No Stone Unturned: The Wings, Part 1
No Stone Unturned: The Wings, Part 1
Scouting reports and notes on intriguing under-the-radar wings, including player and coach comments! The first in a three-part wing series of No Stone Unturned
Welcome to the second installment of No Stone Unturned! 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. From there, I compiled a list, worked my way through the film, and chose my favorites. I did my best to avoid prospects who have received rankings on mainstream Top 100 lists and early mock drafts. I’m looking for deep cuts who aren’t receiving much love yet but still have a real crack at making a mark this coming season. You can read the first piece of the series on big men here. I’m going to be doing three installments on wings, and this is the first. Enjoy!
Zach Hicks, 6’7”, Sophomore, Temple
2021-2022 Stats: 8.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.5 TOV, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2021-2022 Shooting Splits: 37.2/37.4/61.5
Signature Performance: vs. Tulane. 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks. 7-13 FG, 5-11 3FG, 2-3 FT.
Tough Test(s) (Games Against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Boise State. 0 points, 3 rebounds. 0-5 FG, 0-4 3FG.
-vs. Vanderbilt. 0 points, 1 turnover. 0-2 FG.
-vs. Houston, 1/2/22. 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. 3-8 FG, 3-8 3FG.
-vs. SMU, 1/29/22. 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. 2-8 FG, 1-5 3FG, 1-2 FT.
-vs. Memphis, 2/24/22. 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals. 4-11 FG, 3-9 3FG.
-vs. Houston, 3/3/22. 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block. 3-4 FG, 2-3 3FG.
What’s Good
Zach Hicks is already good at many important aspects of basketball, and he has excellent size. He’s listed at 6’7” and can shoot the cover off the ball. In a conversation with Temple assistant coach Chris Clark, he noted these factors as what drew the school to him on the recruiting trail, saying, “It was his size and ability to shoot the ball. He didn’t move very well as a sophomore and junior in high school— he’s much better now with movement and fluidity.” Hicks had a slow start to the season but earned more playing time as the year progressed. When asked what led to his increase in minutes, Clark answered: “His consistency. He’s such a coachable kid, and you don’t have to worry about him coming into practice and not bringing it every day. After the first two or three weeks of the season, we were like, ‘we can’t not play Zach.’ He started to get more confident, and you could just see his development. We couldn’t keep him off the floor.”
Hicks’s shooting stroke was a key factor in this, connecting on 37.4% of his threes as a freshman on a healthy 5.8 attempts per game. His range is outstanding, and he can score off the dribble as well. As a freshman, he primarily acted as an off-ball shooter. Defenses couldn’t ignore him, and he provided excellent spacing. His trigger is quick, and he has an array of sidesteps to deal with overzealous closeouts. While we didn’t get to see much of his mid-range game this season, he hit some turnaround jumpers that were intriguing. Defensively, Hicks brings a lot to the table as well. Although he’s not a lockdown guy, he’s comfortable everywhere. His long frame, lateral mobility, and ability to cover ground make him a persistent threat on that end. He’s shifty, snaking around screens, getting into handles, and dealing with switches seamlessly. Even though his frame is slight, he held his own and even blocked the shots of opposing big men when guarding up. “He cares about defending, and he cares about getting stops,” noted Coach Clark, adding, “He can guard multiple positions, and he can make it challenging for guys 1-4. He can keep guys in front and move his feet. He does a nice job of playing angles.”
I’m bullish on Hicks’ ability to act as a weakside rim protector, too. As stretch bigs become more commonplace in modern basketball, I believe that wings with the ability to protect the rim are becoming a market inefficiency. Hicks keeps his head on a swivel, and he knows how to rotate. He also doesn’t freeze when he has to scramble. Lastly, his character seems top-notch. Throughout our conversation, Coach Clark called him “one of the funniest human beings you will ever talk to in your life,” “so coachable,” and “a great teammate.” When we wrapped up, I asked Coach Clark if there were any last things he wanted to put out there. After a string of compliments about Hicks’s work ethic, Clark told me, “You don’t have to tell Zach Hicks to do anything. Some guys are low maintenance; Zach is no maintenance. He’s a no maintenance guy.”
