{"id":28136,"date":"2025-07-22T07:53:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T07:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/28136\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T07:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T07:53:10","slug":"no-stone-unturned-2025-the-big-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/28136\/","title":{"rendered":"No Stone Unturned 2025: The Big Men"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Welcome to the first installment of No Stone Unturned 2025! In this series of articles, I will be digging into five players at different positional groups who are flying under the radar but warrant attention. For my methodology, I started by seeking out players with interesting statistical profiles or players who had popped on film for me this past season. From there, I compiled a list, worked my way through the film and data, then chose my favorites. I excluded prospects who have received rankings on early big boards and mock drafts, as well as those who received an NBA Combine or G League Elite Camp invitation. I\u2019m looking for deeper cuts who aren\u2019t receiving much love yet but still have a real crack at making a mark in the draft space. <\/p>\n

This series is my favorite content that I get to produce for No Ceilings every year. When I first started to get into the NBA Draft, it was easy to find articles and coverage of the top prospects, but it was harder to find information about sleepers and players further down the board. Currently, there\u2019s no shortage of people in the draft world who\u2019ve made their niche covering under-the-radar players. Plus, the continued advancement of analytics and the increased understanding of the subject have allowed for fewer names to slip through the cracks. Add in the advent of the transfer portal, and the college basketball media space has done a great job of identifying exceptional mid-major talent, too. <\/p>\n

Still, even with \u201cthe death of the sleeper,\u201d I want to continue this series. Nine of the 59 players selected in the 2025 NBA Draft were covered in No Stone Unturned before they ever appeared on a mainstream draft board. Others, namely Yaxel Lendeborg<\/a>, would have likely been selected had they stayed in the pool. My work here will never be done. There will always be players who deserve a bigger spotlight, or prospects who have interesting enough traits that they warrant discussion as potential breakout candidates. It may be increasingly difficult to find them as the scouting space grows more robust and data analysis improves, but I\u2019ll always fight to stay ahead of the curve. I\u2019ll also be doing so while keeping the series focused predominantly on mid-major players. Maybe that will change down the road, but for now, there\u2019s still enough talent there. <\/p>\n

Today, we are starting out by looking at the unheralded big men who could sneak into the NBA Draft conversation.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dig in! But before you do that, make sure you\u2019re following me on Twitter\/X here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Season Stats: 9.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.2 TOV, 1.6 BPG, 0.7 SPG<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Shooting Splits: 67.0\/0\/64.4<\/p>\n

Signature Performance: vs. Providence, 3\/1\/2025. 24 points, 18 rebounds, six blocks, two steals. 10-13 FG, 4-5 FT.<\/p>\n

Reminds me a little bit of: Ivica Zubac, Day\u2019Ron Sharpe, Neemias Queta<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Tarris Reed Jr.<\/a> played the first three years of his high school career at Chaminade College Prep. He competed for Mokan on the EYBL Circuit alongside future NBA players Kennedy Chandler and Kendall Brown. He finished his high school career at Link Academy. Flanked by future NBA players Julian Phillips and Jordan Walsh, it was Reed who was the team\u2019s leading scorer. He earned four-star status from 247Sports, and they ranked him as the 40th overall player in the 2022 high school class. Reed\u2019s play earned him invites to the Jordan Brand Classic and the Iverson Classic. He had a slew of offers from power programs such as Michigan State and Purdue, but he elected to begin his college career at Michigan.<\/p>\n

Reed\u2019s college career sputtered out of the gate. He was an awkward fit next to Hunter Dickinson as a freshman. He struggled with his efficiency and registered only three assists to 34 total turnovers. As a sophomore, things got better. He earned a starting role, rebounded well, and took a few steps forward as a processor. After the season, Michigan moved on from Head Coach Juwan Howard, and Reed entered the transfer portal before enrolling at UConn. His first season with the Huskies saw a gigantic step forward for Reed. He improved dramatically in a number of key areas and won the Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award. With previous starting center Samson Johnson off to the professional ranks, Reed should be in line for an even bigger role this coming season. <\/p>\n

