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Cam Spencer Scouting Report

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GRU23

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Jan 18, 2020
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I've watched a few Cam Spencer games (North Carolina, Boston U, Part of games against Mount St Mary's,Army, and a game from his freshman Year), so here's my thoughts.

STRENGTHS
  • Great shooter. Career 38.8% 3 point shooter, take out his poor stretch at the beginning of this season and hes a 40.8% shooter on good volume.
  • High release point. Should not have much of an issue getting his shot off.
  • Can score at all three levels, nice runner package to his game.
  • Crafty player, nice change of pace
  • Decent rebounder for a guard. Maybe not Ethan Wright level, but certainly a good one.
  • Great basketball IQ
  • Great at getting deflections and steals.
  • Nice frame for a guard, can defend
  • Efficiency based offensive metrics love him.
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POTENTIAL AREAS
  • Pretty good passer. Had some pretty good reads and can make accurate passes. Better than Hammond imo. Little worried he is too reliant on using two hands, do not know if there will be enough time to do that in B1G.
  • Was pretty effective in PNR, got a lot of things going when utilizing it against UNC. His bigs were kinda just roaming after screening, will be interested to see him with a legitimate lob threat like Cliff and even Dean to an extent.
  • Athleticism, looked a bit faster and jumpier freshman year. His brother was fine athletically in the B1G, perhaps a year removed from his hip surgery could be big for him.
  • Has a good frame, would like to see him use it more. Rutgers players seem to have developed good back to the basket games, certainly think he could develop this area of his game more.
WEAKNESSES
  • Athleticism. Not the quickest or most vertical guy in the world. Sometimes hurts him when driving and is a fair worry on defense.
  • Handle, not really shifty with the ball, going to have to rely on PNRs when looking solely at him.
  • Patriot League was not very good. Big step up in competition.
Ultimately, I think he is a great pickup, provides RU another strong guard who might be the best shooter we've had on campus for a while (Harper was very good this year). Has great IQ, very efficient and has some decent upside. Seems to be a good locker room presence as well. Good job Pike
 
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His game grows on you if you watch a little more. He really is crafty with some finishes utilizing pump fakes, hesitation dribbles, and change of pace. Makes good quick cuts at the right time. Strong passer. Just a heady player. Obviously a lights out shooter who can space the floor and give Cliff room to operate and Paul too.

The hip issue is interesting since it happened 2 years in a row it seems. Is this an ongoing problem that is a concern? Is it finally fixed for good? Did it take its toll and he has lost some quickness when he didn't have much spare? It could be a bad thing if it is an ongoing problem, or a good thing if he will be even healthier the further removed from it he gets where he adds a little quickness back

The only real concern is his lateral movement and quickness to guard in the B1G. We already have a concern with Paul in the starting 5. We can't hide Paul and Cam if both are out there. I'd be lying if I said it didn't worry me.

Spencer will be a good smart help defender. Active hands, gets defelctions and steals, reads plays well. Wonder if we see a little more zone. Pike did go to it at times this year with some success
 
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Scangg said:
His game grows on you if you watch a little more. He really is crafty with some finishes utilizing pump fakes, hesitation dribbles, and change of pace. Makes good quick cuts at the right time. Strong passer. Just a heady player. Obviously a lights out shooter who can space the floor and give Cliff room to operate and Paul too.

The hip issue is interesting since it happened 2 years in a row it seems. Is this an ongoing problem that is a concern? Is it finally fixed for good? Did it take its toll and he has lost some quickness when he didn't have much spare? It could be a bad thing if it is an ongoing problem, or a good thing if he will be even healthier the further removed from it he gets where he adds a little quickness back

The only real concern is his lateral movement and quickness to guard in the B1G. We already have a concern with Paul in the starting 5. We can't hide Paul and Cam if both are out there. I'd be lying if I said it didn't worry me.