What Needs Improvement
While Zach Hicks checks a lot of the big boxes, there are some real concerns when you dig deeper. He’s an awesome jumper shooter, but that’s basically all he does on offense. While he made an incredible 70% of his shots at the basket in the halfcourt, he only took ten of them total. That’s 10 shots at the basket vs. 166 jump shots. He also took 44 twos vs. 163 threes. He has a good first step, but rarely did he utilize it or try to get downhill. Coach Clark noted that this has been an area of focus. “We want him to be more assertive and more aggressive, putting the ball on the floor and creating a shot for himself and his teammates. People see him as a catch and shoot guy, but you’re going to get to see him do a whole lot more,” he said. Another area of focus has been Hicks’s body. Due to extenuating circumstances, he wasn’t able to join the team for much of last year’s pre-season. “He didn’t have a summer going into his first year, so he didn’t do any conditioning or lifting. So he was a TRUE freshman on the court,” Clark explained. Hicks needs to get stronger on the floor, as he can struggle with physicality as a driver and interior defender. Clark noted that they’ve worked on his strength, balance, and conditioning. That work should enable him to play longer, have a stronger shooting base that adds to his range, allow him to be more of a factor on the glass, drive more effectively, and hold up better inside on defense. Lastly, I’d like to see more attention to detail as a passer. He had a few issues with making the right type of pass on the perimeter, leading to turnovers.
Conclusion
Zach Hicks has so many things that NBA front offices look for: good character, size, shooting, and the ability to impact the game defensively. Still, these are major pieces to a puzzle rather than one that has been completed. He undoubtedly needs to shore up his problem areas in order to be a more complete player. It’s a tall task: he has to get inside more consistently, he needs to add variety to his shot diet, his passing needs to become crisper, and he needs to get stronger. While there are a lot of little things that need to come along, his upside is undeniable. You may read this and write off Coach Chris Clark’s remarks about his improvements as a coach hyping up his guy, but rumblings of his improvement have been making the rounds for a while, as seen in this tweet here from friend of the site Adam Spinella. Coach Clark also noted to me that Hicks may be closer to 6’8” or 6’9” than his listed 6’7”. Whether or not he cleans up every aspect of his game in one season or takes a few years, Zach Hicks is an essential player to monitor going forward. His improvement throughout the past season, and the buzz coming out of Temple, has me excited to see him in action this fall.
Jace Carter, 6’5”, Sophomore, University of Illinois-Chicago
2021-2022 Stats: 8.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 1.1 TOV, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG
2021-2022 Shooting Splits: 43.3/38.2/68.8
Signature Performance: vs. Cleveland State, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block. 4-9 FG, 2-4 3FG, 6-6 FT.
Tough Test(s) (Games Against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Dayton. 2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist. 1-4 FG, 0-2 3FG.
What’s Good
Jace Carter can shoot the ball, he’s strong, knows how to play defense, and he plays his tail off. The 6’5” wing provided meaningful floor spacing for UIC during his freshman season, knocking down 38.2% of his 7.4 threes per 100 possessions. He ranked in the 95th percentile as a jump shooter and in the 92nd percentile on catch-and-shoot looks, per Synergy. On top of this, he knows how to leverage his gravity. He’s solid at attacking closeouts and took 47.1% of his shots in the halfcourt at the rim. His first step, powerful frame, and willingness to embrace contact make him more than just a shooter. He’s a good cutter, too, and there were a number of instances where he didn’t get rewarded with a pass after burning his man.
