No Stone Unturned 2024: The Wings, Part 1
No Stone Unturned 2024 rolls on! Today, Maxwell examines five under-the-radar wings with NBA potential. PLUS: Insights from the players and their coaches!
Welcome to the latest installment of No Stone Unturned 2024! In this series of articles, I will be digging into five 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 starting out by looking at our first of three wing groups.
Before we get down to business, make sure you’re following me on Twitter/X here! Also, if you missed the Big Man edition of No Stone Unturned 2024, check that out here. Now, let’s dig in!
Cedric Coward, 6’6”, Washington State, Senior
2023-2024 Season Stats (at Eastern Washington): 15.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 2.2 TOV, 1.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG
2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 56.5/38.3/89.5
Signature Performance: vs. Weber State. 24 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one block. 10-13 FG, 3-5 3FG, 1-2 FT.
Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Utah. Nine points, four rebounds, two assists, two turnovers, two steals. 4-13 FG, 1-5 3FG.
-vs. Cincinnati. 21 points, six rebounds, one assist, one turnover, one steal. 8-15 FG, 2-7 3FG, 2-2 FT.
-vs. Washington State. Eight points, two rebounds, one assist, six turnovers, one block. 1-5 FG, 0-2 3FG. 6-6 FT.
-vs. Washington. Six points, five rebounds, one assist, three turnovers. 2-6 FG, 0-3 3FG, 2-2 FT.Reminds me a little bit of: Max Strus, Vince Williams Jr., Javonte Green
Background
Cedric Coward wasn’t a highly touted recruit. The Fresno, California native started his college career at Willamette, a D-III school in Oregon. Willamette happened to play an exhibition game against Eastern Washington. Coward went off. He scored 24 points in 22 minutes of game time while also racking up seven rebounds and five assists. After his freshman season at Willamette, Coward entered the transfer portal, and Eastern Washington pounced. I spoke with Washington State assistant Pedro Garcia Rosado, who was at Eastern Washington at the time, about their recruitment of him. “We were drawn to his motor. He has a crazy motor, crazy hands, a special ability to rebound, and athleticism,” he told me. Coward would end up committing to them.
During his first D-I season with the Eagles, Coward stuffed the stat sheet. His advanced analytics profile popped, but so did his film. His hard-charging, hustle-and-bustle style enabled him to leave his fingerprints all over the game. I covered him during the No Stone Unturned series last year because of his dynamic, efficient production. He took on a bigger role as a junior. Coward took some lumps out of the gate, but he finished the year strong. He scored 16.9 PPG on 60.3/42.5/90.2 splits during conference play and earned an All-Big Sky First-Team selection. After the season ended, Coward tested the NBA Draft waters while maintaining his eligibility and entering the transfer portal. He withdrew from the draft and followed his Eastern Washington coaching staff over to their new location, Washington State. He will be this year’s “Second Time Stone,” the player who appears in this series for a second consecutive year.
What’s Good
It’s hard to find a more efficient scorer than Cedric Coward. During his two D-I seasons, Coward has posted a True Shooting Percentage of 69.7% and converted 72.1% of his two-point field goal attempts. Whenever he has a strength advantage, he’ll bully his opponent for an easy basket inside. He’s a force in transition. Coward also times his cuts well when playing off the ball. He does a great job of finding high-percentage scoring opportunities, but his length, bounce, and ability to play through contact separate him from his peers. He made 70.6% of his halfcourt rim attempts, which is about as good as it gets for a wing.
A big part of why I chose Coward for a second straight year, though, is the work he’s done away from the basket. During his sophomore year, Coward hit 39.4% of his threes. That’s a great number, but he only took one attempt per game. As a junior, Coward remained efficient from beyond the arc at 38.3%, but he upped his volume to 4.2 attempts per game. Coach Garcia Rosado went into great detail outlining how they went about transforming Coward from a reluctant shooter into a prolific one.
It was a few things. We adjusted his footwork and how he was finishing his shot. We watched a lot of film to figure out what were good and bad shots. Last season, it was, ‘when I get the ball, I'm going to get to the rim.’ The developmental process was, ‘catch, see if the shot is good, if so, take it, if not, maybe then go to the rim.’ Then you add in movement. We haven't rushed anything. We went step by step. When he was feeling comfortable, it was one more step, one more step.
In the weight room, he's been getting bigger and stronger as his frame fills out, giving him better balance and a stronger core. It all works together. We watch film every single day. We analyze, with him, every shot he takes. Is he balanced? Is his body the right way? We analyze everything and keep adjusting. We're not going to change everything, but we can adjust smaller details.