Tarris Reed Jr. is fantastic at the things a role-playing big man is asked to do. Let\u2019s start off on the defensive end of the floor. Reed does a tremendous job of holding down the fort and protecting the rim. His long arms, large body, and positioning allow him to act as a deterrent. Guards think twice when they see Reed around the basket, often resorting to pulling the ball out or settling for a worse shot than a look at the rim. When opponents drive at him, Reed\u2019s strong chest enables him to swallow them before blocking their shot or forcing them to settle for a suboptimal angle at the basket. Away from the hoop, he\u2019s an attentive, active, and mentally sharp defender. Reed will move quickly to get into position and fight around seals in order to make plays on the ball. As a result, he registered a stellar 9.0 BLK% this past season. <\/p>\n

However, Reed isn\u2019t just some lumbering big man. He\u2019s shockingly good out in space for a man his size. UConn often deployed him in aggressive ball screen coverages, having him hedge and recover back to his man or blitz opposing guards. They found success with those tactics because Reed has the motor and tools to make such a scheme work. He has good bend and flexibility, which helps him to guard out on the perimeter. He\u2019s able to get down in his stance, slide his feet, and wall off smaller, quicker players on a consistent basis. His combination of size and agility flummoxes opposing handlers, leading to ill-advised dribble pickups and turnovers (2.0 STL%). Then, we circle back to the classic big man stuff. Reed is physically massive. He can guard out in space, but he\u2019s also a great drop coverage defender and a force on the glass. Reed is a competitive and tough rebounder with the power and will to win contested battles on the boards time and time again. His 27.4 DRB% this past season was an elite mark. His classic production in the traditional areas, paired with modern defensive versatility, makes him an exceptionally intriguing defensive prospect.<\/p>\n

Reed checks a lot of important boxes on the offensive end, too. For starters, he\u2019s a hyper-efficient finisher. His 37 dunks (per Synergy) this past season are a good mark for a big man, but all the more impressive when you remember that he came off the bench. He\u2019s got great hands with a big catch radius and the lift to finish above the rim consistently. Add in his hulking frame, and he\u2019s like a freight train rolling to the rim. Still, he has wonderfully soft touch on non-dunks, and his strength makes it so that he has no issues finishing through contact. He\u2019s every bit as impactful on the offensive boards as he is on the defensive end, as he posted an outstanding 17.5 ORB% this past season. His nose for the glass, timing, and tenacity are a sublime combination, and he\u2019ll make defenses pay in a way few others can if they don\u2019t put a body on him. Reed also helps his team create advantages with his bruising screens on the perimeter. He consistently makes great contact on his picks, levels opposing defenders, and sets up driving lanes for his teammates. Plus, Reed\u2019s playmaking has been night and day from his freshman season. This year, both his assist-to-turnover number and his 10.8 AST% graded out at an above-average level relative to long-term NBA big men during their pre-draft seasons. His ability to finish effectively, do the dirty work at a top-tier level, and reliably make good decisions has led to him becoming a serious offensive threat.<\/p>\n

The biggest concern I have about Reed coming into this season is his ability to stay out of foul trouble. He\u2019s a bit too jumpy defensively and leaves his feet too often on the interior. He fouled out of four games and had four fouls in another six contests. I\u2019ll want to see more refinement and discipline on that front. Offensively, I want to see a great degree of assertiveness. He could do a better job of making himself available for the ball after screening and demanding it when he has a mismatch inside. I\u2019d also like to see him continue to develop his ball skills. If he can show more comfort in putting it on the deck and making decisions on the go out of DHOs, it would go a long way. Lastly, if he could be a bit quicker laterally and a touch faster off the floor, I\u2019d feel better about his NBA projection athletically. <\/p>\n

This is going to sound aggressive, but I think Tarris Reed Jr. is an obvious NBA player. He\u2019s up to the league\u2019s standards of physicality. He can anchor a defense. He\u2019s an absolute force on the boards. He\u2019s a vicious screener. He\u2019s a tremendous finisher. He has become a solid decision-maker. Sure, maybe he\u2019d be a sexier proposition if he were sinking threes or showing more polish as a creator, but he\u2019s really good at the stuff most centers are tasked with doing night in and night out in the NBA. Everything you could ask for out of a rotation big man is there, and I think his stock has been dramatically undervalued. He actually ranked in the Top 30 of my way-too-early 2026 draft board.<\/p>\n

