Projecting Vanderbilt Basketball's Starters, Rotation

Vanderbilt has a good alternative option in Tyler Tanner, but Collins didn’t come to Vanderbilt to come off the bench or to be a secondary ballhandler.

Vandy on SI has learned that the veteran point guard is among Vanderbilt’s biggest leaders and has gained command of its offense.

The TCU transfer appears to believe he’ll be a nice fit within Mark Byington’s up-tempo offensive scheme. If the offseason is any indication, he’ll have significant ownership of the offense as its lead ballhandler. 

Duke Miles

The two guard spot is perhaps the most open in Vanderbilt’s starting lineup and could vary based off of matchups, but Miles has the best track record among the options.

Miles is among Vanderbilt’s most highly compensated transfers, sources told Vandy on SI, after a season in which he started on an NCAA Tournament team at Oklahoma and established himself as an SEC player after making the jump from High Point. 

Vanderbilt believes that Miles’ role could be more reminiscent of the one he possessed before his move to Oklahoma. As a Sooner, Miles was a complementary player to a lottery pick and was often confined to catch and shoot and defensive assignments. 

Miles likely won’t be Vanderbilt’s leading scorer, but he’ll look to expand his game in a more free-flowing offense. 

Tyler Nickel

The word coming out of Vanderbilt is that Nickel is significantly improved relative to where he was last season. He was a no-brainer to start in his first season and as a result of his leap, he’s got a similar profile heading into year two within this program.

Nickel will likely slide in at his natural position of small forward rather than the four, which Vanderbilt’s roster construction forced him to play last season. 

The 6-foot-7 wing is a proven commodity in every sense. 

Devin McGlockton 

McGlockton is as close to a sure thing as Vanderbilt has in the starting lineup. 

The Vanderbilt big man didn’t have a glamorous summer, but, like Nickel, he’s a proven commodity that will benefit from moving back to his natural position. 

Perhaps McGlockton will have to play the five at times this season, which Byington indicated to Vandy on SI this summer, but he’ll be locked in at the four for the most part. 

Jalen Washington

The five is also an area of interpretation for this Vanderbilt team, but Washington’s track record appears to give him the edge over his former high school teammate Mason Nicholson.

Don’t expect the same Washington that showed up on film at North Carolina, though. He’ll be playing the five and looking to demonstrate what he believes to be improved shot blocking, but Vanderbilt is more fired up about Washington’s ability on the perimeter. 

Perhaps Vanderbilt could go with Nicholson at the five in certain matchups since he and Washington are significantly different players, but Washington will likely get the first look. 

Rotation:

Tyler Tanner

The word around town is that Tanner is Vanderbilt’s most improved player, who knows what that means with only three returners, and that he’ll be more of a scorer in year two.

Tanner tweaked his jump shot over the summer and appears to be demonstrating more of his scoring ability in practice, but he’s still got room to go to be considered a primary option. 

If Vanderbilt didn’t bring in a transfer point guard, it likely would’ve been comfortable giving Tanner its starting job at the one. He’ll likely come off the bench, but will play starter level minutes. 

Tyler Harris

Harris had the pedigree to be a more highly-touted transfer portal prospect than he was. The Vanderbilt wing shot 49% from 3-point range at Washington last season and appears to have more to his game than he showed.

Vanderbilt has challenged Harris to get his shot off quicker and to work on his off the bounce scoring ability in order to be a score-first two guard rather than a 3 and D wing. 

Harris has the potential to be one of Vanderbilt’s most effective players, but he’s likely not consistent enough in his new role yet to start. 

Mike James 

Don’t rule James out from being Vanderbilt’s best player yet. 

That’s odd to say about a projected non starter, but the former Louisville wing is the full package if he can put it all together. 

James can shoot it, he can create, he’s big and physical, he can rebound and he loves guarding. Who knows if this is finally the system in which James can find the right fit, but he appears to be comfortable at Vanderbilt in a way that he wasn’t at Louisville.

In a way, James is the x-factor for this team. 

AK Okereke

Okereke has the most unique skillset that Vanderbilt has recruited under Mark Byington, it will be fascinating to see how it’s ultimately used. 

The Cornell transfer is built like a four man, or defensive end, but he can handle it and is among Vanderbilt’s most gifted passers. 

It may be a year-long search to find the best way to use Okereke like it was with fellow Cornell transfer Chris Mañon, but there’s obviously something to untap here. 

Mason Nicholson 

Nicholson is what Vanderbilt has been missing since Jerry Stackhouse’s 2022-23 team made a push for the NCAA Tournament.

Perhaps the Jacksonville State transfer won’t put up thrilling numbers, but he’ll do the dirty work that Vanderbilt’s key guys have had to handle in the past. 

Nicholson dropped significant weight this offseason, but is Vanderbilt’s most physical player and may be its most productive shotblocker. 

Washington is likely to have better numbers and more minutes, but he can’t do it without Nicholson. 

Scholarship Reserves:

Jayden Leverett

Leverett is facing the challenges that all big men from public schools have to face when they get to the SEC. He’s got a high ceiling and is the most likely of Vanderbilt’s freshmen to play, but he’s still learning how to play at this level.

If it all comes together for Leverett sooner rather than later, he could be a valuable asset for this group down the stretch as it battles deep SEC frontcourts and foul trouble. 

Chandler Bing: 

Bing was a late add for this Vanderbilt staff that has always appeared to be more of a long-term addition than anything, but the Vanderbilt staff appears to be pleased with his progress.

Vanderbilt has too much depth at Bing’s position to need him unless something goes wrong, but he appears to be keeping his head above water. 

Jaylon Dean-Vines:

Dean-Vines has flashed athleticism and some shotmaking ability throughout the summer and has a high ceiling, but he’s got to develop and get stronger to see the floor for a significant amount of time. 

The freshman guard is likely a longer-term proposition than a plug and play guy. The idea in recruiting was that he could redshirt, it appears as if that may be the case due to Vanderbilt’s crowded backcourt.