In one offseason, Coward nearly tripled the number of threes he takes on a per-100 possessions basis (2.6 to 7.7). What makes it all the more interesting is that many of Coward’s attempts were dynamic in nature, too. He was 8-for-21 on transition threes, 3-for-9 on threes as a pick-and-roll ball handler, 4-for-8 on threes in handoff settings, and 6-for-14 on threes coming off screens. This wasn’t just a transformation from tentative shooter to solid standstill shooter—Coward is more than comfortable moving into his shot from deep.
Coward is an impactful defender, too. He’s long, agile, and he’s got serious lift. When guarding the ball, his length allows him to stay in front of opponents, and his knack for springing off the floor quickly makes his contests particularly potent. His speed and anticipation make him a threat in passing lanes. He’s also a great rim helper with sharp instincts around the cup. Though he’s a right-handed shooter, he actually blocks a lot of shots with his left hand, which is an amusing quirk.
The last thing I want to touch on here is that Coward does the “winning player” stuff. He’s a high-motor hustler who will dive for loose balls. Even in a larger role last season, he still got after it. Coward is all over the glass on both ends with a 6.6 ORB% and 19.5 DRB%. His vertical pop, power, and tenacity allow him to fly for putbacks on offense and win battles for boards on defense. As a freshman, he posted a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and he boasts good “hot potato” passing instincts. As a bonus, Coward is young for his class and will still be 21 years old on draft night.
What Needs Improvement
The area where Coward struggled most in his increased role was with regard to his on-ball creation. His assist-to-turnover ratio was underwater (1.7 APG to 2.2 TOV), which is troubling for a wing prospect. Most of these issues stem from his handle and approach while attacking. He can let the ball get too far away from his body at times. Coward also has to do a better job of reading the next line of defense beyond his man. He was often unprepared to make decisions after beating his defender and running into help. “He's going to be more comfortable in the halfcourt. Who's helping, who's not helping, finding the right guy and taking his time. Dribbling under pressure against very good defenders. That's the next challenge…feeling more comfortable against ball pressure, and we've been preparing him for that,” Garica Rosado noted.
Conclusion
There are still reasonable concerns to be had about Cedric Coward as an NBA prospect. He struggled to adapt to his larger role out of the gate. He’ll need to get better at putting it on the deck and going downhill. The larger role and turnover woes led to him putting up some poor performances against good teams early on in the year. As he moves up to the WCC, the level of competition is only going to get tougher.
Still, as someone who has been monitoring Coward for the past two seasons, it’s remarkable how much better he’s gotten in such a short period of time. “His work ethic is crazy. I've never seen anything like it. He has a passion to be the best, and it shows in every workout and every practice. Being the gym, watching film, he doesn't get tired of it. That made him become the player he is. We never gave him anything for free. He worked for everything,” Garcia Rosado told me. When I interviewed Coward last year, he spoke with great conviction about the improvements he was going to make as a shooter, and he did just that. He’s a determined, passionate person. I’ve gotten to speak to a number of people behind the scenes who have spent time around Coward, and they all rave about him. You can’t necessarily work ethic your way into an NBA role, but it sure as hell doesn’t hurt.
Coward is a much different player than he was a year ago. I actually think his success while playing different roles makes him all the more intriguing. Last year, I envisioned him more as a gritty, high-flying Javonte Green type. Now, he has the shooting and cutting skills to where he could potentially fill an off-ball role like Max Strus. The way he leaves his fingerprints all over the game is reminiscent of a player like Vince Williams Jr, though they go about their business in a different way. Coward is an effective, evolving prospect, and that gives him a variety of avenues to success.
Last year, I went out on a limb with Coward. He was a guy who scored 7.3 PPG in a small conference. This year, saying, “I think this guy is going to be really good” isn’t as gutsy. But much of what I felt a year ago still remains—I buy the person, I buy the tools, and I buy the all-around impact. Refinement is still needed in terms of his ball-handling and passing. But the sizeable leap he took as a shooter shows that he has the propensity to make dramatic improvements. Coward has NBA physical traits, he rebounds, he makes things happen on defense, and he’s one of the most efficient scorers out there. Add in his upward trajectory, and it’s hard not to get excited. Cedric Coward will enter the year as a Top 60 prospect on my board. Without ball skill improvements, he’ll still get NBA looks because of his 3-and-D skill set. But Coward has a real path to hear his name called during the 2025 NBA Draft.
