The Flagrant 2’s Guys to Watch for the 2019–2020 Season — Part 1: Intro to World Domination

Photo Cred: Caitlyn Epes/The Daily

After a few years of writing about the draft, especially during the preseason, one thing stood out to us and that was how much we love to overhype certain prospects that we just fine enjoyable to watch. Sometimes we are right with our hype but most of the time, we are a year away from their breakout season if they have one at all during their collegiate career. The biggest overhype to date was Stanford’s Daejon Davis who we ranked as the 3rd best returning prospect last year due to him dazzling us with his no-look bounce passes and his frame/height combo. The glare of his sexy passes blinded us from caring too much about his ridiculously high TO numbers and what can only be described as “wildly lazy behavior” on the court. We still believe though just not as much as before.

So we are going to accept our fate and steer into the abyss rather than attempt to hide from who we actually are. Instead of ranking 50 prospects or going into our preseason big board, because plenty of talented writers will do that, we are going to provide you with a list of guys that we love to watch play hoops who also might be just a tad bit under-the-radar from a draft perspective but are most definitely be over-hyped by us.

So without further adieu … here is the Flagrant 2’s Potentially Over-Hyped Prospects for the 2019–2020 season ….. Returning prospects only, Part 1(ish) in no particular order:

1. Josh LeBlanc, Georgetown, Small-Ball 5
   Reason to Watch: Big Time Motor with Huge Defensive Value
   Hot Take City:Listen, Josh LeBlanc is going to dominate college basketball next year and he will do so with a usage rate of about 20%. That is all you need to know about LeBlanc as a player to figure out why I am so wildly obsessed with him as a prospect. In fact, I had LeBlanc 20th on my big board before he decided to come back to school for his sophomore campaign. Before we get into what LeBlanc does well, it should be stated that he is a below-average dribbler, has a little tunnel vision and his shot needs to be a little more refined. His FT% was good for a guy his age but if he is capable of turning into a consistent shooter from range and the line then watch the fuck out. If he shoots 35% next season on decent volume from range then he is a lottery pick since he does all the little things so well. His offensive upside is probably that of a guy who you run maybe 2 to 3 plays for during the course of a game but his motor and energy will get him a lot more easy looks during the course of a game. If you are looking at a guy who LeBlanc compares out too, I have always liked to refer to him as a mini-Looney.
2. Aaron Henry, Michigan State, Guard
   Reason to Watch: He is Just Good at the Game of Basketball
   Hot Take City:Henry is easily the least sexiest player on the list when it comes to on the court abilities but even without the highlight reel dunks or the ability to shoot 3s from space, Henry is a legitimate prospect with serious upside as a lottery talent if he can make the necessary jump in his sophomore campaign. His career tracks similarly to that of Gary Harris in that he was a top recruit coming out of HS, had a solid freshman campaign from a stat perspective but truly showed his skills as a team-player and one that can hit shots when needed. When it comes to what Henry has to improve on, the main area that sticks out to me personally is just seeing how he plays with an increased role on offense. He is not a ball-stopper on O, makes the right read when in the PnR and has a jumper that he can get off in a variety of ways. He has shown to be proficient in catch and shoot situations and has shown some shot versatility in the mid-range. If Henry doesn’t expand his offensive skills then his outlook is still pretty good as a 3&D wing. His ability to create “events” on D is nothing spectacular but like De’Andre Hunter, he is an anaconda that will smother you to death if he gets his hands on you. His ability to track his man and disrupt any flow the opposing team is huge. If Henry can turn the corner on O then you are looking at a potential Top-10 guy with huge upside but if he maintains and improves on what he can currently do then you have an “advanced” stat monster.
3. Aamir Simms, Clemson, Big
   Reason to Watch: Big Time Floor-Spacing Big with Defensive Upside
   Hot Take City: Call me crazy but Aamir Sims is essentially 80% the player that De’Andre Hunter was last year. Hunter is definitely a more clear-cut prospect in almost every area outside of a few but Simms can easily make the jump from potential 2nd Rounder to late First Rounder. When you compare the two side by side, they have similar frames in terms of muscle tone but Hunter might be a little longer where Simms is definitely a lot thicker. Both are capable switch defenders while Simms even with the smaller wingspan might be the better defensive play-maker in terms of steals and blocks due to his lateral quickness. On offense, Hunter is clearly the more valuable prospect as he is a legitimate knock-down shooter when left open. Simms flashed some huge progress in his shooting over the first 10 or so games but once he got into ACC play, his shooting flat out stunk. With that being said, his offensive profile is that of a stretch 4 with some upside as someone that can pull the ball on the floor. He isn’t a maestro with the ball in his hands but he has enough handles and has a quick burst for his size that he should be able to get by most collegiate big men next year off the dribble. The biggest thing going for Simms is that he should see a major bump in usage with the departure of their three leading scorers in Elijah Thomas, Marcquise Reed & Shelton Mitchell. For as talented as Simms is, he hasn’t sniffed a usage rate close to 20% in his first two years, which means he could be a breakout talent in the ACC if given the opportunity to do so. Along with becoming a more consistent shooter from all areas, Simms needs to use his muscle and frame to get more than 4 rebounds per game especially since Elijah Thomas is no longer there to eat up half the court.
