- Larry Johnson SG, Creighton: From a fit perspective, Larry Johnson is perfect for Greg McDermott’s squad. It all starts with the physical tools. Johnson is both a high flier and a bully. He embraces contact on drives and has a potent euro step if he feels the need to step around defenders. He’s more comfortable attacking downhill than being a pure spot-up shooter, but his ability to create his own shot shouldn’t be ignored. He’s a tireless worker on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive boards. He’s not the kind of guard who solely relies on his athleticism for high-flying dunks or exciting layups. He uses it to win back possessions. Don’t be surprised if he starts competing with Ryan Kalkbrenner for boards during the season.
- How it Goes Well: Johnson will have to hustle and put extra effort into the glass for minutes. He’s capable of outworking guys and providing a spark with the energy he brings to the court. He must fill that role, especially by shooting the ball well offensively. Creighton has had issues with bench depth the last couple of seasons, so McDermott will be looking for someone who can provide quality rotation minutes.
- How It Goes Wrong: I can’t imagine that Larry Johnson was too thrilled to hear about Fedor Zugic’s arrival. It adds another big guard to that Creighton rotation who also has multiple years of professional Euroleague experience. Add transfers Pop Isaacs and Jamiya Neal into the mix, along with a couple of redshirt returners and Steven Ashworth, and it could spell trouble for Johnson if he can’t deliver quickly.
- Emmanuel Stephen C, Arizona: Despite the return of Motiejus Krivas, there’s still an Oumar Ballo-shaped hole in the Arizona frontcourt. Although Krivas had a productive season this past year off the bench for Ballo, Stephen’s explosiveness, paired with his high-level pick-and-roll game, makes him a prime contender to steal that starting spot and have a massive impact on his new Wildcat squad. Although he may seem a bit slender at 215 pounds unofficially, Stephen plays like a force. He’s a defensive stalwart with elite mobility to guard on the perimeter and the strength and athleticism to deter drivers. He’s a tenacious rebounder fast enough to grab a board on one end and beat the opposing big man down the lane.
- How it Goes Well: Stephen may be a backup to Krivas, given the lack of center depth. Tommy Lloyd was more than willing to reward Krivas’ high intensity with plenty of minutes, so expect Stephen to reap some of the same rewards this upcoming season if he can dominate the paint on both ends. Krivas is a bit heftier than Stephen, but Stephen has an edge in explosiveness and is much more capable of switching out onto the perimeter. If Stephen can extend his shooting range slightly, that would give him another substantial edge over Krivas or returning redshirt freshman Henri Veesaar.
- How It Goes Wrong: Stephen gets beat out by both Krivas and Veesaar. Given the inexperienced nature of the centers in the Arizona frontcourt, I expect Tommy Lloyd to give everyone a chance to prove themselves. Stephen is going to have to make his minutes count. He may need to put on a few pounds to deal with the increased physical nature inside, but in the short term, he’ll have to be tenacious. If he can’t replicate what Krivas did to earn minutes last year, he may be in for a rough season.
- Patrick Ndongba C, Duke: In just about any other Duke recruiting class, Ndongba is one of, if not the best recruit. If Khaman Maluach didn’t exist, Ndongba would be on the radar too much to earn a mention. Given Duke’s incredible recruiting class, Ndongba is a guy who is going unnoticed but should not be overlooked. He fits the mold of a modern-day center to a T. He’s got a multilevel scoring package at 6’11, including the ability to step out behind the 3-point line. He’s a dynamic P&R defender who can switch without being completely overwhelmed. He’s even got a developing handle, allowing him to put the ball on the floor. Maluach may be one of the Maine attractions (subtle shoutout to Cooper Flagg), but Ndongba is a real prospect in his own right.
- How It Goes Well: Ndongba’s ability to space the floor earns him minutes next to Maluach or Flagg. The only true centers on the roster are Ndongba and Maluach, and the ability to play next to either can allow Duke to run some absurdly large lineups without hampering their spacing. Unless Ndongba somehow outplays Maluach, he’s not getting a starting spot with Isaiah Evans, Devin Harris, and Flagg. He will have to provide Duke with matchup advantages by pairing with some of their stars to thrive.