The question then turns to this question: \u201cWhat type of an NBA player is he?\u201d If he can reel in the fouling, I think the dream outcome looks like Ivica Zubac\u2014a bruising big man who can control the boards, finish inside, and win through his power and timing defensively. More modestly, a straightforward role like the one Neemias Queta played for the Celtics this past season is easy to envision. Even on the lower end, though, I believe he\u2019s more polished than your standard \u201cend of the bench\u201d big man. I think Reed has a bright future ahead of him, and he\u2019s one of my favorite sleepers entering this draft cycle. <\/p>\n

2024-2025 Season Stats: 14.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 TOV, 1.4 BPG, 1.2 SPG<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Shooting Splits: 66.0\/0\/63.8<\/p>\n

Signature Performance: vs. Richmond, 1\/29\/2025. 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, one steal. 7-9 FG, 7-12 FT. <\/p>\n

Reminds me a little bit of: Daniel Gafford, Mason Plumlee, Oso Ighodaro<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Rafael Castro<\/a> played high school ball at Dover High School in New Jersey, where he emerged as one of the top double-double threats in the country. He also played for Team Rio on the grassroots circuit. Additionally, Castro suited up for the Dominican Republic during the 2019 CentroBasket U17 Championship, helping his squad earn a fourth-place finish. 247Sports labeled him a three-star recruit and ranked him as the 142nd best prospect in the country. He chose to attend Providence over other suitors such as Florida, Miami, Seton Hall, Xavier, and Dayton. He redshirted his first year with the Friars. He saw minimal playing time over the next two seasons, but he displayed some promise as a defender. <\/p>\n

He transferred to George Washington for his junior season and emerged as one of the most intriguing big man prospects in the country. \u201cTrust was my biggest factor in the portal,\u201d Castro told me in an interview, \u201cI wanted to go somewhere where not only I could trust the coaching staff, but they could trust me also. Coach Caputo recruited me out of high school to Miami before I committed to Providence. For him to still want me to be a part of his team after three years showed me that he never gave up on me.\u201d His athleticism, playmaking, and continued improvement throughout the year all stood out. Castro\u2019s play down the stretch earned him Second-Team All-Atlantic-10 honors and a spot on the Atlantic-10 All-Defense team. He will return to the Revolutionaries for his final college season.<\/p>\n

The first thing that pops on Rafael Castro\u2019s film is his mobility. He is a blur running up and down the floor. He\u2019s made for the up-tempo, fast-paced nature of the NBA. His straight-line speed makes him a serious weapon in transition. In a halfcourt context, he sets good screens and rolls to the rim quickly. Factor in his springy legs and great hands, and he\u2019s one of the premier lob targets in the sport. Per Synergy, Castro registered 71 dunks this past season. According to BartTorvik, his dunk total ranked 9th in the country. Oftentimes, the only way for defenses to slow him down when he\u2019s streaking to the rim is fouling him, hence his .751 free throw rate. He\u2019s a hard-nosed rebounder, too, having registered a potent 12.8 ORB% this past year. \u201cI respect the game. I understand that there are little things that separate me from other big men when being evaluated, like dominating the boards and winning games. There\u2019s someone who would die to be in my position. So whether it\u2019s grabbing a rebound or running the floor, I know it\u2019s a blessing. As long as I get to play basketball, my motor will always be high,\u201d Castro remarked. The functional athleticism box is firmly checked here.<\/p>\n

But what makes Castro all the more interesting is that he\u2019s not just a tall guy who can run and jump\u2014he\u2019s also skilled. Castro is a tremendous passer who sees every part of the floor well in a variety of contexts. He\u2019s great out of the short roll and can also sling the ball cross-court accurately from the block. His firmly positive assist-to-turnover ratio and 13.7 AST% this past year bode well for a center prospect in an era where big men are tasked with more decision-making responsibilities than ever. \u201cI learned how to read the help side of the defense coming over, what pass to make, and I learned solutions to different screen coverages\u2026It wasn\u2019t until hitting a major growth spurt in high school that I started dominating in the paint. I went from 6\u20193\u201d as a freshman guard coming off ball screens and pin downs for shots, to 6\u20197\u201d my sophomore year, to 6\u201910\u201d the following year.\u201d That past as a guard is evident on tape. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, George Washington leaned more on Castro down the stretch. \u201cAs the year went on, my confidence grew knowing my teammates trusted me with the ball\u2026I was strictly a lob threat to start the year, and once teams sat on my roll, it was hard getting any touches. I started working with my now trainer, Justin Zormelo, and he broke down my film, encouraging me to shorten my rolls, which led to more touches. Once I got those, I tried to make the right plays,\u201d Castro noted. His assist rate climbed to 17.3% in conference play, where he averaged 2.1 APG to only 1.6 TOV. Castro can also put it on the deck and has displayed an ability to counter comfortably when going to the rack. Add in his speed, and he can run effective keepers out of handoff sets, too.<\/p>\n

