No Stone Unturned 2024: The Guards

Maxwell examines five under-the-radar guards with NBA potential. PLUS: Insights from two of their coaches!

Welcome to the latest installment of No Stone Unturned 2024! In this series of articles, I will be digging into players at different positions who are flying under the radar but warrant attention. For my methodology, I started by seeking out players with interesting statistical profiles or players who had popped on film for me this past season. From there, I compiled a list, worked my way through the film and data, then chose my favorites. I excluded prospects who have received rankings on mainstream Top 100 lists and early mock drafts or received an NBA Combine/G League Elite Camp invite. I’m looking for deeper cuts who aren’t receiving much love yet but still have a real crack at making a mark in the draft space. Today, we are looking at players best classified as guards.

Before we get down to business, make sure you’re following me on Twitter/X here! Also, if you missed the first two installments of the series, you can find the big men here, the first wing group here, the second wing group here, and the final wing group here. Now, let’s dig in!

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Ryan Conwell, 6’4”, Xavier, Junior

2023-2024 Season Stats (at Indiana State): 16.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 TOV, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG

2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 48.2/40.7/85.5

Signature Performance: vs. Utah. 27 points, six rebounds, four assists, one turnover, one steal, one block. 9-16 FG, 4-11 3FG, 5-6 FT.

Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):

-vs. Alabama. 16 points, 10 rebounds, four turnovers, three steals, one block. 5-13 FG, 4-8 3FG, 2-2 FT.
-vs. Bradley. 17 points, three rebounds, one assist, two turnovers, two steals. 6-13 FG, 4-8 3FG, 1-1 FT.
-vs. Drake. 17 points, five rebounds, three assists, three turnovers, one steal. 5-11 FG, 3-8 3FG, 4-4 FT.
-vs. Drake. 13 points, seven rebounds, one assist, two turnovers, three steals, one block. 6-11 FG, 1-4 3FG.
-vs. Utah. 27 points, six rebounds, four assists, one turnover, one steal, one block. 9-16 FG, 4-11 3FG, 5-6 FT.

Reminds me a little bit of: Immanuel Quickley, Seth Curry, Garrison Matthews

Background

Ryan Conwell played at Pike High School in Indianapolis. He was a 1,000-point scorer there and won the Marion County Player of the Year Award as a senior. Initially, most of his offers came from smaller programs, but he worked his way onto D-I radars. He chose South Florida over offers from IUPUI, Eastern Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Ball State, Appalachian State, Northern Kentucky, Milwaukee, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, Murray State, Nevada, Charlotte, and Virginia Tech.

To be blunt, Conwell’s freshman season wasn’t great. He scored 5.1 PPG with inefficient shooting splits of 34.0/30.0/81.6. However, he did get better as the year progressed. After the season, South Florida let go of Head Coach Brian Gregory, and Conwell hit the transfer portal. He landed at Indiana State, where he had a breakout sophomore campaign. Conwell earned All-Missouri Valley Second Team honors and played a big role on one of the best mid-major teams in the country. Once again, Conwell would be faced with a regime change, as Head Coach Josh Schertz would leave Indiana State for the St. Louis University job. Conwell entered the portal again, this time heading for Xavier.

I had the chance to speak with Adam Cohen, Xavier’s Associate Head Coach. When I asked what drew their program to Conwell, he noted: “We knew about Ryan prior to the season. Him being from Indianapolis, we knew about him. I actually recruited him a little bit [when I was] at Stanford, and he was on our radar then. When he went in the portal, we had a little familiarity with his game because we watched Indiana State. We had so much respect for how Indiana State played. His ability to make shots, the decision-making with the ball in his hands, and his great size…that’s something everybody would want.”

What’s Good

Ryan Conwell can shoot the absolute cover off the ball. The sweet-shooting lefty drained 40.7% of his threes on 11.6 attempts per 100 possessions. He was one of only seven Division-I players to hit 100 threes on over 40% efficiency this past season. The functionality of his shot is off the charts. First off, Conwell is already comfortable from NBA range. Even better, he can move into his shot effortlessly, whether he’s going to his right or his left. Conwell went a combined 40.4% on threes in transition, coming off handoffs, and flying off screens. His movement proficiency is a persistent headache for defenses. While his 32.7% on pull-up threes is more solid than great for a guard prospect, the fact that he took 49 of them and readily shoots when defenders go under ball screens is encouraging.

