Wichita State basketball recruiting big board: 20 prospects Shockers fans need to know
Even with the sports world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the work load for the Wichita State men’s basketball coaches has never been higher.
While the WSU fan base is still trying to sort out its emotions after seeing six scholarship players transfer out of the program since the end of the season, coach Gregg Marshall and his coaching staff have no such luxury. They now have up to six scholarships, all unexpected, to hand out to complete the Shockers’ 2020-21 roster.
In an exclusive interview with the Eagle, Marshall said he is considering not using all 13 scholarships after stockpiling last season’s roster with too much talent that led to playing time issues. He also told the Eagle that he wants to avoid another scenario where he has five or six players all in the same class. WSU currently has a well-balanced roster, with two freshmen, one sophomore, two juniors and two seniors.
The NCAA has suspended all in-person recruiting activity until April 15. Without the ability to take official visits on campus, that could delay the decisions for many spring recruits. Coaches are still allowed to talk to recruits over the phone. Another reminder is that the NCAA is currently in talks of easing up its transfer rules, which could make transfers eligible immediately this coming season, but no new rule has been finalized yet.
WSU has been extremely busy early in the spring recruiting cycle. The Eagle has compiled a WSU recruiting big board that includes the top 20 prospects that WSU has been publicly linked to, which features nine Division I transfers, six junior-college transfers and five high school prospects.
The Eagle has scouted, compiled video highlights and profiled all nine Division I transfers that WSU is currently looking at. A second part will be released Monday profiling the junior-college transfers and high school prospects.
Note: Recruits are sorted in alphabetical order.
Jonah Antonio (UNLV graduate transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 180-pound shooting guard from Perth, Australia
2019-20 season: Averaged 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.6 steals in 22 minutes per game with 13 starts for UNLV, which finished 17-15 in the Mountain West. Also made 2.1 three-pointers per game on 31.5% accuracy.
Current recruiting: Holds offers from Xavier and Missouri State. Others showing interest include Maryland, BYU, Seton Hall, Marquette, Wichita State, Cincinnati, Georgia, SMU, South Florida and George Washington, according to StockRisers and Rivals. He picked UNLV over Seton Hall and SMU in his recruitment last year.
Outlook: For a team that has clanked away from the outside too much the last two seasons, Antonio could be a welcomed addition to the Shockers. He’s a three-point shooting specialist who is superb at moving without the ball, coming off screens and shooting from range, thanks to an ultra-fast release combined with his size that allows him to shoot over many defenders. He doesn’t create much off the dribble, almost exclusively shooting off passes. He’s not going to be a plus in rebounding, playmaking or defense at his position, but he could be a much-needed sniper for WSU. In his three college seasons, nearly 81% of Antonio’s field goals are from beyond the arc and he has 240 three-pointers (2.6 per game) on 35.8% accuracy. He started his career at a low-major Division I in Mount St. Mary’s, averaging 11.3 points and drilling 33.8% of his threes, then transferred to South Plains College, where he averaged 11.6 points and made 40.9% of his threes as a sophomore. He was a part-time starter this past season for UNLV and 168 of his 186 shots were three-pointers. WSU might have an in because he played his senior year of high school at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire.
Tahj Eaddy (Santa Clara graduate transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 165-pound combo guard from West Haven, Conn.
2019-20 season: Averaged 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 25.2 minutes per game with 14 starts for Santa Clara, which finished 20-13 in the West Coast Conference. Shot 40.7% from the field, 33.3% on three-pointers and 83% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Has narrowed down his final list to Wichita State, Connecticut, USC, Georgia Tech and Iowa State, according to StockRisers.
Outlook: Eaddy is a score-first guard who has spent the past two seasons as a secondary creator and full-time spot-up threat for Santa Clara. He has been at his most dangerous as a spot-up shooter, camping out in the corners waiting for kick-out passes or rolling up as the replace shooter hunting catch-and-shoot looks out of the pick-and-roll game. Although his three-point shooting dipped to 33.3% last season, Eaddy is still a career 37.1% three-point shooter on good volume (4.5 attempts per game). Per Synergy, he ranked in the 83rd percentile nationally in catch-and-shoot efficiency and drilled 39% of those looks beyond the arc. Eaddy also has the flexibility to seamlessly fit into WSU’s motion offense, where he could be a threat off and on the ball. He has the quickness to break down defenders off the dribble to go with a solid pull-up jumper and the vision to see cutters for dump-off passes. But his assist rate topped out at 19.4% (think Erik Stevenson) last season and dipped to 15.6% (think Dexter Dennis) this season. Added bonus is that he’s an 82.4% career free throw shooter. Eaddy had a career year in 2018-19 season (15.0 points, 3.2 assists in 35.5 minutes per game), then saw his playing time, production and efficiency come down this past season (9.1 points, 2.1 assists in 25.2 minutes per game).