Castro\u2019s athletic traits go a long way on the defensive end, as well. He has great lateral agility allows him to guard out on the perimeter. Smaller players are leery of testing him in space, given his combination of foot speed and length. He\u2019s also better at helping at the nail, digging on drivers, and jumping into passing lanes than most at his position. As a result, he registered a 2.5 STL%, which is outstanding for a big man. \u201cSwitching one through five and getting steals in rotations are some of my favorite parts of my game,\u201d Castro said. His ground coverage is top of the line. Around the basket, his timing and bounce allow him to swat shots (5.2 BLK%) without fouling (2.8 fouls per 40 minutes). He has the potential to be a positive value player on both sides of the ball as a pro.<\/p>\n

I do worry about Rafael Castro\u2019s frame scaling up to the next level. He\u2019s on the skinnier side. He\u2019s definitely tough, but there are real strength limitations that can bite him at times. He\u2019s easy to drive backwards, and he\u2019s prone to getting pushed around on the boards. He also has a difficult time recovering when screened. Additionally, he could stand to improve as a defensive anchor. His positioning in ball screen coverages can be erratic. While his recovery tools are excellent, he\u2019s forced to work his way back into plays too often because the angles he takes create clear driving lanes for opponents. \u201cExecuting ball screen coverages and blocking shots at the rim is important for me. This year, I want to continue moving in the right direction defensively and take getting scored on personally,\u201d Castro remarked. <\/p>\n

Rafael Castro\u2019s move from Providence to George Washington ended up paying dividends for him. He received a big role out of the gate that he subsequently outperformed, and he was rewarded by becoming the focal point of their offense down the stretch. Now, he\u2019ll return for one more run, and he\u2019ll be surrounded by a strong level of talent. I understand having some reservations about his NBA upside. He\u2019s an older prospect who\u2019s at a strength deficit, his ball screen defense could use some polish, and he only popped after \u201cgoing down a level.\u201d <\/p>\n

Still, the Atlantic-10 is no joke, and Castro\u2019s production was undeniable. Few big men can move the way Castro can, whether it\u2019s end-to-end, laterally, or vertically. Pair that exceptional mobility with a high motor and a high level of feel, and it becomes hard to get hung up on the negatives. One of the biggest lessons I\u2019ve learned from this series is that when it comes to margins, it\u2019s better to focus on a player\u2019s top-end talents that give them something to work with rather than wallowing in what a prospect can\u2019t do super well yet. Castro has the goods, and they could lead to a fruitful NBA future. His self-awareness, intellect, and confidence are traits common among the success story players who have emerged from this series. He quietly had one of the best breakouts in the country this past year, and I think he\u2019s a great bet to land on mainstream draft radars this coming season. Had he entered last year\u2019s draft, he would have ranked inside my final Top 60, and that\u2019s where he\u2019ll start this year on my board. Start getting familiar with Rafael Castro if you haven\u2019t already. <\/p>\n

2024-2025 Season Stats: 7.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.0 TOV, 1.0 BPG, 0.5 SPG<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Shooting Splits: 50.9\/33.8\/64.3<\/p>\n

Signature Performance: vs. Davidson, 2\/5\/2025. 13 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, two blocks. 4-7 FG, 0-1 3FG, 5-6 FT.<\/p>\n

Reminds me a little bit of: Quinten Post, Luke Kornet, Frank Kaminsky<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Amael L\u2019Etang<\/a> hails from Toulouse, France. He first burst onto major basketball radars during his time with Cholet\u2019s Espoirs (21 and under) club. During the 2023-2024 season, he averaged 13.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 0.9 BPG for them. He committed to Dayton in the summer of 2024. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ricardo Greer, Dayton\u2019s associate head coach. \u201cI played in France for 15 years, and the agent that I had then was the agent that has L\u2019Etang now. He said, \u2018I\u2019ve got this big guy, his upside is through the roof, and with what you’ve been able to do with other players, I think this would be a great situation for him,\u2019\u201d Greer explained. L\u2019Etang had a great first year on campus. He carved out a starting role and made the Atlantic-10 All-Freshman team. This summer, he suited up for France in the U20 European Championships, and he\u2019s been a key contributor to their squad. He\u2019ll return to the Flyers for his sophomore campaign. <\/p>\n