What separates Conwell from other “guard-sized shooters” is that he’s a reliable finisher who’s also got some juice as a playmaker. He ranked in the 97th percentile on pick-and-roll possessions including passes, per Synergy. Conwell is poised with the ball in his hands. “He’s got great size at 6’4”, 215. He has an ability to get downhill, and he’s a great finisher,” Cohen said. Conwell uses speed changes well to get inside and has the strength to play through contact at the rim. 26% of his halfcourt field goal attempts came at the rim, which is a rock-solid mark, especially for a specialist-level shooter. Even better, Conwell converted 60.4% of those attempts, which is awesome for a guard.

He can pass, too. While his 12.9 AST% and 1.5 A:TO don’t fly off the page, he has the basics down and reliably makes good, simple reads in the pick-and-roll. He finds openings quickly and never seems to sit on the ball for too long. Cohen remarked, “We think his passing is really underrated. He knows how to play in space and make the right reads…He’s incredibly smart. That’s an area where he’s really impressed us. He has a great feel for how to read coverages and read the help. We work a lot on that in our player development, and he already had a lot that coming in.” As he grows and receives a greater share of on-ball usage, it’s reasonable to expect that he can continue to expand upon that base.

He’s got something to offer defensively, too. Conwell really competes on that end of the floor. At 215 pounds, he’s got some meat on his bones, and I’d bet he’d also measure out well length-wise. “He’s prime for the Big East. It’s the perfect league for him. He can guard multiple types of guys on the perimeter. He can bury smaller guards. He thrives off the physicality of the game,” Cohen explained. He really seemed to relish the physicality that came along with guarding up the lineup when he was tasked with doing that. That said, at the next level, he’d likely be on other point guards a lot, and he’s good at that. He moves well laterally, displaying good reaction time in his feet, which prevents him from getting blown by. He uses his size well to wall off opponents and keep them out of the paint. Conwell works hard to navigate screens, and that effort pays off thanks to his foot speed and strength. Though not a stellar defensive playmaker, he’s an engaged off-ball defender who doesn’t get burned.

I also love that Conwell gets after it on the glass, posting a 16.1 DRB% more common among forwards than guards. “Defensive rebounds for guards lead to wins. We take a lot of pride in that. For him, it allows him to start the break. In an up-tempo, fast-paced system where guards can be pushers, it gets us into actions quicker. With more possessions and more initiators of offense, the better we’re going to be. Because he has great instincts, size, and physicality, it allows him to rebound and lead the break,” Coach Conwell said.

What Needs Improvement

The biggest question facing Ryan Conwell is whether or not he can become a true lead guard. Right now, he profiles more as a tertiary playmaker who would function best alongside a bigger primary initiator at the NBA level. That can work, but players like that are a dime a dozen. Conwell can make good decisions and his handle is solid, but he needs to refine his on-ball creation skills. Most of his turnovers come when he gets too sped up as an attacker. When he operates with pace, he better anticipates help and limits those mistakes. That said, Coach Cohen seemed optimistic about Conwell’s improvements and noted that he will play the 1 spot for them at times. Additionally, Cohen noted, “We are really working on deeper range, off the dribble threes, and creating space off the bounce. That’s a daily focus of ours.” By becoming more of a pull-up threat from deep, Conwell would be able to create even more openings as a passer and attacker. I’d also like to see Conwell build himself up athletically, too. He registered zero dunks last season. While his touch at the basket is sublime, a little more pop would only help him on both ends of the floor.

Conclusion

Ryan Conwell’s sophomore breakout campaign was one of the most pleasant surprises this past season. Still, there are questions. Front offices will want to see him prove that he can be a more traditional lead guard and advanced creator. As he heads to an established program in a tougher conference, nothing is going to get easier from here on out.

With that being said, I love how Conwell profiles to the NBA. He’s an excellent shooter with movement capabilities and limitless range. His touch on floaters, layups, and free throws is sublime. His shot diet is outstanding. He gets after it on defense, and he’s a force on the glass. He’s got strength and length. If he keeps developing his handle and ability to see the floor, he’ll have an ideal set of combo guard skills. His head is in the right place, with Coach Cohen telling me, “The thing that’s impressed us the most is his consistency and his maturity. He’s so competitive. He’s an elite-level competitor who cares as much about winning and losing as any competitor I’ve ever been around.”

