So at the request of @ballsack_status I am going to break down the incoming players from both perspectives.
First, let's look at the positives:
K-State has 5 new players coming in. That's positive. While we have been told that K-State hasn't been real active in the transfer portal in the past, that's not true. It's pushing a narrative. They have pushed really hard on transfer players over the last 6 years or so, but had no success. It's definitely the most successful that K-State has been in the portal. Coach Weber and staff have swung and missed time and again on players in the portal. This year, they swung and missed on a couple (AJ Bramah is for sure one), but they also swung and at least made contact on others. I don't know if there are any homeruns, but I do like what they have done to upgrade a roster that was pretty devoid of legitimate talent (except in a few specific cases we all know about).
The first transfer that we got wind was a serious lean to K-State was Markquis Nowell. Nowell is a diminutive but elusive ball dominant guard that is transferring up quite a bit from Arkansas Little Rock. First and foremost, Nowell gets buckets. Little dude (as he will affectionately be called from now on) scores more than a Tri Delt making her way through the Beta house.
Little Dude has started 52 of 68 games and has averaged over 14 ppg with a slash line of 43/37/86 for his career. For comparison Only Slightly Bigger Dude (Nijel Pack) averaged 13 points with a slash line of 43/41/79 this past season. There were some issues with Nowell that we will get into later that affected his junior year numbers, but his sophomore year was pretty special.
19-20 was a year that saw him garner 1st team All-Sun Belt and he arguably should have been POY in the conference. Here is a list of his ranks:
Points - 481 (5th)
PPG - 17.2 (4th)
APG - 4.9 (2nd)
SPG - 2.2 (3rd) (17th in NCAA)
FG% 43% (5th)
FT% - 88% (1st)
3 pt % - 39% (1st)
EFG% - 54% (4th)
TSP% - 59% (6th)
3 pt makes - 77 (1st)
3 pt att - 197 (5th)
Points produced - 475 (6th)
He has played in 5 games against high major teams in his career. In those games he has averaged over 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals per game. He has scored over 25 points 8 times in his career and has a career high of 33. This past season against Winthrop who was a hot pick in the tournament, he scored 25 with 10 assists.
I for one am really looking forward to how he fits as the small man in the 4 big 1 small lineup. Just imagine the possibilities. Bradford, Ezeagu, Murphy, Massoud and Nowell on the floor together in the most Bruce lineup of all time. How could other teams possibly matchup to that? Advantages everywhere. It would be the offensive version of the box and 1. He could dribble his guy off screens at every positiion and shoot from anywhere. That's right up his alley.
In all seriousness though, as a 15-18 mpg backup PG, he provides explosiveness, the ability to beat people off the dribble and the ability to really harass another team's PG. He has very quick hands and the mindset to really get up in the shirt of his defender. The ability to limit his minutes would allow those factors to increase quite a bit. He is a good depth piece that allows for Pack to not have to play 35+ minutes (which should be better for Pack's game) and pair with other bigger guards like Smith, McGuirl and Miguel to take the pressure off of those guys having to be playmakers/distributors.
I would consider Little Dude as a really well placed bunt single (and possible steal of second) for Bruce.
First, let's look at the positives:
K-State has 5 new players coming in. That's positive. While we have been told that K-State hasn't been real active in the transfer portal in the past, that's not true. It's pushing a narrative. They have pushed really hard on transfer players over the last 6 years or so, but had no success. It's definitely the most successful that K-State has been in the portal. Coach Weber and staff have swung and missed time and again on players in the portal. This year, they swung and missed on a couple (AJ Bramah is for sure one), but they also swung and at least made contact on others. I don't know if there are any homeruns, but I do like what they have done to upgrade a roster that was pretty devoid of legitimate talent (except in a few specific cases we all know about).
The first transfer that we got wind was a serious lean to K-State was Markquis Nowell. Nowell is a diminutive but elusive ball dominant guard that is transferring up quite a bit from Arkansas Little Rock. First and foremost, Nowell gets buckets. Little dude (as he will affectionately be called from now on) scores more than a Tri Delt making her way through the Beta house.
Little Dude has started 52 of 68 games and has averaged over 14 ppg with a slash line of 43/37/86 for his career. For comparison Only Slightly Bigger Dude (Nijel Pack) averaged 13 points with a slash line of 43/41/79 this past season. There were some issues with Nowell that we will get into later that affected his junior year numbers, but his sophomore year was pretty special.
19-20 was a year that saw him garner 1st team All-Sun Belt and he arguably should have been POY in the conference. Here is a list of his ranks:
Points - 481 (5th)
PPG - 17.2 (4th)
APG - 4.9 (2nd)
SPG - 2.2 (3rd) (17th in NCAA)
FG% 43% (5th)
FT% - 88% (1st)
3 pt % - 39% (1st)
EFG% - 54% (4th)
TSP% - 59% (6th)
3 pt makes - 77 (1st)
3 pt att - 197 (5th)
Points produced - 475 (6th)
He has played in 5 games against high major teams in his career. In those games he has averaged over 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals per game. He has scored over 25 points 8 times in his career and has a career high of 33. This past season against Winthrop who was a hot pick in the tournament, he scored 25 with 10 assists.
I for one am really looking forward to how he fits as the small man in the 4 big 1 small lineup. Just imagine the possibilities. Bradford, Ezeagu, Murphy, Massoud and Nowell on the floor together in the most Bruce lineup of all time. How could other teams possibly matchup to that? Advantages everywhere. It would be the offensive version of the box and 1. He could dribble his guy off screens at every positiion and shoot from anywhere. That's right up his alley.
In all seriousness though, as a 15-18 mpg backup PG, he provides explosiveness, the ability to beat people off the dribble and the ability to really harass another team's PG. He has very quick hands and the mindset to really get up in the shirt of his defender. The ability to limit his minutes would allow those factors to increase quite a bit. He is a good depth piece that allows for Pack to not have to play 35+ minutes (which should be better for Pack's game) and pair with other bigger guards like Smith, McGuirl and Miguel to take the pressure off of those guys having to be playmakers/distributors.
I would consider Little Dude as a really well placed bunt single (and possible steal of second) for Bruce.
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