What to expect from UNLV basketball’s 2020 recruiting class

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Thursday, May 7, 2020 | 2 a.m.

We now know what the 2020-21 Runnin’ Rebels are going to look like.

When junior college point guard Nick Fleming decommitted from UNLV on Wednesday it brought the roster down to the NCAA limit of 13 scholarship players, so barring any unexpected player movement the team is set for next season. And much of it is going to be made up of newcomers.

The incoming recruiting class is a whopper, comprising eight players from the high school, juco and Division I ranks. With so much playing time up for grabs, it seems likely that a lot of the new faces are going to end up playing significant roles. So how does the class break down?

A look at the players who make up the incoming class:

IMPACT PLAYERS

This category is for players who could step into starting roles (or close to it; let’s say 20-plus minutes per game) and be positive difference-makers on some nights.

Nick Blake, Guard, 6-foot-6

Blake is a true freshman, but after prepping for a year at a top-tier program like IMG Academy he should be ready to help the Rebels immediately. He’s long, he’s smooth on offense and he appears to be coachable. If T.J. Otzelberger goes back to the four-guard lineups that worked so well for the Rebels at the end of last season, Blake looks like the obvious option to run alongside backcourt starters Marvin Coleman, David Jenkins and Bryce Hamilton.

Edoardo Del Cadia, Forward/center, 6-foot-7

As I said in this video analysis of Del Cadia, the Rebels were severely underskilled in the frontcourt last season. Del Cadia can fix that immediately; he’s a strong ball-handler, good passer and knockdown shooter. He’s also just big enough to play center in some small-ball lineups if Otzelberger really wants to press the turbo button. With Mbacke Diong as the only other viable big man on the roster, Del Cadia will see a ton of minutes.

CONTRIBUTORS

This category is for players who should see consistent but not extensive playing time, something like 10-15 minutes per game.

Devin Tillis, Forward, 6-foot-6

Along the same lines as Del Cadia, the fact that Tillis can handle, pass and shoot the ball should earn him a role as a reserve swing forward. The coaching staff is high on Tillis despite his unranked status on some recruiting sites.

Jhaylon Martinez, Center, 6-foot-11

A full offseason in UNLV’s strength and fitness program would have done wonders for Martinez. He’s big, strong and pretty skilled for a true center, but he’s probably not quick or explosive enough for regular minutes at the college level. He’ll play some in 2020-21, though, as the coaching staff believes in his long-term potential. Just expect some growing pains along the way, especially on the defensive end.

DEPTH PLAYERS

This designation is reserved for players at the end of the rotation who could go games at a time without seeing the floor.

Reece Brown, Forward, 6-foot-8

Brown is long, lanky and full of athletic potential, particularly on defense, but he’s still a little rough around the edges and could stand to benefit from a developmental year. But Brown might be just athletic enough to warrant some minutes in 2020-21 purely due to his defensive ability.

Donavan Yap, Guard, 6-foot-4

The Rebels' backcourt figures to be stocked with heavy-minute players, so unless Yap forces his way into the rotation by outplaying Nick Blake there's a good chance he'll do a lot of watching and learning next year.

POSSIBLE REDSHIRTS

For players who have little chance of seeing the floor, a redshirt year could be spent focusing on long-term development.

Isaac Lindsey, Guard, 6-foot-4

If Fleming hadn’t decommitted to even out the scholarship numbers, Lindsey might have found himself heading to prep school for the 2020-21 season. A football injury knocked him out for most of his senior year of high school, and he still needs to put on a lot of weight before he’s ready to play Division I basketball. A redshirt year would allow Lindsey to focus on getting over his injury and reshaping his body.

REDSHIRTS

Division I transfers who must sit out a year due to NCAA rules.

Caleb Grill, Guard, 6-foot-3

Grill almost committed to UNLV last year before heading to Iowa State, and now he’ll have to wait another year before he can suit up for the Rebels. Had the NCAA instituted its one-time transfer rule, Grill would have gained immediate eligibility; as it stands now, he’ll have to sit unless the NCAA grants him a waiver, which seems unlikely. Look for Grill to help in 2021-22.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.