If Malachi stays in school could he become a Wes Johnson player by his Junior year?

[Alsacs]

I watch the kid play and he shows good flashes but has that freshman inconsistency thing going on.
I think he could be a special player if he stays in a school. It just seems every kid we get who can leave typically leaves. The last surefire 1st round pick to return was Hak Warrick in 2004. CJ Fair could have left but he wasn't going to be a first round pick.

I hope the staff shows Malachi clips of Wes Johnson from 2010 because that is who he should tailoring his game after.

Wes is 6'7" 215lbs and Malachi is 6'6" 190. Put on a little muscle and the kid could be an All-American in 2 years. I just hope he stays.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I think Wes has other worldly explosion and athleticism that very very few dudes have. I see a lot of Demetrius Nichols in Malachai... Although Malachai is much much more advanced than Nichols as a freshman. Nichols never had the handle Mal already has. Maybe Damone Brown is another potential comp? Though he seemed more of an inside out guy.

 

[SUintheVille]

Stay in school for how long? He will definitely be back next year. The year after, maybe not, as next year should be his year to really shine with G and C gone.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Wes was a really good rebounder and back line defender. Malachi isn't going to play the back line after this year. And idk if he can be the shooter Wes was either. He was BEPOY.

 

[Brooky03]

I think the move to SG next year will work wonders for his game. He's no SF.

 

[Ghost]

Wes was a really good rebounder and back line defender. Malachi isn't going to play the back line after this year. And idk if he can be the shooter Wes was either. He was BEPOY.

Yeah, Wes was great because he could cover so much ground, and he was great at recovering to effect the shooter inside or out. Kid was simply an athletic freak.

That being said, Mali already has a more well developed offensive game. Wes can't dribble very well - his handle is nowhere near where it needs to be (even now). Mali has 498 times the handle he had when he was at Cuse, and he has a nice stroke on the three, so if he can knock down threes consistently he'll be a more complete player on offense. At the very least he'll be far more diverse.

On defense, I double he's ever approaching how effective Wes was in the zone. He should be fine though.

He's a much better version of Kris Joseph IMO. He has some skills that are more akin to a two guard, so he could develop into the ISO type player that JB mistakenly seemed to think KJo was his Senior year if he sticks around for a bit.

 

[pearl31]

I don't think he'll be around beyond next year. But I do think he'll have a tremendous soph season, rotating between the 2 and 3.