Year 1 under Kevin Willard would have to be viewed as a success, especially in these volatile times in college sports. He was able to retain most of the roster, brought in a massive transfer in Jahmir Young who became an All-Conference selection and they won a game in the Big Dance. Now they head into this year with their big 3 back in Jahmir Young, Julian Reese and Donta Scott who were all double digit scorers and stand to all be in the All-Conference conversation this year. The real story is going to be the ancillary cast and how they can step up in the absence of guys like Hakim Hart, Ian Martinez and Don Carey who left the program. The biggest concern with those losses is those were the best outside shooters in terms of % for a team that was 238th in the Country at only 32.8%. There is going to be a lot of pressure on the newcomers to step into large roles and be immediate contributors alongside a group of vets that will be eyeing a deeper run in March.

What’s New:

Transfers:

Geronimo heads to College Park looking for an expanded role after spending a couple of years buried behind TJD and Race Thompson with the Hoosiers. He is a really good athlete at 6’7″ but has yet to be consistent as a threat offensively. As a rebounder he can be elite, although there have been questions about his motor. He’s great as a slasher and should be a versatile defender, again if he is locked in mentally. He likely is going to be the primary option off the bench behind Scott and Reese in the front-court which will be an important role for the Terps.

Stephens is a kid that plays to his strength and that’s shooting from deep, as he made 44 3’s at a 37% clip his FR year at Loyola while only attempting 14 TOTAL 2 point shots. He’s very effective in spot up catch and shoot opportunities but beyond that we really haven’t seen much more in terms of skillset, as even in transition he races to the 3-point line. As mentioned earlier though, the Terps lost their 3 best outside shooters in terms of % from a year ago, so in comes Stephens with a real chance to carve out a role in the backcourt if he can knock down outside shots. He’s a little undersized at 6’3″ for a SG, but if they need a sniper, Stephens will get his shot.

Thanks to his size and length at 6’11” Traore is an intriguing prospect, but make no mistake he is a project as a basketball player. There isn’t much skill there in terms of an inside offensive game and he doesn’t show much of a jumper either. This is more of a long term play for Maryland, but if they can develop his skillset he has the physical tools to be a impactful C in this league. Don’t expect to see him much this year but we may learn his name in the coming years if all goes right.

Freshman Class:

Maryland fans are going to fall fast for this kid, as he comes to College Park with a college ready frame and a ferocity to his game that is equally rare as it is endearing. The lefty is an attacker, playing at his best getting downhill and muscling his way to the rim, where he finishes with strength and absolutely no fear. He also has the ability to post up smaller defenders and is a willing and adept passer both on drives and when posting up. His shot certainly won’t win any awards for its beauty, but he’s been effective as a shooter thus far. While he may struggle early on to knock down shots, his motor and fearlessness should allow him to start alongside Young in the backcourt and be one of, if not the top FR in the Big Ten. If you’re a Maryland fan you’re hoping for 2 years max from this kid, he’ll be in the NBA soon no doubt. [Comp – Marcus Smart].

Kaiser is an interesting prospect, with good size and strength paired with a smooth looking outside jumper, he could grow into a very productive college player. He likely will need to add quite a bit of quickness to be more than an outside shooter at the college level though, as he hasn’t shown thus far to be able to beat defenders off the bounce. As a slasher he has shown ability to finish with strength around the rim. What he could become is a very versatile stretch 4 man, not dissimilar to his new teammate Donta Scott, who uses his strength and frame to defend inside as well as out and stretch the defense as a shooter. His lack of quickness is a concern, but the upside for a wing with his jumper is certainly a consistent double digit scorer one day. If he can hang defensively he could even carve out a role off the bench in year 1, as the Terps have a lot of question marks after their big 3. [Comp – Doug McDermott].

Lamothe isn’t an explosive athlete but does have an obvious feel for the game and an ability to make plays both for himself and for teammates. He has a strong build, but is more careful and crafty with the ball as opposed to his fellow classmates. His ceiling is likely determined by how consistent he can knock down outside shots, as he’s never going to be an elite creator. He also has the physical tools to be an impactful defender, and if he pairs that with the ability to hit shots he has a real shot in this league. I don’t see him breaking through this year but he has the potential to develop into a really nice player for Willard, who clearly loves his big physical guards. [Comp – Davion Mitchell]

Braden Pierce —> Most likely a redshirt – 2024 class

2023-24 Prediction:

The Terps will roll out one of the best trios in the Conference in Young/Scott/Reese but have many question marks when it comes to the surrounding cast. They are a prime candidate for a team that could struggle early in the season but come on strong as the calendar turns. Harris-Smith is the biggest question mark, because if he can be productive in the backcourt it will take a ton of pressure off of Jahmir Young. They also will need Stephens and/or Long to step up and be able to knock down outside shots. They were awful a year ago from 3 as a team, but Long shot 40% on low volume and of course Stephens is a sniper so those two could be huge as role players to open things up. One thing we know about Willard coached teams is they are going to get after it on D, and Harris-Smith will only add to their physicality. The bottom line is with 3 guys capable of playing at an All-Conference level they should be in the upper half of the Conference and in and around the top-25 all season. Willard has proven to be able to get teams to the dance and build programs, but he hasn’t made it out of the 1st weekend in 6 tries. The expectations have to be to compete for a Conference championship and get over the March hump. While I don’t see them winning the Big Ten, they surely will make some noise with Jahmir Young leading the way.

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