Kyshawn George, Jamir Watkins, Wooga Poplar, Matthew Cleveland
Brian breaks down the main prospects from the University of Florida, Miami and Florida State University.
Florida has a bunch of schools and a bunch of prospects worth considering in this draft. Today we will be breaking down the prospects that are at the University of Florida, Miami and Florida State University. Both teams have had some underwhelming seasons but both have some guys worth looking at.
Miami FL: After making a Final Four run last season, there was a lot of hype for the Hurricanes. They lost Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong to the 2023 NBA Draft, who were both drafted in the late second round respectively to the Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers. To replace Miller, the Hurricanes brought in transfer Matthew Cleveland from Florida State, and he’s had an ok year but nothing spectacular. Miami started out pretty well and then has really struggled in the ACC this season, and that has dimmed the light on some of the prospects, but there’s still some interest here.
Florida State: After an underwhelming season, where Baba Miller was suspended for the first half of the season due to an NCAA violation that was a complete overreaction by the NCAA, and underperforming in general, FSU lost Matthew Cleveland via the portal. Baba Miller came back this season and was expected to take over the team, but Jamir Watkins has really helped out and really shown flashes.
So let’s get into it.
Kyshawn George/Miami
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Kyshawn George is a very big ball handler that has a lot of potential from Switzerland. He has a pretty cool story on how Miami recruited him, and here is the link to that story. Kyshawn started out at Chalon in France and played here and there but really got an opportunity to play this season at Miami. He started out mainly out of the rotation but has played his way into the starting 5. He’s gotten a role later in the season and he’s really flashed.
Personal Opinion
We aren’t drafting him for who he is right now. He has flashes where he looks great and then other games where he struggles. If a team is patient there is something here. Excellent size and can handle the ball and hit 3’s. Sign me up! In a draft where there aren't a lot of sure things, he has a really appealing case. I don’t know if he will make it in the league, HOWEVER, if he does he’s going to be a problem. I have him firmly in the teens right now. I buy the shooting, and I think at worst, he can be a floor spacer that can handle the ball, but play SF at the next level.
Fantasy
The numbers won’t blow you away but he’s got potential to be a good shooter, have some decent efficiency and pass the ball. He’s got decent rebounding and won’t kill in areas. He hasn’t scored a bunch of points, but if he develops that could be something that won’t be an issue. If everything goes right for Kyshawn George, we are talking a top 50 fantasy player potential. Maybe it looks a bit rich right now but his ceiling is massive, in fact it might be top 30 potential. He’s got one skill right now that’s at a very high level which will translate at the worst. However, consistency will be the key with him.
If Kyshawn fails in the league, Why?
The answer is that he’s just too raw. He should be able to shoot, but what if that struggles to translate. He might not be a winning player and may struggle to be that at the next level which can cause some coaches to not want to play him.
Link to Tankathon
As we can see here, Kyshawn is at least putting up better numbers than Kevin Knox. Cam Johnson was a lot further along so it’s a goal that he could get too. But there aren’t many players like Kyshawn, and the ones that are LeBron, Luka, Tatum, those level of players. Kyshawn is extremely skilled, but he’s still really raw.
Big Performance Highlights
21 Pts, 8 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Blk, 3 To, 6-12 FG, 5-9 3PT, 4-4 FT
This was one of Kyshawn’s best games of the season. There was no Wooga Poplar in this game, so Kyshawn took his role there and showed out in a bit of an off ball role, and this is the potential something that he could do. There’s even more that he could have done in the peripheral stats. This was an overtime game where Miami lost by 4, so that is worth noting.
February 3rd vs. Virginia Tech
16 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 To, 5-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, 4-5 FT
Keyshawn stuffed the stat sheet a little bit in this game and wasn’t even a high usage guy in this one. Virginia Tech hasn’t been amazing this year, but still not bad. Miami won this game by 8 points.
February 24th vs. Georgia Tech
16 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 To, 5-10 FG, 4-8 3PT, 2-3 FT
Georgia Tech has not been a good team this year and Miami lost by 4 in this game, but Keyshawn was very good in this game, stuffing the stat sheet, showing what he could potentially do if he hits. It’s a tough loss late in the season, but we see why we get excited with George.
