Wichita State Basketball: Shockers future uncertain without Shamet
The Wichita State Shockers lose their best player, Landry Shamet, to the NBA Draft. Where does their 2018-2019 roster stand after losing such an essential piece?
Wichita State fans received some bad news when Landry Shamet declared for the NBA Draft with an agent. Shamet was a redshirt sophomore so he had two years of eligibility remaining, but the allure of providing for his family was too good to pass up.
The talented PG led the Shockers to a four seed in the NCAA Tournament and a consistent top 25 ranking. Shamet averaged 14.9ppg, 5.2apg, and shot over 44% from beyond the arc. If he stayed at Wichita State for another season, he would have been the overwhelming favorite for AAC preseason player of the year.
In terms of NBA Draft stock, it was wise for Shamet to declare and remain in the draft. He is a borderline first-round pick, but will definitely get drafted. He has great size for a lead guard at 6’4”, is an excellent three-point shooter, and has the ability to create for himself and others. Shamet has the potential to defend multiple positions which is key. These skills and attributes are extremely valuable in a draft prospect.
An increasing number of second round picks have been receiving guaranteed money on their rookie contracts which reduces the risk of slipping to the later round. Even in the unlikely scenario that Shamet goes undrafted, he could still make a team in training camp or even receive a two-way contract that would pay him six figures. This is a low-risk-high-reward decision for Shamet.
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However, his departure leaves Wichita State’s roster in a precarious place. Shocker fans should not be angry at Shamet as he has done so much for this program and has earned the right to make money after his strong season. But it is undeniable that this is a completely different team with a much lower ceiling without their star guard.
Wichita State only returns two of their nine rotation players. They had six seniors and this experience and frontcourt depth gave the Shockers a major advantage. The two returners, Markis McDuffie and Austin Reeves, are good players but will need to transform into go-to guys immediately.
McDuffie is an athletic combo forward who was hampered by injuries early in the season and never found his groove. He averaged 8.5ppg this season after scoring 11.5ppg as a sophomore. Reeves is a knockdown shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and attack. He had a late-season shooting slump, but he will need to be a consistent offensive force next season.
The other three returners should round out the starting lineup and all three need to produce. Samajae Haynes-Jones played sporadically in his first season with the Shockers, but he is now the starting PG. CJ Keyser is an athletic guard who was seldom used as a sophomore and Asbjorn Midtgaard played only 49 minutes all season as a freshman 7 footer.
Wichita State also lost their top recruit, Alex Lomax. Lomax recently flipped his pledge to Memphis because the new head coach, Penny Hardaway, was his former AAU coach. Lomax was going to see major minutes and would have been the starting PG as a sophomore.
On a positive note, the Shockers have some promising recruits signed for next season. Chance Moore is a 6’9” wing who saw his stock soar in the fall. He needs to play a significant role and contribute immediately.
Rod Brown was a three-star recruit who redshirted this past season and will see time at PF. Erik Stevenson will compete for reserve minutes at both wing positions. Freshmen Morris Udeze and Isaiah “Poor Bear” Chandler are two solid additions to the frontcourt. They will battle with Midtgaard and top 50 JUCO recruit Jaime Echenique for minutes at center.
It will be fascinating to see if these recruits can contribute immediately and help Wichita State bounce back from all these personnel losses. It is also worth noting that the Shockers will probably add a freshman PG to replace Lomax and could seek out a transfer to bolster the roster.
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This is the least experienced Wichita State team in recent memory and the fact that they are now in a much tougher conference cannot be overlooked. The Shockers are in jeopardy of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 when they won the NIT. Fortunately, they have an amazing coach, Gregg Marshall, and some excellent recruits which will ensure a bright future and a quick rebuild.