Miami will begin season short in the frontcourt
Returning starting forward Matthew Cleveland is out for Miami's exhibition game versus Saint Leo and is questionable for the season opener according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Backup center Kiree Huie is out indefinitely with a hand injury per Rothstein. Miami will have limited depth in the frontcourt without Cleveland and Huie.
Cleveland led Miami returnees in 2023-24 averaging 13.7 points per game and 6.7 rebounds. Miami added 6'10 Virginia Tech transfer center Lynn Kidd and 6'8 East Carolina forward Brandon Johnson during the offseason are both expected to start for Jim Larranaga.
With Cleveland and Huie sidelined expect 6'9 Yale transfer Yussif Basa-Ama to receive significant minutes behind Johnson and Kidd. Paul Djobet who is listed as a guard at 6'7 has reportedly received time as a stretch four during fall practice. Larranaga will have to be creative with early lineups.
The obvious goal for Larranaga and his staff during the offseason was adding size. The additions of Basa-Ama, Huie, Jackson and Kidd give Miami four players on its roster taller than anyone in the 2023-24 rotation on the front line. Basa-Ama now become a key addition to add depth and size up front.
Miami's Matthew Cleveland (undisclosed) is questionable for next Monday's opener against FDU, per Jim Larranaga.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 29, 2024
Averaged 13.7 PPG and 6.1 RPG last season.
Idaho State transfer Kiree Huie (hand) --- who was projected to be MIami's backup center --- is OUT indefinitely.
Huie averaged 11.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG abd 1.8 blocks while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor. Johnson averaged 14.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.7 steals, shot 42.0 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent on threes. Kidd began his career at Clemson and has shown significant improvement during his three years at Virginia Tech.
Kidd averaged career highs of 13.2 PPG and 6.5 RPG and led the ACC shooting 66.8 percent from the floor. Miami gains a significant amount of size in the post with the additions they made in the offseason, particularly Huie and Kidd. Miami also signed 6'7 forward Isaiah Johnson-Arigu in the 2024 class.
The Miami frontcourt needs to complement the elite backcourt they are projected to have in 2024-25, Johnson and Kidd need to be adept rebounders and hold their own defensively. Cleveland and guards, five-star true freshman Jalil Bethea, Stetson transfer Jalen Blackmon and Nijel Pack project to be Miami's leading scorers.
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