It might not happen this year, but these traits bode extremely well for an NBA projection. The guards that have been sticking are bigger and bulkier. So much of an NBA role player's value is tied to their ability to hit threes and make good decisions. That’s Ryan Conwell. For those reasons, he’s on my radar now. If he makes another leap like the one he took last season, the 2025 draft might not be out of the question. I do think that come 2026, he should have himself firmly in the mix.

Augustas Marciulionis, 6’4”, Saint Mary’s, Senior

2023-2024 Season Stats: 12.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.0 TOV, 1.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 43.8/34.3/76.3

Signature Performance: vs. Pepperdine. 28 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal. 11-16 FG, 3-4 3FG, 3-4 FT.

Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):

-vs. New Mexico. Nine points, three rebounds, five assists, two turnovers, three steals. 2-9 FG, 0-2 3FG, 5-8 FT.
-vs. San Diego State. Zero points, two rebounds, one turnover. 0-5 FG, 0-3 3FG.
-vs. Boise State. 17 points, one rebound, four assists, five turnovers, five steals, one block. 7-12 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT.
-vs. Colorado State. 18 points, two rebounds, three assists. 8-11 FG, 2-4 3FG.
-vs. San Francisco. Nine points, nine rebounds, seven assists, four turnovers, two steals. 2-9 FG, 1-4 3FG, 4-6 FT.
-vs. Gonzaga. 11 points, three rebounds, four assists, one turnover, two steals. 4-9 FG, 2-6 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Gonzaga. 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three turnovers, two steals. 4-6 FG, 1-1 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Gonzaga. 13 points, four rebounds, eight assists, one turnover, two steals, two blocks. 5-11 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT.
-vs. Grand Canyon. 10 points, five rebounds, eight assists, five turnovers, one steal, one block. 3-9 FG, 1-3 3FG, 4-4 FT.

Reminds me a little bit of: Monte Morris, Tyus Jones, Zavier Simpson

Background

Augustas Marciulionis is the son of basketball legend and Hall of Famer Sarunas Marciulionis. At 16 years old, Augustas began playing for BC Perlas in Lithuania’s second pro division. He earned more playing time there during his second season but struggled with scoring efficiency. After two seasons with Perlas, he competed for Rytas Vilnius in Lithuania’s top division, again carving out a rotation spot. He has also represented Lithuania during various FIBA events. During this time, Marciulionis played under amateur contracts, which preserved his NCAA eligibility. He ended up enrolling at Saint Mary’s prior to the 2021-2022 season.

As a freshman, Marciulionis saw action in all 34 games for the Gaels. Still, he posted only 3.1 PPG on 30.4/18.3/83.9 splits. Things got better during his sophomore campaign. While he still played around 15 MPG, he was steadier as a passer and more efficient as a scorer. As a junior, Marciulionis put together a breakout season. He led the team in assists and steals per game while being their second-most prolific scorer. His play earned him the West Coast Conference Player of the Year Award, and he’ll be returning to Saint Mary’s for his senior season.

What’s Good

Augustas Marciulionis is a traditional, table-setting point guard who possesses a modern flare. He’s a great ball-handler. He generally keeps the ball low and tight to his body so that he doesn’t get his pocket picked. Marciulionis also does a stellar job of keeping his dribble alive, allowing him to string together counters while keeping defenders off balance. His herky-jerky movement patterns, constant directional changes, and footwork make him difficult to contain. An opponent may stop his penetration attempt once, only to then get beat a different way. At 6’4” and 195 pounds, opponents also can’t bump him off his line too easily, either. In conjunction, these tools and skills enable Marciulionis to get deep into the paint time and time again. Per Synergy, 49% of his halfcourt field goal attempts came at the rim.

What makes Marciulionis’s game sing, though, is how he punishes the defenses he so consistently collapses. He posted an outstanding 29 AST% this past season. His head is always up. He recognizes openings quickly, and he delivers passes sharply. It goes beyond the basics, though. Marciulionis has an advanced view of the floor and can make multiple reads out of ball screens. He’s great at finding spontaneous openings, and he uses unique, clever passing angles to get his teammates the best looks possible. Marciulionis can freeze defenses with dazzling no-look dimes. He’s comfortable firing out of his live dribble, particularly with his left hand. Even when his passes don’t directly lead to an assist, he does a great job at tipping over the first domino that gets a defense scrambling. Marciulionis is one of the most polished and potent playmakers in college hoops.