Carter’s defense causes headaches for opponents, too. He posted a 1.5 STL% and 2.2 BLK% as a freshman, both enticing metrics. He has a wonderful knack for reading opposing offenses that allows him to sneak into passing lanes for steals, and his ability to elevate allows him to block way more shots than most players his size. His feet are fast, he slides well with his arms extended, and his strong chest is difficult to get through. As a result, he’s tough to deal with on the ball. When he’s chasing players around screens, he keeps pace with them and avoids contact. His physical tools and acumen allow him to guard 1-3 comfortably while dealing with 4s respectably. Carter’s rebounding needs a tip of the hat, too— he averaged 8.6 per 40 minutes. Despite being 6’5”, he would often line up on the low block when the opposing team shot free throws. He knows how to throw his body into boxouts and soar for rebounds. His speed allows him to snake in for defensive rebounds that many wings aren’t typically able to grab. Offensively, he’s able to function as a put-back threat, averaging 2.2 OREBs in his 25.1 MPG. There’s a general feeling throughout games that his impact on the glass simply raises the floor of his team. Carter’s presence breeds extra possessions and limits frustrating second chances for opponents.
What Needs Improvement
There’s a level of offensive sophistication that needs to be added to Carter’s on-ball offense. Most serious NBA prospects his size are able to do more with the ball in their hands than Carter is. He wasn’t someone UIC ran the offense through. His scoring bag is rather simple: he catches and shoots, or he drives to the basket. If his initial plan of attack doesn’t work, he doesn’t have much in the way of counters. Carter also averaged a mere 0.6 APG, and it’s because he doesn’t always keep his head up on his drives. When the help comes, he isn’t the quickest to recognize it and skip the ball to the open man at this stage. Carter ranked in the 38th percentile at the basket per Synergy, which is a bit of a letdown given his physical tools. He only took two floaters, too, which speaks to the lack of his in-between game. If it isn’t a three or a drive right to the basket, he’s prone to getting stuck. Carter didn’t face much tough competition (though it’s worth noting that his game against Dayton was the first one of his college career) and will deal with a step up as UIC moves into the Missouri Valley this year. On defense, Carter can be a gambler on occasion, but that doesn’t worry me too much, given his experience level.
Conclusion
I fully expect Jace Carter to take a few more seasons to hit his ceiling. That said, the ceiling here is an exciting one. He’s already a reliable shooter who can defend multiple positions and provide outstanding positional rebounding. Whether he transitions from being a great mid-major role player to a true NBA prospect will be determined by how well he develops the connecting aspects of his game. If he hones his handle, mid-range shooting, and playmaking for others, he could become a no-brainer for an NBA front office on a draft night down the road.
Ricky Council IV, 6’6”, Junior, Arkansas
2021-2022 Stats: 12.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 2.1 TOV, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG
2021-2022 Shooting Splits: 43.7/30.6/84.9
Signature Performance: vs. UCF. 31 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block. 6-10 FG, 3-4 3FG, 16-20 FT.
Tough Test(s) (Games Against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Arizona. 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, 3 steals. 3-6 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-3 FT.
-vs. Oklahoma State. 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals, 1 block. 7-11 FG, 3-3 3FG, 0-1 FT.
-vs. Houston (1/8/22). 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 steal. 1-2 FG, 0-1 3FG, 6-6 FT.
-vs. Houston (2/20/22). 17 points, 10 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, 1 block. 5-12 FG, 0-3 3FG, 7-8 FT.
-vs. Memphis (2/27/22). 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 steals, 1 block. 2-12 FG, 1-4 3FG, 5-6 FT.
What’s Good
Here’s the least under-the-radar prospect of the entire series! He still feels under-examined, so I decided to include him. Arkansas prospect Ricky Council IV spent his first two seasons at Wichita State. In his first season, he earned all-freshman team honors in the AAC and looked like a springy wing with shooting chops who could stand to do more on the defensive end. As a sophomore, he earned the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year award and made big strides defensively, posting a 2.5 STL% and 2.1 BLK%. So, why is he going back to school for another year, and why isn’t he generating more buzz? Simply, his three-ball didn’t fall at the same clip, but I’m still bullish on his shooting. Council ranked in the 77th percentile on jump shots off the dribble per Synergy. He can hit from NBA range off the dribble and create separation for himself with stepbacks. If you close out on him too hard, too, he’ll make you pay. He’s a nasty straight-line driver with a quick first step and vicious bounce to finish above the rim. Council finished in the 97th percentile for straight drives, per Synergy. While he made more dynamic shots this year, he actually dipped as a catch-and-shoot target (we’ll get to this later), but as a freshman, he finished in the 75th percentile there, so it’s not a lost cause. Though he’s known for his more violent finishes, Council has a bit of wiggle to him, too. He showed more craft with his handle and footwork to get to his spots as a sophomore. His unadulterated speed gets the job done a lot of the time, but when it can’t, he knows how to use Euro-steps and fake passes to create openings for himself. Council has a nose for the glass. He can wiggle his way into traffic for put-back opportunities on offense, and defensively, he can limit second chances thanks to his effort. On defense, his positional awareness is sublime. He has long limbs and quick hands that make him a consistent threat for poke-aways both on the ball and in passing lanes. Off the ball, he’s able to help and then recover to his man well, thanks to his quickness. His vertical makes it so that his contests on the perimeter can cause trouble even for bigger shooters with high release points.