4. Montez Mathis, Rutgers, Guard
   Reason to Watch: A Brick-Wall Who is Rapidly Improving in All Areas
   Hot Take City:Yes, this is where the kool-aid starts to kick in as Mathis is neither a “per game wonder” or an “advanced stats darling”, instead he is just a young kid with an unreal frame and great length who has flashed enough skills in all facets of the game for me not to be hyped about his sophomore campaign at Rutgers. That was a long sentence. Hell, he might not even be the best prospect on his team with Caleb McConnell, Ron Harper Jr and Myles Johnson on the roster but that still won’t stop me from over-hyping him. Standing 6’3ish and 200+ pounds with a reported 6’9 wingspan, Mathis has the foundation of a solid defensive prospect who can guard multiple positions. When it comes to on the court ability, he needs to improve in almost every area outside of his ability to get out on the break. His shot is his biggest question mark and one that will make or break his professional outlook. If he can turn around his shot from three and the line then watch out. If I was to highlight one area of his game that is already pretty good is his ability to attack the basket and get to the line. Yes, he doesn’t shoot well from it but he still has an all-out attack mentality who doesnt turn away from contact.
5. Emmitt Matthews Jr., West Virginia, Guard/Wing
   Reason to Watch: Silky Smooth Offensive Weapon with Great BBIQ
   Hot Take City: I don’t know if it is the hair or the frame but Emmitt Matthews plays basketball like i would imagine Brian Bowen would have played if the NCAA didn’t royally fuck him. He is a silky smooth lefty with good height and flashed enough upside as a freshman to warrant a spot on our list. The first thing that stood out to me when watching Matthews play is his high basketball IQ on offense along with his willingness to go after boards, which is impressive because he looks more like a long distance runner than a basketball player. His frame and lack of even above-average length might be a cause for concern and his frame is definitely his biggest area for improvement but I am not too worried about it because if Coach Huggins decides to recruit you then you have to be a little tapped in the head to decide to play for him. If I am just “blah” on his frame, my biggest issue with Matthews is his overall athleticism. His first-step is probably below-average based off of last season and his “jumping” is not the best as well, so his upside as a primary scoring option in the NBA is probably pretty small but his off-ball ability is huge. He finds holes in the defense for easy put-back opportunities, crashes the boards well for a guy with his frame and is not a ball-stopper, which might be his best offensive quality. For a guy with his upside on O, he doesn’t look for his own number all that often. It is easy to see that offense is where Matthews will shine and I think he has the opportunity to be a legitimate scorer next season in the BIG12. He only averaged around 5 PPG last season but I expect him to be around 14 PPG with a much improved shooting % from range thanks in large part to Oscar Tshiebwe & Derek Culver who will be eating up so much space in the paint that Matthews should get a lot of open shots.
6. Jamal Bieniemy, Oklahoma, Lead Guard
   Reason to Watch: Handles for Days with a Growing Offensive Game
   Hot Take City: Every basketball fan has an archetype that they just love, which usually clouds their judgment or maybe a certain player just jumps out to them personally based on aesthetics and for me that guy this year is Jamal Bieniemy. There is just something about the way he plays basketball that is appealing to me, and that is coming from someone who only really watched him play in the off-season using YouTube. Jamal Bieniemy is sneaky skilled, to the point where he might be the most under-appreciated prospect in the country. He has everything you want in a lead guard from his elite vision, great height and underrated ability to attack the basket. What I like about Bieniemy the most is not that he makes the flashy pass or can embarrass his defender with ease off the dribble but it is his defensive awareness and willingness to put pressure on his assignment. He is a good man-to-man defender but it is his ability to make “things” happen off the ball that has me smiling. When it comes to talking about what Bieniemy can do to turn the corner, the easiest thing for me to say is gaining some muscles. For him to really take-off and be seen as a threat to attack, he needs to be able to finish around the rim and that was something he just couldn’t do last year. Along with an improved frame, seeing what he can do with a usage greater than 15% will be interesting too. If everything goes correctly then we could be looking at the overall assist leader for the BIG12 and one of the top floor generals in college basketball next season.
7. Keyontae Johnson, Florida, I Don’t Know
   Reason to Watch: He is a Fucking Tank of a Human with Great BBIQ