Marciulionis makes his mark on the defensive end, too. His positioning off the ball is fantastic. He does a great job of denying his man when necessary. His awareness prevents him from getting backdoored, and he’s always reliable for a steal when an opponent forces a pass on those types of scripted actions. Marciulionis has a great nose for loose balls and passing lanes. On the ball, he sits low in his stance and works to get around screens. His foot speed reactivity is solid, and he uses his hands well. His 3.4 DBPM and 2.7 STL% are both strong indicators in his favor.

What Needs Improvement

Augustas Marciulionis needs to continue to improve as a shooter. The optimistic case here is that I used the word “continue” in the sentence above. He’s gone from 18.3% to 25.0% to 34.3% from deep over his three college seasons. Still, he only took six attempts per 100 possessions, and he’s a bit hesitant from deep. He has a narrow shooting base, particularly on his pull-up shots. There are some athletic questions here, too. He doesn’t have a great first step, he’s not a great leaper, and he’s not that strong. While he got to the rim a lot, he only converted 48.6% of his halfcourt shots at the basket. He’s going to need to be more of a threat to score at the next level. Defensively, his feet can get crossed at times, and bigger opponents are able to plow through him more than I’d like.

Conclusion

It’s not a mystery to me as to why Marciulionis is under the radar. I get it—he’s not a great three-point shooter (which is a bigger deal the smaller a player is), and he’s going to be behind the athletic curve of the NBA. At the same time, though, I feel he’s a little too slept on. He’s got good positional size at 6’4”, his feel is off the charts, and he just won the Player of the Year Award in one of college basketball’s best conferences. He’s also improving rapidly. Two years ago, he couldn’t put the ball in the basket. Over his final 13 games last season, he posted 14.8 PPG on 49.0/40.0/76.0 splits and 6.8 APG to only 1.9 TOV. Part of that leap could be chalked up to shooting/scoring variance, sure, but the combination of the assist increase and turnover decrease makes me wonder if he simply “figured it out.” I think Marciulionis is a sure-fire Portsmouth guy at worst, but I could see him working himself into draftable consideration. In that scenario, think of him in the vein of a finesse-oriented Tyler Kolek. He’ll need to improve as a shooter and scorer like Kolek did, but he’s on the right track.

Erik Reynolds II, 6’2”, Saint Joseph’s, Senior

2023-2024 Season Stats: 17.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1,4 TOV, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 42.0/38.0/87.1

Signature Performance: vs. UMass. 31 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block. 11-17 FG, 5-7 3FG, 4-5 FT.

Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):

-vs. Kentucky. 28 points, three rebounds, five assists, two turnovers, one steal. 9-17 FG, 6-12 3FG, 4-4 FT.
-vs. Villanova. 24 points, three assists. 8-13 FG, 5-8 3FG, 3-5 FT.
-vs. Dayton. Six points, two rebounds, two assists, three turnovers, four steals. 2-11 FG, 1-8 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. VCU. 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, two turnovers. 6-15 FG, 6-10 3FG, 3-3 FT.
-vs. Richmond. 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, two turnovers, one steal. 7-21 FG, 3-13 3 FG, 4-6 FT.
-vs. Seton Hall. 27 points, three rebounds, three assists, three turnovers, three steals. 11-22 FG, 4-15 3FG, 1-1 FT.

Reminds me a little bit of: Kendrick Nunn, Patty Mills, Bones Hyland

Background

Erik Reynolds II is a DMV area native. He played prep ball for The Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, and he competed for Team Takeover on the grassroots circuit. His play earned him three-star status and a Top 200 grade in the 247Sports National Composite rankings. I was able to speak with Saint Joseph’s Associate Head Coach Justin Scott, who noted that confluence of factors as being what led them to Reynolds. “The DMV is an area that we identified that we wanted to recruit. [Head] Coach [Billy] Lange was familiar with Team Takeover. We had Brenden Straughn on our staff, who is now at Syracuse, who was with Team Takeover for years. Brendan's relationship with that program and Erik let us know he was going to be a priority for us. And the kid was really good! He was a high-level player that we thought would be program-changing,” Scott told me.

