Penny Hardaway and the Memphis coaching staff have been very active in the early period of the transfer portal window. Not only are they paying attention to the big names that enter, but they’re also looking at some undervalued pieces that may fit a niche on next season’s roster.
As Memphis looks to build a roster with complementary players around its stars, acquiring pieces like this will be important for their success next season.
A player who fits that description well is Roger McFarlane.
Who is Roger McFarlane?
McFarlane is a junior guard who has spent his first last collegiate seasons at Southeastern Louisiana. He spent his first season at Dodge City Community College, a JUCO school located in Kansas. McFarlane will enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, with one year of eligibility remaining.
The 6’5 wing averaged 14.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He shot 41.7% from the floor, 34,1% from three (5.3 attempts per game), and 76.4% from the free throw line. Last season, McFarlane made 40.2% of his shots from beyond the arc on 3.9 attempts per game.
McFarlane’s Game
When looking at the film of McFarlane, you see a player that just knows how to make winning plays. Listed at 205 pounds, McFarlane possesses a compact build that he uniquely pairs with great speed. He uses this combination of athletic traits to be a strong finisher at the rim, where he connects on 64% of his attempts.
While he flashes some craft around the rim, McFarlane is a mostly fundamentally sound finisher. He knows how to absorb and avoid contact when necessary and this allows him to be effective in transition despite lacking elite vertical athleticism. In this area, he scores 1.15 points per possession, a mark in the 68th percentile.
He uses this compact build to clean the glass effectively as well. McFarlane’s 8.6 rebounds per game average is elite for a guard his size. He’s aggressive in getting to 50/50 balls and knows how to position himself to box out bigger players. McFarlane’s aggressiveness showcases itself defensively as well. He makes hustle plays and really competes on that end, making him a very solid defensive wing.
Off-Ball Strengths
McFarlane is an impressive shooter, connecting on 123 three-point attempts on a 36.7% clip over the course of his career. He has deep range, having made 10 threes on the season deeper than 25 feet. McFarlane doesn’t have the quickest releast on his jump shot, but he has the quickness, speed, and intelligence to get to his spots on the perimeter and find open shots.
He is a great fit in any offense because of his capabilities as an off-ball scorer. He uses screens effectively to either spot up for perimeter jump shots or use the threat of his shot to get down hill and finish around the rim. McFarlane scores in the 60th percentile in spot up situations with 0.96 points per possession. He also reads the game really well, knowing when to cut backdoor or into the lane to find openings near the rim. McFarlane scores 1.18 points per possession on cuts.
Other Suitors
McFarlane’s combination of speed, sweet-shooting stroke, rebounding, defensive competitiveness, and finishing at the rim and in transition has intrigued many teams around the nation, including some Power 5 programs. If Memphis is serious about pursuing the former JUCO product, they’ll have some competition with schools such as Gonzaga, FSU, UCF, FAU, and Cal.
Despite not being the strongest on-ball creator (39 eFG% on off-the-dribble shots) and handler as the lead guard in ball screen situations (0.64 points per possession), McFarlane possesses a high IQ that he demonstrates in multiple areas on the court.
Impact Player
He profiles as the type of player to slide in nicely into a reserve role and have a positive impact. He knows what to do on the court and he isn’t phased by the bright lights. In fact, McFarlane had one of his best performances against high-major competition in a road loss to Auburn. In this game, he scored 24 points and added 11 rebounds while shooting 4-7 from beyond the arc.
McFarlane will be effective as on off-ball wing at the high-major level, given he scales down some of his creation opportunities. He possesses a high basketball IQ and makes a positive impact on the court, something that will earn him playing time in a Tiger uniform if he chooses to commit.
Recruiting these types of players offers a promising sign for Penny Hardaway’s vision in constructing next year’s roster. McFarlane would slide in perfectly into Memphis’ rotation and complement multiple lineups with his two-way skillset. If they hope to get him, expect some competition from high-level programs.
