Scouting the Shockers: Learn more about the 12 newcomers on Wichita State basketball team
With 12 newcomers on the Wichita State men’s basketball team’s roster for the 2022-23 season, fans could use a guide on the players to know for the Shockers.
Here are scouting reports for all 16 players and what fans could see from them this season ahead of the team’s public debut in a Nov. 2 exhibition against Newman at Koch Arena.
Xavier Bell
Vitals: 6-3 sophomore from Wichita, Kan. wearing No. 1
Position: Combo guard
2021-22 stats: Averaged 11.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.7% on 3-pointers and 75.6% on free throws in 28 games and 25 starts for 15-14 Drexel team.
Scouting report: Steady is the most popular adjective when coaches describe the play of the Drexel transfer this offseason. Bell is smooth and sticks to his strengths, which usually involve him getting to his left hand. Being solid at both ends will earn him playing time right away and coaches have been pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of his outside shot. Proving he can score at the AAC level will be the challenge in Year 1 with the Shockers.
Jalen Ricks
Vitals: 6-7 freshman from Sherwood, Ark. wearing No. 2
Position: Shooting wing
2021-22 stats: Redshirted at Wichita State.
Scouting report: Fully healthy after a meniscus tear last December, Ricks has lived up to his reputation as a sharpshooter coming out of Oak Hill Academy. But that reputation has been earned in practice: he’ll have to prove he’s a knock-down shooter in actual games to carve out a role for the Shockers on the wing. Armed with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, he has the potential to be a plus defender and rebounder at his position. How much effort he puts into those two areas will likely determine his playing time this season.
Craig Porter
Vitals: 6-2 senior from Terre Haute, Ind. wearing No. 3
Position: Floor general
2021-22 stats: Averaged 7.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 42.6% from the field, 34.1% on 3-pointers and 73.5% on free throws in 25 games and 24 starts for Wichita State.
Scouting report: The internal expectation is that Porter will play an entire season like he did in a late-February game against Houston (17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals) last season. The undisputed leader on the team and most experienced player in WSU’s system, expect Porter to have the ball in his hands as much as possible. He’s a pass-first point guard by nature, but Porter’s scoring average should increase to double-digits this season. Pair that with his ability to impact the game on the defensive end, highlighted by his rare talent of blocking shots at 6-2, Porter has all-conference expectations from the coaching staff. The only question to answer is how he will adjust to being the center of attention for opposing defenses.
Colby Rogers
Vitals: 6-4 junior from Covington, Ga. wearing No. 4
Position: Shooting wing
2021-22 stats: Averaged 14.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 42.4% from the field, 42.9% on 3-pointers and 83% on free throws in 28 games and 27 starts for a 15-14 Siena team.
Scouting report: A silky smooth shooter who could make an immediate impact for the Shockers if granted a waiver from the NCAA after transferring from Siena. On a team that desperately needs outside shooting, Rogers would be a welcomed addition if he can come anywhere close to replicating his 43% accuracy on more than 6 attempts beyond the arc from last season. Thought to be more of a catch-and-shoot specialist, Rogers has impressed coaches with his scoring pop off the dribble in summer workouts. He possesses the athleticism and length to be a good wing defender, so bringing constant effort and attention to that side of the floor is the goal. How well he holds up on the defensive end against AAC competition will be something to watch.
Jaron Pierre Jr.
Vitals: 6-5 sophomore from New Orleans, La. wearing No. 5
Position: Scoring wing
2021-22 stats: Averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 34.2% from the field, 33.3% on 3-pointers and 76% on free throws in 27 games and 15 starts for a 7-26 Southern Miss team.
Scouting report: Think instant offense in the same mold of Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams in the NBA. Pierre has the ability to score at all three levels and possesses the swagger to believe he can score against any defender. Few defenders can stay in front of Pierre with his handle and quickness, but shot selection discipline will be critical. WSU won’t want to bottle him up too much, however, because that tenacity is what makes Pierre a microwave scorer. He has all of the tools to be a success story at WSU, but will need to display the consistency and discipline to reach that potential.
Jaykwon Walton
Vitals: 6-7 junior from Columbus, Ga. wearing No. 10
Position: Versatile forward
2021-22 stats: Averaged 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 47.4% from the field, 36.2% on 3-pointers and 67.3% on free throws in 21 games and 7 starts for Shelton State (NJCAA).
Scouting report: A former top-75 high school recruit who signed with Georgia, Walton has a case for the highest ceiling on the team. At his best, he is a mismatch nightmare at small forward with his size, handles and ability to get to the rim. He has terrorized defenses this summer in the open floor when WSU pushes the ball in transition. He has formed immediate chemistry with point guard Craig Porter and is a skilled off-ball cutter. Keeping his motor going constantly (and keeping him healthy) for an entire season will be the challenge.
Kenny Pohto
Vitals: 6-11 sophomore from Stockholm, Sweden wearing No. 11
Position: Stretch center
2021-22 stats: Averaged 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.4 assists while shooting 45.8% from the field, 30.2% on 3-pointers and 64.9% on free throws in 28 games and 0 starts for Wichita State.
Scouting report: A late arrival this summer from Sweden, Pohto has put on more weight to prepare for inside battles with centers in the low post. He’s focused on improving the accuracy of his 3-point stroke and could prove to be a mismatch problem in the pick-and-pop game with point guard Craig Porter if he can knock down a higher clip of his 3s. Coaches remain impressed with his positioning, intelligence and commitment to the defensive end and expect Pohto to have a breakthrough season as a sophomore. Proving he can score on smaller defenders on switches could go a long way in unlocking Pohto’s scoring this season.
