Transfer Player Spotlight: John Hugley IV (Xavier)

Last season the Achillies heel for Xavier was their front court. After some unfortunate injuries to Jerome Hunter and Zach Freemantle there just was not enough top end talent or depth to help their elite guard trio make the tournament. Next season’s plan to fix that problem starts with the health of Jerome Hunter and Zach Freemantle but to hedge that variability Xavier has looked to the transfer portal. The first big man they have brought in is Oklahoma big man John Hugley IV. On a base level Hugley averaged 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds off the bench for the Sooners before missing the last eight games with a meniscus injury. The 6”10 forward has had an interesting career path which is what makes him such an intriguing transfer add. In 2021 as a sophomore at Pitt Hugley averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds but then would miss the entire next season with an injury and mental health issues. So, the question for Xavier is what version of Hugley are they going to get the 2021 or the 2023 version and is he even going to stay healthy. Hugley, Hunter, and Freemantle are the only big men currently on Xavier’s roster and all of them have injury history. In addition to the injury history, they are all actively coming off an injury. In a 100th percentile outcome that trio might be the best in the nation and what propels Xavier to becoming a national title contender but there is also a world where none of these guys ever reach the form they were at before. The range of Xavier’s outcomes right now feels very reliant on the health and recovery of these three guys.  

On offense Hugley has proven that he can been a number one option in a power conference, but can he get back to that level? The biggest difference between watching Hugley in his breakout year at Pitt and last year was his fitness. It felt like he was laboring when he played extended minutes, and he lost a bit of a step when it comes to his quickness. That is often a common theme for players coming off serious injuries that take them away from basketball for an entire year. He can absolutely get back to that level with a summer in Xavier’s top-notch strength and conditioning program. When Hugley was at his best his quickness was a real strength while also being able to overpower guys in the low post. Last season, Hugley still showed off his impressive post foot work and overpowering game, but he was missing some of that quickness that really made him lethal. His best attribute to complement those skills was getting to the line. In 2021 Hugley got to the line at one of the highest rates in the nation. That will be a key for him to getting back to form as he did not draw nearly as many free throws last season. He is still an excellent post scorer right now but just slightly subdued. One part of Hugley’s game where he really impressed at Oklahoma was being a great threat in the pick a roll. They often used him in short-role scenarios, which he really excelled in. Hugley does a wonderful job of keeping the ball high and looking for his teammates. When you combine that with his great touch around the rim it creates a dangerous player in the pick and roll. The last part of Hugley’s offensive game is his shooting. He is a very good and confident mid-range shooter, but he is not a great three-point shooter. He did shoot 39% last season but that came on only thirty-three attempts. He is going to be a guy that you can’t leave open but he's also not going to be a consistent threat from outside the arch. This could also open up the pick and pop game that Xavier utilized so effectively with Jack Nunge. The best part about Hugley’s commitment is how perfect he is for Xavier’s offense in the half court. When Xavier was at its best under Sean Miller’s system it was with versatile big men in Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle. Big men in Xavier’s system need to have at the very least a little bit of skill on the outside because of how much they like to initiate offense with dribble handoffs from their big men. Hugley is comfortable doing that and could really excel in that role. The other main responsibility of Xavier’s big men in the half court is executing high low post up concepts. He is an excellent fit because his passing and post value allow him to be the high or low man depending on which other big men he is playing with. Hugley can do a great job of using his size to seal big men if asked too and his strength will really make him dangerous as the low post guy in high low concepts. Overall, on offense Hugley is a great fit for Xavier. It is going to really benefit him and Xavier to be in a system that fits his strengths. 

Defense is the side of the ball where Hugley struggles relatively. While it is not all good there are still positives about his defensive game. He is a good defender in the pick and roll. His quickness allows him to be very versatile and be able to adapt to many different coverages in the pick and roll. When he was at his peak at Pitt, he was also able to use his quickness to create steals especially on entry passes. The final clear positive about his defensive game is his rebounding which he is well above average at. What really makes him a good rebounder is his toughness and the intensity that he plays with on the court. This is also what leads to Hugley being an about average post defender. He is still going to need help in matchups against the top big men in the Big East, but he is always going to remain physical and make it tough on the elite big men. Where Hugley really struggles is with help defense. Centers are usually responsible for the rim protection duties, but Hugley provides almost zero value with his rim protection. He does not have the instincts or the physical abilities he needs to be a good rim protector. This is really going to limit the defensive upside of Xavier if they do not get a defensive minded big man to combat this. The last issue with his defense is foul discipline. Hugley tends to commit unnecessary fouls away from the play. On a forty-minute average last season he committed over five fouls per game. This is not an egregious rate, but it is giving the other team free points, and it could cause issues if Xavier is ever lacking depth in the front court for whatever reason. The interesting thing is that his fouls do not often come on shot attempts like you commonly see with other big men. His fouls are coming on rebounds or battling for position which are fouls he needs to clean up. When you factor in Hugley’s defense if he is the 2023 version of himself then he is a slightly above average back up big man in the Big East. On the other hand, if he is the 2021 version of himself, he can be a great starting big man in the Big East. The most likely scenario is he is somewhere in the middle of those years.