Player Profile: Jamal Coombs-McDaniel

Looking Back: Coombs-McDaniel had a tough time finding his rhythm to his offense with a team full of established players. He would hesitate or take ill-advised shots, and didn’t find his stroke until the middle of the conference schedule. He does have a nice shot, is solid from the line but could improve there, isn’t afraid to take it to the rim, and plays solid defense. He was at times shy of shooting the ball after a miss and disappeared from key stretches of ballgames.

The Good: He has a pretty jumper which should only get better with another year under his belt. He also has a deceptive first step, which isn’t lightning fast, but has allowed him to get to the rim if he is being pressed. Calhoun has shown trust in him and it has to do with his defense. He isn’t flashy but does a good job of keeping his defender in front of him.

The Bad: He isn’t that athletic, big, or quick, which leaves him with only his jump shot as his only deadly weapon. He is a streaky shooter and needs to do a lot better in mixing up his shots. To often he would pass up an open shot for a tougher one.

Looking Ahead: With a year under his belt, Jamal should be adjusted to Calhoun’s quick yank and it shouldn’t effect him or his shot. He’ll need to bulk up more and be able to contribute on the boards more especially since Robinson is gone. It would suit the team well if he can create his own shot off the dribble to utilize the pick and roll more. Sets will be called for him and he will have to knock down open shots.