Alterique Gilbert (Connecticut graduate transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-0, 180-pound point guard from Atlanta, Ga.
2019-20 season: Averaged 8.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.2 minutes per game with 20 starts for Connecticut, which finished 19-12 in the American. Shot 34.6% from the field, 31.8% on three-pointers and 67.1% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Interest from Texas Tech, Florida, Wichita State, Cincinnati, Arkansas, Georgia, Loyola Chicago, Georgia State, Towson, Tulane, East Carolina and George Washington, per 247 Sports.
Outlook: Former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American who never could overcome shoulder injuries while at UConn. The talent has always been there and Gilbert hopes a new environment will bring out the best in him for his final season. He can be an absolute electric playmaker, capable of breaking down defenders one-on-one or team defenses in the pick-and-roll game. He’s a point guard that needs the ball in his hands with the overwhelming majority of his shots coming off the dribble. That can lead to difficult shots, which explains his 34.6% shooting percentage, but Gilbert is a tough shot-maker. He’s a streaky shooter, but showed some consistency in conference play and drilled 36.5% of his threes in AAC games. But at just 6-foot, Gilbert struggles to finish inside and shot just 38.5% at the rim, per Synergy, this past season. Gilbert is a very skilled passer that routinely threads the needle, which led to a career-best 27.2% assist rate (sixth-best in AAC) and career-worst 23.0% turnover rate this past season. His quickness has translated to an above-average steal rate his entire career and Gilbert rated as an “Excellent” defender on Synergy this past season. Since UConn is leaving the American, Gilbert would be eligible to play immediately at WSU.
Caleb Grill (Iowa State sit-out transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 192-pound, sophomore-to-be shooting guard from Maize, Kan.
2019-20 season: Averaged 2.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.5 steals in 13.8 minutes per game with two starts for Iowa State, which finished 12-20 in the Big 12. Shot 31.4% from the field, 25.0% on three-pointers and 57.1% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Interest from Creighton, Wichita State, UNLV and Colorado State, per StockRisers. Originally signed with South Dakota State in high school, but was released was his letter of intent and picked Iowa State over Kansas State and UNLV last year.
Outlook: Local high school basketball fans should be familiar with Grill, who was an all-state player for Maize and a three-sport standout. And long-time WSU fans should recognize the last name because his father, Chris, who also coached Caleb in high school, played for the Shockers in the 1997-98 season. Grill only played in 14 minutes per game for Iowa State, so it’s hard to take away much from his debut season. Coming out of high school, Grill was considered an all-around player: he was a state high jump champion, a three-point sniper and played the game with the intelligence of a coach’s son. He was pretty much stationed in the corners in Iowa State’s offense and asked to only shoot three-pointers. Grill did not have a good shooting season in his debut year, as he finished 13 of 52 beyond the arc for a 25% clip. But he did start the final two games of the season and had an impressive showing at the Big 12 tournament, drilling three triples against Oklahoma State and grabbing eight rebounds. That’s more along the lines of the player Grill projects to be at his next stop: a floor-stretcher who is solid at all of the little things at helping teams win. Unless the NCAA changes its transfer policy this spring, Grill would likely have to sit out this upcoming season.
Kevin Marfo (Quinnipiac graduate transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-8, 245-pound center from Bergenfield, N.J.
2019-20 season: Averaged 10.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game with 29 starts for Quinnipiac, which finished 15-15 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Shot 48.4% from the field and 71.0% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Head coach interest from Florida, Xavier, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Boston College. Assistant coach interest from San Diego State, Louisville, Maryland, Seton Hall, Texas Tech, Penn State, Saint Mary’s, Wichita State, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Notre Dame, Memphis, Arizona State, Rhode Island, St. John’s, Georgetown, South Carolina, VCU, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Nebraska, per 247 Sports.