Brooks Barnhizer, 6’6”, Northwestern, Senior
2023-2024 Season Stats: 14.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.5 TOV, 1.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 42.9/34.8/76.6
Signature Performance: vs. Nebraska. 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, two blocks. 9-15 FG, 2-5 3FG, 4-4 FT.
Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Dayton. 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, one block. 5-12 FG, 0-2 3FG, 3-4 FT.
-vs. Mississippi State. 13 points, three rebounds, one assists, three turnovers, two steals, one assist. 6-12 FG, 1-3 3FG.
-vs. Purdue. Eight points, five rebounds, two assists, one turnover, one steal. 3-8 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-4 FT.
-vs. Illinois. Nine points, four rebounds, one assist, two turnovers. 3-12 FG, 1-2 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Michigan State. 13 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one turnover, one steal. 5-9 FG, 2-3 3FG, 4-5 FT.
-vs. Wisconsin. 14 points, two rebounds, four assists, one steal. 5-11 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-4 FT.
-vs. Nebraska. 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, two blocks. 9-15 FG, 2-5 3FG, 4-4 FT.
-vs. Illinois. 23 points, five rebounds, two assists, one turnover, one steal. 9-15 FG, 4-6 FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Purdue. 14 points, two rebounds, four assists, three turnovers, three steals, two blocks. 6-9 FG, 0-2 3FG. 2-3 FT.
-vs. Michigan State. 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, one turnover, three steals, one block. 4-11 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Wisconsin. 13 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, four turnovers, one block. 3-15 FG, 0-5 3FG, 7-8 FT.
-vs. Florida Atlantic. 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two turnovers, two steals, one block. 6-12 FG, 1-2 FG, 0-1 FT.
-vs. UConn. 18 points, six rebounds, one assist, two turnovers, one steal. 6-14 FG, 1-5 3FG, 5-5 FT.Reminds me a little bit of: Kyle Anderson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jordan Miller
Background
Brooks Barnhizer is a second-generation college basketball player. His father, Mark, played one season at Purdue followed by three at Auburn during the mid-to-late 70s. Mark would later become the Head Coach at Lafayette Jefferson High School, where Brooks attended high school. Brooks started to play on the varsity team there as a seventh grader. As he grew older, he began to stuff the stat sheet to a noteworthy degree. 247Sports gave him a three-star grade and ranked him as the 145th-best recruit in the nation. Barnhizer received offers from Ball State, Detroit, Evansville, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan, Butler, Xavier, and the school he would attend, Northwestern.
As a freshman, Barnhizer rarely saw the floor, playing 82 total minutes for the Wildcats. The following year, he took a big step forward and earned a role as the team’s sixth man. As a junior, Barnhizer had his best season yet. He was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team and the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Barnhizer tested the NBA Draft waters, but he ultimately decided to return to Northwestern for his senior year.
What’s Good
The NBA is a grown man’s league. Players, particularly older prospects, who come into the association physically under-developed can often find themselves chewed up and spit out. That won’t be the case for Brooks Barnhizer. At 6’6” with a 6’11” wingspan and rock-solid 215-pound frame, he’s going to be ready to go from that standpoint. He visually stands out on a college floor due to his size and power. But basketball isn’t bodybuilding. What makes Barnhizer special is how he utilizes those tools, paired with his sharp mental processing of the game, to be a positive contributor on both ends of the floor.
Barnhizer was a defensive standout this past season. His ruggedness and physicality make him exceedingly difficult to shake. The power in his chest and the drive from his legs will often force opponents backward when they try to get downhill against him. His feet are light enough to slide with guys, too. While he mostly covers wings, he does well in instances switched both down and up. His length, toughness, and positional understanding help him to contain larger opponents inside and quicker ones on the perimeter. Off-ball, he visibly communicates and points things out. He covers ground well and boasts excellent anticipation skills. Lazy passes won’t fly when he’s on the floor, as he’ll pick them off to start a transition opportunity. He also knows when to help out at the rim and times his jumps well to rack up blocks despite not being the greatest leaper. He’s also a force on the glass, nabbing 7.5 RPG. Barnhizer posted a 3.0 STL%, 2.8 BLK%, and 2.9 DBPM this past season, a sublime combination that speaks to his productivity and prowess on that end of the floor.
