The JUCO Files Part 2
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?
Did you know Jimmy Butler played JUCO before Marquette? He did this at Tyler Junior College in Texas. When looking at the last draft class, Dalton Knecht (Lakers) and Jonathan Mogbo (Raptors) also came out of the JUCO reigns while now having legitimate roles in the association.
That’s the emphasis of my newsletter’s new section: the JUCO files! I will continuously write summaries of prospects who can make the jump to the Division I level. Here’s an assumption, but a tested one among people I spoke to. JUCO basketball is underrated. It’s a fundamental-based focus where toughness and sticking to principles are the base. That’s the perfect environment for young talent to mature their game and go through adversity.
That will help prospects embrace the game and be ready when they make the jump to Division I. Whether it’s the low-major or mid-major level or an immediate transfer to a power-five conference, it’s essential to scout the entirety of college basketball, where I focus on creating more awareness and acknowledgment of the value of JUCO basketball.
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Prospects
1. Mekhi Witter — Andrew College
Wing — 6’5” — Sophomore — Conyers, GA
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X
Witter has a productive wing at the mid-major level written all over him. At 6-foot-5, he has the fluidity of a guard while not backing away from playing physically and creating scoring angles in the post. He’s listed at 190 pounds but looks stronger and has enough room to fill his frame in the next few years.
He does most of his damage near the basket. He’s tough, and his aggressive style of play leads to him collecting rebounds in bunches while earning consistent trips to the charity stripe with about seven attempts per game. The main thing college coaches are buying with him is his scoring.
In the second play, at the 7-second mark, Witter attacks the closeout by elevating his drive well by reverse pivoting to elevate his burst. His body control and composure near the rim got him the clean scoring angle. His touch at the rim is the separator and will translate to the mid-major reigns of college basketball.
At the 25-second mark, he shows how well he can change his pace to immediately explode to the basket. On top of that, his advantage-creation in the post with his footwork at the 50-second mark is another indicator of his scoring prowess at the Division I level.
He’s a decent passer who has a good habit of keeping the ball high to benefit from the gravity of his passing. That helps him to always hold enough margin to attack the closeout rather than the pass. At the 15-second mark, Witter uses his size for the lob pass.
While collecting 24 stocks in 9 games so far, Witter plays decent to good team defense. However, the area of development for Witter is to extend his range and experiment with his three-point shot, which isn’t a part of his game.
Projection for next season: A solid rotational piece for a mid-major program.
2. Cahmai Crosby — Kilgore College
Point Guard — 6’3” — Sophomore — Kansas City, KS
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X
Rim pressure is what Crosby will bring to the Division I level. His scoring prowess is unpredictable, as he’s playing a volume three-point shooting role and has about 8 three attempts per contest from downtown. So, if we combine that with his ability to get downhill, he can serve as a team’s leading guard while orchestrating the offense.
At 20 assists to 62 field goal attempts, Crosby has to serve as a playmaker for his teammates. That’s the challenge for the next level. He’s often playing an isolation-styled game, where he overdribbles and not get two feet inside the interior, as shown in the first two plays below.
However, when he’s aggressive Crosby is keen on creating advantages, while his angle-creation should lead to more assists throughout the season. Most of his assist involves the roll man out of pick-and-roll actions. His straight-line drives to the basket often have him waiting for help to arrive before executing his passing read.
The pool of guard talent has been growing throughout the years. However, some programs still struggle to find good depth in their guard play. Crosby has a defined skillset, where lowering the number of ball touches and finding a healthy mix between his downhill drives and three-point shooting will be his challenges at the next level.
Projection for next season: Rotational guard for a low-major program
3. Tre Burris — Ellsworth CC
Point Guard — 6’1” — Sophomore — Milwaukee WI
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X
With more Division I programs prioritizing floor spacing and increasing the number of three-point shots and easy looks downhill, rim-pressuring guards with experience become a more valuable commodity. With two seasons under his belt, Burris is ready to help a low-major program right out of the gates.
His shot profile is interesting, as his priority is to get two feet in the paint and either create his shot or bank on defenders collapsing on him by making the extra pass. With only 11 of 79 field goal attempts in 9 games being threes, it’s safe to say Burris’ first value is generating paint touches. Therefore, the value comes in his decision-making. At 38 assists to 22 turnovers, that’s a promising number.
The footage below shows how easily Burris gets downhill. He’s a good athlete but a better decision-maker. His footwork makes it easy to elevate his burst, as Burris keeps defenders on their heels with his downhill drives. He’s composed and looks to bait defenders into decisions they don’t want to make before he decides what he’ll do in the paint.
Burris is tough and looks to impact passing lanes actively. However, while listed at 175 pounds, he’s not able to switch and defend against non-guards. That puts a cap on his potential at the Division I level. Regardless, he’s a clear-cut starter for the low-major level, with offers throughout the season being inevitable.
Projection for next season: Starter for a low-major program.
4. Mason Porter-Brown — Indian River CC
Wing — 6’7” — Sophomore — Gainesville, FL
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X
Toughness, ball handling, and physicality on wing-sized defenders are what teams on every team desperately look for. Porter-Brown’s explosive athleticism, upper-body strength, and broad shoulders make him a versatile option on both ends of the floor.
He’s not a floor-stretcher, as a consistent three-point shot isn’t a part of his arsenal. However, that doesn’t matter in this stage of his career, as his aggressiveness as a slasher leads to him creating advantages downhill against both guards, wings, and forwards.
He has decent handles and looks to self-create his attempts. At the next level, that’s a scalable situation, as he can solely focus on his slashing ability while using his physicality as an effective cutter and off-ball screener. His presence in the paint leads to defenders being forced to foul him, as he’s averaging close to 6 attempts from the charity stripe.
His habit of keeping his head down and attacking defenders in the chest area makes him able to play bully-ball. As a defender, he keeps the same intensity, as he slides his feet decently. At times, he’s too focused on making winning plays, leading to him averaging close to 3 fouls in 30 minutes per game.
Porter-Brown has enough untapped potential left for him to eventually earn a step to the high-major level in his senior year. It’s imminent before more mid-major programs will show interest.
Projection for next season: Clear-cut starter for mid-major programs, with the potential to earn a step to the high-major level.
5. Yohandry Ortiz — Miles CC
Wing — 6’5” — Freshman — Naples, FL
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X
With more gifted shooters finding their way to play Division I basketball, Ortiz is next in line. He’s an explosive athlete with good size and length while able to play as a two, three, and a four in smaller lineups. It’s his priority to shoot. With 40.9% on 66 attempts in 10 games, Ortiz’s sample size feels sustainable for the future.
He’s a tad too slow in setting his feet but shows a smooth and consistent form with a high-arcing release. That’s the base for him to play as a volume shooter at the next level. There isn't a measurement available, but my best guess would be that Ortiz weighs about 185 pounds. He has enough room in his frame to get stronger in the next few years while being more effective as a slasher. His legitimate shooting threat keeps defenders on their heels. Therefore, his aggressiveness to get downhill adds more value to his offensive profile.
He’s averaging close to 8 free throws per game. His 84.4% finishing rate adds more feasibility to his shooting numbers. His toughness, aggressiveness and touch make his defensive game less relevant, as a Division I program is buying pure offense in his profile. His craftiness, high-volume shooting, and body control give him a high floor. Regardless, I expect Ortiz to transfer up to a mid-major program with three years of eligibility left after this season.
Projection for next season: Starter for a mid-major program. He has serious pro potential if he gets stronger in the next few years.
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You were right, Ersin, Mason Porter-Brown is very fun!