Film Room: Collin Chandler

Mark Pope was officially introduced by UK Athletics on Friday morning. Then, on Sunday, Big Blue Nation filled up Rupp Arena for his introductory press conference. The positive momentum surrounding Kentucky’s new head coach paid its first dividends on Tuesday morning when Collin Chandler announced his commitment to the Wildcats. So, who is Collin Chandler? Even people who follow recruiting closely may have lost track of the Class of 2022 four-star prospect as he has been on a two-year mission trip. However, despite two years away from the spotlight, there is no denying the former BYU signee’s game.

Chandler was ranked as the #36 prospect in the Class of 2022 per the On3 Industry Ranking. The 6’4″ guard from Farmington, Utah originally committed to Coach Pope and the Cougars over the likes of Arizona, Gonzaga, and Oregon. Also, Chandler played his AAU basketball with the Utah Prospects on the 3SSB Circuit. This is an advantageous time to create inroads with that program as Class of 2025 five-star, Top 10 prospect Isiah Harwell also plays for the Utah Prospects and was recruited by Coach Pope at BYU.

Spending two years away from basketball while on his mission trip will create a unique set of circumstances for Chandler. He will, likely, have a longer path to getting into game shape and knocking the rust off of his game. However, there is a level of athleticism and skill to his game that doesn’t just go away. Adding an older freshman who was four-star, Top 40 recruit in the Class of 2022 is a strong place to start as Coach Pope builds his first roster at Kentucky. Let’s step inside the KSR Film Room and take a closer look at what the Wildcats are getting in Collin Chandler.

Knock Down Shooting Ability

In 2023-2024, Coach Mark Pope’s BYU Cougars took 50.4% of their shots from three-point range. He has already expressed wanting to bring a similar style of up-tempo, analytics-based basketball to Lexington. However, in order to play that way, you have to have the right personnel. Collin Chandler is a guy who obviously fits that mold. While his shooting stroke could get a bit more compact to allow for a quicker release, his overall mechanics are beautiful. His footwork is excellent, he remains stacked and balanced on the move, and showcases a repeatable release on every shot. Even Reed Sheppard wasn’t a very high-percentage shooter on the 3SSB Circuit before becoming one of the leading shooters in college basketball. Chandler should come in and make shots right away.

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We talk about it in every KSR Film Room breakdown, but when evaluating high school film you have to find ways to compare it directly to the college game. That can be easier to do for some prospects than others. For example, the Utah Prospects is a well-run AAU program that has some college actions in its playbook. You can envision Collin Chandler in this exact set within a Coach Pope offense. It is essentially a Horns alignment with Chandler setting the ballscreen to set up coming off of the flare. The misdirection freezes his defender for the split second it requires Chandler to settle behind the flare for an open three.

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Opposing defenses will be required to have a high pick up point when Chandler is bringing the ball up the floor. He has deep range and isn’t afraid to pull up anytime he is left open. This camera angle offers a good look at his form as well. In a perfect world, the release would be higher and he would get to that release point a bit quicker with less loading. However, his body is in perfect alignment from his feet to his hips to his shoulders and the release is pure. He may have a hard time squeezing off contested shots early in his career, but he is going to make a really high percentage of the open ones.

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Yes, that is former Kentucky Wildcat Chris Livingston guarding Collin Chandler in this clip. The ‘Cats are getting a 20-year-old freshman. This clip shows some of his playmaking ability along with his sound footwork when working on the perimeter. After passing the ball Chandler doesn’t just stand and watch. Instead, he relocates beyond the arc on the wing and readies himself for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Again, that initial dip and low release point are a bit worrisome. However, when playing with high-level playmakers he will get a lot of open shots. Speeding up the shot is something that can be worked on in Lexington.

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Just like the first clip, here is another look at Chandler working off of the ballscreen and flare action from a Horns alignment. Coach Pope might as well go ahead and add this to his playbook. This time Chandler’s defender got caught going underneath the flare leaving him wide open from three. These shots are going to go in at an extremely high percentage.