Reynolds found immediate success with the Hawks. He was an Atlantic-10 All-Freshman selection his first year on campus. He then earned All Atlantic-10 Second Team honors as a sophomore. Reynolds took another step forward the following year, claiming All Atlantic-10 First Team status as a junior. As Reynolds got better, so did the team, climbing from 11 wins to 16 wins to 21 wins. In an era where players often seek to transfer, Reynolds has stayed put, and he’ll be at Saint Joseph’s again for his senior year.

I asked Coach Scott what has led to that type of magic, and he said, “The magic is him. It’s who he is as a person. He's loyal. He's committed to finishing what he set out to do when he decided to come here--win a conference tournament and make it to the NCAA Tournament. He trusts his relationship with Coach Lange, our staff, and our development. It's him. He's the reason why. Secondly, he's about 500 points from breaking Jameer Nelson's program scoring record, and that motivates him. That's a big-time, double-digit year NBA player, an All-Star. That's important to Erik. I know it's important to him to help this team win a championship. The outside always tries to create narratives around what a guy should do. To the outside, it's natural that they think he should leave. Meanwhile, the kid has never thought about leaving. He's been adamant and outward to us internally. It's the relationship he has with us, trusting our development, and how we've gotten him better.”

What’s Good

Erik Reynolds II is electric from long range. His 38% from deep is a good mark by itself, but the volume and variety of those shots are what make Reynolds so special. He launched 14.2 threes per 100 possessions this past season, and he’s comfortable even from deep behind the NBA line. He’s not just a standstill chucker, either. For starters, Reynolds drained 35% of his 120 pull-up three attempts last season. His sudden, jittery footwork allows him to generate space on the perimeter at will. He’s also great off movement. Per Synergy, Reynolds netted 23 of his 59 threes off screens, 23 of his 46 threes coming off screens, and 11 of his 27 transition threes. It doesn’t matter if he’s pulling up, running right, sprinting left, or spotting up in the parking lot—every Erik Reynolds II three-ball has a great chance to go in the basket.

While Reynolds’s shooting and dynamism from deep is where the majority of his value comes from, he’s got game outside of that, too. “You have to close out, but he's so quick and athletic. He's going to bring the big out, and he can blow by him. He's an elite shooter, and it opens up so many other aspects of his game,” Coach Scott remarked. His pull-up game is great in the mid-range as well. Reynolds converted 47.2% of his off-the-dribble twos last season, per Synergy. Another thing working in Reynolds’s favor is that for a smaller guard, he actually does a solid job of pressuring the rim and finishing. His first step burst is fantastic, he’s slithery in traffic, and he keeps his handle tight. He can also explode off one foot and finish above the rim. Throughout his three college seasons, 23.8% of his shots in the halfcourt have come at the rim, which is really solid for a perimeter-oriented scorer. He also made 53.8% of those attempts, which, again, is good for this type of outside scorer.

He’s probably a better playmaker than his numbers suggest, too. Reynolds’ career assist rate sits at 15.3%, a number more common among wings than guards. Part of this is that he’s always played within a multi-guard system. He also rarely makes mistakes, posting an extraordinarily low 8.8 TOV% last season. “I think his passing is underrated, in the pick-and-roll particularly. He does a good job of seeing the roller, seeing the rotations, and making the right read. He gets two to the ball a lot, and he sees the roller on that consistently. And sometimes that just starts the domino—the roller doesn't finish, and Reynolds doesn't get the assist, but it’s the right pass. But we think he's a great passer. If the shift is in and it's a simple pass, he gets it off. The assist numbers might not be high and might not get highlighted, but he makes the right decisions time and time again,” Scott said. I’m right there with him. Reynolds is great at setting up 4-on-3 scenarios out of ball screens, he’s a clever interior dump-off passer, and he’s great at hot potato-ing the ball on the perimeter. His scoring creates a considerable amount of gravity, and he knows how to leverage that.