Spencer will be a good smart help defender. Active hands, gets defelctions and steals, reads plays well. Wonder if we see a little more zone. Pike did go to it at times this year with some success
Click to expand...
It’s a much bigger concern without Caleb who helps mask some of Paul’s issues on defense. The defensive drop from Caleb to Hyatt is huge - even if you stick Hyatt at the 4, that’s really only resolving things in the sense that Hyatt doesn’t have to play perimeter defense. If the other guys can’t defend the perimeter either things could get ugly there. Having the option to play Caleb and Mag together at times would be important IMO.
 
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PSAL_Hoops said:
It’s a much bigger concern without Caleb who helps mask some of Paul’s issues on defense. The defensive drop from Caleb to Hyatt is huge - even if you stick Hyatt at the 4, that’s really only resolving things in the sense that Hyatt doesn’t have to play perimeter defense. If the other guys can’t defend the perimeter either things could get ugly there. Having the option to play Caleb and Mag together at times would be important IMO.
Click to expand...
What makes you think Hyatt has a big role on the team?
 
Greene Rice FIG said:
What makes you think Hyatt has a big role on the team?
Click to expand...
I don’t. It could certainly be a new player we don’t know yet, but it’s much harder to land plug and play forwards than guards so I wouldn’t assume that until I see it happen.

Obviously we’re all hoping to get Caleb back. in a world without him though, we’d have to replace his defense and Ron’s defense with someone. If Spencer and Paul were playing together, it’s unlikely Miller would also be on the floor and he’s not the answer to compensate for the other guards issues anyway - it needs to be a wing / forward coming in on the help. So who would they play with besides Cliff? We’d need 2 others on the floor. My point was that I’d feel a lot better if Hyatt didn’t HAVE to be one of those guys because there are some match ups where we’d potentially get schooled. Mag would be fine, but he’s still Caleb light and we’d need a 5th player on the floor. Who ya got there? Sadly Hyatt would probably be the best returning defensive option. It’s not Oskar or Dean at 3-4, right?
 
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From Carino (https://www.app.com/story/sports/co...transfer-cam-spencer-guard-loyola/7369445001/):

3. He stabilizes the backcourt.​

If Caleb McConnell elects to return for a fifth year — certainly a possibility (Pikiell is holding a scholarship open for him) — Rutgers will be set with a deep backcourt. Pikiell could start Paul Mulcahy, Spencer and McConnell (who can defend wings) and have firepower and experience. If McConnell doesn’t return, Mulcahy and Spencer should be able to hold their own. Pikiell probably won't bring in a second guard from the transfer portal; he also has high hopes for incoming freshman Derek Simpson, who seems ready to contribute right away.
 
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dpwhite said:
From Carino (https://www.app.com/story/sports/co...transfer-cam-spencer-guard-loyola/7369445001/):

3. He stabilizes the backcourt.​

If Caleb McConnell elects to return for a fifth year — certainly a possibility (Pikiell is holding a scholarship open for him) — Rutgers will be set with a deep backcourt. Pikiell could start Paul Mulcahy, Spencer and McConnell (who can defend wings) and have firepower and experience. If McConnell doesn’t return, Mulcahy and Spencer should be able to hold their own. Pikiell probably won't bring in a second guard from the transfer portal; he also has high hopes for incoming freshman Derek Simpson, who seems ready to contribute right away.
Click to expand...
Cool - but wouldn’t Caleb not count towards the schollie limit since it’s the free Covid year or was that exemption only a one year thing?
 
Hyatt I’d like more if he realized he’s not quite as good as he thinks he is offensively. Or to put it differently, I’d like him to be a more willing passer. He was out there acting like he needed to shoot for this team to score. Good potential but hopefully fits into the team offensively a little better this year.
 