   Hot Take City: As we enter what might be the start of the true Golden Age of “Positionless” Basketball*, swiss-army knives like Keyonate Johnson become a little more sexy then they were even a few years ago due in large part to the success of megastars like Giannis or Zion and to a certain extent even guys like P.J. Tucker. Yes, Johnson is not in the same stratosphere as Zion or even Ben Simmons, but he does fall into that Grant Williams bucket where talented basketball players who understand the game can find “big data” success thanks in large part to their hustle and basketball IQ. Along with his hustle and IQ, Johnson is blessed with a frame that would make Vince McMahon’s pants tight and he can also jump with the best of them. His lack of handles is his biggest flaw as a player and what will prevent him from being that “Zion-lite” level player. On a collegiate level, Johnson has shown the ability to take guys off the dribble when in attack mode but I just don’t see it improving all that much for future success. At the NBA level, Johnson won’t be asked to dribble all that much and instead will be used as a 3-&-D type player which he should find success in. His shooting isn’t necessarily a strength but I wouldn’t be shocked if he improved his shot dramatically from both the FT line and range. He has good shooting mechanics on catch-and-shoot situations but due to his lack of handles, I don’t see him having much shot versatility. The last issue I have with Johnson is his lack of “wiggle” and his inability to get away from contact in the air. Johnson is a battering ram that looks to absorb as much contact as humanly possible while still attempting to get the ball in the hoop. He should get to the line more as a sophomore but the lack of flexibility will be an issue in the NBA.
8. Tyrn Flowers, LIU-Brookyln, Big
   Reason to Watch: Underrated Athlete with a Complete Offensive Package
   Hot Take City: Every person on twitter who is obsessed with college basketball has at least 1 low-major prospect they are fully entrenched in supporting while also reminding everyone that they were first in predicting future success, for me that guy is Tyrn Flowers and for good reason. There is not a doubt in my mind that Flowers is an NBA player who is a top-75 player in college basketball, regardless of conference, who could easily start for more than half of the Power-5 teams. I am looking at you Boston College. The main reason to like Flowers, and i know this is an overused statement when discussing prospects, but the game just comes easy to him. It also helps that he is a legit 6’9 with “true” ball skills, a great shot and soft hands around the rim. His playmaking ability is at its best in transition but he still can initiate an offense in the half-court. For as much as I like Flowers as a prospect, there are some concerns with him from a consistency perspective and his ability to get to the line. At times it looks like Flowers is just going through the motions on the court, mostly on defense, where there are plays that he can easily disrupt but he just sticks to the sidelines. I bring this up because Flowers is a really good defender, he can switch onto guards and is a legitimate rim protector but like I said, sometimes it seems that he just floats in and out. The lack of free throws is a weird one and something that I can’t really wrap my head around. I don’t know if it is a scheme thing or what but Flowers should have a higher FTr then 14%. For a guy with his fluidity and ball-skills, he should be attacking the hoop a lot more than he is but he seems to only want to shoot 3s or score around the hoop off of an assist. His lack of FT attempts and below-average % from the line is my biggest gripe with him. If he can improve in both areas then you are looking at the clear-cut NEC Player of the Year.
9. Rayshaun Hammonds, Georgia, Big Bear
   Reason to Watch: Just a Giant Bear Fighting for Boards and Shooting 3s
   Hot Take City: The hype for Hammonds as a prospects starts with the combination of his raw mass along with his deceptively quick feet. He is essentially a giant grizzly bear that just so happens to be good at basketball. The size thing is interesting because plenty of guys in the NBA have the same measurements but there is just something about Hammonds that makes him look like a giant. Then there is his quick feet, which I don’t really get either. There are times where Hammonds bear like qualities are a negative and he looks like he is preparing for hibernation but then there are other times when he turns into a hungry grizzly bear and sprints down the court for an easy bucket. I truly do not get Hammonds. To go along with his sheer mass and speed, Hammonds might be one of the better “role player” prospects in the nation next season. He is an extremely talented off-ball player who is a legitimate shooting threat from almost anywhere on the court. He has a deft touch around the basket, gets out in transition, finds holes in the D pretty easily and has flashed enough from deep that makes me comfortable saying he shouldn’t be left open. His ball-skills are not the best, which is why I think his upside is capped at a valuable role player. When watching him play, he reminds me of Patrick Patterson but with a little more upside and awareness on both ends of the floor.
10. Gabe Kalscheur, Minnesota, Shooter
    Reason to Watch: Will Kill Your Team from the Perimeter
    Hot Take City:A lot of people will point to Isaiah Joe as the go-to name for the high volume shooting prospect for the 2020 NBA draft, but Gabe Klascheur should be right behind him if not next to him. When comparing the two, both need to evolve into more than just shooters which is where I think Gabe has a leg up already. Joe’s frame is a little more lanky without much girth, where Gabe has a more thick frame that allows for him to absorb a little more contact when attacking the rim. With Amir Coffey gone, I expect Gabe to take on more of an initiator role next season which will be a good thing for him as he has the ability to be a proficient playmaker. He has flashed enough upside as a passer that he should be able to see his name called more next season outside of just running off screens and making people pay for not handcuffing him to their side. Now that we got the boring things out of the way like where he can improve upon next year, we can mention that his jumper looks to be in the Top 5% of prettiest forms of all time. He is never off-balanced and is always ready to shoot the shit out of the ball. Minnesota will be a pretty under-the-radar team when it comes to watchability, so keep them on your radar and enjoy Killer Kalscheur.

** — Yes, I know positionless basketball has been a “thing” for years but to me, the acceptance of prospects who do not fit conventional basketball positions is relatively new.