Athleticism to Score it Off the Bounce

There are going to be obvious comparisons made between Collin Chandler and Reed Sheppard. First of all, white guys always get compared to white guys. Secondly, there are some similarities to their games. Both are excellent athletes and elite shooters. Sheppard has a tighter handle and is probably a bit quicker, but Chandler is taller and longer. He will need to get stronger, like most freshmen, and has to tighten up the handle enough to change directions consistently and create his own shot. However, the overall skill package is there. His athleticism allows him to elevate in the mid-range to get clean looks. Also, his perimeter shooting ability will allow him to attack closeouts and some inside the arc.

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Collin Chandler’s role at Kentucky is likely to be that of a jump shooter. He is going to be at his best as a catch-and-shoot threat beyond the arc or shooting one or two dribble pull-ups. Look at the elevation he gets in this clip. Quick spin move, one dribble that covers a lot of ground, and then stays on balance to elevate. This shot translates to the college level.

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When you are an elite shooter with high-level athleticism you don’t have to be super crafty off of the bounce. Chandler is always going to have his defender chasing over the top of screens and will attract secondary attention on the perimeter. This allows him to get downhill and use his athleticism to finish as you see here. When you factor in the space that Coach Pope’s offenses usually operate you don’t have to work too hard to envision Chandler doing this in a Kentucky uniform.

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The ability to change direction and make multiple dribble moves in sequence is an area where Collin Chandler will work to continue to expand his game. However, it is far from nonexistent right now. He showcases a quick first step off of the left-to-right crossover to get downhill. Then, he beats the secondary defender with a hesitation move on the baseline. Finally, Chandler finishes around-the-rim protection with a crafty left-hand reverse layup. You might not see this a lot right away at Kentucky, but plays like this are how Chandler reaches his ceiling.

Won’t Hurt You Defensively

Most of Big Blue Nation’s first question with any recruit this cycle will be, “But can he defend?” That is what happens after a season where the Wildcats finished seventh in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, but 109th in adjusted defensive efficiency. It is no secret that improvement will be necessary on that end of the floor. Generally speaking, no freshman should be relied upon to come in and make a significant impact as a defender. However, while Collin Chandler might not win any awards, he likely won’t hurt you defensively. On3’s Senior National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw had this to say about Chandler when he was coming out of high school, “he competes on the defensive end, moves well laterally, and in the passing lanes.”

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Plays like this are why it’ll be easy for the Reed Sheppard comparisons to fly. Chandler’s teammate turns the ball over, but he saves the day with an incredible chase-down block. It takes a great deal of athleticism to make this play without fouling. Expect to see some highlight reel plays like this if Chandler is able to earn consistent minutes as a freshman.

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Kentucky fans might recognize Reed Sheppard in this clip. After the ball is knocked away, Chandler is there to snatch it and takes it the other way for a slam. He can absolutely get up when left alone in the open floor.

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If you make a lazy, one-handed pass around Chandler he is going to pick it off. He plays with instincts off of the ball and looks for opportunities to shoot the passing lanes. His length and athleticism pay dividends in that area too. You can expect to see him collect some steals and cash in with dunks on the other end.

Collin Chandler Evaluation

Chandler is a long, athletic guard with good positional size. He is a bit thin and will benefit from a college strength and conditioning program, especially after a two-year hiatus from regular training, but the frame is there to fit nicely in the Southeastern Conference. There is no denying his overall shooting ability. He will be a high-percentage maker in catch-and-shoot opportunities or with the pull-up jump shot. However, he will need to speed up his release by eliminating the initial dip and potentially raising his release point as well. Being athletic enough to elevate over defenders helps to combat that specific flaw. Defenders will be forced to chase him around on the perimeter and he attracts the attention of secondary defenders. Translates immediately as a shooter with a ceiling as a secondary playmaker and all-around pure scorer.