Xavier's new commit and key returners from injury

As Sean Miller adds another 4-star prospect, we wonder which players could make a big return in 2022-23 (and how mad Xavier Johnson is at us).

August 26, 2022

The Almanac (available to pre-order now) is not only some of the best college basketball preview work found anywhere, but also provides interesting team and player rankings. You need a conversation starter, right?

You also can find out which team’s players took slight offense at the rankings.

Let’s get to the news.

STARTING FIVE

1. Sean Miller and Xavier look sharp

Thursday was a good day for Xavier Basketball, landing 4-star recruit Reid Ducharme, a 6-5 guard/wing from Boston. He’s a consensus top 100 player in the 2023 class and had a tremendous AAU season where he showcased his elite shooting ability.

Ducharme is the second commit for new coach Sean Miller, joining 4-star point guard Trey Green.

Ducharme and Green will join incoming freshmen guards, Desmond Claude and Kam Craft in the new-look perimeter corps for the future of the Big East program. With the floor-stretching ability of Ducharme, he’ll have a big role with that group.

Also in recruiting news:

2. Indiana players take issue with … us?

Our comprehensive season preview “The Almanac: The Year of the Big” features previews and insight into every D-I program, along with preseason player and conference rankings. As a promotional aspect, we’re showing the Top 100 players.

That didn’t go over so well in the Indiana locker room.

To some degree, Trayce Jackson-Davis is correct about Hoosier point guard Xavier Johnson being an upper-tier player. Johnson’s turnovers and sometimes poor decision-making on offense can take his team out of games. But he’s shown flashes amid career averages of 13.3 ppg and 5.0 apg in 115 starts at Indiana (and Pitt).

Last season was a good example. In the first 25 games, Johnson was OK: 10 ppg and 4.0 apg, shooting 39 percent. But in the final 10 games, Johnson elevated his play, averaging nearly 17 ppg and 7.0 apg while shooting a whopping 46 percent from deep — and was a driving force in IU’s late push to the NCAA Tournament.

That later version of Johnson is better than No. 96 overall. But can he do it over an entire season? It could be the difference in Indiana’s Big Ten title hopes.

3. Key players returning from injury

Earlier in the week, Florida transfer Keyontae Johnson officially joined Kansas State. The talented wing hasn’t played for nearly two years due to a heart condition.

But who are the other notable players coming back from season-long injuries?

Manny Bates, Butler

In two seasons at NC State, Bates was one of the country’s best interior defenders. After missing a year due to shoulder surgery, the 6-11 center gives Butler an imposing frontline — and showcased what’s possible during a recent European basketball tour.

Adam Miller, LSU

The former top-30 prospect averaged 8.3 ppg on 34 percent 3-point shooting as an Illinois freshman. He missed all of 2021-22 because of a torn ACL, and now he’s with his third coach in three years in Matt McMahon. Miller will be part of a loaded backcourt in Baton Rouge. Other transfers include Cam Hayes (NC State), Trae Hannibal and Justice Hill (Murray State).

Javonte Perkins, Saint Louis

The 6-6 guard and former Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year averaged 15.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg in two seasons with the Billikens. He missed all of last season with an ACL injury, but the team thrived thanks to the nation’s assist leader, Yuri Collins. We’ll see how many assists Collins will have now that the talented scoring wing is back.

CJ Fredrick, Kentucky

The 6-3 shooting guard started 52 games in two years at Iowa, canning a scorching 47 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. A bad hamstring took him out all last season, and Kentucky could’ve used his shot-making. If fully healthy, he’ll be a nice compliment to Sahvir Wheeler and Cason Wallace.

Tyreke Key, Tennessee

The 6-3 scoring guard flew under the radar at Indiana State. In three years as a full-time starter, Key averaged 16.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg on 40 percent 3-point shooting. He missed all of last season due to shoulder surgery.

Honorable mentions: Seth Towns (Ohio State), Nike Sibande (Pittsburgh), Dominick Harris (Gonzaga), Langston Love (Baylor), Nimari Burnett (Alabama), Jaedon Ledee (San Diego State).

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4. Memphis adjusts without Akot

Emmanuel Akot decided this week he wouldn’t actually transfer to Memphis. It was a big loss because the 6-8 wing can play point, defend and shoot the ball. And this late in the offseason, there just aren’t any reasonable alternatives from the portal. But credit to coach Penny Hardaway for finding a way to bounce back.

The 6-foot guard started 23 games for Memphis last season, averaging 6.1 ppg and 4.1 apg. He won’t start at point guard — that’s SMU transfer and AAC Player of the Year Kendric Davis — but the Tigers add depth with Lomax.

Speaking of transfers from SMU, Memphis gets another one in Jahmar Young, Jr. … for the second time this offseason.

Young originally picked Memphis over Texas Southern a couple of weeks ago, before deciding to de-commit and become a free agent. He’ll likely fill a reserve role.

5. Cashius McNeilly, man on the move

Cashius McNeilly’s college journey is something.

A 4-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, he started out with Texas A&M, missed his first season with an injury, then sat out 2020-21 due to COVID concerns. He transferred to TCU, but never played and settled at Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa. He then committed to Maryland, reopened his recruitment and finally selected the Pittsburgh in June.

Or not.

Dior Johnson committed to Pitt this summer, and the Panthers also brought in 5th-year transfers Nelly Cummings and Greg Elliott. Fifth-year guard Jamarius Burton and 6th-year senior Nike Sibande also return from injury. Perhaps the stable of newcomers detracted McNeilly from Pitt?

Oddly enough, that makes four D-I programs that McNeilly has committed to, but never played with. But before there’s online mockery. He’s also someone who has dealt with injuries, a pandemic, and constant roster and coaching changes.

McNeilly is now a free agent and we STILL don’t know how good he is at the D-I level. But expect there to be interest from schools lacking guard depth for the upcoming season.

THE FAST BREAK

Links as you mentally prepare for the heavyweight college football matchup between … Nebraska and Northwestern.

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