Scouting Reports: Mid Major Standouts - Ben Humrichous, Jonathan Mogbo and Vonterius Woolbright
2024 NBA Draft Sleeper Scouting Reports
Over the next five months I’ll roll out in-depth scouting reports on the top prospects and sleepers in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Each report goes in-depth on player strengths, areas of concern, statistical positives and negatives.
This week I tackle Ben Humrichous, Jonathan Mogbo and Vonterius Woolbright. Below is a free excerpt from each scouting report.
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Ben Humrichous
Evansville
Senior
Forward
6’9”| 220
Age on draft night: 21.10
Humrichous is one of the best-kept secrets in college basketball. But not for long. Last spring, Humrichous transferred to Evansville from Huntington (Ind.) University, a small NAIA school with less than 1,500 students. As a junior, he averaged a modest 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game; but nothing about his numbers screamed NBA prospect.
This season, Humrichous is quietly generating NBA buzz and has scouts adding Evansville games to their calendars to take a closer look at one of the best shooters in the nation.
Through 14 games, Humrichous is averaging 15.6 points and 5.2 rebounds, shooting 55% from the floor and a blistering 48% from downtown.
At 6'9", he's a volume 3-point shooter with a range who can post up, shoot on the move and is a physical and crafty scorer off the dribble. Humrichous is a sneaky good ball handler who is comfortable attacking closeouts and creating for himself.
He's also averaging 1.2 blocks per game, but scouts will want to see how well he moves laterally and if he can defend on the perimeter.
Humrichous is currently on a minutes restriction after being sidelined for a month with an ankle injury. In only his second game back, he posted 15 points with five rebounds and four assists while shooting 2-for-4 from 3 in 16 minutes against the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Scouts will be closely monitoring Humrichous over the next few weeks.
Jonathan Mogbo
San Francisco
Junior
Forward
6’8”| 225
Age on draft night: 22.7
Mogbo is an athletic, bruising, old-school power forward with advanced court vision. He's a ridiculously efficient finisher and rebounder, ranking third in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 68% from the floor, and is 7th in the nation in rebounds at 10.6 per contest. He's a little undersized at 6'8" but makes up for his lack of ideal measurables with energy and a great motor.
The appeal for Mogbo is his finishing and rebounding, but it's his playmaking that makes him an intriguing NBA prospect. He's a gifted passer with a strong feel for the game and a knack for creating easy scoring opportunities for teammates. Whether it's zipping dimes to cutters from the high post, passing ahead in transition, or picking defenses apart as the screen and roll man, often creating 4-on-3 advantages, Mogbo is a weapon as a distributor and play finisher.
The biggest concern is Mogbo's struggles as a shooter. He doesn't space the floor and only has two made baskets outside of the paint this season.
However, I continue to hear good things about Mogbo from teams looking for a versatile forward who can handle the ball, be a playmaker, work in the post, and defend multiple positions. He's not easy to peg as a prospect, and there are questions about shooting range and his size, but teams are always searching for energetic role players with a defined role.
Says a veteran NBA scout:
"The premium now within the league is teams want guys that play hard and bring energy because you can get the other stuff. There are plenty of guys that have skills, but they're just cruising."
Vonterius Woolbright
Western Carolina
Senior
Guard
6’9”| 220
Age on draft night: 23.8
Woolbright is having a sensational senior season, ranking third in the country in scoring and second in rebounding. As a 6'6" point guard!
Woolbright is averaging 22.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists and is one of the more distinctive prospects in the 2024 NBA draft class.
Says an assistant NBA General Manager:
Look at his numbers. 13 straight double-doubles. He's tough. He's a dog, and we're looking for sleepers. He doesn't shoot threes, but I'm rolling with everything else.
Woolbright uses his size and strength to wreak havoc on smaller guards, making up for his lack of speed, quickness and athleticism with a unique style of bully ball.
He's an elite rebounder for his size, has the handle and craftiness to punish one-on-one coverage, and can penetrate defenses, creating scoring opportunities for teammates.
So what's the catch?
Woolbright is one-dimensional as a scorer right now. Just 1% of his shots are from the midrange, and only 34 of his 361 field goal attempts are from downtown. He shoots just 26% from 3 and 71% from the line — glaringly alarming numbers for a modern NBA guard.
He's also quite old for his class. He's a fifth-year senior who will turn 24 in October. That limits his NBA ceiling considerably.
Nevertheless, he's a rare prospect who is clearly on the NBA radar screen.