Right Now: The Best Fits for SMU Hoops in the 2018 Class

Miss the beat, you lose the rhythm, And nothing falls into place
Only missed by a fraction, Slipped a little off your pace
The more things you get, the more you want, Just trade in one for the other
Workin' so hard, to make it easier, whoa, Got to turn, c'mon turn this thing around, Right Now

-- "Right Now" (1991), Van Halen

Welcome to a new series called Right Now, where we look at SMU's current roster/commit list and determine what else SMU needs... right now.

Recruiting is a fickle process with lots of moving parts, and it helps to compare what a team is losing with what a team is gaining. By doing so, we can see holes in the team that others might miss.

This week, we're talking about which recruits would be the best fit for SMU's 2018 class.

Firstly, let's look at SMU's current roster and who the Mustangs will lose...

The above table accounts for scholarship players only and excludes ineligible incoming transfers. Isiaha Mike is the only incoming transfer for SMU -- the ex-Duquense power forward will join the Mustangs' 2018-2019 roster with three years of eligibility remaining.

There's still a lot to be determined regarding how much depth Tim Jankovich will lose after this season. While he is a mastermind of handling little to no depth, still, there's safety in numbers. Jankovich could be faced with losing up to three players next season, but may get away with only losing one.

The definite departure? Senior guard Ben Emelogu, whose eligibility will expire after he transferred in from Virginia Tech three years ago. Ben E. will play a larger role in his senior year after stepping in as an emergency point guard as a junior.

Louisville/Georgetown transfer Akoy Agau is only eligible for one more season, but will seek a sixth year of eligibility. Agau has spent some of his college career injured, and the staff has reason to be optimistic. He might get it, he might not. If he does, he'll probably stick around. He's a great talent, but probably won't have enough exposure to increase his draft stock exponentially after just one season on The Hilltop.

And then there's Shake Milton, who could make the jump to the NBA come seasons end. However, Milton values his education and may be inclined to stick around depending on how the season goes. Milton would obviously be "the" key loss, but the effects could be curbed if SMU landed a dynamic, scoring threat.

The Best Case Scenario:

SMU loses Emelogu only

Retaining Milton and Agau would most likely limit SMU's class size in the coming seasons (remember, we're still saddled with NCAA scholarship restrictions -- they end soon), but would give Tim Jankovich the luxury of maturing his 2017 class much like Ben Moore and Sterling Brown did under Nick Russell and Shawn Williams in 2013-2014.

Milton was an ESPN Top 100 prospect and will almost assuredly lead the Mustangs in scoring this season. From a production standpoint, losing him would be detrimental if SMU could not replace those points quickly.

Agau was a fortunate land for SMU off the transfer market. Adding a player with size who's arguably a 4/5 hybrid was a must and crucial for SMU's short term success. If he gets lucky and earns an extra year, he could become the keystone of a SMU frontcourt that will surprisingly have depth for the first time... well, since Larry Brown showed up.

Right now, SMU's frontcourt is really only two players deep (Agau and Jarrey Foster) -- you cannot depend on Everett Ray and Ethan Chargois to make serious contributions early on, sorry. If Agau sticks around, that number explodes from two-deep to five-deep in one offseason: Agau, Foster, the incoming Mike, and a matured Ray and Chargois.

The Worst Case Scenario:

SMU loses Emelogu, Agau and Milton

Tim Jankovich would once again be challenged by depth in 2018-2019 if SMU loses all three. The young roster would also need to grow up fast.

Milton jumping to the NBA would eliminate much of SMU's offensive firepower. The Mustangs would also lose the player who seems destined to be their "captain" for as long as he's in Dallas.

Agau leaving would not strong-arm SMU nearly as much as Milton's departure. Foster, Mike, Ray and Chargois could be a formidable frontcourt if the freshman can develop as expected. That's still an "if", and maybe a big one.

Neither loss would spell panic, and here's why:

Depth doesn't necessarily matter in the Jankovich system

Jankovich won 30 games with only seven scholarship players last season. Those seven were highly talented (two are now in the NBA), but SMU played some games with six.

Which is why you should find comfort in knowing that SMU will be playing with 10 this season and at least eight returners in 2018-2019, excluding the incoming class.

Jankovich would never tell you he likes small rosters, it's ludicrous. But, if it worked with seven, it can work with eight-plus. And what SMU already has would be able to adequately replace any losses or cover for an underwhelming 2018 class, if that proved to be true.

The Breakdown:

The common perception currently is that the pantry of SMU's frontcourt is bare, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. It's no more bare than it was when Markus Kennedy and Jordan Tolbert platooned as makeshift 5's. If Agau departs, you still have four forwards. The numbers are there.

The dynamic is more questionable, however. Foster will be the only senior and the rest (Mike, Ray, Chargois) will only be sophomores. There's a large experience gap, but it might be manageable.

If Agau leaves, Chargois's size becomes more important more quickly. But consider, Agau is a very talented novelty item for Jankovich. He's great, but he doesn't really fit the fast-paced street ball model that made SMU so dangerous last season. Losing him would hurt the Mustangs' depth, but not their ability to win. In that event, Mike would probably transition into a role similar to Semi Ojeleye's last season with Foster and Ray playing the 4. Chargois's role would be dependent on how he performs to that point.

I would argue that SMU's supposedly guard-heavy roster actually needs more immediate attention if Milton leaves. We haven't seen Jimmy Whitt or Jahmal McMurray play yet, and there's no telling how their production might be affected by playing more off the ball. That being said, shooting guard is the most secure position on the team, with William Douglas, Whitt, McMurray and Foster all being able to move over. It will be surprising if Elijah Landrum ever plays anything but point guard at SMU.

Ergo: SMU must find someone to replace Milton's numbers if he departs -- and it doesn't have to be a perimeter shooter. That's the most pressing need: Not a role player, but a producer who can play positionless ball. If SMU feels Elijah Landrum will not be able to lead the point by his sophomore year, McMurray will take over, but the Mustangs could find a point guard in 2018 as well. Finally, any stretch fours could be valuable additions to Jankovich's system.

The Targets:

Jankovich is targeting players who can score, regardless of position. There really is no positional quota when you play positionless basketball. Many of these targets are high-caliber, highly-touted athletes:

Gerald Liddell is one of the top players in the nation and has serious interest in SMU. He kept the Mustangs in his top seven, along with Texas, Baylor, UCLA, Arizona, California and Oregon. If Liddell opts to stay in Texas, SMU might be the favorite. SMU's staff was also the first to offer him.

Kaden Archie is another highly touted prospect from the DFW area with SMU interest. There's lots of competition for him, but Archie could give the Mustangs an inside-out scoring threat like Semi Ojeleye.

If Jankovich wants more size, Grayson Carter from Denton would be a great option. Still, lots of competition here.

Kyler Edwards is an Arlington Bowie product with a physicality reminiscent of Sterling Brown. The shooting guard might not be the most potent scorer on SMU's offer list, but could be a great "kitchen sink" role player like Brown proved to be.

And then there's the kid. Jankovich Jr. is a fantastic shooter that wouldn't cost SMU a scholarship. SMU is probably the favorite, for obvious reasons. He's not the dynamic producer SMU needs, and he still needs some work to get his defense and athleticism to SMU's level, but could earn minutes with his perimeter shooting in the right situation.