing as the best pure point in the freshman class. Jones keyed Duke’s comeback win against UNC recording 22 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists including the game winning lay-up. His turnovers are up as are his minutes. Will his legs start to go over the next few weeks?

                

Daniel Hamilton, SF, UConn

10.8  ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.6 apg

By no means is Daniel Hamilton having an efficient freshman season (94.9 ORTG) and he certainly isn’t shooting well from the field (40%), but he is certainly filling up the stat sheet. The 6’8” Hamilton put together a strong February in AAC play highlighted by a 25 point, 13 rebound, seven assist performance against Memphis and a 16 point, seven rebound game in a win against SMU. Despite the lackluster field goal percentage, Hamilton is hitting three’s at a 35% clip.

Players that just missed the cut:

·         Eric Paschall (Fordham)

·         Myles Turner (Texas)

·         Riley LaChance (Vanderbilt)

·         Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga)

·         Schadrac Casimir (Iona)

Who did I miss? Send me a tweet @seanmohoops

Peach Jam - Day 2: The Stanley Show

Day two of the Peach Jam started off with competitive games and finished with a buzzer beater at almost 11pm. College coaches crammed the court as several big names continued to make their presence known in North Augusta. There were several fine performances, but there was one player that stood above the rest.

Player of the Day:

Stanley Johnson, 6’7”, F, 2014, Oakland Soldiers

Easily the player of the day, senior forward Stanley Johnson put on a show during the two games he played in on Friday. In the first set of morning games, John Calipari, Coach K, and the majority of the Pac-12 had their eyes on Stanley Johnson and he did not disappoint with his play. He began the game scoring from all areas on the court. A few three’s, a floater, and an and-one were on display early on. Johnson bullied his way to the basket as usual, but also displayed some grace with spin moves and pull-up jump shots in traffic. With big man Ivan Rabb dealing with foul trouble, Johnson also cleaned up on the defensive boards with 14 total rebounds. In a back and forth affair, Johnson finished with 33 points on 12-22 shooting including 3-5 from the three point line and gave the coaches that came a show in the early morning.

In the last game of the night against the undefeated CP3 team, Johnson went for 24 points and 11 rebounds on 10-17 shooting including the game winner with 0.3 seconds on the clock. After L.J. Peak tied the game on two free throws there was little doubt about who was going to take the last shot. After getting to the lane at will, Johnson drove to the basket one more time for the final shot. Starting from the left side of the court, Johnson quickly left Peak in the dust with a crossover and lofted up a soft floater from five feet out that found nothing but the bottom of the net. Simply unstoppable all day long, Johnson wants a chance to defend his EYBL title. 

Session 1: 17U

Abdul Malik Abu, 6’8”, 2014, Expressions Elite

Abu stepped up his game in the second half against the Oakland Soldiers and despite a losing effort finished with 19 points on 8-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. Abu started off the game guarding junior Ivan Rabb. While he gave up two inches to Rabb, he used his additional muscle to uproot Rabb from his position and put the talented big men in early foul trouble. At the start of the game, Abu hit a right handed hook shot and scored several other times down low using his strength advantage. He also knocked in a three pointer for good measure. He plays hard every minute in the game and gave the Soldiers all they could handle throughout the contest. 

Camron Justice, 6’2”, SG, 2015, Travelers Basketball

Before his game, the junior shooting guard got in a few extra practice shots as his coach reminded him to keep his feet set. The extra attention to detail paid off as Justice went 6-9 from the field for 17 points. Despite being an inch or two shorter than the ideal shooting guard position, Justice displayed a quick release and never tried to force any shots. He excelled in the first half as he hit a three and numerous 12-15 foot jump shots. His height is not ideal for high majors, but his skill set will certainly delight a school like Belmont that watched his every move.  