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dpwhite said:
From Carino (https://www.app.com/story/sports/co...transfer-cam-spencer-guard-loyola/7369445001/):

3. He stabilizes the backcourt.​

If Caleb McConnell elects to return for a fifth year — certainly a possibility (Pikiell is holding a scholarship open for him) — Rutgers will be set with a deep backcourt. Pikiell could start Paul Mulcahy, Spencer and McConnell (who can defend wings) and have firepower and experience. If McConnell doesn’t return, Mulcahy and Spencer should be able to hold their own. Pikiell probably won't bring in a second guard from the transfer portal; he also has high hopes for incoming freshman Derek Simpson, who seems ready to contribute right away.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the fact it seems coach only wanted to target a single guard def makes it seem more likely of a Caleb return
 
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Gregmoore23 said:
Yeah, the fact it seems coach only wanted to target a single guard def makes it seem more likely of a Caleb return
Click to expand...
That and the lax approach to wing / forward. I’d guess that Pike’s targets for the remaining spots may be different depending on what Caleb does. If he has Caleb, his approach will likely involve more thought to development and the future. Without Caleb I think Pike would prioritize at least one proven defender.
 
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With no Baker and Harper…..and I the only guy not enthusiastic about a lineup with Caleb and Paul?

I have done an almost complete full circle change. Every year I am concerned about D. I have now accepted as long as we have the rim protector our D will always be fine with Pike.
 
Greene Rice FIG said:
With no Baker and Harper…..and I the only guy not enthusiastic about a lineup with Caleb and Paul?
Click to expand...
Why? We just added a lights out sharp shooter to replace Geo. On paper, he’s a great complement to Paul’s strength (ball distribution in the half court). With Cliff down low, there’s potential for a really good inside / out game.

Also, if your going to be concerned about offense, it really ought to be about Paul playing with Hyatt and/or Mag (barring substantial year over year development), not Caleb. As bad a 3 point shooter as Caleb has been, those guys were worse. Also - most of Mag’s shots were put backs. At least Caleb has a midrange game which complements the inside outside offensive scheme the new combo brings to the table.
 
PSAL_Hoops said:
Why? We just added a lights out sharp shooter to replace Geo. On paper, he’s a great complement to Paul’s strength (ball distribution in the half court). With Cliff down low, there’s potential for a really good inside / out game.

Also, if your going to be concerned about offense, it really ought to be about Paul playing with Hyatt and/or Mag (barring substantial year over year development), not Caleb. As bad a 3 point shooter as Caleb has been, those guys were worse. Also - most of Mag’s shots were put backs. At least Caleb has a midrange game which complements the inside outside offensive scheme the new combo brings to the table.
Click to expand...
In my perfect scenario we still need to get a 3/4 who plays over Hyatt.

Sorry to disagree here. My hope is that Mag actually becomes Caleb this year.

My back of the napkin (not even envelope yet).....some of these guys are still fictional characters in my mind

1- Paul 12 Simpson 20 Miller 8
2- Spencer 28 PORTAL2 12
3 PORTAL2 12 Paul 20 Mag 8
4 PORTAL3 25 Mag 8 Hyatt 7
5 Cliff 28 Dean 12

Portal2 or Portal3 could be Caleb
Portal3 could be Ron
 
Greene Rice FIG said:
In my perfect scenario we still need to get a 3/4 who plays over Hyatt.

Sorry to disagree here. My hope is that Mag actually becomes Caleb this year.

My back of the napkin (not even envelope yet).....some of these guys are still fictional characters in my mind

1- Paul 12 Simpson 20 Miller 8
2- Spencer 28 PORTAL2 12
3 PORTAL2 12 Paul 20 Mag 8
4 PORTAL3 25 Mag 8 Hyatt 7
5 Cliff 28 Dean 12
Click to expand...

I don’t get it. Are you saying you’d rather Caleb (conference DPOY) not return next season so that we instead land 2 more portal kids that will each play 24+ minutes at 3-4?

No offense - but if so, your really underestimating how hard it is to land a high major game ready plug and play wing/forward types. Without a prior connection (like what Pike had with Yeboah) it’s really difficult because there just aren’t that many options and even at that, if you take a mid major kid, it’s always a gamble whether the success will transfer at the next level of physicality.

The odds of picking up 2 additional portal kids (not including Spencer) that turn out to be better options than Caleb would be NEXT season to absorb those kinds of minutes seems extremely low IMO.
 