Amael L\u2019Etang is very tall and very skilled. He\u2019s comfortable spacing the floor, as he drained 33.8% of his threes on nearly two attempts per game this past season. Since 2008, only five freshmen seven-footers have registered a positive BPM and hit over 33% of their threes while taking more than five attempts per 100 possessions\u2014Amael L\u2019Etang, Chet Holmgren, Lauri Markkanen, John Butler, and Isaiah Austin. Holmgren, Markkanen, and Butler all went on to play in the NBA, and Austin would have if it weren\u2019t for a Marfan syndrome diagnosis. That\u2019s good company. L\u2019Etang has a pretty jump shot with a high release and gets the ball out of his hand at a respectable speed. \u201cBeing a seven-footer and shooting the ball…a lot of bigs don’t want to come out and defend him. He opens up the floor for our guards and forwards because they have to come up on him. And when they do, he makes everyone else so much better\u2026A lot of threes he took, he was unbalanced, and he rushed them. We think he can get the percentage higher next year by focusing on that.\u201d <\/p>\n

This ability to stretch the floor goes a long way in opening things up for his teammates, and it also accentuates what L\u2019Etang can do as a playmaker. \u201cHis IQ and passing are through the roof. He’s able to pick stuff up right away, and the way that he’s able to pass the ball, he’s like another guard out there,\u201d Coach Greer remarked. He sees the floor well from the top of the key, the elbow, and the nail. His ability to read opposing defenses, find open teammates, and execute on his deliveries is ahead of schedule for a young big man. Furthermore, he\u2019s a poised ball handler who can spin through traffic and adjust to help defenders as he drives to the rim. He\u2019s got a fluid downhill game. These talents make him tailor-made for the dribble-handoff and delay sets that have become increasingly more prominent at the NBA level. Additionally, L\u2019Etang has shown some grab-and-go juice. Given how Dayton has allowed offensively gifted big men to cook in the past, L\u2019Etang should be able to continue to add polish to his arsenal this coming season. His 14.9 AST% and 1.2-to-1.0 assist-to-turnover are great statistics for any big man, but they are particularly eyebrow-raising here given L\u2019Etang\u2019s youth and the context in which he\u2019ll get to operate this coming season. <\/p>\n

L\u2019Etang isn\u2019t just a one-way proposition, either. He works hard to get up and down the floor. When he guards out in space, his fluidity and ability to make himself long help him to contain opposing ball-handlers. His positioning in ball screen defense as a drop defender is good, and he does a nice job of minimizing the offense\u2019s ability to create advantages. His size, coordination, and discipline help him to block shots on the interior. L\u2019Etang doesn\u2019t get too jumpy, and he routinely avoids getting suckered by pump fakes. His 7.2 BLK% in the A-10 is a solid mark, and it\u2019s particularly reassuring given how few offensively skilled big men reach such a number. \u201cHe’s versatile defensively,\u201d Greer noted, \u201cthe natural response for most bigs is to drop, but we want him to be able to be up, move his feet, and be disruptive. He’s a willing player; the French national team has him showing right now. Against Marquette, we had him switching, and he did a really good job against some great guards. He can do a lot of different things for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of my concerns with L\u2019Etang tie back to physicality. \u201cThe biggest thing is getting stronger. He understands the offense, he understands what we expect from him. Playing those minutes as a big, the physicality piece can wear on you, so that’s the biggest thing. It’s about locking into that,\u201d Greer stated. Offensively, L\u2019Etang can be contact-averse while screening, and he doesn\u2019t have the power to seal off defenders. He needs to go up stronger on the interior (66.7% on halfcourt rim attempts). On defense, he\u2019s sort of stuck between coverages. When switching, he\u2019s a bit heavy-footed in space and can get blown by when he isn\u2019t mindful of his balance. In drop coverage, he\u2019s a bit weak through his chest, he doesn\u2019t get off the floor quickly, and he can be too passive contesting shots around the rim. He also routinely finds himself out-muscled on the defensive glass. <\/p>\n

