There is no sugar-coating it: Kody Stattmann’s numbers are bad. Very bad. If one were looking at just his offensive statistics compared to Tomas Woldetensae’s and the recruiting profiles of Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Reece Beekman and Carson McCorkle, one would assume that Stattmann is destined for a Green Team role this year. The funny thing is: as inefficient as Synergy stats say Stattmann was, they say his opponents were even worse.

Kody came from Australia with the pedigree of a three-point gunner with the accuracy and aggressiveness of a Ty Jerome or Joe Harris. In two years at UVA he has shot 26.9% from the arc, and 46% from inside. Last year, his first year of meaningful action, he was in the 15% rank of all Division I players in Spot-Up shooting, 17% running the Pick & Roll, and 23% coming Off Screens. The only place he showed well on offense was in Transition, where he came in at 98% (on 12 plays).

Given his offensive woes, Kody saw the floor because 1) nobody else could shoot; and 2) he could play some defense. His length bothered a lot of players, as he was a good shot-blocker for a wing and his Synergy stats on Spot-Up, Pick & Roll Ball Handler and Off Screen were all in the 90s with PPP numbers lower than what he was putting up on offense. So he was, according to Synergy, a net positive despite having horrendous offensive numbers.

Kody did have a couple good games with 10 points at Virginia Tech and 11 points at Boston College in consecutive UVA losses, and he finished the season going 6-11 from the arc in his last 10 games.

What He Brings

Kody reminds me of Evan Nolte: great shooter pre-college and reportedly has stretches in practice where he never misses, but struggles to make shots against ACC competition. He at least puts it up as if he expects every shot to go in, and he is good at attacking close outs with a fake and drive. He’s pretty good at getting to the hoop. He runs the sets.

Also like Nolte, Kody earns time by being a good team defender. He made a commitment to defense last off-season and it really showed. He’s also smart in transition, which matters little in Bennett’s system but helps in particular moments.

What I Would Like to See More

With Kody’s length and foot speed, I would like to see more (any?) of him as a small ball four. Ultimately, that might be where he has his best chance to contribute. He’s a long 6-8 – Bennett said at media day that Kody grew and is now taller than Sam Hauser – who can guard most 4s, and he should present some challenges for them on our offensive end.

Obviously, we all want to see more made threes. I think all but a very few of his shots were good looks, they just didn’t drop through. That is to say that I have no complaints with his shot selection, but ultimately production matters.

What I Would Like to See Less

Aside from missing a lot of shots, Kody had a high turnover rate. His 20.1% rate contributed to the team’s abysmal ball security. I would like to see him get that down to 15%.

Expected Role

Like with Tomas Woldetensae, it is difficult to forecast a role for Kody, because it depends so much on the development of other players. It also depends on what position the coaches prepare him for. What I can say is that if Woldetensae improves at beating A defenders or Casey Morsell finds his shot, Kody is going to have a hard time carving out a role for himself unless he becomes a 45% three-point shooter. If both of those guys find their shots, Kody is probably the odd man out. While it’s dangerous to project freshmen to big things in Tony Bennett’s system, Jabri Abdur-Rahim is a top-35 recruit with legitimate lottery potential and a ton of confidence, so he could end up nailing down the starting 3 spot.

If transfer Trey Murphy plays, that will present a huge challenge for Kody, because Trey is a long 6-9 wing with a good handle and a proven 3-point shot at the D-1 level.

Making educated guesses as to how each player will develop, I’m expecting Kody to be the odd man out and return to Green Team leadership. If Bennett does work him at the 4, then I can see a regular role for him as Hauser’s backup, because after Huff and Hauser, the post rotation is pretty murky.

Final Analysis

A lot of guys who are great shooters before college are not able to bring their jump shots to the ACC. Some of them scratch out a role some other way, like Evan Nolte. Others transfer to a lower level and do well, like Paul Jesperson. Others serve as valued practice players and get the best seat in the best house for a couple years. If Kody does manage to unpack his jump shot this year, he can win the competition for a big role on a great UVA team. Otherwise, he is likely slated for the Green Team, because the Hoos have plenty of other players who can defend a little.

By Seattle Hoo

A fan of UVA basketball since Ralph Sampson was a sophomore and I was in high school, I was blessed to receive two degrees from UVA and attend many amazing games. Online since 1993, HOOS Place is my second UVA sports website, having founded HOOpS Online in 1995.