- How It Goes Wrong: This Duke team is massive. The only player under 6’5 is grad transfer Spencer Hubbard. Even at 6’5, the only player is Caleb Foster. With so much size and length, even with Ndongba as a backup center option, the Blue Devils could decide to go with an array of 6’6-6’9 superstars and neglect entirely the 6’11 big man. This is especially likely if Ndongba can’t provide spacing and a dominant paint presence against other centers. In this scenario, Duke would opt to put an extra forward on the floor, which could provide more mismatches, rather than having an actual center.
- Vyctorius (VJ) Miller SG, LSU: While Jeremy Fears was the playmaker of the two at Compass Prep, Vy Miller was the potent scorer. Miller is a three-level-scoring threat who can excel both off the catch and off the dribble. He’s got a quick release, along with the ability to hit contested shots from long range, making him a defensive nightmare off ball. He’s pretty good on the ball too. Although he may not be the most prolific shot creator, he can get to his spots fairly regularly and excels at attacking closeouts, using his athleticism to generate shots over and around bigs at the rim. Miller is similarly tenacious on defense compared with Fears. He’s a bit longer and not quite as quick, but he can shut down an opposing guard.
- How It Goes Well: Vy shoots at a high clip. He will have to impress with some of the big-name transfers LSU brought in to revamp their depleted backcourt. What is the best way to do that? Come in, shoot the cover off the ball, and don’t go crazy shot-hunting. These guards are established, and Vy must be a weapon to warrant minutes. The one thing Vy has going for him is his size. At 6’5, he’s the second tallest guard on the roster, which could mean that if LSU decides to run three-guard lineups, he’ll likely be the third guard.
- How It Goes Wrong: Vy tries to be Brad Beal. Tyrell Ward is probably the best-returning player at LSU, and he’s comfortable in an off-ball role. Mikey Williams was a bench player last year who received plenty of minutes. Dji Bailey and Cam Carter bring experience and a pedigree. This is to say there are plenty of guards who already have proven they can win games with the ball in their hands. If Vy tries to do too much, he won’t have a long leash, especially if LSU looks good early.
- Darrion Sutton SF, Georgia Tech: Sutton is not the only OTE player who opted to stay in state and commit to Georgia Tech, joining former OTE competitor Jaeden Mustaf. Sutton has a glaring issue with taking outside shots, shooting just 2-12 from beyond the arc the entire season, including playoffs. However, he makes up for it in other areas. He played a lot of point forward for his RWE squad, showing a desire to bring the ball up and initiate the offense. His movement is so dynamic that he’s able to get to the rim through a variety of drives, give-and-go’s, and cuts. He’s a 2-way player who can guard at least 2-4 as a 6’8 forward with length and athleticism. Even if his ability to shoot isn’t quite there yet, he HAS to be willing to take outside shots; otherwise, he’ll be too much of a liability on a much improved Georgia Tech team that likely has playoff aspirations.
- How It Goes Well: Georgia Tech did a roster overhaul this past offseason, which is good and bad news for Sutton. The good news is that there are a lot of starting spots available, and Sutton has the versatility to play multiple positions. The bad news… there’s a lot of competition. If Sutton wants to see plenty of minutes, he must earn them on the defensive end. His ability to switch virtually 1-4 is a massive boon for any lineup that Mighty Mouse (Damon Stoudamire) wants to assemble. If Stoudamire wants to get up and down the court, Sutton’s court vision and versatility will make him a staple at Tech this season.
- How It Goes Wrong: It’s pretty simple for Sutton here. Shoot the ball!!! Even if he struggles from the perimeter to start, his ability to get downhill and create for others will alleviate that. However, if defenses know he isn’t going to shoot, he won’t be able to drift into the lane with the same ease he had in OTE. He will likely be given plenty of space, and if he hits a shot or 2, the entire floor will open up. However, if he doesn’t even take those shots, it will be tough for Stoudamire to justify putting him out on the floor.
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On The Clock’s Underrated Impact Freshmen Part 3/4
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