An Amateur Scouting Report for the 2023 Big Ten Basketball Class: Part 1 (Illinois, Ohio State & Penn State)

The Floor Slap is releasing a scouting report for every Freshmen player coming into the Big Ten. We are going to break down each player, project their first year impact, and categorize each school’s class from 1 to 5. Up first we have Illinois, Ohio State & Penn State.

I am not a professional scout.

I do not travel to EYBL and Peach Jam or go to High School games to scout players for a living.

What I am is a guy with a computer and access to Youtube.com.

So, here is a very informal scouting report for the Freshmen coming into the Big Ten this year.

I watched the film available to me as a non-subscriber to any paid platforms and took notes. Feel free to watch all the videos and come up with your own opinions.

Since I am just watching Highlight tapes, there are certain skills I can scout and specific ones I can’t.

Things I can’t see:

Defense. The videos aren’t complete games so I can’t see how they are as an individual defender or team defender. I can sort of see if a big guy has a natural feel as a shot blocker, but at the same time since it’s highlights I can’t see if he is fouling twice for every one block.
Movement. You can’t get a good feel for how the player moves off the ball because most highlights happen with the ball in your hands.
Decision making. A player could turn the ball over 5 times for every cool behind the back pass in the mixtape.

Things I can see:

Shooting form
Finishing ability
Handle
Passing Vision
Athleticism, speed, build, etc.
Play style/archetype. Is he a pass first guard, 3&D wing, back to the basket big, a scoring guard, etc.
Shot selection. What shots does the guy usually make/take?
Does he go left or right every time?
Does the player know he has a left hand?

Anyways you get it. I am an amateur and this is a flawed method… but it is offseason content and it scratches that Basketball itch.

This will be part 1 of 3. Quickly, let me explain the Categories for the classes.

Illinois

3 commits – 5th Ranked Class in the Big Ten

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

6’1” PG/SG
From West Lafayette (Originally committed to Purdue)
Played for several different HS and most recently played for Overtime Elite
Actually have decent stats for him because of OTE
Scored 20 points a game with 4.4 apg and 2.7 TO
An efficient scorer shooting 58.4% on 7.7 2 point attempts and 39% from 3 on 7.7 attempts.
Gibbs-Lawhorn can finish in a variety of ways. His tape shows him hitting midrange jumpers, step backs, floaters, double clutch layups, underhand etc.
He always wants to finish with his right hand though.
Seriously good at finishing anywhere around the rim even if it is just the right hand.
So far, he is quick enough/athletic enough to make it work. Will that be the same in college?
Confident catch and shoot scorer off ball. Can make jumpers off the dribble but wants to drive past you.
Solid passer but mainly looks for himself even when drawing help defenders. To his credit, great at splitting help defense and getting to his spots.
Is 6-1” but is athletic enough to not seem as undersized

First Year Projection: I really like Dra. To me, he seems like a great scoring guard. I’m not sure he is the answer at PG for Illinois. He might get stuck behind Terrence Shannon Jr as a freshman. I think Gibbs-Lawhorn talent will force Coach Underwood to find minutes for him.

Amani Hansberry

6’8” PF
Mount Saint Joseph (Baltimore, MD)
Primarily works out of the post
Comfortable in the Pick and Roll often slipping into open space
Good footwork
Explodes into space after fooling defender
Finishes with both his right or left hand around the basket
Shows solid shooting touch in the midrange
Flashes of extending that to the 3pt range
Capable at putting the ball on the ground
Willing and fundamental passer
Love his overall feel as a big
Played with Maryland’s Jahnathan Lamothe in AAU

First Year Projection: Hansberry shows the potential of being a versatile forward for the Illini. He could follow in the steps of Coleman Hawkins and Matthew Mayer. Some combination of Hawkins, Quincy Guerrier and Dain Dainja will eat up most of the minutes at the 4 and 5 next year. Not sure how much run Hansberry will get, but I think he will be ready when called.

Niccolo Moretti

6’ PG from Italy
NBA Global Academy (Australia)
Brother of Texas Tech guard Davide Moretti who made the national championship in 2019
Joined Illinois last year for 2nd semester and redshirted
Shoots jumpers left handed?, but is more comfortable dribbling right handed and finishing right handed at the basket
Good vision and nifty passer. Enjoys his one handed passes.
Gets past you with his handle not his speed or athleticism
Not many jump shots on tape, unlike his brother who was a 3 pt specialist for TTU

First Year Projection: Moretti could compete for the backup point guard spot this season. Unless he has really improved in his redshirt time, I don’t see more than that for him year one. I think Moretti could absolutely be a table setter on what seems to be a roster full of score first players.

Overall Excitement Level: 3

Illinois has two good multiyear players with potential to be stars but not enough depth here to warrant a Level IV. Illinois fans are probably more excited for an individual player rather than the class overall.

Ohio State

4 Commits – 2nd ranked class in Big Ten

Taison Chatman

6’4” Guard
Totino-Grace (Minneapolis, MN)
If there is a candidate to be a one-and-done in the vein of Malaki Branham and Brice Sensabaugh of the past two seasons its Chatman
Always under control
Handle is tight and uses both hands
Specifically very clean with his side to side dribbles. Crossovers or behind the back.
Tremendous at stopping on a dime creating open looks
Just flat out gets to his spots and knocks down shots
Extremely comfortable knocking down shots off the dribble
Deep range behind the arc
Great Balance and footwork. Takes a lot of step backs but keeps himself straight.
Keeps his head up. Finds the open man if teams overplay him.
Great at finishing left handed for his age.
Doesn’t really bully anybody. Even smaller players. Could use some muscle.
Won back to back 3A State titles in Minnesota

First Year Projection: Chatman will be a starter for OSU. He figures to slot in at the 2 or 3 depending on Holtmann’s preference. Bruce Thornton will run point, but Chatman figures to be a go-to scorer who will have plenty of sets run for him. Again, similar to Branham and Sensabaugh. Chatman has all the potential in the world to average 15+ a game and shoot up draft boards.

