Miami's Top Scoring Threats
Nijel Pack and Wooga Poplar lead Canes?
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00:00 Besides Nigel Pack, which Miami player would you say is the most likely second
00:04 leading score or potentially even the number one score?
00:07 >> Yeah, no, I think it's an interesting conversation because you can make an
00:12 argument for three guys.
00:13 It could be between Poplar, it could be between Cleveland and
00:16 it could be between Norch at Omir.
00:18 The biggest thing, I'll kind of go down each of the players, Norch at Omir,
00:22 the biggest thing with him is can he really develop this jumper?
00:25 He tested the offseason, during the offseason,
00:28 he tested the NBA waters, wasn't what he wanted to see,
00:31 which I think many fans expected given his size.
00:33 While he is one of the more physical players in college basketball,
00:37 that size might not transition to the NBA without a jump shot.
00:41 And if that is something that he has been working on this offseason,
00:44 he can be able to take his game to another level and be at that number two spot.
00:48 But more the realistic options for me is between Wuga Poplar and
00:51 Matthew Cleveland.
00:52 Obviously, Matthew Cleveland, Miami's marquee transfer,
00:55 coming from Florida State, Miami fans don't wanna remember what happened last
01:00 time Matthew Cleveland played on the Watsko Center floor.
01:04 But let's start off with Poplar, he averaged 8.4 points per game last year,
01:09 shooting 47 from the field and 37 and a half from three.
01:13 He showed a lot of really good flashes towards the end of the season as a guy
01:17 that can be a really spark plug shooter and score for Miami.
01:21 He really could be a more aggressive player,
01:24 he really could be a more athletic version of Isaiah Wong.
01:27 Obviously, a very high praise to give for
01:30 a player who just won ACC Player of the Year and Isaiah Wong.
01:34 But Poplar really is the best athlete on this Miami team, he can go up,
01:39 he can go up to the rim against anyone.
01:42 And if he's able to hone in his skills,
01:44 he can really become potentially that number two scorer for Miami.
01:48 But Matthew Cleveland does look like he'll be that number two guy who will be my
01:53 favorite player, averaged about 13.8 points per game at Florida State,
01:57 shooting around 35% from three on low volume.
02:00 But I think he really is that perfect fit for the Jordan Miller role.
02:04 People were talking about why is it Miami going out there,
02:07 going after guys like Kahlil Ware, Hunter Dickinson.
02:11 Why aren't they getting more transfers?
02:13 The thing is, Coach Larenaga has a method that works,
02:16 people need to understand that.
02:18 This man has not made two consecutive elite eights because he just gets
02:22 random players together.
02:23 He gets people that fit his system, the Charlie Moores of the world,
02:27 the Cam Augustes, the Jordan Millers, etc.
02:30 Now you bring in Matthew Cleveland,
02:32 who is a more athletic version of Jordan Miller, he's able to get in those passing
02:36 lanes, I think he's going to be fantastic for Miami.
02:39 And he's gonna be a main reason why determining if Miami can make another run
02:43 in March Madness.