Michigan locked in their floor general of the future when Dug McDaniel verbally pledged to the Wolverines in June. Hello Post can be found here. I've had the opportunity to evaluate Dug in both high school and AAU settings during the last four months, so I had a pretty good feel for things but was excited to get a fresh look at him in Orlando at the NBPA Top 100 Camp this week. Full analysis below.

Highlights

The one constant in all my previous evaluations was the impressive playmaking for others and that was no different in Orlando. McDaniel had pinpoint dimes in tight-windows in ballscreen action and was just as impressive coming off down-screens on the curl and finding bigs with dumpoffs once a help defender arrived. Dug is undoubtedly a good shot-creator for others in both half-court and transition settings. His spatial awareness is superb and his ability to whip around one-hand passes with a live dribble is a real asset.

The Not So Good

For context, the coaches at the NBPA Top 100 camp are mostly current/former NBA players that are likely clueless about the reputations/rankings of the camp attendees. I'm quite sure NBA players aren't pressed about 60 of the top HS players in the country when they are facing the best players in the world on a daily basis. So from that perspective, I'm always interested to see their starting/closing lineups/lineup changes because presumably it is done objectively.

By the final game on Wednesday it was pretty clear that McDaniel wasn't among the upper-echelon of the 59 players in this setting. He wasn't in the starting or closing lineups (Cason Wallace was) for his original team (The Suns) and camp coordinators actually switched him to another team (76ers) for the Thursday session. Now, some of this was likely due to imbalance in team numbers/depth, but his performance played at least a small role. For further context, Jett Howard was also on Dug's original team (Suns) and was moved into the starting lineup during the second game of the camp as it was clear he was among the best five players on that team.

If you've seen any of my prior detailed reports, you know I've projected McDaniel as an upper 20s - lower 30s shooter from distance and this performance didn't do anything to change that. During the three games that I took in he struggled as a shooter, with multiple bad misses from both midrange and beyond the arch. Dug went 1/10 from three during those three games.

What's worried me in previous evals is the sheer number of off-balance runners and midrange shots he takes that have zero chance of going in. I saw more of the same in Orlando as you can see in the clip below.

These sort of off-balance attempts where McDaniel twists his body from right to left with a scissors kick of the right leg have been consistent in every setting I've viewed. As stated previously, these shots would be much better if he simply squared up and elevated straight in the air as opposed to fading/twisting. But the reality is his window of getting a clean look is very small because he's operating at such a size disadvantage. These shots are rushed for fear of getting his shot blocked or altered and I don't know if that lack of time will change at the next level.

Dug also struggled to finish at the basket. Not much need to get into detailed analysis/film on that. I don't think anyone is expecting him to be a good finisher in the B10 given his size.

Overall, I really like McDaniel as 4th/5th scoring option on a team where he's surrounded by talent. And that is likely going to be the case at Michigan. Dug is a guy that needs to have a vertical lob-threat to maximize his passing ability in addition to buying him a foot or two of space. Throw in some potent shooters and he projects to be a guy that may average 4-5 assists a game, while knocking down some pull-ups in ballscreen action and being a pest as an on-ball defender against smaller B10 point guards.

[Hit THE JUMP for Jett and some 23s]

Jett Howard

After struggling during the opening game of the event, Jett was absolutely outstanding. His on-ball shot creation ability was definitely eye-popping. Pull-ups from NBA range, creating separation with change of direction/speed dribbles in ballscreen action and strong finishes at the rim were all on display.

Jett has always been known as a scorer, but I was very impressed with his vision and playmaking ability for others. His teammates didn't reward him much, but he consistently created advantageous situations for teammates as you can see in the clip below.

While Jett's on-ball ability has been a real revelation this spring/summer, he is a limited athlete to a certain extent. He doesn't move all that well and lacks vertical pop. His attempts at the rim are frequently going right and off the wrong leg as you can see in the clip below. The youngest Howard doesn't have the explosiveness to go up that casually. His biggest physical advantage is strength. He needs to go up off two legs, get into the defender's chest to create space + negate the shotblocking. Jett isn't outjumping any legitimate big. Pops will correct this, there is no doubt in my mind.

I preface this by saying my goal is to always provide objective/critical analysis and evaluations to the MGo community. That said, Jett isn't a 5-star/top-25 caliber prospect despite cries from some within our fanbase. Objectively, he projects as a very good secondary option that does a bit of everything in the above-average/good realm.

While his playmaking/shot-creation undoubtedly raises his value, Howard gives me Franz vibes as a shooter. Jett has always had a reputation as knockdown shooter, but being candid, he's never really displayed that shooting prowess during my live evaluations. His shot mechanics are a bit funky (nothing horrible though), where his ball placement is literally at the side of his face before getting into his upward motion. I'd probably project Howard as a guy that hovers around 34 - 36 percent from three in part because he's going to attempt difficult pull-ups and the other part being he's probably not deadeye shooter.

I absolutely love Jett as a prospect and his fit at Michigan. His versatility and size make him compatible with nearly any lineup combination. His secondary playmaking ability and shooting means that his role can be tailored based on the opponent and he's likely to produce at a quality rate because of it. There are a lot of Zak Irvin qualities here, as Howard is best-suited to be a secondary option that is a jack-of-all-trades rather than a number one option that is ball dominant at all times.

2023s

Elmarko Jackson didn't have the best summer on the Under Armour circuit, but his positional size/athleticism coupled with flashes of perimeter shotmaking make him such an intriguing prospect. You may recall he is the nephew of former Michigan All-American defensive back Marlin Jackson. This is definitely a recruitment to monitor.

Layden Blocker of Sunrise Christian/Bradley Beal Elite immediately popped-out to me at the Peach Invitational Tournament last weekend in Augusta. He's an explosive, quick-twitch athlete with great vision/playmaking ability and shiftiness off the bounce. He's a sub-par shooter at this stage of development but you can't teach what he has physically. The staff is showing early interest and keeping tabs.