It's weird how much guard talent Murray State has produced in the last fifteen years. Isaiah Canaan was the 34th pick in 2013 and was followed by Cam Payne being taken in the lottery in 2015. A few years later Ja Morant broke out as the top guard prospect in the nation and was taken second overall in 2019. He then went on to win the Rookie of the Year award and has since made two all-star teams and one all-NBA team. Since then, the Racers have had several solid guards come through the program, but none have risen to the level of a draft pick. This season I think they could have two of those players if everything goes well. I already wrote an article on incoming transfer Kylen Milton, but today I'm going to focus on a player who has been with the program for going on three seasons now. JaCobi Wood is the definition of a true floor general, which is one of the most important roles in all of basketball. I believe that the stars are aligning for him to have a breakout season this upcoming year, and I want to explain why. I also think that there's a world where Wood breaks into the league as a competent role-playing point guard, which I'm also going to break down. With that said, let's talk about JaCobi Wood, and why I think he's primed to make a case for being the top point-guard in the MVC.
Player Profile:
Wood was a standout at Cleveland High School in Tennessee. The 6'2" and 190lb point guard took home the Tennessee Class 3A Mr.Basketball award and was named to the All-State team. He began his collegiate career at Belmont, where he immediately made an impact as a freshman. He averaged over 11 points per game in his freshman campaign on only 23 minutes per game. He played a smaller role for the Bruins in his sophomore season, which led to him transferring to Murray State after the season. He has been the starting point guard for the Racers for two seasons now, and this past year he had his best season yet. He posted averages of 12.5 points per game, 4.1 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals on splits of 45% from the field, 37.4% from three, and 82.5% from the free-throw line. He's now returning to Murray State for his fifth collegiate season, and he's not necessarily an older prospect either as he only just turned 22.
I want to talk about his situation in Murray, and how it's changing. In his first two seasons with the Racers they were incredibly guard heavy, and not only that, but all of their guards also had similar playstyles. With Brian Moore Jr transferring out and Rob Perry and Quincy Anderson finishing out their eligibility, Wood can now be the focal point of the offense. The Racers have since recruited several more guards, but instead of having players whose playstyles clash with Wood's, these are players who will be able to play alongside him. Kylen Milton is an off-ball assassin who plays more like a wing. Guards like Terence Harcum and Lawrent Rice will likely run the bench unit. Wood can now run the offense without having to share the ball-handling load, which should result in a much better offensive flow and an overall better outcome.
Scoring:
Wood is a two-level scorer, and he's elite at both levels. He's fantastic around the rim and he's a great outside shooter. His in-between game is limited, but he supplements this by making basically all of his inside attempts. If he wasn't an excellent interior tough shot maker I would be concerned by his lack of a mid-range shot, but he creates as many points inside as most players do on layups and mid-range shots combined. That said, let's break down his inside and outside games and let me show you why I think his scoring output will take a substantial leap this season.
First, I want to further discuss his ability to score around the rim. He's not unathletic, but when it comes to scoring down low, he typically remains under the rim. This is a negative for players who don't have the feel or soft touch of someone like Wood, but it's no big deal for him. This is probably the aspect of his game that I was most impressed by while studying his film. I believe his strongest asset is his playmaking, but I think his inside finishing was what jumped off the screen more than anything else. Let's take a look at some clips.
These are all clips of what I consider to be "strong" takes. They all present examples of Wood using his body to create space for himself on the drive, which he uses to convert a layup attempt. The first and third clips show him moving out of his driving lane with the purpose of creating contact with the defender and subsequently creating the space necessary to get an easy look at the rim. The second clip shows a much more difficult finish and some slightly less obvious contact. I don't think he creates the contact here, instead the defender bodies up against Wood twice on the drive which does not deter him in the slightest. All three of these plays, especially the first and second, show him doing this against bigger defenders. These are good examples of him showing off his strength and ability to play bigger than he is on offense.
All of three of these clips show Wood using a screen to create a driving opportunity. The first clip is pretty cut-and-dried as Wood uses the screen to get a step on his defender, but for the most part he creates the majority of the offense himself. A quick stutter-step and tough underhand finish is what it takes to convert that attempt, another example of his tough shot making acumen. The second clip shows Wood using two screens to get the layup. The first one doesn't do much, but the second almost works as a backwards Gortat-screen that takes both the on-ball defender and rim protector out of the play. Finally, in the third clip he denies the screen to get a step on the defender before pro-hopping through the paint to get the crafty finish. The reason why he is so effective in these situations is that he's a premier pick-and-roll passer, so the defense has to pay a ton of attention to the roller and the pass. This allows him to get easier looks as big men are hesitant to step to him or switch and give up the easier look to the rolling big.