Offensively, Barnhizer marries his grit with slick footwork to create advantages. He has a herky-jerky, funky attacking game. He boasts a great understanding of his defender’s positioning and momentum. He’s a crafty ball screen operator who changes directions and decelerates well, but also bumps opponents off him, giving him plenty of space to get off his mid-range jumper. Barnhizer drained 44.4% of his pull-up twos this past season and he ranked in the 83rd percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler scorer, per Synergy. When he gets all the way to the rim, his strength enables him to finish through contact. He’s improving as a shooter, too. He’s climbed from 18.2% to 31.0% to 34.8% from deep throughout his college career. What’s more, Barnhizer went 41.8% from long range during Big Ten conference play this past season.
Barnhizer displays a remarkable level of craft as a passer. He loves to drag out ball screens and utilize hostage dribbles to put off-ball defenders in precarious positions. He reliably punishes helpers, whether it’s by finding a shooter, a cutting teammate, or a big man for an easy dump-off. His 14.3 AST% is a good mark for a forward prospect, and his 2.6 APG to only 1.5 TOV shows that he limits his mistakes. The connective stuff is there, too. He can swing the ball quickly and mix in the occasional well-timed, tricky reversal to keep the offense humming. Whether it’s a more advanced on-ball creation situation or a .5 skip, Barnhizer makes great decisions on a consistent basis. That’s a must for role players in an NBA that requires a great deal of ball movement.
What Needs Improvement
There are two things holding back Barnhizer at the moment—the functionality of his athleticism and overall scoring efficiency. Let’s start with the physical stuff first. It’s important to note that Barnhizer does do a great job of leveraging his strength and length on defense. Still, he’s not the fleetest of foot, and occasionally, quicker opponents can give him issues. That makes him a bit of a positional tweener at the next level. He’ll be smaller than a good amount of fours but slower than a good number of threes.
It’s a bigger issue on offense. His first step isn’t anything to write home about and he doesn’t fly off the floor when he gets to the basket. The below-the-rim nature of his game leads to tough looks and rejections on the interior. While he got to the cup a decent amount, he only converted 47.3% of his halfcourt rim attempts. Add in a just-okay three-ball that features some odd arm movement near the top of his release when he shoots off the catch, and there are real questions about how he scores in the two most important areas of the floor. It would be nice to see his 47.9 eFG% climb this coming season.
Conclusion
Brooks Barnhizer isn’t without his shortcomings. He’ll need to continue to develop as a three-point shooter and finisher as he heads into his final college season. Still, he remains one of my favorite sleepers as we head into the next draft cycle. He has the size, strength, and savvy of an NBA role player. The fact that he’s gone from a bench warmer to an All-Big Ten Third-Team selection in a short period of time is encouraging, too. If I’m going to bet on someone to improve, it’s going to be the guy who’s shown he can make consistent, substantial year-over-year improvements.
Barnhizer is going to be up to the task from a physical standpoint. He’s there mentally, too. He’s composed and calculated on both ends of the floor. His defensive playmaking gives him something to hang his hat on. If the shot keeps coming along, he’ll be bringing a dribble-pass-shoot skill set on the offensive end. Barnhizer is right on the cusp of having everything that front offices want from role players. While he’ll likely always have to deal with athletic limitations, the playoffs have routinely demonstrated the value of strong, smart, well-rounded players. Brooks Barnhizer is that, and he may still have another leap in him. If he does, he could hear his name called during the 2025 NBA Draft.
Kimani Hamilton, 6’7”, High Point, Junior
2023-2024 Season Stats: 14.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.6 TOV, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG
2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 46.9/28.2/79.8
Signature Performance: vs. Radford. 34 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block. 13-16 FG, 6-8 3FG, 2-4 FT.
Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):
-N/A
Reminds me a little bit of: Terance Mann, Josh Green, Evan Turner
Background
Kimani Hamilton loved basketball growing up. “My dad played, and he pushed me a little bit, but it wasn’t like that. I always wanted to hoop. I'm a hooper. Plus, there's nothing else to do out here (in Mississippi),” Hamilton told me during a phone conversation. His father, Tang Hamilton, did indeed play—he and Kimani are the only father-son duo ever to each win the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year Award. Kimani was also a two-time All-State First-Team selection, and he played grassroots ball for Team Thad alongside recent Lakers first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino.