What Needs Improvement

The multi-million-dollar question for Erik Reynolds II’s NBA hopes is: “How will he impact the game for the better on nights when his shot isn’t going in?” His defensive output can wax and wane, and he rarely gives a second effort when beaten. He can be too reactive as opposed to proactive off the ball. He’s also not much of a rebounder (7.7 DRB%). This season, Saint Joseph’s is going to have a lot of talent. Fellow guard Xzayvier Brown made it into Sam Vecenie’s initial 2025 mock draft. Tyler Rucker pointed to previous No Stone Unturned 2023 prospect Rasheer Fleming as a standout at Formula Zero. With so many other good players around him, I’d like to see Reynolds pop in the areas outside of his scoring.

Conclusion

I get why Erik Reynolds II might not be every scout’s cup of tea. He’s a smaller scoring guard in an era where that type of player is becoming fewer and farther between. Longtime readers of my work and listeners to my podcast will know that I’m as hard on that type of player as anybody. But I can’t help but buy more Erik Reynolds II stock.

For starters, the character stuff is off the charts. “He's not above anything. He'll be in the gym at the end of the day, and you might see him picking up water bottles his teammates left behind. That stuff matters. He works, and he doesn't feel like he's entitled to anything regardless of what he's achieved…He's a model citizen for what we want St. Joe's to be. He's always early, he's respected across campus, and you wouldn't know if you didn't follow basketball that he's a superstar of the team with the way he carries himself. His humility is through the roof. He has a passion for getting St. Joe's back to the promised land, and I think we're close because of him. He's a phenomenal young man, and I'm excited for him,” Coach Scott told me. Another example of this is how he’s transformed his body. “Our strength coach was using him as an example for recruits and showing pictures of his body development from each year. He came in at like 160 pounds, and I think he's around 190 right now, which was his goal.” But beyond that, he can simply do things other players can’t do. His pull-up prowess, range, and movement shooting border on irreplicable, and that has an inherent value to it.

I think Reynolds should, at worst, be a Portsmouth or Elite Camp Invitee who gets an Exhibit-10 come next year. That’s where a similar shot maker like Boogie Ellis ended up. But I do think that at best, Reynolds has a path to hear his name called on draft night. He’ll need to make more advanced reads, rebound more consistently, and improve defensively. It may be a lot to ask, but his physical development and reduction of turnovers demonstrate that he’s willing to work and capable of improving. If nothing else, he feels due for more respect than he’s been given in the draft space. Regardless of where he ends up, I’m excited to sit back and enjoy the show, because few prospects are more exciting than Erik Reynolds II.

Chris Manon, 6’5”, Vanderbilt, Graduate

2023-2024 Season Stats (at Cornell): 12.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.1 TOV, 2.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG

2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 56.4/33.8/71.3

Signature Performance: vs. Penn. 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four steals, two blocks. 8-15 FG, 2-7 3FG.

Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):

-vs. Baylor. 12 points, three rebounds, three assists. 6-12 FG, 0-2 3FG.
-vs. Princeton. 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, two turnovers, two blocks. 7-11 FG, 2-5 3FG, 1-1 FT.

Reminds me a little bit of: Bruce Brown, Gary Payton II, Kris Dunn

Background

Chris Manon played at Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey. As a senior, he earned all-region honors. Manon also competed on the grassroots circuit for the New Jersey Beasts. He ended up doing a prep year at Saint Thomas More in Connecticut, where he began to attract a greater level of recruiting interest. He received offers from St. Francis University (PA), Boston University, and the school he first enrolled in, Cornell.

His college career got off to a frustrating start, as the Ivy League cancelled play during his freshman year. As a sophomore, Manon carved out an everyday role. He became a bigger focal point of the offense as a junior. He then had his best season yet as a senior. Manon led the Big Red to a 22-8 record. He stuffed the stat sheet, leading the team in points, steals, and blocks per game. His play earned him All-Ivy League First Team honors. After the conclusion of the season, Manon entered the transfer portal and committed to Vanderbilt.

What’s Good

Chris Manon is one of the best defensive playmakers in college hoops. Despite carrying a 26.6 usage rate, Manon was still a high-energy, active defender. He posted a 5.5 STL%, 2.8 BLK%, and 4.1 DBPM, which are elite indicators for a guard prospect. We’ll start on the ball before we get deeper into that, though. Manon does good work at the point of attack. He’s listed at 215 pounds, meaning that he’ll enter the professional ranks with the size of an NBA wing. At the collegiate level, that allows him to throw his body on opponents and drive them backward. He has good footwork defensively, and he consistently utilizes that skill to cut off driving angles. He’s already a multi-positional defender, and his tools make it so that he should be able to carry that over to the pros.