Melvion Flanagan
Vitals: 5-10 sophomore from Alexandria, La. wearing No. 12
Position: Walk-on
Scouting report: Although he is a walk-on, Flanagan was a scoring machine at the JUCO level and averaged more than 20 points per game in two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. That scoring punch will be valuable to help WSU simulate other small-guard scorers in practice. A pest on defense, Flanagan has stood out with his defensive energy and making WSU’s scholarship guards work to bring the ball up the floor.
Trevor McBride
Vitals: 6-1 freshman from Basehor, Kan. wearing No. 14
Position: Walk-on
Scouting report: A successful high school point guard at Basehor-Linwood, McBride was brought to WSU to help run the scout team. He provides a more traditional floor general approach to the point guard position and has embraced his role as a walk-on to push the scholarship players and bring energy and effort to practice.
Quincy Ballard
Vitals: 7-0 sophomore from Syracuse, N.Y. wearing No. 15
Position: Rim-running center
2021-22 stats: Averaged 0.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks while shooting 70% from the field, 0% on 3-pointers and 33.3% on free throws in 18 games and 0 starts for a 17-14 Florida State team.
Scouting report: Coaches believe he can be a game-changing presence in the minutes he’s on the court, giving WSU something it hasn’t had in years: an athletic, 7-foot shot-blocker. On his best days, he rolls to the basket and finishes with ferocious slams combined with a disruptive presence protecting the rim. Ballard hardly showed that kind of potential at Florida State, where he rarely left the bench in two seasons, but WSU believes a fresh start and meaningful playing time will bring out the best in Ballard. Translating those skills to actual results on the floor, instead of just hype, will be the challenge for Ballard in his first year in Wichita.
Henry Thengvall
Vitals: 6-6 freshman from Wichita, Kan. wearing No. 21
Position: Walk-on
Scouting report: Thengvall earned first team all-state honors in his senior season at Kapaun Mt. Carmel, a two-way force in the City League. His length gives the WSU scout team a different look and his work ethic has impressed coaches this summer, as he has brought consistent energy to practices.
Shammah Scott
Vitals: 6-2 sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio wearing No. 22
Position: Floor general
2021-22 stats: Averaged 6.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field, 47.5% on 3-pointers and 67.4% on free throws for Northwest Florida State College (NJCAA).
Scouting report: A transfer from the JUCO national championship team from last season, but only has one year of college basketball experience and in a back-up role. A late addition to the 2022 recruiting class, Scott hasn’t had as much time to learn the system but has shown flashes of pop in WSU’s ball-screen offense as a distributor and scorer. Coaches believe he would have been a high-major prospect if he played another season in JUCO. For this season, he’ll serve as an understudy to Porter at the point guard position. He’s extremely quick with the ball in his hands, but making reads at the AAC level is quite a few levels up from what he was doing in limited minutes last season.
Gus Okafor
Vitals: 6-6 senior from Baltimore, Md. wearing No. 23
Position: Versatile forward
2021-22 stats: Averaged 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 42% from the field, 32.6% on 3-pointers and 79.3% on free throws for a 19-15 Southeastern Louisiana team.
Scouting report: The next Wichita State fan favorite, Okafor embodies the ‘Play Angry’ spirit and plays with a motor that never stops. Undersized for an AAC power forward, Okafor makes up for it with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and thick frame. He knows how to use his body to gain leverage and has a knack for reading where offensive rebounds will come off the rim. WSU for three straight seasons has started a non-scorer at power forward. Okafor could change that in a hurry. If he can level out his outside shooting, which was up and down at Southeastern Louisiana, he could be one of WSU’s best players. He’s been able to get away with being undersized against lower competition, but how well Okafor adjusts to a higher level in the AAC could be critical to WSU’s success.
Isaac Abidde
Vitals: 6-9 freshman from Albany, Ga. wearing No. 24
Position: Stretch forward
2021-22 stats: Redshirted at Wichita State.
Scouting report: The best athlete on the team, remembered by most as the slam dunk champion at last year’s Shocker Madness before redshirting the season. Abidde has had a number of jaw-dropping, putback dunks this summer and uses that athleticism and length to hunt down blocks. A tremendous vertical athlete, WSU is working with him to improve his horizontal movements to help contain the drive. He’s developed a streaky 3-point shot while at WSU, but his overall skill set is still raw. Finding consistency will be the biggest challenge for Abidde early in his career.
James Rojas
Vitals: 6-6 senior from Jamestown, N.Y. wearing No. 33
Position: Traditional center
2021-22 stats: Averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists while shooting 45% from the field, 23.1% on 3-pointers and 75.6% on free throws in 17 games and 3 starts for a 19-14 Alabama team.
Scouting report: He has been robbed of his previous burst and athleticism that made him a JUCO All-American at Hutchinson by ACL tears in both knees. Injuries limited his impact at Alabama, but he still carved out a role as a defensive enforcer and foul magnet. He has earned the trust of the coaching staff quickly by the way he coordinates WSU’s team defense when he’s on the floor. He presents a different option at center in what should be a return to WSU’s preferred 3-man rotation at the position, as he is a sturdy low-post defender despite being undersized and has surprised with crafty passes on the offensive end. But will WSU be able to rebound effectively in AAC play with a 6-6 center? Rojas is betting his toughness and craftiness can trump his lack of height.
Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler
Vitals: 6-9 senior from Omaha, Neb. wearing No. 44
Position: Walk-on
Scouting report: With so many newcomers on the roster this season, the coaching staff was ecstatic to be able to add a player with three years of experience at WSU as a walk-on this offseason. After injuries derailed his last season at Omaha, Poor Bear-Chandler is fully healthy and looks every bit like the rotation player he was for the 2020-21 conference championship team at WSU. Whether he earns a spot in the rotation this season remains to be seen, but Poor Bear-Chandler certainly has the trust of the coaching staff to play spot minutes, if needed.
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