247Sports labeled Hamilton as a four-star recruit, and he received several high-major offers. He attended Mississippi State, where he didn’t see the floor much as a freshman. He put his name into the transfer portal. “When I first hit the portal, High Point were the first ones to hit me up. I didn't know much about them, but I took a visit. I went up there, they showed me everything around there. It was a very beautiful place, and I was like, ‘I love it here.’ It's a very underrated school and it needs more attention, but that's going to come with time,” Hamilton explained. He committed to the Panthers and he was off to the races. He posted the highest BPM on a 27-9 team that made it to the CBI Finals. Hamilton’s play was rewarded with an All-Big South First-Team selection. He’ll be returning to High Point for his junior season.
What’s Good
During our conversation, Hamilton often used the phrase, “the controllables.” These are the elements of the game that reside entirely within the player’s own jurisdiction. While no one can control their field goal percentage, everyone can work to play their hardest and make the right decisions on a consistent basis. That’s what Hamilton does. His blend of feel and determination enables him to impact the game on a positive, consistent basis while filling the stat sheet. He ranked in the top fifteen in the Big South in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game.
Offensively, Hamilton’s game is predicated on getting downhill. On-ball defenders have a hard time telegraphing him. As a creator, Hamilton is composed, strong, and slippery. He has the wiggle to weave through the paint and the power to play through physicality. His ability to change speeds adds another layer of unpredictability to the mix. As a result, 46.7% of his shots in the halfcourt came at the rim, where he’s capable of finishing with either hand. This also allows Hamilton to draw fouls at a high clip. He took 5.1 free throws per game and had a .479 FTr. It helps that he’s a good free throw shooter too—he knocked down 79.8 of his shots at the charity stripe last season.
What makes Hamilton’s ability to get into the paint all the more valuable is the playmaking element of his game that comes along with it. “Coach Huss always tells me that playmaking is the best thing I do. I always loved passing. I've never been a selfish person, thinking, ‘I'm going to go for 40.’ That's just not me. Of course you have to score, but I let the game come to me. Everybody's got to touch the ball. That's how the team's going to be the best. I always want to play good basketball. It's not too hard to make the right pass, and you can always control that,” Hamilton noted. His heads-up approach allows him to reliably find the open man. He’s able to spray it out to shooters or throw on-the-go lobs to his big man while limiting his mistakes. Hamilton posted 2.3 APG and a 14.0 AST% to only 1.6 TOV and an 11.0 TOV%. Per Synergy, he ranked in the 78th percentile on pick-and-roll possessions including passes, and the 87th percentile on isolation possessions including passes. The NBA increasingly demands ball skills from every position on the floor, and Hamilton fits that bill.
Hamilton gets after it defensively, too. “I love playing defense. I care about defense more than offense. You can control defense more than you can control the ball going in the basket. You can play hard and try every game. You've got to take care of all of your controllables,” Hamilton explained. His long arms, physical strength, and agility help him to cover a variety of opponents. His stance is fundamentally sound and he contains the ball well. His balance is great. Whether on ball or rotating, he’s able to change directions seamlessly and get where he needs to go. He’s also a springy, effortless leaper, enabling him to contest shots well and even block the occasional perimeter jumper. His 2.2 STL% and 2.3 BLK% grade out well for a wing prospect. Hamilton’s effort, athleticism, and grit all show up on the glass, too. He’s an effective rebounder on both ends of the floor (10.6 ORB%, 15.5 DRB%). He credits his coach at Mississippi State, Chris Jans, for instilling a nose for the glass into him.
What Needs Improvement
The biggest issue for Hamilton at this stage is his jump shot. At 5.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions, his volume from deep this past season was respectable. Unfortunately, the results left something to be desired, as he hit only 28.2% of his threes. Mechanically, it looks a bit like Leonard Miller’s shot, with a lower release point resembling a push shot. As it stands, it will be difficult for Hamilton to command hard closeouts, and thus, make it tougher for him to get downhill. It’s also easier for defenders to go under screens against him, as he made only 37.9% of his pull-up twos and 15.4% of his pull-up threes. He can still get to the rim in college due to his athletic and feel advantages, but as he scales up in competition, he’ll need to become a more respectable shooter.
Conclusion
Kimani Hamilton is right on the cusp. He’s excellent at the controllables. He rebounds, defends, dribbles, and passes well. His play style represents a beautiful combination of feel, skill, and toughness. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s 6’7”, 220 pounds, and moves like a pro. Still, the jumper needs to get there. There’s good news there, though. “I've been in the lab,” Hamilton told me before adding, “I don't like how I shot it last season.” He’s a determined person who is going to put in the work to get better. Plus, as a near 80% free throw shooter, he has positive touch indicators. I also love that he’s not shy from beyond the arc. He shot threes at a respectable volume and even took a few from NBA range.