The real sell, though, is how Manon induces chaos off the ball. He’s an absolute terror in passing lanes. Manon is a willing gambler who processes the game quickly and has the north-south burst to intercept looping passes on the perimeter. He has lightning-fast hands, enabling him to swipe the ball with well-timed digs and swipes. His nose for the rim stands out—he’s always willing to help at the basket and fly for a big rejection. Manon’s motor runs hot in transition, where his physical tools and keen instincts allow him to outmaneuver opponents and take away possessions. When he’s on the court, the opposing offense has to account for him at all times. If they don’t, he will make them pay.

What makes Manon different from other defensive specialists is that he’s an impactful offensive player, too. His high level of feel is evident on this end of the ball as well. He’s an intelligent creator, manipulating ball screens, changing speeds, and using a variety of fakes to create openings for himself and others. He utilizes unorthodox movement patterns that are tough to telegraph and routinely freeze the defense. Manon delivers creative passes to teammates and has the skill to place the ball through tight windows at times. This prowess leads to Manon racking up assists (25.4 AST%) and getting to the rim a lot. At the basket, he’s a tough finisher who can get the job done through contact. He’s no stranger to And—1s, and he can convert with either hand. Manon is also a great instinctual, improvisational cutter. His 65.5% on halfcourt rim attempts would be an excellent number for a 6’9” power forward, let alone a guard.

What Needs Improvement

The most glaring flaw with Manon’s statistical profile is his shot. He made only 33.8% of his threes on 5.8 attempts per 100 possessions. He’s more hesitant and less efficient than desirable from long range. His feet aren’t always square to the basket, and the ball path can be left-to-right on the way up. Manon is also a little more turnover-prone than I’d like, with a 17.2 TOV%. At times, his handle can get loose, and he doesn’t always focus enough on the execution of his pass placement. Lastly, there needs to be some refinement on the defensive end. While Manon is an outstanding playmaker, he can be a reckless one, too. He has gambler tendencies and can be too focused on the ball. As a result, he gets back-cut far too frequently. Cornell’s frenetic, sub-heavy rotation also allowed him to rack up fouls more carelessly than he’ll be allowed to at the next level. Manon fouled 8.3 times per 100 possessions, and he’ll need to reel that in as he changes schemes.

Conclusion

It’s easy for me to understand why scouts may have reservations about Manon. He’s an older prospect who is sitting at a career 32% from deep, gambles a lot on defense, and makes some frustrating turnovers. But after watching the most recent playoffs, it’s clear that when this archetype of player pans out, it can return significant value. Big, smart guards who can play selflessly, operate without the ball, rebound, and defend bigger wings without issue are tough to come by. That’s what Chris Manon is. He’s going to have to cut back on his risk-taking, reduce his turnovers, and become a more willing, consistent shooter. But if he can do that, that’s a lot more important to impacting winning in the NBA than what most guards are bringing to the table. For those reasons, Chris Manon is a player on the margins who I’ll be prioritizing heading into this cycle. I believe it would be prudent for NBA teams to do the same.

Robert McCray V, 6’4”, Jacksonville, Redshirt Junior

2023-2024 Season Stats: 18.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.5 TOV, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 50.2/35.8/71.6

Signature Performance: vs. Stetson. 36 points, four rebounds, two assists. 11-17 FG, 5-8 3FG, 9-11 FT.

Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):

-vs. Xavier. 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two turnovers. 7-16 FG, 1-3 3FG, 0-1 FT.
-vs. Pittsburgh. Nine points, three rebounds, one assist, one turnover. 3-8 FG, 1-5 3FG, 2-2 FT.
-vs. UCF. 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, one turnover. 4-13 FG, 0-3 3FG, 4-5 FT.
-vs. Purdue. 22 points, three rebounds, nine turnovers, one steal. 9-14 FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-2 FT.

