The JUCO Files Part 10
JUCO hoops are the backbone of college basketball. The JUCO files highlights underclassmen ready to make the D1 jump while improving their NIL and portal value through playing time in the NJCAA.
Why JUCO?
Were you aware that Jimmy Butler honed his skills in JUCO before starring at Marquette? He played at Tyler Junior College, and today, recent NBA draftees like Dalton Knecht (now with the Lakers) and Jonathan Mogbo (Raptors) followed a similar path, emerging from JUCO to become vital role players in the pros.
That’s what inspired me to launch The JUCO Files in my newsletter, a section dedicated to uncovering JUCO prospects primed for the jump to Division I. Often overlooked, JUCO basketball prioritizes fundamentals, grit, and core principles—making it an ideal proving ground for developing young talent.
Through this feature, I aim to highlight JUCO’s unique role in shaping players, equipping them to thrive at the next level, whether that’s a low-major program, a mid-major contender, or a power-five powerhouse.
Prospects
1. Vophcy Prophete — Reid State Technical College
Combo Guard — 6’5” — Freshman — Wekiva, FL
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X Profile
Prophete is a gifted scorer who offers secondary playmaking duties. He perfectly fits the combo guard role, especially considering his composure, court vision, and fluid hips. At the 1:03 mark, there’s an example below. Prophete is a great athlete with decent footwork. He’s good at using deception and fakes when creating advantages in closeouts. On top of that, he has a good habit of keeping the ball high when he’s driving into traffic. This helps him as his upper body hasn’t developed enough yet. Regardless, there is enough room to continue to fill his frame and add muscle in the next few years.
Prophete has good handles and offers a good chunk of creativity when attacking the rim. On top of that, he has a decent release on his shots off the dribble but looks more comfortable shooting off the dribble. Prophete doesn’t fall in love with three-point shots, as he’s looking to generate paint touches at all times. As a result, he’s averaging close to eight free throws per game, converting those at a solid 75% clip.
Defensively, Prophete’s size can help him guard against multiple positions in the future. However, as of now, it’s best for him to defend against guards due to a lack of strength in his upper body. At over a steal per game, his defensive playmaking while playing the passing lanes on defense is his main weapon. Regarding his rotations, he’s not consistent. However, that’s mostly related to his young age and growing his feel for the game.
Prophete should be on high-major Division II and low-major Division I radars, where he can immediately contribute. Regardless, there’s potential for him to grow to the mid-major Division I level in the next few years.
Projection for next season: complementary piece on a low-major Division I program.
2. Koak Kok — Miles Community College
Combo Forward— 6’7” — Sophomore — Ulan, South Sudan
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X Profile
Kok is a long athlete with a decently filled chest. Due to some growth spurts in his life, his frame is late in catching up. On top of that, Kok’s game is built on playing as an interior finisher, as he’s a very reluctant shooter from the outside. With over 95% of his attempts coming from the interior, he’s still developing that part of his game. However, his touch around the basket is very good. He’s great at using his long strides to get downhill as a closeout attacker. However, the lack of three-point shooting makes him more predictable.
Despite the lack of strength, his size and long arms help him to effectively attack the defender’s chest before the finish. While shooting over 75% from the charity stripe, there are enough flashes of him effectively adding a jumper from the midrange and perimeter in the next few years. However, the lack of handles and creativity puts a limit on his potential where he’s solely to be used as a complementary piece.
Regardless, Kok is a good rim protector with decent verticality. He’s best to serve as an interior defender who plays as a weakside rim protector. Guarding out on the perimeter isn’t one of his strong suits, as his defensive footwork needs work to help him keep balance and fully bank on his lateral quickness. However, his athleticism and impact on the boards while roaming in the interior give a Division I program a much-needed interior presence to counter guard-heavy rim pressure at the low-major level.