Time is on his side. Hamilton has two years to go before he needs to put his name in the hat. From an NBA standpoint, Hamilton’s shot is going to determine his trajectory. If he can become a respectable shooter, there’s a Terance Mann type of outcome on the table for him—a long, smart player who checks a ton of boxes. That’s the type of player you could drop onto any NBA team and find a rotation spot for. If Hamilton’s jumper comes along, watch out. Either way, it’s time to start paying attention to him. High Point is going to be one of the best mid-major teams in the country next season, and Hamilton is a big reason why.
Jacksen Moni, 6’10”, North Dakota State, Senior
2023-2024 Season Stats (at Northern State): 21.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.2 TOV, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG
2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 47.4/32.9/88.6
Signature Performance: vs. Winona State. 40 points, eight rebounds, four assists. 15-25 FG, 5-9 3FG, 5-5 FT.
Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):
-N/A
Reminds me a little bit of: Jaylin Williams (OKC Edition), Joe Ingles, Dario Saric
Background
Jacksen Moni played a variety of sports growing up. After his rapid physical growth inhibited his ability to pitch in baseball, he became focused on basketball. “I always liked that basketball was something I could go to the gym and work on by myself and get better,” Moni told me during a phone conversation. Despite putting together a good prep career, there wasn’t a lot of interest coming Moni’s way. “My recruitment was pretty slow. COVID didn't help. Physically, I hadn't really grown up yet, and I was a little chunkier back then. I had three offers, and [D-II program] Northern State stood out because I thought it was where I could develop the most as a basketball player.”
Moni did indeed develop as a basketball player at Northern State. He immediately contributed as a starter. But as he progressed, his role grew larger. During his junior season, Moni started to put it all together. “The confidence aspect led to my growth. If you're confident in what you do, you'll get positive results. There were guys that left [our team] who had big production numbers. Our coach counted on me, and I think getting in the gym, getting up reps in is what helped me,” Moni explained. He posted a career-high in points per game while showing considerable growth as a rebounder and passer. Moni earned NCIS All-Conference First-Team honors and an NABC All-District Central First-Team nod.
After the season ended, Moni entered the transfer portal, where he received a high level of interest. He ultimately committed to North Dakota State. “The portal is pretty hectic. It's speed dating at its finest,” Moni said, “A lot of coaches try to please you and tell you all the good things, not the bad things. Coach Richman was so transparent. Coach Richman told me what I need to work on and what the opportunity was. It was also home for me being from North Dakota, and it felt like [the] right move.”
What’s Good
Jacksen Moni is really tall and really skilled. Over the course of his three college seasons, he hit 36.3% from three-point range on 5.5 attempts per game and converted 81.3% of his free throws. Moni isn’t just a good shooter for his size, he’s a gutsy, audacious one. He’ll pull up from behind the arc or launch deep bombs off the catch, both of which you don’t see often from 6’10” college players. He keeps the ball high off the catch with minimal dip in his shooting motion, which should bode well as he scales up to a faster game. Add in his sheer size, and closeouts don’t have much of an effect on him. Moni’s efficiency relative to his height, shot variety, and willingness to let it fly make him an intriguing marksman.
When opponents chase Moni off the line, they haven’t won the war. Moni has a great pull-up jumper with a high, picturesque release. He knocked down 47.2% of his two-point jumpers off the dribble this past season, per Synergy. Even when opponents smother him, his size and touch allow him to simply shoot the ball over them. But Moni doesn’t often need to settle there. He’s a polished ball handler for a player his size with a bag of counters at his disposal. That allows him to get to the rim, where he made 64.6% of his halfcourt rim attempts. Even better, he’s a fantastic passer who does a great job of exploiting openings when defenses collapse on him. His timing is out of this world, and he can sling from his live dribble with either hand. “[That comes from] being in the gym with my team and knowing my teammates. I know where they're going and what spots they're going to be in. It's team chemistry, teammate knowledge, seeing how plays move in practice, and knowing how opposing teams are going to move,” Moni explained. 3.6 APG is a lot for a 6’10” player, and to put up those numbers with an assist-to-turnover ratio over 1.5 is stellar.