Jamir Watkins/Florida State
Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat-USA TODAY NETWORK
Jamir Watkins started out at VCU and played behind Vince Williams Jr for a little bit. He tore his ACL before his sophomore year, and redshirted. After his sophomore year he transferred up from the Atlantic 10, to the ACC. It’s worth noting that when he played at VCU, he played as a role player only. He has become the alpha on this team where there was no alpha. He has flashed a lot this season and especially in in-conference play, Watkins has been really gaining steam.
Personal Opinion:
Jamir Watkins is a dude! A wing, with good size, very good athleticism, that can do a little bit of everything, what more do you need? The consensus has not been kind to Jamir Watkins and I think it’s been a pretty big miss. I usually tend to like the guys that buy into playing a role player role in college basketball but flash and have the potential to do more. Jamir Watkins has spent the past 2 seasons being a role player. But now we know he can be aggressive and be the guy in college basketball. He needs to improve the shooting but if he does, he’s going to make a lot of money.
Fantasy
Watkins can be a pretty good fantasy player. He gets rebounds really well with his limited size. He also has a bit of playmaking skills to go with it. He even gets defensive numbers at a really good level. The efficiency is mid at best, so that can improve. Think John Konchar in terms of a fantasy player and Watkins can be that. If he starts and plays heavy minutes, there’s top 60 upside with him in an off-ball role.
If Jamir fails in the league, Why?
The shooting never comes around and so he’s a negative on that part. He stops being as aggressive as he has been at FSU, and so his impact diminishes. He also could start having injury issues as he already has had a serious knee injury in the past.
Here we can see some people who have been drafted with a similar statistical skillset. Another name that I saw pop up quite a bit for Watkins in some simulations were John Konchar and Evan Turner.
Big Performance Highlights
19 Pts, 3 Reb, 9 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 To, 4-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 11-11 FT
In this game we saw Watkins aggressiveness and being able to draw fouls. Watkins filled up the stat sheet and his impact was very obvious in a 5 point win over Wake Forest. He wasn’t even shooting well this game, but his playmaking was on full display here.
21 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 To, 5-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 11-12 FT
Another game where Watkins was able to get to the line a lot. FSU lost by 4 points in this game but it wasn’t Watkins' fault. Stuffed the stat sheet and was doing everything against a very good Virginia defense AND 2 of the most notable defensive prospects in the draft in Ryan Dunn and Reece Beekman. Jamir and Chandler Jackson were the only ones that could do anything offensively. Jamir did have 5 fouls in the game which is worth noting.
34 Pts, 11 Reb, 1 Ast, 4 Stl, 4 To, 9-15 FG, 2-4 3PT, 14-17 FT
This game was in the first round of the ACC tournament. Florida State as a 9th seed, knocked off the 8th seed Virginia Tech by 10. Jamir Watkins had a career high in points and tied his season high in rebounds. The turnovers were a little high but for a 6’7 wing, 11 rebounds and this efficiency without it being extremely hot shooting, is really impressive.
Nisine “Wooga” Poplar/Miami
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Wooga Poplar was on the Final 4 team last season and really showed out as a potential floor spacer and scorer. He’s been known as a really hard worker and a good person. He started off the season really hot from 3 but has cooled off during the season which has contributed to Miami’s slump due to injury.
Personal Opinion
I go back and forth on Wooga Poplar. I’ll like him for a few weeks and then sour on him pretty quickly. His shot has really fallen off in conference play and that concerns me quite a bit, especially when teams are more focused on scouting you, and teams know that Wooga is the main guy in Miami. I’m worried about the defense and if he can’t get to passable at that level, I think it’s going to be hard to keep him on the court. I think he’s best with the ball in his hands, but is he good enough to have the ball in his hands? That still remains to be seen. I still have him as draftable and I think it might stay that way during the rest of the stretch but we will see.
Fantasy
Fantasy-wise, Poplar isn’t a great fantasy player. If he hits, he will be similar to the Tim Hardaway Jr./Malik Beasley type mold where if you are looking for points and 3’s you can stream him in. He might have a top 100 season at some point if he is an NBA player but I think that’s his ceiling fantasy wise.
If Wooga fails in the league, Why?
The defense doesn’t come around and he becomes a constant target for offenses. Furthermore, if the shot isn’t at a Malik Beasley/Tim Hardaway Jr. level, he will be very hard to keep on the court. His work ethic and personality might get him an extra chance or 2, but we will see if he is talented enough for the NBA.
Link to Tankathon
As you can see with Wooga. He is a step behind the surefire rotation players. He’s bigger than Kyle Guy and I think he is a better prospect than what Guy was, but their production is relatively similar.
