Wisconsin basketball landed their second transfer of the offseason when former Wake Forest guard Jahcobi Neath chose the Badgers. The news was originally reported by Jamie Shaw of Rivals.
The Canadian is a former three-star prospect who struggled in his second year at Wake Forest, seeing his minutes decrease and only averaging 3.8 points per game. The reason for his tough year might be a simple one. Former Wake Forest head coach Danny Manning was the one who recruited Neath, but Manning and the Demon Deacons parted ways before Neath’s sophomore campaign. Under new head coach Steve Forbes, Neath never found his footing.
The weirdest statistical difference between Neath’s two years at Wake Forest come with his shooting. The future Badger shot 48% from three as a freshman while shooting just 22.2% as a sophomore. The sample size wasn’t massive (25 and 26 shots respectively), but the stark difference is one that could determine what type of player he is in year one in Madison.
Wisconsin could use a 35-40% marksman from deep in their rotation, and Neath finding his jumper could mean the difference between him playing a significant role next year or sitting behind younger guards.
At 6-foot-3, Neath is an explosive leaper who can fly above the rim and finish with authority. His playmaking skills are there, albeit inconsistent, and he has struggled with turnover issues at Wake Forest. Due to his athletic ability, having three years in the Wisconsin program could greatly improve some of the decision making issues and inconsistencies.
The tools are there for the Wake Forest transfer to have a solid Wisconsin career, and a new coach could do him wonders.