Moni has something to offer on defense, too. He’s fluid for his size, which goes a long way. When smaller players try to test him on an island, he moves well enough to keep them out of the paint. “It's a pride and a mentality thing,” Moni said about guarding down the lineup, adding, “ones and twos are quick. That can be tough, but if they’re going to shoot, I can make sure they have to take as many dribbles as possible to do it.” That typically leads to opponents settling for tough, contested twos. His timing also enables him to help at the rim and nab the occasional steal. Moni also brings the effort on the glass, snagging 8.1 RPG.
What Needs Improvement
I do have some worries about Moni’s athleticism at the next level. He isn’t a big-time run-jump guy. It affects him more on the defensive end. Currently, he doesn’t have the bounce to protect an NBA rim or the foot speed to deal with quicker NBA wings on a consistent basis. He can be a little too late to react to a rim rotation, his defensive stance can be too narrow, and he doesn’t have great recovery tools. From an NBA positional standpoint, he’s probably position-locked as a Jumbo 4. There are far worse things one could be, but that’s why the players I see “shades of” in him tend to be guys that were further behind the NBA movement curve. Moni has focused on improving in this respect. “I feel a little bit better about everything. My main focus has been getting in the gym and getting my body ready from a physicality standpoint,” he noted.
Conclusion
All prospects come with a level of risk. Jacksen Moni is a D-II up-transfer who could face athletic challenges as he scales to the professional ranks. Still, he’s 6’10” and 225 pounds. That goes a long way. And it’s hard not to be enamored with his offensive skill set. Moni is a great shooter for his height with heaps of creativity and a dazzling passing arsenal. If there’s one thing I’ve learned not to bet against, it’s the intersection of size, skill, and savvy. Jacksen Moni lives at that intersection. He’s one of the mid-major prospects I’m most looking forward to watching this coming season. At worst, he should be able to have a great overseas career. But if he executes similarly at the Division-1 level, he will be a name to monitor during the pre-draft process.
Myles Rigsby, 6’5”, Troy, Sophomore
2023-2024 Season Stats: 11.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.5 TOV, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2023-2024 Shooting Splits: 44.1/41.1/82.4
Signature Performance: vs. Coastal Carolina. 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block. 5-9 FG, 4-5 3FG, 6-6 FT.
Tough Test(s) (games against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Dayton. Three points, one rebound, one assist. 1-7 FG, 0-1 3FG, 1-2 FT.
Reminds me a little bit of: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Keon Ellis, Alec Burks
Background
Myles Rigsby was a dual-sport athlete in high school, competing in both football and basketball. He played his final two prep seasons at OD Wyatt High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He flew under the radar as a recruit. Rigsby didn’t have a star rating on 247Sports, and the only two listed offers were from Troy and UT-Arlington. I had the pleasure of speaking with Troy Head Coach Scott Cross, who told the incredible story of Rigsby’s recruitment.
One of my former players, DeMarqus James, was his high school coach. DeMarqus reaches out every year, and we try to look at his guys. He reached out about Myles, and it was going into the April period last year, it may have even been the July period. Then, I got a text from Myles Rigsby saying, “I'd love for you to come watch me play.” I didn't even respond. My oldest son is a freshman for us this year. He was playing at a grassroots event. So, I'm walking out with him, and this AAU coach who I know, told me he had a guy I needed to see…and it was Myles Rigsby. It was the next game. It took all of two minutes. He's 6'5", obviously passes the eye test, takes control, dives on the floor, guards the ball defensively. Everything you wanted to see, within a minute and a half, it was check, check, check. It was shocking he didn't have more offers from schools in Texas, in my opinion. We were able to get him up on campus and he committed. He definitely fits our DNA because he's tough, physical, and competitive.
Rigsby immediately carved out a role for the Trojans. As the year progressed, he became increasingly comfortable and productive. He scored 13.4 PPG on 49.3/50/84.4 shooting splits during conference play. Rigsby’s combination of offensive efficiency and defensive production led to him winning the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Award. He will be returning to Troy for his sophomore season.
What’s Good
Myles Rigsby lives in the paint. He’s a pugnacious downhill attacker who will plow his way through the defense to get inside. “He's looking for contact. If he sees weakness in who he's going against, he's going to exploit it. He's worked really hard in the weight room. He has that mentality that nothing's given, he's going to take it to you,” Coach Cross noted. When he can’t overpower his foes, Rigsby still has the craft as a ball handler and screen navigator to find his way to the cup. At the basket, he never shies away from an opponent, leading to him getting to the free-throw line. A lot. A LOT, a lot. Rigsby took 5.1 free throws per game and posted an astronomical .716 free throw rate. Even better, he shot 82.4% from the charity stripe.
