Nils Machowski Scouting Report: Why the Wofford Transfer Could Be a Key Piece for UConn Basketball
Only four incoming Big East transfers averaged more than Nils Machowski’s 17.8 points per game at Wofford last season — and while he projects as a bench player at UConn next season, Machowski could prove to be a critical piece for the Huskies.
Machowski blew up at Wofford last season after two relatively quiet seasons at Central Florida. A native of Germany, he started nine games across two seasons at UCF — averaging 2.0 points as a freshman and 3.7 as a sophomore. Machowski started to come on late in his sophomore campaign, shooting 4-9 from distance in the Big 12 Tournament before going 8-19 from long range in the Crown. He totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds across those two events.
The combo guard exploded at Wofford last season, however, playing alongside another incoming Big East transfer in Kahmare Holmes, who will head to DePaul after putting up nearly 20 points per game (19.8).
The Role and Fit at UConn
Machowski figures to slot in behind star shooting guard Braylon Mullins, offering game-altering shooting and scoring punch off the bench.
He wasn’t just a shooter at Wofford last season. Machowski grabbed 5.7 rebounds a night, and had five games of 11+ rebounds.
Machowski didn’t just hit threes at a 38.1% clip last season, he did so on a high volume — making 91 on the year. He attempted 7.6 threes a game.
He scored 30+ points on three occasions last year, including 37 points on 8-11 shooting from three against Citadel and a 33-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist performance on 8-12 shooting from deep against Mercer, then led by future St. John's transfer Kyle Cuffe.
Machowski had an outstanding NET Rating of +12.5 last year.
With a high Usage Rate (25%), his turnover numbers were relatively low (10.6% Turnover Percentage, 75th in the country).
He had ten games of 20+ points.
The biggest adjustment for Machowski would presumably come on the defensive end. He’s joining a Connecticut program that was top-ten in the nation in Defensive Efficiency in three of the past four seasons and coming in from a Wofford team that was #311 nationally.
It’s worth noting, he was part of a UCF club that ranked 21st in the country on that end during Machowski’s freshman season.
He won’t offer much by the way of steals (22 steals, 7th percentile in steals/40 minutes), but Machowski will hit the glass, could be an elite spot-up shooter in this system, and offers some ability in the screen-and-roll game (94 possessions, 72nd percentile last year).
The son of a professional basketball player and a 2nd Team All-SoCon selection, Machowski’s advanced shooting numbers were terrific last year:
41.8% as a spot-up shooter
39.3% shooting off the dribble
46.6% shooting when scoring off ball screens
47.9% on right wing threes
A Look at the Tape:
As we do with all transfers we’re profiling, we are committed to not only showing prospects at their best, but gathering 3-4 minutes of unfiltered plays to give fans a true sense of what they can expect next year. Here’s an unfiltered look at Machowski from his strong year at Wofford:
We also show players at their best, so here he is going off against Mercer (33 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 8-12 from three):
The Final Verdict:
In Machowski, Connecticut adds a highly productive player from a season ago in a complementary role. He’ll be playing behind two of the best guards in the country in Mullins and point guard Silas Demary Jr., but his value could come not only from his shooting ability, but also from his capacity to fill in at either guard spot.
While the assumption is that he’ll play mostly off the ball, the long road of a college basketball season offers twists and turns — and UConn has a guard who can conceivably alternate between spots, if called upon.
Machowski also brings experience to a Connecticut backcourt that also includes promising freshman Junior County and Jacksonville State transfer Jaye Nash.
Machowski has the shooting ability to come in and either break games open from beyond the arc, or change the course of a close game.
There will be the inevitable comparisons to Joey Calcaterra, but Machowski’s 82 assists last season far exceeded Calcaterra’s best and also provides more on the glass.
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