What Needs Improvement
Ricky Council IV has a bit of connective tissue missing from his offensive game at the moment. He’s not completely reliable as a play creator for others. Part of it is that Council’s pass placement isn’t particularly careful or consistent. He can be a bit too blasé with post entries, and he doesn’t always sense defenders who might sneak into his passing lane. The other issue is that Council, a left-handed player, doesn’t like to go right and struggles when forced in that direction. He’s not a turnover machine when forced to his off-hand, but he’s noticeably slower, less confident, and less comfortable when he needs to use it. Council will need to develop physically, as well. He’s a middling rim-finisher currently, though he’s fearless getting to the rack. Some extra bulk would enable him to be more of a threat at the basket and prevent him from getting knocked off his spot on defense. Lastly, I want to circle back to his issues shooting off the catch. Despite being a right-handed shooter, his shot tracks entirely up the left side of his body. If you showed me everything before his release, and I’d never seen him before, I would have comfortably bet my life on him being a left handed shooter. This cross-body setup is far less prominent on his pull-ups, where he’s a better shooter. Players with unconventional forms have made it work before (See: Marion, Shawn), but it’s hard to see the difference in his off-the-catch numbers and wonder if it isn’t partially to blame.
Conclusion
Ricky Council IV has a lot going for him: he possesses NBA athleticism vertically and laterally, he’s developing as a creator, he fundamentally understands how to play defense, and he can shoot off the dribble. I’m a big believer that just about anybody can put on size, so I’m not too hung up on his frame for now, though development there would be nice to see. Council’s consistency as a passer and his ability to find teammates, paired with his shot off the catch, are the two big swing skills for him heading into this season. If we see a jump in those areas, he’s a serious 2023 NBA Draft prospect. His freshman shooting numbers and efficient free throw percentage as a sophomore both give me optimism about the shot, and his steps forward as a creator for himself this past year lead me to believe he can expand that out for others as a junior. Arkansas has a loaded squad, which presents a double-edged sword. On one hand, Council will have far more eyes on him than he did at Wichita State. Conversely, a slow start could see a decrease in his opportunities, preventing him from making a leap. Regardless, there are few players more intriguing to me this coming season than Ricky Council IV. If he makes the improvements outlined, he’ll be one of the most exciting prospects to watch this year.
Dillon Jones, 6’6”, Junior, Weber State
2021-2022 Stats: 12.6 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.3 TOV, 1.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG.
2021-2022 Shooting Splits: 54.1/35.4/80.0
Signature Performance: vs. Northern Colorado. 24 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals. 7-13 FG, 5-7 3FG, 5-6 FT.
Tough Test(s) (Games Against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. Washington State. 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal. 6-12 FG, 1-2 3FG, 3-3 FT.
