Welp, was hoping to not hop in here until next week. A lot departures coming for UW, should be an interesting new team.
Expected departures: Trice, Potter, Ford, Reuvers. All have been important at points. I wish Ford and Reuvers had finished better, but that's life. These guys seem remote possibilities to use an extra year.
Shoo-in rotation guys
Tyler Wahl: He's gonna be a starter for two years. I think he's primarily a power forward, but he's done some small forward stuff. His shooting has been so-so, but he's 6-9, can post, can guard a range of guys. I don't know he's a star, but he's an anchor.
Johnny Davis: Right now the team's functional best small forward. There's some wondering if he can play shooting guard. A lot of folks really like his offensive potential. I'm a little more reserved there, but I think he'll be a 30-plus MPG guy as long as he wants to be at UW just because of two-way skills.
Seniors we're waiting on
Trevor Anderson: The most likely guy to return. He's a serviceable third guard in a pinch and a really nice fourth guard. He's got kind of a low ceiling, but a good guy to have around.
Brad Davison: He seems like a big maybe, and UW could use him. I know many don't like him and some of his stuff is irksome to watch and he's not super dynamic, but UW is gonna need guards it can throw out there and not worry about, and he's mostly that. A few UW fans have worried about other guys getting minutes, but if UW ends up with three other guards better than him, we're fine.
Other returners who need to prove themselves
Ben Carlson: The highest rated recruit last year. He was a end of the rotation guy before a back injury. Would’ve got some run with the center issues. He played in garbage time Friday. I think he might start at center next to Wahl. Maybe.
Steven Crowl: A freshman this year who probably would’ve redshirted had that been a thing this year. Reports are he can play. If he’s rotation quality next year, that’s a big boost.
Guys I’m not expecting in the rotation
Jordan Davis: Johnny’s less talented brother. He might have potential as a shooter/defensive guard at some point. Maybe not yet.
Joe Hedstrom: Big 7-foot project. Feels more likely to be gone than matter next year.
The unusual newcomer
Lorne Bowman: a guard the staff is excited for. Was supposed to be in the roster this season, but between COVID blues and some family stuff, never played. Would’ve likely been the top guard off the bench this season. Not sure how he’ll be when he’s back.
The freshmen
Chucky Hepburn: stout athletic point, he looks like a good one. Some UW fans think he’ll end up starting. I wouldn’t rule it out, and if you said he started his sophomore-senior years, I’d believe it. At worse, he’s a third guard on a team with a mess of third guard options. (In HS, he won a state title and battled for another with a SUPER talented team on the other side).
Matt Mors: thick but springy 6-7 forward. I was high on him, but some UW recruiting moves and sluggish playoff games have me wondering. I think he has potential, but am not sure where it is.
Chris Hodges: Stout 6-8, 235-pound big with a nice jumper. I’ve read he’ll need some time after not playing HS ball last year. Not sure where he'll land in the rotation and such.
Marcus Ilver: Skinny 6-8 combo forward. Needs to add weight and mature. Betting a redshirt.
Mystery grad transfers
One of the assistants intimated they'll make a run at a grad transfer point guard. Some fans are high on the idea of Hepburn, but I think you need an experienced option, even if I really like Hepburn. Worse comes to worse, an elder transfer can be insurance. In terms of need on that front.
1. Point guard - They don't have an even sort of experienced option here outside Anderson, who ain't playing big minutes/starting.
2. Shooting guard (only if Davison leaves, but that could be an issue)
3. Hard-nosed big: Some UW fans were really, REALLY excited for this idea after some problems here this season. I'm more lukewarm on it as a "need" since UW has Wahl and at least has worked with Carlson and Crowl. If it's a "need" the staff will get after it. But the guys who had their tough moments this season are mostly gone.
4. Wildcard good talent they take because you can always use more good players: They're after a GW combo forward transfer who score 17 a game this year. Guessing they'll look around.
They only have two transfer spots, maybe three if Hedstrom leaves.
They need 7-9 guys out of that group. The set of Davis and Wahl can cover two of the starting 2/3/4 spots (Wahl could maybe play some center, but it seems unlikely). Davison would cover the 2 if he returns. I think that batch includes at least a quality third guard and backup big. Just need to turn out a few more spots.
