Age

22.9

Height

6'2"

Weight

195

Workload

MIN%

80.0

USG%

27.0

TS%

60.0

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

23.8

REB

3.8

AST

3.5

STL

2.9

BLK

0.1

TOV

2.9

Efficiency

RIM FG%

42.1

MID FG%

30.8

3PT FG%

43.3

FT%

74.4

Jump to full report

Report by: Neema Djavadzadeh

Marcus Sasser

Guard University of Houston

Shifty lead guard with a lethal pull-up game and pesky on-ball defense

Age

22.9

Height

6'2"

Weight

195

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

23.8

REB

3.8

AST

3.5

STL

2.9

BLK

0.1

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Meet Marcus Sasser.

Sidelined by turf toe in his Junior year, Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser is a National Player of the Year candidate. The two level scorer was looking like a first round pick last season prior to injury, which saw him sidelined for the Cougars’ Elite 8 run. Now, he returns as the main piece of the Cougars as they look to make a championship run under Kelvin Sampson. As the top dog of the team, the bright light is shining on Sasser. With improvements to his production, he could likely be one of the first Seniors off the board come June.

Offense

Prior to injury, Sasser was struggling around the rim, shooting just 42.1%. However, this was on just 25 attempts, and he was looking to get to the rim significantly less often than in the past (4% of his plays compared to 14% his sophomore year). In the year prior, Sasser shot a respectable 58.5%, one that he is probably more likely to replicate this season. However, this is still a weak point for Sasser offensively. He is a bit contact averse around the rim, leading to a lower free throw rate. However, driving and getting to the line isn’t where Sasser does the most of his damage. The majority of his rim makes come off attacking closeouts or in transition anyway, as Sasser often elects to be a jump-shooter instead.

And rightfully so! Over 60% of Sasser’s total shot attempts as a Cougar have come from behind the arc, and for good reason. He’s a career 36.4% 3 point shooter, and was shooting 43.7% from 3 prior to injury last season. His quick release makes it hard for defenders to contest him. His ability to shoot off the dribble as well as his ball-handling combine to create a deadly deep-range scorer. Sasser shot 46% on catch and shoot 3s and 40% on off the dribble 3s, showing he can beat a defense from deep in a multitude of ways.

Sasser also gets plenty of reps as a playmaker in Houston’s offense and has shown a willingness to make the right pass. Not a great playmaker, Sasser is still able to run the PnR effectively, and could probably be more effective if he is able to improve around the rim. Playing with a strong screener and lob threat like Jarace Walker could open Sasser’s playmaking up this season, as Houston’s front court is more talented than in previous seasons.

Defense

A gritty Houston defense can definitely attribute to the energy of Sasser’s defense, but after 4 years of Kelvin Sampson, it probably becomes second nature. Sasser excels on his instincts defensively, disrupting PnRs by navigating through screens and reading passing lanes before they even open at times. Sasser does a great job of interrupting the flow of the other teams offense. Either knocking balls loose on drives, helping onto players to disrupt their movement or blocking off passing lanes.

As an off-ball defender, he glues onto his man and fights through screens well. Houston likes to switch, especially with their small size so Sasser has experience guarding up, albeit not great at it. He is often beat by longer or quicker defenders, however his 6’7″ wingspan does help him engulf other guards. At the very least, Sasser can be expected to hold his own defensively against guard players.

Conclusion

In his first game of the season, Sasser scored 21 points on 50% shooting from the field and from deep. He showed off his defensive intensity against a poor Northern Colorado team, swarming them from the jump, leading to 4 steals. Becoming a better scorer inside the arc will be key for Sasser, but it is a jump-shooters league at the next level. As long as the 3 continues to fall, and Houston continues to run through Sasser, he could likely become a National Player of the Year, and earn a roster spot in the NBA next season.

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