2022-23 Rutgers Basketball Position by Position Preview
With the Rutgers Basketball season fast approaching, TKR has decided to take a look at each position group for the Scarlet Knights heading into the 2022-23 season.
CENTER...
Out of all the positions, this one is the easiest to diagnose, Cliff Omoruyi will be Rutgers’ starting center with Dean Reiber providing backup.
Through his first two years, Omoruyi has shown that not only can he be the most athletic player anytime he steps onto the court, but he is also smart enough to keep himself out of foul trouble considering he has never fouled out of a game.
In the case of Reiber, while he does not provide the same skills as Omoruyi, he has proven he can stretch the floor and even knock down three-pointers if need be as he hit 58 percent of threes last season. If Reiber can improve his game on the defensive end, Rutgers will be looking at a pretty good one-two punch at center.
POINT GUARD...
This is another position that is fairly easy to predict who the starter will be with Paul Mulcahy returning for his senior season. Since arriving in Piscataway, Mulcahy has shown the ability to make just about any pass he wants to on the court and the combo of him and Omoruyi has proven to be a dynamic duo.
Jalen Miller is also a player Rutgers will likely rely on to run the point whenever Mulcahy is taken out. While Miller did not provide much of an offensive game in his freshman season, averaging less than a point a game, he showed the willingness to do the dirty work and has enough defensive tenacity that will surely earn him some minutes from head coach Steve Pikiell. If Miller can improve on the offensive end, there is no reason he cannot find himself as the number two point guard for the Scarlet Knights and an important cog in what they are trying to accomplish.
A wild card in all of this could be Derek Simpson. While Simpson has yet to log any significant minutes for the Scarlet Knights, there is a lot of belief from fans and coaches alike that he could be a crucial piece for the program.
Between wearing the number zero and being described as a “Geo clone,” Simpson will have big shoes to fill as he looks to etch his name into Scarlet Knights lore. It will be interesting to see what kind of a factor Simpson plays in the 2022-23 season and, while it will not happen overnight, if he can fill the void Geo Baker left behind.
SMALL FORWARD...
As the reigning Big Ten defensive player of the year, Caleb McConnell will almost assuredly find himself as the team’s starting small forward. With the graduation of Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. entering the NBA, McConnell finds himself as the elder statesman for the Scarlet Knights and likely their motivational leader.
McConnell has shown the willingness and ability to track down whoever the opposing team’s best player is and guard them if/when the situation arises. Perhaps the only thing holding McConnell back from playing basketball at the next level is his offensive game, but if he can round out that part of his game there is no reason he cannot find himself as one of the best players in the conference.
If McConnell is forced to miss some time with a knee injury, Aundre Hyatt will likely slide in and assume his role as that wing type forward. Despite coming off a disappointing 2021 season, Hyatt has shown to possess the skills of a Pikiell-coached player in that he is not afraid to muck things up and put his body on the line for a rebound. If Hyatt can begin to take better shot selections and make them, he can prove to be a valuable piece for Rutgers and provide some much-needed depth.
POWER FORWARD...
Going into the offseason, it seemed as though this was a position that would be assumed by Hyatt with Mawot Mag serving as the backup. However, there seems to be growing momentum that Mag will assume starting duties considering how well he has performed in training camp.
During his short tenure with the Scarlet Knights so far, Mag has shown flashes of having a similar defensive skill set to McConnell while also presenting more of an offensive threat. If Pikiell and co. can tap into Mag’s untapped potential, he could not only present another threat for the Scarlet Knights but be a cornerstone piece for years to come.
After Mag is where things get interesting as there has been some speculation this offseason that Reiber bump down to the four and play alongside Omoruyi and then there is the wild card in Antonio Chol, who has been very good in practice despite only being with the team for about a month or so.
SHOOTING GUARD...
With the losses of Baker and Harper Jr., one of Rutgers’ biggest priorities going into the offseason was finding a knockdown shooter they can give the ball to in crunch time. So, in comes Cam Spencer.
Transferring from Loyola University Maryland, Spencer is coming off a season where he averaged 18.9 points per game and shot 86 percent from the free-throw line. If Spencer can reach the peak of his offensive capabilities, it will also help free up other players and give Rutgers a more well-balanced offensive attack. While there is still work to do regarding his defense, if Spencer can fill at least some of the void that Baker and Harper left behind it will be a big boost for the Scarlet Knights and one less thing they need to worry about going forward.
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