Devin Royal

6’7 Forward
Pickerington Central (Pickerington, OH)
Mr. Basketball in Ohio
Made it to the State Title the past two seasons
Lean big guy but bullies people.
I mean his bounce is beautiful.
Solid footwork in post.
Has a turn and face game. Even from the three point arc.
Not afraid of putting the ball on the ground. Handle is fine.
Will need to dribble more next season
His mixtape is one of the ones that is primarily him just getting easy dunks. Typically not a great sign.
Is comfortable with the free throw range jumper
Would like to see more blocks in his highlight tape.

First Year Projection: Royal is probably going to be behind Jamison Battle/Zed Key at forward. Even if he comes off the bench, Royal will make an impact. His athleticism and cutting will get him some highlight dunks this year. His defense and his ability to shoot corner threes will be the keys to unlock bigger minutes. I think he is a 10-16 minute a game guy as a freshman who could evolve into a lot more in future years.

Scotty Middleton

6’6” Wing
Sunrise Christian (Wichita, KS)
Same prep school as Gradey Dick, Kennedy Chandler, Jaden Akins and many more
Middleton is a textbook do it all guy
His tape shows him making shots from everywhere
Catch and shoot threes, off the dribble mid range jumpers, floaters, Left or right handed layups, etc.
He can score from anywhere.
Handle is solid but not how he gets open
Smart cutter, finds open space.
Middleton makes quick decisions. Quick cuts, Quick passes, Quick reactions, etc.
Great basketball build. Tall, long arms, quick, etc.
Just an all around kind of player. If he can refine his skills and be a master at a few, he could really be something.

First Year Projection: Middleton is in the mix for a starting job. He and Roddy Gayle will probably compete for that 3 spot in the starting 5 next to Thornton and Chatman in the backcourt. Gayle and Middleton are good complimentary guys. If one of them really pops next to a true PG like Thornton, scorers like Chatman and Battle, and a big in Okpara/Key that is when Ohio State really can go to the next level.

Austin Parks

6’10” Big
Memorial (Saint Marys, OH)
Tall and strong traditional big
A lot of his tape is him bullying small high schoolers who have no chance against him
Works mostly with his back to the basket
Loves to go baseline towards his right shoulder when on the left block
No, seriously he does this every time.
Even if he is playing weaker competition he has a really good feel for working in the post.
Passes well to cutting teammates, feels double teams, can pass out and reposts, feels where the man is with his shoulders, etc.
Right handed. Usually finishes right handed and if not he dunks it.
No real clips of any jump hook. Will need that when playing guys his size or bigger in Big Ten.

First Year Projection: Parks’ first year will depend more on other players. Will Zed Key still play at the 5? Or will Holtmann move him to be more of stretch 4? How much has Felix Okpara developed? Okpara is an elite rim protector but limited the offense last season. Can he do more this year? If answers to those questions go the wrong way, Parks might not have much of a role in year one. There is also a timeline where Holtmann favors Parks over Okpara and Key plays more of a Forward role. Parks will be able to score in College. Will he be able to defend bigs like Zach Edey or Cliff Omoruyi? Parks likely will have the smallest role of the freshmen but Holtmann typically gives all 13 scholarship players a shot each season.

Class Category: Level 4

Ohio State has brought in another great set of recruits under Holtmann. In the past it was usually sink or swim for these guys. Branham and Sensabaugh swam. Luther Muhammad, Jaedon Ledee, Meechie Johnson etc. sunk and transferred. It might not work out for all four guys. I am higher on Ohio State this year than most pundits. If this class and last year’s class gel, the Buckeyes have the talent to be a top 4 team.

Penn State

1 commit – 14th/unranked on 247sports for the Big Ten

Bragi Gudmundsson

6’5” Guard
Iceland (Semi-Pro)
Great Handle. Confidently dribbles with either hand.
Keeps his head up. Looks for teammates.
Creative and willing passer. Finds his teammates even at odd angles.
Surprising amount of blocks on his tape for a guard.
Deep range on catch and shoot threes.
Comfortable shooting off the dribble as well.

First Year Projection: I have no idea how much Gudmundsson will play year one. Penn State had a complete reset this offseason. Only Mike Rhoades knows who will be starters. Could I see Bragi being a secondary creator next to Ace Baldwin? Yeah. It also could be D’Marco Dunn. I think everyone will get a shot. He likely is a bench player, but who knows. I think he absolutely could start for a few seasons in Happy Valley.

Overall Excitement Level: 1

Yeah, somebody has to get level 1. The Nittany Lions are getting 9 players from the portal. Only one freshman is coming in and he’s an international product? I might be wrong, but I think Penn State fans are focused on a lot more than Gudmundsson next year. His tape is fun, but I would be much more intrigued and hype about Baldwin, Puff Johnson, Dunn, Rayquawndis Mitchell, etc. before him.