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1. I am not exactly saying that
2. You are 100% correct that I am underestimating how difficult it is to land the 3/4 player, MUCH MuCH harder than a 2 guard.

You are probably right that I am trying to thread the needle here and it is low probability and in the end not smart.

The small sample size we have at RU tells us the transfer/portal route has had a low batting average.

BTW players to be acquired wouldn’t be better than Caleb, just different. Paul makes it tough to build a lineup with given his hybrid position and his pros and cons.
 
We are not going to be the same team next year and that’s fine. Expect us to run even more PNR with Paul and Cliff, and space the floor with Spencer, and Mag/Hyatt/Dean cutting baseline and/or getting open corner threes. I also think defensively the zone may be here to stay. We are long but not necessarily quick. Makes sense for us and it protects Cliff from foul trouble.

EDIT: And I don’t think much changes from my outlook even with Caleb back except that I expect him to be a more deliberate offensive player.
 
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Greene Rice FIG said:
1. I am not exactly saying that
2. You are 100% correct that I am underestimating how difficult it is to land the 3/4 player, MUCH MuCH harder than a 2 guard.

You are probably right that I am trying to thread the needle here and it is low probability and in the end not smart.

The small sample size we have at RU tells us the transfer/portal route has had a low batting average.

BTW players to be acquired wouldn’t be better than Caleb, just different. Paul makes it tough to build a lineup with given his hybrid position and his pros and cons.
Click to expand...
To me, the Paul factor on the defensive end makes it all the more critical that Caleb chooses to return. Especially with Spencer now added to the mix a likely question mark on defense too. Hard enough to land two decent 3-4, now your talking about landing two guys that are going to compensate for having Paul and Spencer defending the perimeter (it’s almost a guarantee there would be a defensive drop off if Caleb isn’t one of those guys) so in gambling with the portal over Caleb you’d already be starting with a substantial +/- handicap. The better offense from each of those new additions over what Caleb would bring would have to compensate for the added liability on defense.

I’m otherwise bullish on next year’s team but this explanation is why I feel Caleb’s return is so important. I find it hard to picture a scenerio where our defense will be close to as good as last season (and it wasn’t even that great) without getting Caleb back.
 
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I'm not sure how great a replacement Spencer is for Geo. Sure he hits 40% from 3pt range, BUT we had Geo with the THREE-O. (That I enjoyed hearing when the game was on the line)

What rhymes with Spencer?

nm, I figured it out we have :

Hot Damn Cam!
 
Scangg said:
His game grows on you if you watch a little more. He really is crafty with some finishes utilizing pump fakes, hesitation dribbles, and change of pace. Makes good quick cuts at the right time. Strong passer. Just a heady player. Obviously a lights out shooter who can space the floor and give Cliff room to operate and Paul too.

The hip issue is interesting since it happened 2 years in a row it seems. Is this an ongoing problem that is a concern? Is it finally fixed for good? Did it take its toll and he has lost some quickness when he didn't have much spare? It could be a bad thing if it is an ongoing problem, or a good thing if he will be even healthier the further removed from it he gets where he adds a little quickness back

The only real concern is his lateral movement and quickness to guard in the B1G. We already have a concern with Paul in the starting 5. We can't hide Paul and Cam if both are out there. I'd be lying if I said it didn't worry me.

Spencer will be a good smart help defender. Active hands, gets defelctions and steals, reads plays well. Wonder if we see a little more zone. Pike did go to it at times this year with some success
Click to expand...
I wonder if a product of our current roster construction ends up being more zone D. Pike doesn’t like it but certainly did it more last year then years past.

Big ten is not a strong guard conference relatively speaking, in that not many teams can or will 5 out you to death death, so we won’t have to rely on zone but maybe we would benefit still mixing it in a tad more.
 
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RUsojo said:
I wonder if a product of our current roster construction ends up being more zone D. Pike doesn’t like it but certainly did it more last year then years past.