Then you have examples of Wood creating his own offense from scratch. He has a great handle and regularly displays a ton of advanced dribble moves on isolation possessions such as the first two clips here. In the first clip he cooks the big man in the paint, and in the second he cooks the big man on the perimeter. In the second he shows off another elite finish, lofting the ball up and over two contests and off the glass. In the third clip he receives a pass in the corner and immediately attacks the rim to ensure that his man is a step behind him. The reverse finish throws off the big man, and by the time he's in the air the contest comes too late. Wood did not get enough isolations called for him last year, which I have to assume will change this season. If that's the case, I expect him to continue to flourish on these looks. I also expect him to run way more pick-and-rolls next season as the full-time primary ball-handler, which should boost his scoring and assist numbers.
Now onto his three-point shooting, which is definitely his second most important scoring trait. I'd say he's a better around-the-rim finisher than outside shooter, but it's definitely up for debate. He's a good off-ball catch-and-shoot threat, and he also can create his own shot from beyond the arc at a high level. This season I expect most of his outside looks to be self-created, and I'm confident that he will be able to increase his volume while maintaining his efficiency. That said, he will still be sharing the floor with other guards who will get plays called where they are handling the ball, so his ability to operate as an off-ball shooter is still incredibly important.
Here are two good examples of Wood's ability to knock down the catch-and-shoot three. The first clip is a more stationary look despite him taking a side-hop into the shot. This is what his usual catch-and-shoot looks are going to look like. The second clip is more of an outlier attempt, but being able to shoot in motion is a real skill that a lot of players don't have. Wood is not only not one of those players, but he's a pretty good shooter when moving. This explains why he's such an effective shot creator. Here he is running into the shot and taking off somewhat off-balance while a defender comes into his peripheral. That is a very very difficult shot to make. Another reason why this shot is such a good example of how he can affect the game is because it illustrates how he can impact transition offense without the ball in his hands. Transition opportunities have high variance; he won't be handling the ball in transition every time, so him being able to knock down these shots is super important.
Here are some examples of Wood creating his own shot from deep. The first two clips show how most of his self-created threes look, that being the short step-back after threatening the drive. His ability to drive to the rim and hit inside looks at an elite level makes his outside jumper so much more effective because defenders have to respect moves towards the basket. This opens up opportunities from beyond the arc such as the ones shown in the first two clips. In the first he even tells the big to clear out to further convince the defense that he's prepared to attack the hoop. In the second the shot is set up by the same screen action that set up some of the drives we talked about earlier. This unpredictability allows Wood to get easier shots from both the three and on the drive. Finally, the last clip is a little different. Yes, it is a game winning buzzer beater. That said, what makes it so different is that it's a shot that he normally doesn't take. Despite that, it looks incredibly natural and fluid and doesn't alter his mechanics in the slightest. I know this is a long shot, but I seriously think there's a world where he's able to incorporate more star-quality shots like this into his shot diet. It could cause issues in the efficiency department, but these are shots that elite players take, and if Wood could make these on a regular basis, he could put his name into those elite shot-making conversations. He shot just over four threes per game last season, volume that I don't expect to change. However, with improved spacing and agreed upon roles, I expect his percentage from deep to improve.
Playmaking:
There are a ton of elite scorers in college basketball, but there aren't a ton of elite floor generals. When they do exist, they don't get nearly the same amount of love as the top scorers. It takes these guys developing an elite scoring arsenal to go alongside their playmaking acumen to truly get the recognition they deserve. The first example that comes to mind in recent memory is Marquette's Tyler Kolek. This is a guy who most would tell you was one of the best players in the nation last year, but he only averaged just over 15 points per game. It was his 7.7 assists per game that put him in those conversations. He had been an elite floor general for years, but it was when he started scoring that he finally received his flowers. I think JaCobi Wood could be following a similar trajectory. He has now played two years as a great pass-first guard, but his scoring output has stayed nearly the same (although his efficiency has improved). I think that next year he will not only have a scoring boost, but also a boost in his assist numbers. Why? Because he will have more reliable scorers playing alongside him, and he will have the ball in his hands more than ever. With that said, let me show you how he will generate these assists.
The large large majority of his assists are generated via pick-and-roll actions. Not only that, but most of them are finished by Nick Ellington, who will be returning to play with Wood this season. This pick-and-roll partnership is incredibly efficient, and I don't see any reason why the Racers wouldn't run this action way more next year than they even did this past season. He's able to deliver these passes in a multitude of ways, but he obviously prefers splitting the defenders with a bounce pass. He's able to pull this off while moving into the screen and after denying the screen. He can deliver these passes on the perimeter, while moving into intermediate regions, and in the paint. In the last clip you see him dump the pass off around two defenders after already making his way to the basket. This stuff isn't super complicated, and as I said, I think Murray State should run these actions way more next season. In addition to that, now that Murray has more off-ball shooters, pick-and-pop and kickout actions being mixed in could be very effective. If defenses start to focus in on the pass, then Wood can drive and attack. All in all, an increase in these plays should increase his scoring and assist output and just help the team overall.