There’s more to him than just toughness, though. Rigsby posted an even assist-to-turnover mark this past year and showed some enticing passing flashes. His ability to run ball screens and keep a view of the floor allowed him to rank in Synergy’s 86th percentile on pick-and-roll possessions including passes. He’s good beyond the arc, too. Rigsby’s volume from deep was low (3.9 threes per 100 possessions), but that’s largely a function of his ability to get downhill. Rigsby drilled 41.1% of his threes last season. He’s also not one of those low-volume guys who is overly tentative or has a slow shooting motion. His consistent mechanics off the hop and general touch lead me to believe he wasn’t a player who got lucky with shooting variance on a small number of attempts.
Rigsby is a problem to deal with on the defensive end, too. He’s active, engaged, and intense. “He sits down and guards the ball; he takes it personal. He's one of the most competitive guys I've ever coached. He's not going to let his guy score. He's 6'5", strong, tough, and mean. There haven't been many guys who have been able to exploit him. [This year] He will continue to guard the opposing team's best player, and he likes that. That's part of his DNA,” Coach Cross stated. On the ball, Rigsby’s combination of length, lateral quickness, and grit make him hard to beat. His fast hands led to him generating an obscene number of swipes (3.4 STL%). He fights hard around ball screens to stay in front of guards and bodies up bigger players to take away their advantages. He forced opponents into a 21.3 TOV% in ball screens and a 31.6 TOV% in isolation, per Synergy. Rigsby punches above his weight off the ball, too. He’s constantly flying all over the court rotationally. His speed enables him to gobble up ground and close out hard. His vertical pop led to a good positional block rate of 1.7%. He has the instincts to know when to gamble. His speed enables him to dart into passing lanes effectively, and that opens up his potent transition game.
What Needs Improvement
Given Rigsby’s frame and size, I think his best path to eventual NBA interest would come from adding more of a passing punch to his arsenal. He’s a potent attacker to be certain, but if he can punish help more reliably, it would take his game to another level. Too often he’ll settle for a forced look at the basket. While he got to the rim a lot, he only made 47.6% of his shots there, per Synergy. Rigsby’s forcefulness also led to him going 9-for-16 on dunk attempts, as he tends to bite off more than he can chew at times. By spraying it out or dumping off more often, he’ll get cleaner looks for both himself and his teammates. “He's starting to read the floor better and find his teammates better. The more he finds teammates the more things will open up for him when he does go downhill. The more he gets them going, the more it'll get easier for him. He's been doing that this summer,” Coach Cross noted.
I’d like to see an uptick in three-point volume while keeping the efficiency high as the years progress. He needs to drive to the right more often and clean up his attacks when going in that direction. The Troy staff is also focusing on rebounding with Rigsby. “He's big in our league for a 2/3 with his size. He’s going to be the bigger stronger guy 95% of the time in the Sun Belt, and 80-90% of our non-conference matchups. We need him to be more aggressive. He is a bully, so we need him to do that without picking up cheap fouls, get some defensive rebounds, and lead the break for us. I think he can get an extra 4 points per game from offensive rebounds. A lot of ways to get easy buckets, help his percentages, and points per game, and rebounds,” Coach Cross remarked.
Conclusion
Two years ago, Myles Rigsby was an unheralded recruit. Now he’s coming off one of the best freshman seasons in the country. There are questions to be asked about his game. Can he develop as a playmaker? Can he hit threes on a higher volume? Can he continue to fill out his frame and get stronger?
Time will tell, but time is also on Rigsby’s side. He just turned 19 in March and had one of the better first-year player seasons in the country. He’s athletic, tenacious, and productive. He’s got the right mentality, too. “Today, we watched film at 9:30, and he was there early. If we go at 7:00 A.M., he's in there at 6:15 A.M. Him and his brother (Marcus Rigsby Jr., a senior for the Trojans), are always there 45 minutes before we meet as a team.”
Rigsby’s ability to play winning basketball on both ends of the floor, paired with his work ethic, gives him a variety of avenues to get himself onto NBA radars as the years progress. He could turn into more of a jumbo combo guard. He could fill out his frame and become a three-and-D wing if he evolves into more of a shooter. The world is his oyster, and that’s why Rigsby is one of my favorite longer-term sleepers. He took everyone by surprise this past season, but soon enough, Rigsby’s efficient, high-motor play isn’t going to be surprising to anyone.