TCU “upset” (they were 4.5 point favorites, but were unranked to Oklahoma’s #9 ranking) Oklahoma 80-71, largely behind Emanuel Miller’s performance. Other prospects had notable games, for better or worse, including Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh, Javian McCollum, and Milos Uzan, and TCU’s Jameer Nelson Jr and Avery Anderson. These are my notes with plays that stood out with the time stamps:
Otega Oweh:
5:33 2H bad 3
Oweh had a foul following his cut from a bad pass in the first half that forced him to sit for a while. The foul occurred about 75 feet from the basket, which will make any coach pull their hair out. This was a very quiet game from Oweh, as TCU played a bit of a no-middle defense that prevented him from truly getting to his spots as a slasher, with minimal impact as a shooter. I’d like to see more instinctive movement off-ball rather than only cutting for the set plays. Oweh needs to find more ways to impact the game without scoring.
Javian McCollum
Out of control TO 17:09 1H
Back to back 3s to open the 2H
Fun, but probably not an NBA player due to size, lack of slashing and playmaking, and decision-making, but a fun player that likely gets an invite to Summer League and can make some noise.
Milos Uzan
Nice assist along the baseline 18:37 1H
Struggles to separate on drives. He has to rush into plays in order to get clean looks off, which often results in wild shots. His poor finishing numbers at the rim support this, which make scouts skeptical about him translating up if arguably the most important skill cannot translate up: rim pressure. He can thrive on the perimeter with good vision and a beautiful jumper, but rim pressure is often too much of a necessity for guards.
Jameer Nelson Jr
6:01 1H P&R reject dunk
15:25 2H drive
2:31 assist to Emanuel Miller
Jameer Nelson Jr is one of the top P&R reject guards in the country, and it allows him to get to the rim at ease. His jump shot is unorthodox with a weird release angle. With inconsistent metrics around his shot, he is tough to diagnose as an off-ball player. Defensively, Nelson reads plays well, always being able to pinpoint the next play either on-time or before it happens.
Emanuel Miller
11:55 1H floater, which is an improved weapon this year
8:06 mid range J
5:31 bad footwork on missed 3
16:14 2H putback
10:31 Miller 3
8:08 nice pass out of the drive for 3 but miss
5:24 transition score through light contact
4:00 putback
Emanuel Miller did damage in this game, going for 27 points on 11-17 shooting with 9 rebounds. His motor was on full display, helping him win cuts by beating defenders with an explosive first step and willing to absorb contact through the play. He’s improved his mid range jumper this year with a lethal face-up jumper that he consistently uses as well. There’s still elements of his shot that he needs to improve, but the strides he has made as a senior seem scalable to the next level.
This game didn’t have many standout creation plays, but rather was a game highlighted by effort plays (cuts, finding holes in defenses, rebounding, etc), and that is why Emanuel Miller thrived in this game. Miller’s motor keeps him in plays, as well as it allows for him to enter and win plays most players don’t find their way too. As a great athlete with ideal wing size at 6’7, a great motor is a key differentiator that can allow him to win higher spots within coaching rotations.
Avery Anderson
17:23 2H transition finish
11:18 3
6:02 block then 5:53 J (video below)
Has a nice skillset but is too small to fully maximize it. Lacks shooting, isn’t a PG, and doesn’t have a takeover mentality with the ball in his hands. While his shooting and overall aggression was impressive against Oklahoma, his track record doesn’t provide much confidence for NBA teams. Look for Anderson to have a successful career overseas.
