Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt In-Person Scouting Notes: Tyler Tanner shines, intriguing Ole Miss prospects
The Rebels and Commodores had a thrilling overtime game. Notes on Tyler Tanner's stellar night, some players that could be Ole Miss' core going forward, and seniors' pro outlook.
I’ve been looking to make a trip down to my alma mater to watch the Ole Miss Rebels face off against the talented teams and prospects of the SEC. Finally made it into town with Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt — a prospect who has drawn outstanding reviews from Draft Twitter and myself.
Tyler Tanner
34 points (11-19 shooting, 3-6 from 3, 9-12 from the free throw line), 7 assists (2 turnovers), 5 steals, 5 rebounds
Tanner was remarkably impressive in person. He has a specific gear he can hit that’s an absolute blur — most evident when turning a corner or surging in transition. His speed and leaping ability amplify his paint presence, leveraging it to score either via shots at the rim or trips to the free throw line. He also managed the game well as a playmaker, as his gravity-off drives led to drive-and-kicks.
Defensively, he’s ultra-aggressive. His high pick-up points trigger his activity — physicality at the point-of-attack with quick, active hands. Once he gets a steal, it’s a pick-6. Despite his size, he’s a monster contributor in the hustle department — something that could potentially offset his limitations.
The big observation is his size. He’s small. Even though he plays larger than his size, the fact that he’s sub-6 feet will show more in the league. Can he offset it? He has the tools to become an outlier with his defensive tenacity, speed, and efficiency. He can enhance his margin for error with a consistent pull-up jumper, although his willingness is an encouraging sign that it can get there.
Ole Miss
Pinkins is a fascinating long-term player to keep an eye on. He has real scoring chops. His creativity and footwork enable him to generate separation. Even if the shot selection is a little bit questionable, the art of it is mesmerizing. His driving also led to a considerable amount of trips to the free-throw line. His touch is a key component of these skills, but he can also serve as a complement to a floor general with his spot-up shooting.
Defensively, he needs to add some muscle to absorb contact better, but his activity was better than it has been this season.
Klafke is another underclassman who’s emerged as an important piece to Ole Miss. He’s a glue guy for the Rebels, as he’s a smart connector, defender, and shot-taker.
Offensively, he has a good touch and can pull up in the mid-range — although he may sacrifice too many threes as a 40+ percent three-point shooter. He keeps actions flowing with his passing and movement.
Defensively, Klafke has real role versatility. He took on Tanner at times, but he can also shift down to defend 4’s. He’s trusted on the backline of the defense because he’s smart in rotation — killing drives by beating players to spots.
Chest took me by surprise off the bench. His energy is evident as a rebounder, powerfully slamming home offensive rebounds. He created two steals defending high up towards the initiator, but he has some lapses as an anchor. Nonetheless, he has tools that’s worth investing in for Ole Miss — motor, size, and efficiency.
Vanderbilt
It was an off night for Vandy’s premier shooting. Two things stand out in his shooting. He’s not afraid to let it fly regardless of the defensive pressure, and his size helps him get his shot off — although towards the end of the game, you can see where the misses were getting to his head. His shooting can be weaponized with various actions — ghost screens, handoffs, spot-ups, etc.
Defensively, he has solid size, but Ole Miss tends to play multiple 6’5” guys, so it was a bit more obvious there. His footwork can use some work, as his feet seem a bit heavy.
Miles’s off-ball defense popped. He’s a menace off the ball. He forced several turnovers with his passing lane activity and denial defense. His assertiveness and frame should bode well for his defensive projection at the next level.
I have more concerns offensively. He’s a solid next-action playmaker, but his size can be a real hindrance offensively — especially when driving into traffic. He felt sped up a bit. He really needs to develop into a great shooter or floor general to offset his size as a 2-guard.
Other Notes
Devin McGlockton essentially won Vanderbilt the game with his tenacity on the boards. He hauled in 14 rebounds, 8 offensively, for a team that secured 22 offensive rebounds. He’s not much of a shooter, which hurts his positional viability. He has a massive frame and can move his feet. I’m sure he’s going to be on someone’s G League roster next season.
Malik Dia is a throwback backup 4 to me — reminiscent of the Mo Speights archetype. He lives in the mid-range and can do some crafty stuff in it. The rest of his game can be a little bit messy. With responsibilities decreasing at the next level, he could become a solid mismatch 5, even if he can shore up his shooting and interior defense.
AJ Storr has to swing the rock. Whenever he gets downhill, the ball is going up. I’m interested to at least see where he’s going to end up, as he can probably hoop as a primary scorer overseas. He has a lot of processing issues to clean up — 6 turnovers against 1 assist. In person, you can see he has a powerful game with a frame to accompany it — with the right mindset flip, he can maybe parlay that physicality defensively.
4 Plays that Stood Out
I loved this ATO from Ole Miss. On the inbounds, Dia triggers the handoff with Klafke. Then, they enter a Blind Pig action where Klafke hits James Scott near the elbow, who hands it off to Ilias Kamardine with a pathway towards the poster jam.
Duke Miles’ off-ball activity really popped off the page. In the first half, he generated three turnovers just from his denial defense and anticipation in passing lanes. Tanner sets the tone with a high pick-up. Kamardine telegraphs the swing to Storr, and Miles swoops it and finds Tanner in transition for the bucket.
Tanner’s combination of hands and speed make for ample “pick-6” opportunities. With the high pick-up point, he waits for Kamardine to expose the ball, and he knocks it away. He extends the ball out off the steal for extra separation, then makes the tough finish through contact for the +1.
Pinkins has made this move a few times this year where he has this spinning snatch-back into the mid-range jumper. His combination of footwork, handle, and touch are definitely intriguing for a wing his size.
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