Amael L\u2019Etang will need to come along physically, whether it\u2019s by adding bulk to his frame or improving his lateral agility. The good news is that he\u2019s got three full years ahead of him to do it. When you look at the bigger picture, there\u2019s a lot to love. He\u2019s a top-notch shooter for a big man his age and an intelligent, gifted passer. Plus, his awareness and positioning defensively go a long way to cover for his current physical shortcomings. This combination of youth, size, and skill makes him one of the most intriguing long-term big man prospects in college hoops. The fact that he\u2019s with a program that has a top-notch reputation for developing offensively talented big men is icing on the cake. I think he\u2019s a good bet to make it to the league at some point, and he has a modern game that could allow him to stay there for a long time. <\/p>\n

2024-2025 Season Stats: 9.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.5 TOV, 2.3 BPG, 0.4 SPG<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Shooting Splits: 71.4\/0\/48.8<\/p>\n

Signature Performance: vs. Oakland, 12\/22\/2024. 21 points, nine rebounds, one assist, two blocks. 9-11 FG, 3-4 FT.<\/p>\n

Reminds me a little bit of: Isaiah Jackson, Brandon Clarke, Jaxson Hayes<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Miles Rubin<\/a> played at the prestigious Simeon High School in Chicago, which has produced NBA players such as Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker, Nick Anderson, and others. As a senior, he averaged 15.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 5.0 BPG while earning Second Team All-City, First Team All-Defensive, and Sixth Man of the Year honors. On the grassroots circuit, he played for the EYBL\u2019s Meanstreets squad, leading his team in rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. Rubin slotted 184th in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the high school class of 2023. He chose Loyola Chicago over Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Akron, and DePaul. He quickly emerged as one of the best rim-running shot blockers in the country as a freshman. Rubin was an Atlantic-10 All-Freshman Team player during his first year on campus, and he\u2019s earned back-to-back Atlantic-10 All-Defensive Team nods. He\u2019ll be returning to the Ramblers for his junior campaign.<\/p>\n

Miles Rubin is one of the more versatile big man defenders out there. He\u2019s uniquely suited to guard five out thanks to his agility. Add in razor-sharp instincts, and he does an excellent job of covering ground, whether it\u2019s closing out or hurrying into help position at the rim. He was often deployed in aggressive ball screen coverages, which makes sense given his switchability. He mirrors the ball well and does a good job of sliding his feet. Rubin can hold his own out on an island far better than most players his size.<\/p>\n

Still, the rim protection is what we\u2019re here for. He\u2019s always where he needs to be around the basket, and he\u2019s always there on time. Rarely will he allow a bucket at the rim by virtue of being late to his spot. He processes the game quickly and has the speed to act on it. Additionally, he plays with a pretty strong level of discipline when guarding on the block. He mirrors post counters well, can contest shots with either hand, and doesn\u2019t get overly eager to leave his feet. Add in his effortless lift off the floor when he does need to jump, and you\u2019ve got one of the premier shot blockers in college basketball. His 11.3 BLK% was sixth in the country among underclassmen who played over 40% of their team\u2019s minutes, per BartTorvik. <\/p>\n

On the offensive end, Rubin has emerged as one of the best lob targets in college hoops. He\u2019s fast end-to-end, he\u2019s quick off the floor, and he has excellent hands. Per BartTorvik, his 80 dunks this past season ranked him third among all Division-I players. He also showed growth with the ball when he didn\u2019t have a clear path to the rim. He\u2019s able to whirl and twirl to get to his spots if need be. There\u2019s some nice subtle big man craft here too, as he does a good job of relocating in the dunker spot and around the restricted area to maximize openings for both teammates and himself prior to receiving the ball. This clean-up man polish led to a 71.4 FG% this past season. Per Synergy, Rubin ranked in the 94th percentile as a cutter, the 88th percentile as a roller, and in the 86th percentile in transition. Simply put, he\u2019s efficient where it matters for a rim-runner. Rubin demonstrated some growth as a passer this year, too. His assist rate climbed to 11.7 AST%. He can make sharp deliveries from the top of the key and spray the ball out to open shooters after collecting on the offensive glass.<\/p>\n