Reid Travis, 6’8”, PF, 2014, Howard Pulley

Travis dominated down low from the opening tip against the Travelers Basketball squad. With a size and strength advantage down low, he went 11-13 from the field and 7-8 from the foul line to finish with 29 points and 10 rebounds. One of the top performers throughout the spring and summer circuit Travis has shown no signs of slowing down despite his busy schedule. Travis excels in the post and can also step out to his a medium range jump shot which he did against Tennessee. 

Session 2: 17U

Deadrick Lawson, 6’8”, F, 2016, Team Penny

In a hard fought and competitive game, it was the rising sophomore that took control in the second half and led his team to victory. Even though Lawson was the youngest player on the team this did not stop him from dominating in the last five minutes as he finished with 28 points and 7 rebounds. With a taller defender on him in Nana Foulland, Lawson drained all three of his three pointers from the top of the key allowing Team Penny to pull away. While he shoots more of a set shot from outside the paint, his shots dropped through the net without touching the rim. Lawson also added in a spin move down low and crashed the boards for points after offensive rebounds. Even though he was the youngest player on the court, Lawson showed a veteran’s resolve in the second half. 

Bennie Boatwright, 6’8”, SF, 2014, Cal Supreme

If Boatwright managed to get his feet set behind the line it was close to a guarantee that his outside shot was going in during his game against Each 1 Teach 1,. Despite a loss, Boatwright went 6-9 from behind the line and finished with 20 points. His lone basket inside the paint came after a miss where he followed his shot for an offensive rebound and a lay-up. The game started off with Boatwright nailing three’s and then he caught fire again during the second half as well. While he usually has a height advantage on his defender, he prefers to operate from the outside and did so to the best of his abilities on Friday night.

Alex Owens, 6’9”, PF, 2015, E1T1

The big bodied power forward had a great game off the bench for the lone remaining undefeated team. Owens finished with 16 points on 6-6 shooting with 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Despite his 250 pounds, Owens is extremely nimble on his feet, has great hands, and is an absolute beast on the boards. When in the game on offense he primarily ran the pick and roll with point guard Joel Berry which resulted in open looks for Berry or lay-ups down low for Owens after rolling to the basket. This performance against an athletic Cal Supreme frontcourt had college coaches taking note. 

Other Notes:

L.J. Peak had two solid games on Friday for CP3. In the morning session against Meanstreets, Peak scored 15 points on 5-10 shooting with 8 rebounds. He matched up against his old high school teammate Paul White and looked to play with more energy than normal as he was familiar with all of the Chicago kids from this past high school season. In the evening session, Peak had 19 points on 6-12 shooting and hit two free throws to tie the game before Stanley Johnson hit the game winner. 

Paul White was finally playing up to his potential during the first three games in Peach Jam. Against CP3 he went for 20 points and 10 rebounds; however his run came to a quick end on Friday night as he suffered an injury that knocked him out of the game and if the rumors are true about a forearm fracture could keep him out for much longer.  

The last game of the night on court 3 featured Houston Hoops vs. the Mac Irvin Fire. Five top 15 players were featured in the starting line-ups which caused a packed house on both the court where the coaches sit and from the view above where the fans gather. After a close first half, Houston pulled away to take an 80-69 victory. The wing trio for Houston all scored in double digits led by Justin Jackson’s 23 points.

In the point guard match-up of the night, Tyus Jones went for 24 points and 7 assists in an overtime win, while Tyler Ulis had 22 points and a whopping 17 assists.

The games were not part of the Peach Jam and were in a remote gym a few miles away, but the big name coaches found their way to watch Ahmed Hill and Devin Booker. Tom Crean and several SEC and ACC coaches to watch Hill turn in a fine second half performance in which he scored 19 points and hit three second half three’s against an over-matched opponent. After Hill’s game, the playoffs began in the Elite Youth Invitational and Booker’s team took on a different over-matched opponent. With Izzo and Calipari on hand, Booker scored 13 points in the first three minutes and Alabama was up 45-9 at one point. Despite the lack of competition in these games, the college coaches still took some time away from Peach Jam to see their big name recruits.