What’s Good
Dillon Jones has the strength to finish inside and the touch to score on the perimeter. He’s a reliable three-point shooter with clean shot prep footwork when spotting up or moving into his shot after a screen. His handle, patience, and savvy allow him to attack closeouts well, too. Jones understands the pull he can create against opposing defenses and does well on an island. He gets low to the ground with his dribble, preventing defenders from getting into the ball and using his powerful body to get where he wants. He’s efficient when he gets inside the arc, too— he’s made over 60% of his twos in both of his college seasons. Jones keeps his head up and can find shooters spotting up on the outside or cutters taking advantage of the attention he commands as a scorer. Another big tool for Jones is his ambidextrousness, as he’s comfortable going in either direction, giving defenses no preferable place to funnel him. He has a strong lower half, allowing him to carve out space on the glass. Despite being 6’6”, he led the Big Sky conference in rebounds per game thanks to his tenacity and technique. While he’s not a mesmerizing athlete, he’s a solid defender. Jones moves well and has reliable coordination defensively. He’s not going to cross his feet, he does a nice job of keeping his man in front of him, and his positional knowledge prevents him from giving up easy looks.
What Needs Improvement
Dillon Jones needs to work on his conditioning and athleticism. The most troubling aspect of his game when considering his scalability is his lack of lift. Jones manages to be a great interior finisher right now in the Big Sky, but it’s hard to picture him maintaining that production against better athletes. In two college seasons, Dillon Jones has posted three total blocks and three total dunks. While elements of his statistics, scoring savvy, and physical profile remind me of Ron Harper Jr. in some ways, Harper had much more bounce to him. Harper was a factor above the rim on offense, and he never posted a block rate below 2%. Harper also did that at Rutgers, not Weber State. There are times when Jones gets up and down the floor more like a seven-footer than a wing. While he carries a big workload now, he’s going to need to be quicker to get back offensively at the next level.
Conclusion
The biggest question facing Dillon Jones isn’t a skill one but a physical one. Right now, he’s below an NBA level from a fitness and vertical athleticism standpoint. The good news is that these are areas where we’ve seen players make massive strides in recent years. A big knock on Scottie Barnes coming out was his lack of vertical pop in traffic. He worked specifically on that issue during the pre-draft process, and it wasn’t an issue for him as a rookie. Jones isn’t that same tier of athlete, but he’s also not a lost cause. Jones has the talent— I buy his jumper, he has soft touch, he knows what he’s doing on defense, and he’s a selfless playmaker who doesn’t get locked into his reads. After spending time at Damian Lillard’s Formula-Zero camp, I’m hoping we see a big leap from Jones as a junior.
Francis Nwaokorie, 6’7”, Sophomore, UC-San Diego
2021-2022 Stats: 11.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.7 TOV, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG.
2021-2022 Shooting Splits: 53.9/41.3/76.5
Signature Performance: vs. Cal State Fullerton. 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block. 7-12 FG, 3-5 3FG, 6-6 FT.
Tough Test(s) (Games Against Quad-1 Competition):
-vs. San Diego State. 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 turnovers. 4-6 FG, 1-3 3FG.
What’s Good
I saved Francis Nwaokorie for last because he might be my “favorite” of this group in that he embodies exactly what this series is all about. He sits at the perfect intersection of slept-on and talented. Nwaokorie is a late-bloomer from Minnesota who was labeled a two-star recruit by VerbalCommits. In a conversation with Nwaokorie, I asked if he felt frustrated with that type of ranking: “It was frustrating, but I feel like I could have done more. I could have put in the work to get to the next level, and I don’t think I got there until after the AAU season. I put more work in getting quicker, faster, stronger after that,” he told me. After a strong outing toward the end of his AAU tenure, he received Division One interest and immediately clicked with the UC San Diego staff. Additionally, Nwaokorie was drawn there because he felt that he would have the chance to play right away and showcase his skills. The result? A wildly productive first-year campaign that saw him named as a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award, an honor given to the country’s best freshman. Nwaokorie was a tremendous inside-out scorer, ranking in Synergy’s 94th percentile on jump shots, 98th on no-dribble jump shots, 92nd scoring on post-ups, and 81st for scoring around the basket. He finished the year at 61.3% on twos (4.7/game) and 41.3% on threes (2.8/game).
