The JUCO Files Part 30
It's simple: JUCO is college basketball's backbone. There's a world of talent to discover, of which many belong in Division I. Here in-depth analysis on four must-follow prospects for D1 coaches:
Why JUCO?
Fringe D1 prospects must go play JUCO basketball to maintain their valuable minutes while developing must-have skills and going through adversity. The result after two years is a associate’s degree and valuable experience today’s average D1 program seeks.
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Prospects
1. Bailey Milligan — Seward Community College
Point Guard/Small Forward — 6’7” — Freshman — Melbourne, Australia
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X Profile
Milligan fits the mold of a traditional swingman. Long, lengthy guard with a good feel for the game. That’s mainly the reason for him to stand out as a defender, mostly in the point of attack, but with his length, quick hands and speed as well when playing the passing lanes. The level of physicality, skill and overall good use of his positional size makes him one of the more impressive returners in the NJCAA.
At 46.1% on 76 three-point attempts, the jumper is the main sell. It’s feasible that he’ll continue to shoot over 40% because of his excellent mechanics. Solid feet where he’s showing consistency in his form as well. Great body balance and a decently high-arcing release as well. Looking at the glaring need for more positional size and shooting at the higher levels in college basketball, Milligan’s versatility as a defender adds much more value to his profile. At 1:25 we’re seeing the example of his toughness which adds value to his closeout scoring. He’s using his footwork well while attacking the defender’s chest to create the finishing angle in the paint. Overall, he’s showing good touch around the basket, while he’s still somewhat raw in getting himself to the charity stripe at two attempts per game.
The scalable role makes Milligan a potential high-major prospect. He can play as a physical point forward while he’ll emerge as a defending and shooting wing as well. That’s the value for teams. The proven jumper, hard defense and overall feel for the game makes it imminent he’ll flourish in a different role at a higher level. Overall, Milligan making the most of his ball touches is the positive value. For his sophomore year the 28 assists to 41 turnovers is the area to improve, to where Milligan should focus on increasing his assists per game by being more actively executing passing reads off the dribble. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s off the board early during the 2026-27 season, as there’s a path for him to immediately play a role in a power-five league.
2. Diabe Bathily — Gillette College
Power Forward/Center — 6’9” — Freshman — New York, NY
Link to Bio and Stats — Link to X Profile
One of the more fluid four/fives in JUCO at the moment. Great movement patterns, solid hips, decent footwork—which is the area where he has the most to gain. He’s a self-creating face-up scorer with composure, while playing a guard’s game in how he’s handling the ball and getting his paint touches off drives. At 40.7% on 162 attempts, the lack of efficiency for a frontcourt piece should not weigh in heavy when evaluating his game. Of course, he has to make better decisions in terms of shot selection while looking to pass more out of his advantages.
There’s no listing available, but the vertical pop and length is eye-popping. I won’t be surprised if Bathily measures out at a 7’4” wingspan. On top of that, he has big and quick hands, often chasing deflections or playing as a help-side rim protector. At 27 steals and 26 blocks, he’s showing his impact on top of the role versatility with his quick feet and plus-size. At over two assists per game, he’s also showing some flashes of executing playmaking reads, with the 1:00-mark showing an example. He didn’t find the duck-in chance and kept his composure with the kickout pass.
Overall, teams are buying the athleticism, physical tools and level of skill. The other side of the coin is that he’s at close-to three fouls per game while staying 25 minutes on the floor. That’s an area for Bathily to keep an eye on. Regardless, he should be a starter-level forward for many mid-major programs. As of now, it’s likely best to return to play another full year of JUCO, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s already committing to a higher level now with the lack of available versatile forwards nowadays in the portal.
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