Big Performance Highlights
24 Pts, 3 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 To, 9-15 FG, 5-10 3PT, 1-1 FT
This was Poplar’s best game of the season where he went off in a 38 point win against Stonehill. Poplar was hot from 3 and was filling up a bit of the peripheral stats. This game was over in the first half so it's hard to get a ton out of it.
15 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 4-10 FG, 3-9 3PT, 4-4 FT
This was Poplar’s best game in conference play this season. He took some shots and they went in at an ok clip. This game was also a 29 point loss for the Hurricanes so Poplar was playing against some of the bench squad.
Matthew Cleveland/Miami
(Courtesy of Charisma Jones and themiamihurricane.com)
Matthew Cleveland started out at Florida State where they tried to use him in the same way they used Scottie Barnes the previous year. It did not work out for Cleveland and after 2 seasons, transferred to Miami where he has been able to play to his strengths. He’s had a pretty solid season for the Hurricanes this season.
Personal Opinion
I get the appeal with Matthew Cleveland. This has undoubtedly been his best season. Still, I don’t think it’s been as impactful as the numbers would indicate. He’s got good size and a bit of an all around ability. There’s no elite skill that stands out as something that he could hang his hat on. Without an elite skill, it's hard to sell him as an NBA guy. He’s worth a flier for sure, but the advanced numbers aren’t that good and as a Junior in college and a potential NBA prospect, you’d expect it to be better. The idea of Matthew Cleveland is more enticing than the reality of him.
Fantasy
Matthew Cleveland is a good rebounder for his size and a decent shooter. If he were to hit, you’d be looking at someone who could have a few top 150 seasons, but on the back end. He’d be an off ball wing at the next level and I have no real confidence he can ramp up usage and be effective at it. So I don’t expect him to be scoring either.
If Matthew fails in the league, Why?
No elite skill definitely doesn’t help. Despite him having good size, he hasn’t been a good defender in really any of his 3 seasons at college. That will continue to be a concern at the next level. Will he be able to do anything at the next level? If he can’t do a few things, it’s going to be hard for him. He’ll get a couple chances because he’s 6’7/200 pounds but that might be the only reason.
Furthermore, the track record isn’t that good. Ben Sheppard could, so it’s hard to even say that. Jabari Bird is the only other player drafted recently with similar numbers to Matthew Cleveland. (He’s not on here because Cleveland hasn’t been drafted yet)
Big Performance Highlights
22 Pts, 12 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 To, 9-18 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-3 FT
This was one of Cleveland’s best games of the season, putting up a double-double in a loss against Louisville. This game showcases a lot of what Cleveland can do if he were to hit.
16 Pts, 12 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 To, 8-17 FG, 0-4 3PT
Matthew played the entire game in this one as he was playing well. He couldn’t hit some 3’s and if he had hit 1 of them, this game would have gone into overtime. But overall a really solid performance from Cleveland.
Final Thoughts
I really like the potential of Kyshawn George and think he is a legitimate prospect in this draft. I currently have Kyshawn at #12 on my board and I feel pretty good about it. There is risk involved but if he’s a legit player on a very good team in a few years, I won’t be surprised. In the recent Dizzle Dynasty mock draft, Kyshawn George went #18 to the Orlando Magic.
I think Jamir Watkins might be one of, if not, the biggest sleeper in this draft currently. I have him at #19 on my big board, despite the fact that he’s not even on some mock drafts. Given his archetype and skills, I think it warrants it. He won’t be a star in the NBA but I wouldn’t be surprised if he will be a very good role player that could be starting on a championship level team. In the recent Dizzle Dynasty mock draft, Jamir Watkins went #32 to the Orlando Magic.
I have been on a Wooga Poplar roller coaster all season and I think I am settling in similar to where most people have him. High 50’s and into the undrafted area. For someone who is a legit NBA prospect, I’d expect a lot better production than what we got from Poplar this year. In the recent Dizzle Dynasty mock draft, Wooga Poplar went #35 to the Milwaukee Bucks. I do get the appeal if someone wants to take him though.
I was super high on Matthew Cleveland before his freshman season. That has completely plummeted on me. At this point, I have Cleveland in the top 100 and I’ll need to see how he does in the G League before I am willing to get my hopes up again. Matthew Cleveland went undrafted in the recent Dizzle Dynasty mock draft.