Prior to college, Nwaokorie often played inside, but he worked hard to expand his game. “Growing up, I was always taller and stronger, so I was a low post scorer. I knew how to use my footwork and size. Toward my last year of AAU, I knew that colleges would look for versatility. Being able to shoot a three-pointer is everything. Until my senior year, I didn’t take many threes. That summer before my freshman year, I was just working on my three-point shot, and it paid dividends,” he noted. Given that background, his comfort level on the perimeter is genuinely shocking. He makes good decisions with the ball, his shot is smooth, he’s always moving, and he sets meaningful screening. His feel is off the charts. Nwaokorie rarely makes frustrating decisions, and he can deliver accurate passes with one hand. When he is moving without the ball to spot up, his footwork and shot preparation are smooth and seamless.
On defense, it’s much of the same. Nwaokorie has fantastic size for a wing defender (6’7”, 230 pounds) and posted strong metrics (1.8 STL%, 2.0 BLK%). He was forced to play the 5-spot in many line-ups defensively, which won’t be his role at the next level. While true big men gave him trouble at times, he’s strong around the rim and can stay vertical against drivers. On the perimeter, he can slide and stay big to wall off guards trying to get inside. He has a great nose for positioning and can take advantage of poor entry passes. “I like defense because it’s just about heart and the want to, to not let your opponent score, to make their life as difficult as possible; that’s what I like about it the most. It’s being in the right positions and having the mental discipline to be help-side, be in the gap. I like getting stops and changing the momentum of the game,” Nwaokorie explained.
I’m also bullish on Nwaokorie because of his mind. UC San Diego is a tough school to get into— their average incoming student GPA hasn’t dipped below 4.0 since 2012, and Acadmeicful estimates their current acceptance rate to be around 23.7%. Talking to Nwaokorie, it was immediately clear that he’s a smart person. He was majoring in Neurobiology before making the change to Public Health and has long wanted to work in the field of medicine. Still, this is a basketball website, and Nwaokorie is a student of the game, too. He talked about how he studies film, saying, “I watch a lot of Karl Anthony Towns and how he shoots, pump fakes, uses his footwork to drive and attack the basket. I studied areas where I can make my shots at a good rate, and better know when to kick it out.” Nwaokorie also went into great detail about his screening. He outlined how the speed of the ball handler and positioning of the defenders determines his decision to roll to the rim or pop for a three. I came away from my conversation with Nwaokorie thoroughly impressed with his diligence, his excitement when talking about watching film, and his knowledge of X’s and O’s. His basketball mind is fantastic, and it felt no different speaking to him than it did to many college coaches.
What Needs Improvement
Given that he’ll play more on the perimeter at the next level, Nwaokorie will need to continue his developmental trajectory as a creator. Synergy only lists him as taking two off-the-dribble jumpers last season, and he didn’t operate a single pick-and-role as the ball handler. Those aren’t things he’d likely do a ton of for an NBA team, but they are necessary “break glass in case of emergency” skills for any wing to have, particularly while playing against a lower level of competition. Nwaokorie could also stand to be quicker on both ends. His first step is a bit on the slower side, and I don’t love him in defensive match-ups where he’s switched onto quick guards. In their match-up against San Diego State, he consistently allowed Nathan Mensah (a tremendous, traditional 6’10” big man) to get to his strong hand inside. When we talked about his defense, Nwaokorie touched on many of these concerns, stating, “I think I’m going to take another step forward this year. I saw a lot of stuff on film I could get better, especially with knowing personnel. I’ve been working on getting through screens on the perimeter more. I want to guard on the perimeter better, and I want to stay in front of the ball better. Guarding Kos (Jake Kosakowski) in practice has helped me get a lot better at that.”
Conclusion
Francis Nwaokorie has a lot of tools in place that hold significant weight to NBA front offices. He’s big, he can shoot, he’s a trustworthy decision maker, he produces on defense, he has a great mind for the game, and he can identify where he needs to improve. Holes in his game do exist, and he might not patch all of them up right away. Even with those issues, though, he’s already good at so many important aspects of the game. NBA teams crave low-maintenance connectors with size, and that’s Francis Nwaokorie. With UC San Diego’s previous leading scorer Toni Rocak headed to San Francisco, Nwaokorie has a big opportunity as a sophomore. If he can maintain his efficiency while scaling up to a larger role, attention is bound to come his way. The numbers are great on paper, but when you dig into the film and the human being himself, there’s even more to like.