Roster Outlook: Miller Kopp
The main item on the agenda for Mike Woodson as a recruiter is the following: shooting, versatility, and more shooting. A huge step in adding this coveted outside scoring ability was adding Northwestern transfer, Miller Kopp.
Kopp, a former Rivals150 recruit, played three seasons for Chris Collins and proved to be more than capable on the Big Ten stage. However, the junior wing has never had a real taste of success at the college level and is looking to take a smaller role in return for greater win totals.
Joining Indiana gives Kopp a chance to have the best season of his collegiate career in a role that is tailor-made for his skillset.
2020-2021 Recap
2020-2021 Stats: 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 39.6% field goal, 33% 3pt
33 percent from three isn't good, but make no mistake about it -- Kopp can stroke the ball from deep. His three-point percentages do not reflect his level of marksmanship. As one of the sole sources of consistent offense for Northwestern, he has been at the top of scouting reports for the past two seasons. It takes a lot of talent to be a team's leading source of offense, and Kopp showed he could do just that.
His best season came two years ago, where he scored 13.1 points per game on 39.6 percent shooting from three. However, a lack of help has forced Kopp to score against more difficult defense while taking tougher shots. Facing this level of defense has forced him to do more than just shoot the ball and he has grown as a result.
Kopp's 23-point performance against Ohio State last season showcased all his abilities at both ends of the court. He knocked down shots from the outside but also wasn't afraid to take it to the rim when the Buckeyes drove him off the line. Kopp also had three steals in that game.
Improvements for this season
Kopp's need for improvement comes on the defensive end. He is a capable offensive player who has been the first or second option his entire career. However, he will be closer to the fourth or fifth option for Indiana. Kopp is already more than suited to play that role. He just needs to be able to knock down threes with efficiency.
Defensively, Kopp is decent but could stand to improve. His 6-foot-7 frame gives him a fighting chance when guarding wings and guards, but he doesn't move laterally very well. This results in him getting beat off the dribble by quicker players.
Increasing side-to-side quickness is key for Kopp as he tries to conform to Mike Woodson's desire to have switchable players. If he can go from holding his own to being a positive on defense, it will take his game up another level.
Expectations for this season
Kopp's situation is comparable to former Hoosier Nick Zeisloft. In two seasons at Illinois State, Zeisloft shot 37.3 percent from three on four attempts per game. In two seasons as a Hoosier, he bumped those three-point shooting numbers up to 43.2 percent on 4.3 attempts per game.
Nothing changed about Zeisloft's ability to shoot. The reason for his dramatic improvement was due to the higher quality of looks. Kopp is set up for success in the same way. Instead of carrying an offense, he can score primarily without the ball and feast on high-quality looks.
Teams will be trying to clamp down on Trayce Jackson-Davis, Xavier Johnson, Parker Stewart, which should result in more wide-open looks for Kopp. Kopp should take around five threes per game and convert on at least 40 percent of them.
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