Thought this would be a good read of 3 of the players we netted in the portal. These reports are from The Athletic.
R.J. Godfrey
Ht: 6-8Wt: 228
Godfrey could be a steal for someone because his numbers aren’t going to get him noticed. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. That’s a result of backing up P.J. Hall and Ian Schieffelin. Godfrey is a high-major starter-level talent. He’s an old-school four man. Most of his buckets come in tight. His father played 11 years in the NFL as a linebacker, and Godfrey benefitted from those genetics. He is strong and does a good job creating angles for post entries, then once he has the ball, he uses his shoulders to create space. He has a good feel with his back to the basket for which way to spin based on where his defender is. He scored 1.046 points per post-up, according to Synergy’s logging, which ranked 65th nationally among players who finished at least 50 post-ups.
Godfrey is a quick-twitch athlete who moves really well for his build and can rebound outside of his area. He’s quick off the floor and has the chance to be an elite rim roller. His physicality allows him to play up if necessary as a small-ball five. Clemson also played him some at the three, and he handles and passes the ball well enough to play the wing in short spurts. He’s a capable 3-point shooter but rarely takes any — 3 of 7 on the year. If he gets to the point where he’s more of a 3-point threat, he would benefit because he has a strong first step, especially if he’s guarded by a bigger player.
Defensively, Godfrey is a really good team defender and Clemson’s defensive numbers were better when he was on the floor. He has good awareness off the ball and seems to communicate well. He’s a little awkward when switched onto guards on the perimeter, but he has the lateral quickness to slide his feet and stay in front. In the post, you aren’t moving him. He’s going to hold his ground and contest. His block rate (4.5) is good for a 6-8 forward. Godfrey was a solid contributor on a team that made the Elite Eight. He had 12 points in the Elite Eight loss to Alabama, proving he can perform on a big stage. Again, the numbers do not pop but the tape does. — C.J. Moore
Tyrin Lawrence
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200
Anyone in need of a scoring guard that’s been through the rigors of the SEC? What’s that? Everyone could use that? That’s good news for Lawrence, who averaged 13.8 points this season in his second year as a full-time starter at Vanderbilt.
The lefty guard loves to drive to the rim, where his strong 200-pound frame allows him to score through contact. His mechanics loading into his shot are slow, but he did at least attempt about four 3s per game. He has good length and the frame to impact games on defense, but was less consistent than you’d expect on that end. Sometimes he really brings it. Other times, his energy was a bit lacking.
He’s an ideal third guard for a high-major NCAA Tournament team. He’s older, has more of a track record and possessed a flair for the dramatic at Vandy with a couple of game-winners. — Sam Vecenie
Dakota Leffew
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 185
A two-year starter at Mount St. Mary’s, Leffew took an enormous leap forward this season. Though he didn’t win MAAC Player of the Year, he had a real case as the best player in the conference this season. He averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game while drilling 36.5 percent of his nearly seven 3-point attempts per game.
Whereas Leffew largely fired off the catch last season, his off-the-dribble game exploded in 2023-24. In 2022-23, about 75 percent of Leffew’s 3s came off the catch. This season, his split of 3s off the catch and the dribble was about 50-50. His form is similar to Memphis Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane, in that it’s almost a set shot off the bounce that comes off his shoulder. He can get into his motion from almost any angle and with any footwork pattern.
Leffew also expanded his game off the bounce beyond just scoring. Mount St. Mary’s used him more as a primary ballhandler this year, and he blossomed in ball screens and as a live-dribble passer. He knows how to snake screens and find open areas, using his body to keep the defender in jail or step back into an open 3. His wasn’t especially efficient because he ended up having to create a lot of shots for his team, though a high major could improve that by downscaling his role.
He might fit better as a high-level backup than a starter, depending on his situation. — Sam Vecenie
R.J. Godfrey
Ht: 6-8Wt: 228
Godfrey could be a steal for someone because his numbers aren’t going to get him noticed. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. That’s a result of backing up P.J. Hall and Ian Schieffelin. Godfrey is a high-major starter-level talent. He’s an old-school four man. Most of his buckets come in tight. His father played 11 years in the NFL as a linebacker, and Godfrey benefitted from those genetics. He is strong and does a good job creating angles for post entries, then once he has the ball, he uses his shoulders to create space. He has a good feel with his back to the basket for which way to spin based on where his defender is. He scored 1.046 points per post-up, according to Synergy’s logging, which ranked 65th nationally among players who finished at least 50 post-ups.
Godfrey is a quick-twitch athlete who moves really well for his build and can rebound outside of his area. He’s quick off the floor and has the chance to be an elite rim roller. His physicality allows him to play up if necessary as a small-ball five. Clemson also played him some at the three, and he handles and passes the ball well enough to play the wing in short spurts. He’s a capable 3-point shooter but rarely takes any — 3 of 7 on the year. If he gets to the point where he’s more of a 3-point threat, he would benefit because he has a strong first step, especially if he’s guarded by a bigger player.
Defensively, Godfrey is a really good team defender and Clemson’s defensive numbers were better when he was on the floor. He has good awareness off the ball and seems to communicate well. He’s a little awkward when switched onto guards on the perimeter, but he has the lateral quickness to slide his feet and stay in front. In the post, you aren’t moving him. He’s going to hold his ground and contest. His block rate (4.5) is good for a 6-8 forward. Godfrey was a solid contributor on a team that made the Elite Eight. He had 12 points in the Elite Eight loss to Alabama, proving he can perform on a big stage. Again, the numbers do not pop but the tape does. — C.J. Moore
Tyrin Lawrence
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200
Anyone in need of a scoring guard that’s been through the rigors of the SEC? What’s that? Everyone could use that? That’s good news for Lawrence, who averaged 13.8 points this season in his second year as a full-time starter at Vanderbilt.
The lefty guard loves to drive to the rim, where his strong 200-pound frame allows him to score through contact. His mechanics loading into his shot are slow, but he did at least attempt about four 3s per game. He has good length and the frame to impact games on defense, but was less consistent than you’d expect on that end. Sometimes he really brings it. Other times, his energy was a bit lacking.
He’s an ideal third guard for a high-major NCAA Tournament team. He’s older, has more of a track record and possessed a flair for the dramatic at Vandy with a couple of game-winners. — Sam Vecenie
Dakota Leffew
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 185
A two-year starter at Mount St. Mary’s, Leffew took an enormous leap forward this season. Though he didn’t win MAAC Player of the Year, he had a real case as the best player in the conference this season. He averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game while drilling 36.5 percent of his nearly seven 3-point attempts per game.
Whereas Leffew largely fired off the catch last season, his off-the-dribble game exploded in 2023-24. In 2022-23, about 75 percent of Leffew’s 3s came off the catch. This season, his split of 3s off the catch and the dribble was about 50-50. His form is similar to Memphis Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane, in that it’s almost a set shot off the bounce that comes off his shoulder. He can get into his motion from almost any angle and with any footwork pattern.
Leffew also expanded his game off the bounce beyond just scoring. Mount St. Mary’s used him more as a primary ballhandler this year, and he blossomed in ball screens and as a live-dribble passer. He knows how to snake screens and find open areas, using his body to keep the defender in jail or step back into an open 3. His wasn’t especially efficient because he ended up having to create a lot of shots for his team, though a high major could improve that by downscaling his role.
He might fit better as a high-level backup than a starter, depending on his situation. — Sam Vecenie