Outlook: Marfo is one of the nation’s most sought-after graduate transfers after averaging 13.3 rebounds, including 4.5 offensive, to lead Division I in rebounding last season. He posted the best defensive rebounding rate (34.2%) in the country and the second-best offensive rebounding rate (18.5%). At 6-8 and 245, Marfo has a big body and is tenacious about using it to his advantage. Combined with an excellent feel for the game, it’s not hard to see why more than 20 high-major programs from across the country want Marfo’s services. Marfo almost never shoots outside of five feet from the rim, so he’s not going to stretch defenses at all but he can still be effective setting screens and crashing the glass on offense.He simply bullies his way inside and pulls down nearly five misses per game, which leads to almost all of his offense on put-backs. Marfo’s rebounding puts immense pressure on defense, as he drew 6.2 fouls per 40 minutes this past season. For his three-year career, Marfo has shot more free throws (319) than field goals (312) and upped his free throw shooting to 71% this past season. He’s undersized for a center, which makes defending the post a challenge against taller players but Marfo can still be a solid rim protector. He’s also comfortable dribbling up the court and is a sneaky good passer, capable of slotting passes over the heads of unsuspecting defenders right into the hands of cutters for easy baskets. Marfo has the ability to help some team win right away and will have his choice of several of the top programs in the country.
Trey McGowens (Pittsburgh sit-out transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 190-pound, junior-to-be point guard from Pendleton, S.C.
2019-20 season: Averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 33.6 minutes per game with 32 starts for Pittsburgh, which finished 16-17 in the ACC. Shot 36.7% from the field, 31.1% on three-pointers and 72.2% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Offered by Wichita State, Arkansas and Nebraska, per StockRisers. Interest from Maryland, Seton Hall, Butler, Illinois, Cincinnati, Xavier, Connecticut, USC, Alabama, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Georgetown, South Carolina, TCU, Iowa State, DePaul, Georgia, Mississippi and Nebraska.
Outlook: Former four-star and top-100 recruit from the class of 2018 that is looking for a program where he can play point guard, he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. At Pitt, McGowens was the secondary playmaker but still did a lot of the heavy-lifting in the offense. He’s an elite athlete with the burst needed to consistently create separation, which also allows him to glide through the air and finish over defenders. He can be a crafty finisher around the rim, especially when he can get to his right hand. McGowens was effective for Pitt in the pick and roll, as he loved to hunt the pull-up jumper but he also displayed good vision when he collapsed the defense, often times jumping in the air and picking out the right spot-up shooter at the last second. In terms of his own offense, McGowens fell in love with the off-the-dribble jumper a little too much, which is why he shot just 37% from the field. But with the ball in his hands more in a fresh environment and a new system, there’s no doubt McGowens has the make-up to be an instant star. And for a team like WSU, which struggled to find playmakers late in the shot clock this past season, McGowens could be the answer. He can also be a devastating force on the defensive end, where McGowens employs his elite athleticism and ball-hawking instincts to terrorize opponent ball handlers. He averaged nearly two steals per game and posted a steal rate (3.5%) that ranked top-75 nationally. I would compare him to Temple’s Nate Pierre-Louis with more of an offensive punch.
Prince Oduro (Mississippi State sit-out transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-8, 250-pound junior-to-be center from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2019-20 season: Averaged 1.2 points and 0.9 rebounds in 4.0 minutes per game with 0 starts for Mississippi State, which 20-11 in the SEC. Shot 53.8% from the field and 68.8% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Interest from Dayton, Xavier, Wichita State, VCU, South Florida and New Mexico, per StockRisers. Picked Mississippi State over South Florida and Massachusetts in his last recruitment.
