Player: MJ Rice
Height: 6'5
School: Kansas
In his first season as a Jayhawk, Rice finished the season averaging 2.2ppg, 1.0rpg, and shot 41 percent from the court, as he played in a total of 23 games as a freshman. Though he saw action in games, he only averaged 7.5mpg; coming out of high school, Rice was ranked as one of the top players in his class and should garner a ton of interest from schools all around.
Phenom Hoops Has Said:
'Rice is already noted as one of the top players in the country for his class but it is always nice to get a reminder of just how talented this young man is. He did that right away in his first game, going for an easy 35 points and then backing that up with another impressive performance. Rice is simply an unfair matchup with his size, strength, and offensive game. Whether he is going to body up defenders and bully his way to the basket, finishing strong around the rim or show that he can be that outside threat, he has everything you would like in a prospect; simply dominant. Rice also does a tremendous job in showing that he can operate and impact the floor in every area, as teams are looking and trying to figure out a way to slow him down. They couldn't this weekend in Rock Hill but it looked also like just another day at the office for the star.' – Patrick O'Brien
'The Durham native and 10th ranked player nationally in ESPN's 2022 rankings, is coming off a junior year averaging 19.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field and 33% from three. Rice is such a sought-after recruit because of his combination of strength and finesse. He is a mismatch for several defenders. He is able to use his strength and athleticism to break opponents down off the bounce and attack the basket, where he finishes above the rim and through contact. He also has the ability to knock down the perimeter shot, making him that much harder to contain. Defensively, Rice is capable of guarding multiple positions.' – Colby Lewis
'From when we use to watch him in North Carolina to where he is today, you can easily see that this young man has worked tirelessly on his game. He has continued to expand his feel and scoring out to the perimeter and can now truly operate on all levels and take advantage of the mismatch on the court, especially with his strength and frame to body down low as well. He is just absolutely relentless offensively and there aren't many that can slow him down.' – Patrick O'Brien from St. James Invitational
'Rice was simply outstanding with what he showed at the camp. Beforehand, many looked at Rice with his frame and build as he could physically dominate opponents. But if you haven't seen Rice in a while, his game has continued to grow in a big way. Initiating the offense, knocking down from three and mid-range jumpers, as well as take over with his physicality, Rice is rounding out his game in a big way. The sophomore is dominant on both ends of the floor and showed why he is one of the top prospects in 2022.'
