Connor Hickman 6'3 G transfer commit (Bradley)

[GoBearcats31]

Connor Hickman has committed to UC
https://twitter.com/connor1035/statu...82360764637419

6'3, 200 lbs.
Bloomington, IN
1 year of eligibility
2023-24 stats: 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 40.2% 3, 70.1% FT
14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 32 mins. at UC in the NIT

[leo from jersey]

Now I can say groovy -- Way to go CWM and staff

[Bearcats_Rule]

40 from 3 and 70 at line.. gotta love that!

[bearcatbret]

If I recall correctly, he is a volume shooter.

[sedz]

This is great news. Hickman has one of the best statistical profiles of any transfer. He's a highly efficient player.

[swilsonsp4]

Welcome to Bearcat Land, Conner!

The IU 247sports.com board members (except the staff) are stunned. They can't believe a hometown hero would pass them over.

[sedz]

Hickman had a BPM of 4.7 last season, which as of right now is tied for #30 in the portal and #2 among combo guards (20+ minutes). It's just a tick below the 4.8 BPM put up by Dan and Aziz. Hickman's offensive BPM of 3.8 would have been best on our team. His defense isn't great, but not horrible either, with a 0.9 defensive BPM that's in line with Jizzle and Simas.

[sedz]

Here's a highlight reel with stats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtpIvUGYMn4

Hickman has a similar game to Fredrick, but a little more versatile. He gets to the rim more often and is capable of dunking (only 4 times in his career though). He's good from midrange (49%), a decent passer (18% assist rate), and takes care of the ball (15% turnover rate). He's not great in PnR, but deadly as a spot up shooter (67% effective field goals, which equals 45% from three). And he's a high usage guy, with a 23% usage rate that's comparable to Day Day, Jizzle, and Dan - significantly higher than Newman or Fredrick.

This is the efficient, high usage guard we've been missing.

[leo from jersey]

welcome Connor -- Here is the deal maker ----Beat X.

[Rufus]

Yes beat X and welcome to Bearcat nation.

[bearcatbret]

TRANSFER NEWS: Connor Hickman Moves to Cincinnati for Final Season | Fan Recap
BIG MOVE: Hickman Leaves Bradley for Cincinnati Bearcats, Aims to Boost Their Game | Fan Recap - ten 3-pointers in a single game to score 28 points???????

[GoBearcats31]

A perhaps interesting note on Hickman -- what should have been his last go around in AAU ball was limited or canceled altogether due to COVID. I heard Zach Osterman of the Indy Star (IU beat writer) mention this on a pod posted on YouTube before the commitment, and Chad Brendel also mentioned something to that effect on last night's Bearcat Journal BBP podcast. In other words, it is possible he might have played his way into offers at bigger programs than Bradley coming out of high school, but his recruitment was affected by the pandemic.

[GoBearcats31]

BCJ article https://247sports.com/college/cincin...-uc-230501042/

Some good quotes (plus a hilarious photo of Chad Dollar in the article):

"I could just feel their excitement about the team they are going to have next year. I really wanted to be a part of that because I think it'll be something special."

"He couldn't wait to tell me everything about how they play, the guys they're bringing back, their plan for me next year, and the team in general. I mean, you could feel his excitement."

"Jizzle you know, he's a freshman, but you could really see he found his stride in the NIT," Hickman said. "I really felt that when I played with him, he's very, very tough to guard. He's great in the mid-range, he's going to be a great player. Dan Skillings, you can kind of feel his energy out there when he played. You just can tell that he loves to play. He's a great athlete. He's only going to keep getting better. ... Then [Simas] is just kind of that veteran guy who can obviously shoot the ball, but he was also a very, very smart player. Aziz, he's a great lob threat and a great athlete. From meeting him today and what I've heard from the coaches, he's also a great player."

"I always knew that, maybe I'm not the greatest athlete or not the most talented player, but I know how to make the right play. I'm competitive and I love to win. So I thought I could bring those intangible things to Cincinnati and prove that I can play with the best of them."

[Longtime Lurker]

I love it. Maybe a little chip on the shoulder from feeling underrecruited-that's fueled so many of our favorite Bearcats.

[GoBearcats31]

UC had made this official
https://twitter.com/GoBearcatsMBB/st...06493669605483


https://gobearcats.com/news/2024/4/18/basketball-inks-transfers-hickman-page.aspx

Wes Miller: "Connor is a great addition to our program. He's a proven winner that has been a major part of an undefeated team at Bloomington South High School, an undefeated grassroots team with Indiana Elite and a Missouri Valley Conference championship team at Bradley (2022-23). He's played for great coaches and is well-prepared for what it takes to compete in the Big 12. He's a tough, mature and dynamic guard. He's a great fit for our program."

Good nugget here - Hickman also stood out in the Braves' weight room. His vertical is 40.5", and his 28 reps on the bench would also be an NBA Combine record.