Big ten is not a strong guard conference relatively speaking, in that not many teams can or will 5 out you to death death, so we won’t have to rely on zone but maybe we would benefit still mixing it in a tad more.
Click to expand...
We will have a very big team potentially too:

Spencer 6'4"
Mulcahy 6'6"
McConnell 6'7"
Hyatt/Mag 6'6" or 6'7" (or even Dean?)
Cliff 6'11"
 
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PSAL_Hoops said:
To me, the Paul factor on the defensive end makes it all the more critical that Caleb chooses to return. Especially with Spencer now added to the mix a likely question mark on defense too. Hard enough to land two decent 3-4, now your talking about landing two guys that are going to compensate for having Paul and Spencer defending the perimeter (it’s almost a guarantee there would be a defensive drop off if Caleb isn’t one of those guys) so in gambling with the portal over Caleb you’d already be starting with a substantial +/- handicap. The better offense from each of those new additions over what Caleb would bring would have to compensate for the added liability on defense.

I’m otherwise bullish on next year’s team but this explanation is why I feel Caleb’s return is so important. I find it hard to picture a scenerio where our defense will be close to as good as last season (and it wasn’t even that great) without getting Caleb back.
Click to expand...
Your thoughts are identical to mine over the past 5 years regarding defense and everytime I am wrong. Now that i am changing course (having blind faith in D because of coach) I will be wrong.

Rutgers season turned around when Pike took Jones out of the rotation and reduced Hyatt's minutes. To your point if there aren't 5 guys in the rotation that we can trust defensively Caleb won't be there to bail us out playing 32+ minutes.

If Hyatt doesn't improve and Spencer can't execute defensively and Simpson isn't ready..............
 
Greene Rice FIG said:
Your thoughts are identical to mine over the past 5 years regarding defense and everytime I am wrong. Now that i am changing course (having blind faith in D because of coach) I will be wrong.

Rutgers season turned around when Pike took Jones out of the rotation and reduced Hyatt's minutes. To your point if there aren't 5 guys in the rotation that we can trust defensively Caleb won't be there to bail us out playing 32+ minutes.

If Hyatt doesn't improve and Spencer can't execute defensively and Simpson isn't ready..............
Click to expand...
No worries. You and I weren’t wrong about Jones when everyone else couldn’t understand why he wasn’t playing more or why Pike let Caleb play through the yips. We knew the deal and Pike proved us right.

Scrap the blind faith in Pike’s ability to make any team decent defensively, because we both know Pike will never take you up on it anyway. We’ve landed our one Peter Kiss style wild card (defensively speaking) in Cam Spencer. He wont be taking any more chances. We’re either getting Caleb back or we’ll be targeting another defense first type portal player. My money is on him a) already knowing Caleb will be here and B) not planning to play Hyatt that much with both Paul and Cam in the game together.
 
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RUsojo said:
I wonder if a product of our current roster construction ends up being more zone D. Pike doesn’t like it but certainly did it more last year then years past.

Big ten is not a strong guard conference relatively speaking, in that not many teams can or will 5 out you to death death, so we won’t have to rely on zone but maybe we would benefit still mixing it in a tad more.
Click to expand...

kcg88 said:
We will have a very big team potentially too:

Spencer 6'4"
Mulcahy 6'6"
McConnell 6'7"
Hyatt/Mag 6'6" or 6'7" (or even Dean?)
Cliff 6'11"
Click to expand...
Zone is the obvious logical answer when you have length but not quickness.

Then he can switch it up with some pressure man if he has Miller Caleb Mag in the lineup
 
Rufaninga said:
I'm not sure how great a replacement Spencer is for Geo. Sure he hits 40% from 3pt range, BUT we had Geo with the THREE-O. (That I enjoyed hearing when the game was on the line)

What rhymes with Spencer?

nm, I figured it out we have :

Hot Damn Cam!
Click to expand...
Please no.....1 John Sterling is plenty, and way too many
 
Hyatt will be fine for the Hyatt mild haters. First year back in the area. He’ll be fine next year, don’t worry. You have my word (which means nothing) haha
 
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