Over the next few weeks, I’ll be analyzing the five most underrated freshmen (redshirt freshmen are eligible) in the SEC heading into the 2018-19 season.
The players need to ranked lower than 75th in the 247Sports composite rankings to qualify. By including a player on the list, the thought process is that he will outperform his recruiting ranking and/or the national expectations that have seemingly been placed upon him.
In each profile, we’ll look at the player’s skillset, examine how he fits on his team in relation to the rest of the roster, and the reasoning for his inclusion on the list.
Arkansas guard Isaiah Joe is the third player featured as an underrated SEC freshman.
The 6’5’’ shooting guard is known for 3-point shooting and shot a blistering 51 percent from long range in his last AAU season. While Joe’s biggest immediate impact comes from his 3-point shooting, the skilled freshman has also flashed an ability to create his own shot while having a strong feel for the game.
Joe is ranked 171st in the 247 composite rankings which could prove to be far too low by the end of the season.
The biggest reason why Joe could outperform this ranking is the opportunity he has in front of him. The Arkansas roster has been completely overhauled after losing six seniors and two players to transfer, leaving a significant amount of available minutes and scoring opportunities.
The Razorbacks two star guards, Jaylen Barford (17.9 ppg) and Daryl Macon (16.8 ppg), were responsible for creating most of the offense and their departures leave those roles up for grabs.
These are not the only roles available as Daniel Gafford is the only returning starter. New Mexico transfer Jalen Harris looks like he will slide into the starting point guard position, but this still leaves a substantial amount of minutes for multiple newcomers to make a meaningful impact.
Arkansas lost almost 80 percent of its scoring and lost every single player who logged minutes at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward.
Unlike Torrence Watson’s situation at Missouri, which we discussed in detail last week, Joe does not have a sure-fire path to starter’s minutes as he is competing with many players from Mike Anderson’s stellar 2018 recruiting class. This class features seven freshmen, including five players ranked between 135 and 190.
While there is not much obvious star power in this class, the depth of quality players has Arkansas in good shape for the foreseeable future.
Joe’s biggest competition could come from Keyshawn Embery, the highest ranked player in the Razorbacks’ class. Embery can score at all three levels and excels at creating his own shot. These are appealing traits for a team that lost so much offensive firepower.
JUCO transfer Mason Jones will also see minutes on the wing and therefore compete with Joe for playing time. Jones was one of the top rated JUCO prospects and shot 43 percent from behind the arc last season. Once Khalil Garland and Jordan Phillips return from injury, there will be even more options for Anderson to choose from.
However, Joe could have an advantage over his competitors based on how Arkansas tailors its offense.
If Arkansas is going to shift its offensive focus and play through its future lottery pick center (Gafford), the team will want to surround him with shooters who can provide ample floor spacing. This will give Gafford more room to operate which will make him more effective, but also improve the Razorbacks’ overall offense. Joe is an ideal fit in this role as his outside shooting will be invaluable, especially on such a young team.
To summarize, Joe is underrated because he brings a specific skill (outside shooting) to a young team that desperately needs shooters and perimeter scoring threats to pair with NBA prospect Gafford.
Joe has more competition for playing time than the other players that we have discussed so there is a chance that he is relegated to a smaller role, but his offensive potential will make it difficult to keep him off the court.
We are going to look back at the end of the season and ask why more people weren’t talking about Joe as he averages double figures and sets up Arkansas well for the future.
The Razorbacks look like they are headed towards a rebuilding year, but this 2018 recruiting class will lead the program back to the postseason as this group of freshmen develop and become upperclassmen.
This team could be very dangerous in a couple years if the key pieces stick around and we should get a sneak preview of some of these talented players this season.