At 210 pounds, Rubin is on the skinny side for an NBA big man, and he doesn\u2019t appear particularly long, either. As a result, he\u2019ll likely be a bit positionally small. He gets bossed around on the glass, struggles to punish mismatches on the block, and loses position battles on both ends. He can have a hard time staying vertical when drivers meet his chest. Typically, the best way to compensate for this issue is with additional offensive skill. Rubin is improving as a passer, but he still had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. As a 48.8% free-throw shooter, he\u2019s more likely to be a Hack-A-Shaq Target than a floor spacer. Rubin will need to add strength while continuing to develop as a playmaker and become a better foul shooter. <\/p>\n

This is Miles Rubin\u2019s second go-around in the No Stone Unturned series. In some ways, I was a little disappointed with what we saw this past year. Rubin got a bit stronger, and his passing took a step forward, but he didn\u2019t take the big across-the-board leap I was hoping to see. If you\u2019d asked me a year ago which big man of the 2024 No Stone group I felt most comfortable saying would appear in an NBA game, I would\u2019ve picked Rubin over Danny Wolf and Yaxel Lendeborg. In some ways, I think that \u201cmiss\u201d speaks to the continued evolution of the game. The rim-running shot blocker is becoming less valued, while skill and feel are more valued among big men than ever before. I\u2019d noted that trend last year, but my thought at the time was that Rubin was so great at his skill set that he\u2019d still get over the hump. <\/p>\n

I still believe that could be the case, though. Development isn\u2019t always perfectly linear. Guys like Terrence Shannon Jr., Ochai Agbaji, and Zach Edey were always good enough to be considered prospects, but it took a while before they really started to blow the doors off of people. That could be the case with Rubin. Just because he didn\u2019t average 20 and 10 as a sophomore doesn\u2019t mean he can\u2019t get over the NBA hump eventually. There\u2019s still a lot to get excited about here. For instance, did you know that Rubin is the only player in the BartTorvik era(2008-present) to register 75 dunks with both a block and assist rate over 10? That sort of two-way athletic prowess, paired with growing feel, is difficult to ignore. Loyola faced significant roster turnover this offseason, but Rubin stayed put. There\u2019s a good chance that the Ramblers could be \u201chis team\u201d this year; if that\u2019s the case, the draft world will take notice. <\/p>\n

2024-2025 Season Stats: 6.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.1 TOV, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG<\/p>\n

2024-2025 Shooting Splits: 63.4\/0\/59.8<\/p>\n

Signature Performance: vs. UCF, 3\/1\/2025. 16 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks. 6-6 FG, 4-7 FT. <\/p>\n

Reminds me a little bit of: Paul Reed, Precious Achiuwa, Willie Cauley-Stein<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Ernest Udeh Jr. <\/a>played high school basketball for Dr. Phillips High School in Florida and won a state title there as a junior. He competed for Southeast Elite on the grassroots circuit. Between those two squads, he came up playing alongside the likes of notables such as Riley Kugel, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Denzel Aberdeen. His high-energy style and productivity earned him a McDonald\u2019s All-American Game invitation, four-star status, and a 32nd overall ranking from 247Sports in the 2022 high school class. He chose to attend Kansas over the likes of Baylor, Arkansas, Alabama, and UCLA. <\/p>\n

His first and second years with the Jayhawks had highs and lows. He appeared in 30 games, bringing heaps of defensive playmaking and efficient scoring off the bench. Conversely, he was limited to 8.3 MPG, playing a small bench role behind KJ Adams Jr. He entered the portal and spent his next two seasons at TCU. There, he continued to wreak havoc on defense while growing as a rebounder and decision maker. After his junior year, he entered the transfer portal once more, and he\u2019ll wrap up his college career with the Miami Hurricanes. <\/p>\n

Ernest Udeh Jr. is one of the most mesmerizing defenders in college basketball. At 6\u201911\u201d with a sturdy frame and big shoulders, he looks like a 90s-era NBA back-to-the-basket big man. Still, he moves with the lateral agility of a wing. He has a shocking combination of size and foot speed. He looks uncanny guarding out on the perimeter, where he can smother smaller players. His presence is downright intimidating, often leading to forced dribble pickups, panicked passes, and turnovers. He can really sit down and move in a way that few big men can, and it\u2019s beneficial for his team\u2019s margins in the turnover battle. Udeh\u2019s career 3.5 STL% is as good as it can possibly get for a big man prospect. He has the other instincts you\u2019d like to see out of a big man who can guard on the perimeter, too. He covers ground exceptionally well, he knows when to help at the nail, and he does a good job of avoiding foul trouble. He\u2019s tailor-made for a switching system, with the physical gifts, instincts, and drive to guard five-out at the professional level. <\/p>\n

