Keshon Gilbert making the leap: UNLV basketball roster projection 3.0

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022 | 2 a.m.

It’s been a few months since I laid out my last UNLV roster projection, and given where we stand in the offseason now, this feels like a natural time for an updated version 3.0.

The projected lineups have changed since May, and with good reason: I’ve gotten a chance to better educate myself on the roster since then.

First, and most importantly, the roster is complete. When I tried this last time there were still three open scholarships, which subjected the projection to even more guesswork than usual; now, we know who the final pieces are.

I also had some time to go back and watch video footage of just about every newcomer. Breaking down the game tape gave me a better handle on the skill sets and play styles of the new guys, which makes it more realistic to predict how they’ll fit at UNLV.

And most recently, the Scarlet and Gray have been holding practices that are open to the media in advance of next week’s exhibition trip to Canada. Getting to see the players up close in a competitive environment has definitely informed this latest roster projection.

I’ll probably take one more crack at this before the start of the season. But for now, here’s how I see things lining up for UNLV:

STARTING LINEUP

Guard: Keshon Gilbert, sophomore

Gilbert appears to have built on his encouraging freshman campaign, and as things stand now (in the middle of August, with real games still three months away) he looks like the best all-around player on the team. His on-ball defense remains elite, and he has markedly improved his offensive game. Kevin Kruger recently praised Gilbert for putting in the work to remake his jump shot. Look for Gilbert to make a leap to program cornerstone in 2022-23.

Guard: Elijah Harkless, senior

Though he has yet to take the practice floor due to a knee injury, Harkless has enough of a track record to pencil into this spot. He’s tough, he defends, he scores and he plays with energy. Though he won’t suit up in Canada, Kruger expects him to be healthy in time for the start of the regular season. If he were healthy and participating in practice, I believe Harkless would be challenging Gilbert for the mantle of the squad’s best player.

Guard: Eli Parquet, senior

After practice last week, Parquet declared himself a shutdown defender at the 1 through 4 positions, and he might be right. He is 6-foot-4 with long limbs, and his ability to switch from position to position makes him a good fit as the third guard in a three-guard lineup.

Forward: Luis Rodriguez, senior

Rodriguez’s box-score numbers won’t blow anyone away, but he’s a rangy 6-foot-6 athlete who should thrive when given freedom to help the team in any way he can. Like Parquet, he can defend four positions at a plus level. Rodriguez should end up being a valuable glue guy on a grind-it-out kind of team.

Center: David Muoka, senior

A defensive-minded team needs rim protection, and Muoka is the man for the job. His career block rate is 10.9%, and he closed last season strong, recording multiple rejections in five of the final 10 contests. He has looked spry in summer practice, covering a lot of ground and getting above the rim with ease. He won’t provide much offense besides finishing off lobs, but he’ll make it very difficult to score against UNLV in the paint.

BENCH (rotation)

Guard: Jordan McCabe, senior

McCabe was the full-time starter at point guard last year and may find himself in that role again. None of the guards in this projected starting lineup are true points, so if turnovers become an issue and Kruger wants to shore up the ballhandling, he could turn to McCabe to run the offense.

Guard: Jackie Johnson, sophomore

If Kruger wants instant offense, Johnson has experience as a spark plug off the bench. He served in that role last year at Duquesne and delivered 9.5 points in 19.4 minutes per game. He is capable of getting hot from 3-point range, and he’s the quickest player on the team, which could make him dangerous against opponents with tired legs.

Guard: Justin Webster, senior

On a team without many consistent shooters, Webster appears to be the designated sniper. There are better defenders at his position and stronger ballhandlers, but when opponents are packing the paint and not respecting UNLV’s perimeter game, Webster will be the guy Kruger sends in to bust the zone.

Forward: Isaiah Cottrell, sophomore

Cottrell is another player who should seriously push for the starting lineup. He’s huge, he can stroke the 3-ball, and he’s moving better on defense this summer than he did last year at West Virginia, when he was still recovering from an achilles injury. Kruger could experiment by playing Cottrell next to Muoka in a very big lineup, or he could use Cottrell to warp defenses as a stretch-5.

BENCH (depth)

Guard: Shane Nowell, sophomore

Nowell is the one true man of mystery on this year’s roster. He only played 66 minutes at Arizona last year as a freshman, so there wasn’t enough footage of him to do a full breakdown of his game. Based on what he’s shown on the practice court so far, he’s got good size and athleticism for a wing; now it’s up to UNLV to develop his skills.

Forward: Keyshawn Hall, freshman

Aside from Gilbert, Hall may be the Scarlet and Gray’s most watchable player. He checks in at a burly 6-foot-6 but plays a perimeter game; he’s clever with the ball, creates off the dribble and completes passes that startle the receivers. It’s hard to see a true freshman cracking the rotation out of the gate, however, especially on a team this deep with defenders. Hall will see minutes eventually, but he’ll have to earn his spot.

Forward: Victor Iwuakor, senior

There’s no doubt Iwuakor can play, especially on defense. UNLV was better when he was on the floor last year. Unfortunately, he’s been battling injuries for almost a year now, and he has yet to participate in summer workouts. Kruger said Iwuakor will be ready by the start of the season, but counting on him to play a major role would be irresponsible.

Center: Karl Jones, junior

Between Muoka and Cottrell, UNLV’s allotment of 40 minutes at the center position seem to be accounted for. Jones is here in case someone gets hurt or if Kruger wants additional muscle on the court for certain matchups.

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