Reminds me a little bit of: Reggie Jackson, Dennis Smith Jr., Dion Waiters

Background

Robert McCray V had a great prep career at AC Flora High School in Columbia, South Carolina. There, he was a two-time All-Region First Team honoree, and he led his squad to a state title game. He also excelled in track and field, winning a state championship in the high jump. He also qualified for the state meet in the long jump and triple jump. He was labeled as a three-star basketball recruit by 247Sports, and he ranked 169th overall in their national composite rankings. He chose to attend Wake Forest, but he also had offers from Florida, Marshall, Charleston, South Florida, East Carolina, Old Dominion, Winthrop, South Carolina Upstate, and North Carolina A&T.

Things didn’t go his way at Wake Forest. During his freshman campaign, McCray played 57 total minutes across 14 games. He redshirted the following season. After that, he entered the transfer portal and landed at Jacksonville. There, he found his footing. McCray earned All-Atlantic Sun Third Team status. He also had the second-best BPM in the conference, trailing only Tennessee transfer Chaz Lanier. He tested the NBA Draft waters but decided to return to Jacksonville for his junior campaign.

What’s Good

Robert McCray V was one of the best pick-and-roll scorers in college hoops last season, ranking in the 89th percentile on those plays, per Synergy. Part of his success on those plays comes from the fact that he’s an excellent pull-up three-point shooter. McCray took 63 pull-up threes last season and drained an astounding 41.3% of them. The lefty is great at using his footwork to generate space sideways and backward, and he’s comfortable launching from behind the NBA line. But the second part of McCray’s ball screen excellence is that he’s an awesome downhill attacker. He’s exceptionally fast with the ball in his hands, going from the three-point line to the rim at warp speed. Still, he can throw defenders off with neck-breaking deceleration. If defenders are in his way, he can shift and slither around them with ease. He has a deep bag of counters and tricks to get defenders off balance. When he gets to the cup, he’s an electric above-the-rim finisher. He registered 22 dunks last season and converted 62.2% of his halfcourt shots at the basket, per Synergy. Both of those are elite numbers for a guard.

For defenders, this creates what I call “The Fat Bastard Conundrum.” In the classic 1999 film, “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” the character Fat Bastard discussed the origins of his weight gain, noting: “I eat because I'm unhappy, and I'm unhappy because I eat. It's a vicious cycle.” When defenders guard Robert McCray V, they can’t win. If they guard up, he can leave them in the dust and throw down a highlight reel jam. But if they give him room, he’s just going to pull up and make them pay. He gets open shots because he can get downhill, and he gets downhill because he can hit his shots. It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s one that led to him posting a stellar 59.4 True Shooting Percentage despite a hefty 29.0 usage rate.

He’s more than just a bucket-getter, though. McCray boasts solid passing recognition when he draws two to the ball out of a screen. His 23.1 AST% was tied for best on the team and demonstrated that his coaching staff trusted him to run the show. He can be an exciting defender, too. When he’s engaged, he’s a potent weakside helper. He does a great job of sneaking in to make plays as the low man. When he guards the ball, he’s not afraid to body up. He has good hands and showcases good timing for strips, leading to an impressive 2.4 STL%. His size and athleticism should give him a leg up over smaller, more run-of-the-mill guards on that end of the floor as he scales up in competition.

What Needs Improvement

While McCray excelled as a pull-up shooter, he struggled when spotting up. He only made 30.7% of his catch-and-shoot threes last season. Compared to his pull-up, it can take him a tad longer to get it off, and he isn’t as square to the basket. He’ll need to come along as a passer, as he can make some frustrating decisions trying to fit the ball through non-existent windows in heavy traffic. His defense was rough at times. His usage burden can partially explain that, but it is still an issue. He can be too upright and forward-leaning in his stance. He didn’t give much effort or display much balance on closeouts. McCray was too comfortable playing from behind the ball at times and was often content surrendering to ball screens. The tools are all there, though, which is reason for optimism.

Conclusion

I’m excited about Robert McCray V’s future. Sure, there are some things he needs to patch up. I want to see more from him defensively, I’d like his passing vision to expand, and greater consistency shooting off the catch is a must. But for a guy who played his first “real” minutes of college basketball, it’s tough to ask for much more than what McCray just gave us. He’s an awesome athlete, he’s got good positional size, and he’s a stellar scorer in the two places where it counts the most. That’s one heck of a baseline for a guy with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Pencil some Jacksonville games onto your schedule this year. The low demand for guards likely makes him more of a 2026 proposition. Still, let’s not write off a run at 2025 draft boards given the variety of boxes he checks for a modern guard.