Outlook: Never could crack Ben Howland’s rotation at Mississippi State this past season after a redshirt season and will now be looking for his third school after transferring from Siena his freshman year. Oduro only played 21 minutes for Mississippi State in SEC play, so it’s hard to gather much from his time with the Bulldogs. He did have a productive freshman year at Siena, where he averaged 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 25.6 minutes as a starting center. Nearly half of his offense was generated out of post-up touches, but Oduro scored just 0.68 points per possession on those attempts. All of that work down low also led to a lot of fouls drawn (5.0 per 40 minutes), but Oduro shot just 33.3% (41 of 123) from the foul line as a freshman. At Siena, Oduro didn’t post impressive rebounding rates, rated as an average defender on Synergy and his block rate (3.0%) left a little to be desired for a rim protector. But remember, that was two years ago. What kind of center can Oduro be after two years of strength training and practicing with an SEC team? There’s not much film to figure that out, but it looks like WSU is one of several teams curious.
Darius Perry (Louisville graduate transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 195-pound combo guard from Marietta, Ga.
2019-20 season: Averaged 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals in 19.5 minutes per game with 26 starts for Louisville, which finished 24-7 in the ACC. Shot 39.1% from the field, 38.9% on three-pointers and 75.0% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Interest from Gonzaga, San Diego State, Oregon, Seton Hall, Marquette, Oklahoma, Wichita State, Alabama, Texas, Arizona State, Iowa State, Mississippi and Iona, per Rivals.
Outlook: Racked up 40 career starts and more than 1,600 career minutes at Louisville, the type of experience that will make Perry one of the most sought-after graduate transfers in the country. He was a starter for the majority of this past season, but was taken out of the lineup in the final three weeks of the season and saw a decline in minutes. He’s never posted flashy numbers (5.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists are his career season-average highs), but Perry is a solid defender and a career 36.4% three-point shooter. He ranked in the 93rd percentile nationally in spot-up opportunities last season, per Synergy. He never spent much time on the ball creating for Louisville, but he has shown good vision and the ability to find the open man in the pick-and-roll game. It’s tough to say how he would do as a full-time point guard in another situation, but it’s safe to say Perry can plug-and-play anywhere with his flexibility on and off the ball.
Sam Sessoms (Binghamton sit-out transfer)
Vitals: 6-foot-0, 188-pound junior-to-be point guard from Philadelphia, Pa.
2019-20 season: Averaged 19.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 35.7 minutes per game with 29 starts for Binghamton, which finished 10-19 in the America East. Shot 41.5% from the field, 31.5% on three-pointers and 81.4% on free throws.
Current recruiting: Interest from Creighton, Seton Hall, Penn State, Rutgers, Marquette, Saint Mary’s, Wichita State, Arkansas, Oregon State and Washington State, per ESPN.
Outlook: Big-time bucket-getter who averaged 18.6 points per game in his first two seasons at Binghamton playing in the America East. Sessoms has the type of scoring punch that is going to make him attractive to a lot of top teams across the country. He is a smooth operator and an expert at knowing when to use hesitation and quick bursts to catch his defender off-balanced. He’s instant offense out of the pick and roll, superb at hunting his jump shot but also possessing the ability to drive and finish creatively over and around bigs in the lane. Sessoms attracts so much defensive attention that whoever sets the pick for him is usually open, whether they roll to the basket or pop to the three-point line and he is an expert at hitting them or making the skip pass to the opposite corner. When the offense breaks down and the shot clock is running out, Sessoms is an above-average scorer in those situations and a tough shot-maker. He is very skilled at creating separation and creating offense for himself, something that would be welcomed on a WSU team that has struggled with that this past season. His size makes defending at the AAC level a question mark, but that’s certainly a gamble WSU would make if it could bring in the offensive ability of Sessoms.
Part II will feature the junior-college transfers and high school recruits that Wichita State is targeting for its 2020 class. In the meantime, here are the names that will be featured.
Junior-college transfers
- Shawndarius Cowart, 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Pensacola State
- Justice Hill, 6-foot-0 point guard from Salt Lake
- Berrick JeanLouis, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Florida Southwestern State
- Craig Porter, 6-foot-3 point guard from Vincennes
- Trevin Wade, 5-foot-10 point guard from Georgia Highlands
- Rudi Williams, 6-foot-3 point guard from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
High school prospects
- Ricky Council IV, 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Durham, N.C.
- Jamahri Harvey, 6-foot-4 point guard from Fayetteville, N.C.
- Chaunce Jenkins, 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Menchville, Va.
- Nelly Junior Joseph, 6-foot-10 center from Nigeria
- Brandon Murray, 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Baltimore, Md.
This story was originally published March 22, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
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