These clips show passes that exist more so in the flow of the game and flow of the offense. The first shows a good example of Wood hitting a cutter, which is probably the second most prevalent type of assist that he throws. Again, with more off-ball scorers playing alongside him this season he should see more opportunities to hit cutting teammates. The second clip shows a quick decision in transition in which Wood throws a perfect pass the length of the floor. Opportunities like this only present themselves here and there, but the ability to throw passes on a dime like this is what really matters. Finally, the behind-the-back pass is just cool. In fact, I'm not even sure if Wood meant to throw this pass, but it's a flashy look, nonetheless. Again, passes like these shouldn't necessarily be expected (other than the cut), more so praised when they happen.
All in all, I think Wood has what it takes to average similar assist production as someone like a Tyler Kolek. In addition to that, I actually think he has what it takes to surpass Kolek-like scoring output. He's just such a dynamic interior finisher who supplements that ability with his outside shooting. If he could develop an in-between game, he would become an uber-versatile offensive threat. There's no reason why a guy with his skillset can't dominate in the MVC, so in my mind it all comes down to how Steve Prohm and staff decide to use him. If they decide to not give him full time playmaking responsibilities like they did throughout last season, then they are actively hampering his production and likely their team's overall success.
Defense:
I apologize in advance, but there wasn't much available defensive film for Wood. Luckily, I've watched him play enough in person to trust in my personal judgement of his defensive game. We talked earlier about how he uses his strength and sturdy frame to play bigger than he is on the offensive end, and this is no different on the defensive side of the floor. His great footwork and ability to move laterally also help him to be solid on this end. I wouldn't consider him to be a lockdown defender, but I'd say he's probably better than your average shorter point guard. His most important defensive trait is his ability to be a pest. His high IQ and feel for the game translate to this end as well, and he uses that, combined with quick hands, to generate steals. He finds himself in the right spot at the right time more often than not and can poke and prod the ball away from opponents with weaker handles.
This was really the only clip I could find of Wood making a smart decision to come up with a steal. Not that he doesn't do this more often, but because the film wasn't there. That means I didn't get a great example of him playing defense on the perimeter. I hope this example of him making a smart decision on the fly is a good enough example of how he views the game on the defensive end. He's not athletically inclined enough to get blocks, but he turns the other team over a couple times each game, which can add up. Again, what matters most is that he isn't below average on this end, which he most certainly is not. He can hold his own at the point of attack and in help, and as long as he doesn't get switched onto a significantly bigger opponent, he is usually fine.
Summary:
Before I summarize Wood's game, I want to list out what I think are his weaknesses. For the sake of transparency this is a section that I have to include in these breakdowns. That said, players of Wood's archetype tend to have less weaknesses than their peers. I would say that stands true for him.
His most glaring offensive weakness is the lack of a consistent mid-range game. That said, this is much less important than the inside and outside shot.
Despite being great around the rim, he doesn't draw a ton of fouls. It would be nice to see him getting opposing defenses in more foul trouble, and I think he's more than capable of doing so.
Sometimes he can defer, allowing other players to take the big shot or be the primary creator in the clutch. I assume this will change next year when he's the clear leader of the team.
Not very switchable on defense because of his size. He's not going to adequately defend wings, forwards, or fives.
While he's a good scorer, I wouldn't consider him to be a high-output scorer. This means to make the biggest possible impact he's going to have to hit his playmaking ceiling, which is easier said than done.
He doesn't play alongside a true five (even though this isn't really a personal weakness, more of a team one) which leads to issues in the pick-and-roll when matching up against bigger opponents. Makes you question if he will be able to consistently put up big assist averages.
To summarize JaCobi Wood, the best way to describe him is a true floor general with a legitimate scoring ceiling. In my opinion, there are very few players in college basketball with the passing acumen of Wood, and even fewer who are able to supplement that passing with solid scoring contributions. When these players do present themselves, they normally turn themselves into real NBA Draft prospects. I mentioned Tyler Kolek in this article, who is currently projected to be taken in the first-round this year. What makes Wood so interesting is his situation. For years he has found himself in awkward positions on the floor, sharing the playmaking load with multiple other high usage guards. This upcoming season will be different, as Wood is the clear lead guard on his team and will likely shoulder almost all of the playmaking responsibilities. This increased freedom of play combined with a less crowded floor should boost both his scoring and assist numbers. This is why I think he will have a career explosion this season. I'm not sure if Murray State will be good enough to put Wood in serious draft conversations next season, but I have a hard time believing that he won't be an excellent pro. Every team can use a player like JaCobi Wood, who is both willing to play his role and step out and be the clear best player on the floor at times. So, while I'm not confident you'll see him selected in a draft, there's a world where he is, and there's a very realistic world where he works his way up, and I believe in his ability to do that.
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