Udeh still gives you some of the classic big man stuff, too. Because he\u2019s so big and mobile, he\u2019s a good rim protector, too. Udeh\u2019s block rate of 5.9 isn\u2019t anything to write home about, but it makes sense considering how often he\u2019s guarding out on the perimeter. Plus, he held opponents to 38.1% at the rim per Synergy, so it\u2019s not like anyone is getting anything easy on him. His rim help instincts are solid, he gets into position fast when he recognizes that he needs to, and his chest holds up well to contact. Plus, the fact that he flies off the floor for rejections is always good to see.<\/p>\n

Offensively, Udeh keeps it simple, but I think he could be a better weapon than the numbers indicate. He has blazing end-to-end speed (91st percentile in transition, per Synergy). Plus, he\u2019s not afraid to use his big body to lay down a violent screen. As a result, he\u2019s a devastating roll man. He makes good contact and gets to the rim in a hurry. Add in great hands, serious bounce, and a determination to rip the rim off the basket, and he\u2019s an electric finisher. Per Synergy, Udeh ranked in the 92nd percentile as a roller this past season, and it\u2019s my belief that he could post greater scoring totals if this ability were leveraged more consistently by his team. He\u2019s tough to stop downhill, so teams often resort to fouling him (.821 FTr last season). Additionally, Udeh is a feisty offensive rebounder (career 13.5 ORB%), so opponents need to make sure they put a body on him after a missed field goal. He displays solid passing vision at times and has a degree of comfort putting the ball on the deck. <\/p>\n

Udeh\u2019s offensive game is still pretty raw. His 17.5 TOV% on 11.9 USG% is a red flag, as he\u2019s prone to turnovers when asked to do too much with the ball. He only scored 14.7 points per 100 possessions this last season, which is extremely low by NBA prospect standards. Part of that is his teammates missing him when he had a runway to the rim too often, but there are issues beyond that. His touch on non-dunks is quite poor, as he went 47.4% on halfcourt layups and 2-for-11 on hook shots this past year, per Synergy. And while he draws a lot of fouls, his 59.8 FT% last season diminishes the value of that skill. His positioning can leave something to be desired, as he can cramp the spacing on the court by getting too close to his teammates while also not sealing or carving out space for them. Defensively, he doesn\u2019t always work to secure positioning on the glass and could stand to be more assertive on the boards. His 20.6 DRB% is a fine number in a vacuum, but it\u2019s disappointing in contrast to his numbers on the offensive glass, and the film shows examples of food being left on the table. <\/p>\n

When I put together this series, there are times when I think, \u201cthe public-facing boards are wrong, this guy is obviously worthy of being drafted, and there\u2019s a clear-cut role for him to play at the next level.\u201d This isn\u2019t one of those scenarios. I get why Udeh has slid under the radar. He\u2019s been an extremely low-usage player who doesn\u2019t score at the volume typical of an NBA prospect, his touch is suspect, and he coughs up the ball more than he should. If it doesn\u2019t pan out for him, the reasons for it will be obvious. <\/p>\n

Still, I think there\u2019s a real chance that he\u2019s a surprise breakout candidate. Udeh is a devastating rim-runner. His physicality, speed, and bounce make him a deadly finisher who could thrive in the NBA\u2019s fast-paced play style. It\u2019s exceedingly difficult to find players his size who can slide their feet and cover ground like he can on defense. There\u2019s something here. It\u2019s a little funky and unconventional, but there\u2019s an intriguing blend of skills going on with Udeh, and the Miami Hurricanes could unleash it. He\u2019s more of a watchlist guy than a sure thing bet for me, but I\u2019ll be keeping an eye on him. He could be a \u201cmuck-it-up energy big man\u201d in the vein of a Paul Reed if things break right. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the first installment of No Stone Unturned 2025! In this series of articles, I will be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28137,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[355,99],"class_list":["post-28136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28136\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}