UMass Basketball: Depth chart predictions for 2022-23 season

Center

Predicted Depth Chart

1 – Leveque

2 – Kante

3 – Woodley

4 – Occasionally Gapare or even perhaps Thompson?

Senior South Carolina transfer Wildens Leveque is essentially a lock to be the day-one starter at the 5 this season. He followed Frank Martin up to Amherst after averaging 6.6 points and 4.7 boards for the Gamecocks as a Junior. He’s not a footwork-reliant, back-to-the-basket type of big in terms of his play style; instead, he’s a bouncy rim-protector that will hammer lobs, get fouled going up strong and occasionally step out for an open three-pointer. Most importantly, he knows Martin’s vision for this team’s identity and will be one of the vocal veteran leaders out on the floor.

Leveque will be spelled by (or, as mentioned in the last side, possibly play alongside if the matchup is particularly physical) LIU-transfer Isaac Kante. Kante has a fairly similar game to Leveque and is basically as strong and physically punishing, so he’ll be an easy plug-and-play for the coaching staff whenever Leveque is tired or in foul trouble. Kante played for UMass assistant coach Derek Kellogg last season with the Sharks, and he averaged 12.0 points and 7.5 boards per contest.

Finally, another former Gamecock, Ta’Quan Woodley, who averaged 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game as a Freshman, should be used in a deep rotational role this season as he prepares for a larger role once Leveque and Kante graduate.