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| (Photo Credit: SLAM Philippines) |
Name: Troy Mallillin
Age: 18
School/Team: LSGH Greenies
Years of eligibility left: 0 (Graduating)
Committed to: None (Choosing between UST, NU, Ateneo)
Height: 6'3"
Position: Combo Forward
Projected Position: Small Forward/Shooting Guard/Point Forward
Quick Hits
Strengths:
- Strong, college-ready body
- Athleticism is off the charts
- Speed is already fit for his ideal position
- Versatile thanks to blend of size, athleticism, and skill
- Very high upside
Weaknesses:
- Relatively raw
- Has to work on his jump shot
- Handle needs improving but is workable
- Effort on defense is inconsistent
Troy is best known as the NCAA MVP, but receiving the title of MVP is a tricky thing. Just because you were the MVP in the High School division doesn't mean that you'll be able to replicate those feats on the collegiate level. Former NCAA Juniors MVP Prince Rivero is undersized compared to other college big men, while brother Ricci Rivero's game is still raw paired with a physique which is still relatively thin for an athletic wing like him.
Mallillin happens to be a fusion of sorts of the two brothers. He isn't as athletic as Ricci, nor is he as strong as Prince. But he's definitely stronger and much more athletic compared to his other peers. With the blend of those two qualities, Troy managed to bulldoze his way to the MVP.
Now the challenge for him is, will he be able to mesh these two skills in order for him to make it big in the Collegiate level with the Green Archers? Better yet, will Troy be able to become the future King Archer which some fans expect him to be? To answer that, we'll be analyzing four key components of a player's game: Offense, Defense, Physical Tools and Basketball IQ/Intangibles.
Offense
Troy averaged 19 points in his final year with the La Salle Greenhills program, but it's important to ask just HOW did he manage to score those points of his?
To put it simply, Mallillin got his points by using his incredibly strong frame to get points inside the paint. Troy is a tank. As simple as that. You're going to try and outmuscle him down low? Sorry, it isn't happening. Troy is crazy strong, and no one in the High School level could match his strength. Can anyone in the collegiate level match his strength? Sure, definitely, but only a number can. That's crazy impressive considering he's only about to enter college AS A FRESHMAN.
That's not to say that he just gets his points by getting other people out of his ways. After all, you can't win MVP by just being strong. You need to blend it with some semblance of skill, and Troy managed to do just that. He has a soft touch around the rim, and he has a jumper which is already decent enough. It isn't excellent to the point that you have to stick to him around the perimeter, but you have to take note of that jumper once he gets free from the perimeter. From time to time as well, he'd penetrate using his strength to get to the rim.
With that being said, there's still plenty to work with. First, he has to work on that jumper and turn it from good to great. Getting to do that turns Troy into a solid off-ball option at the very least. Think John Lloyd Clemente except more athletic and jacked up. Second, he has to improve on his handle. He managed to survive High School with subpar ball-handling skills. In the collegiate level, that can't happen. He'd easily get stripped of the ball if he doesn't improve on the ball-handling skills that he has now. Third, his passing needs work. He only averaged one assist per game in his MVP year, and if he wants to be anywhere close King Archer level, dishing out one assist per game isn't enough.
There are holes in his offensive game, but there's plenty to work with. Right now, he's a spark off the bench with his athleticism and okay shooting. But if he's able to work on all of his skills? He could very well turn into a much more athletic Jeron Teng. A tank who drives to the paint for easy buckets, but is also able to create for others. Since Coach Aldin Ayo is supposedly intent on transforming Troy into a Point Forward, it could very well happen.
To put it simply, Mallillin got his points by using his incredibly strong frame to get points inside the paint. Troy is a tank. As simple as that. You're going to try and outmuscle him down low? Sorry, it isn't happening. Troy is crazy strong, and no one in the High School level could match his strength. Can anyone in the collegiate level match his strength? Sure, definitely, but only a number can. That's crazy impressive considering he's only about to enter college AS A FRESHMAN.
That's not to say that he just gets his points by getting other people out of his ways. After all, you can't win MVP by just being strong. You need to blend it with some semblance of skill, and Troy managed to do just that. He has a soft touch around the rim, and he has a jumper which is already decent enough. It isn't excellent to the point that you have to stick to him around the perimeter, but you have to take note of that jumper once he gets free from the perimeter. From time to time as well, he'd penetrate using his strength to get to the rim.
With that being said, there's still plenty to work with. First, he has to work on that jumper and turn it from good to great. Getting to do that turns Troy into a solid off-ball option at the very least. Think John Lloyd Clemente except more athletic and jacked up. Second, he has to improve on his handle. He managed to survive High School with subpar ball-handling skills. In the collegiate level, that can't happen. He'd easily get stripped of the ball if he doesn't improve on the ball-handling skills that he has now. Third, his passing needs work. He only averaged one assist per game in his MVP year, and if he wants to be anywhere close King Archer level, dishing out one assist per game isn't enough.
There are holes in his offensive game, but there's plenty to work with. Right now, he's a spark off the bench with his athleticism and okay shooting. But if he's able to work on all of his skills? He could very well turn into a much more athletic Jeron Teng. A tank who drives to the paint for easy buckets, but is also able to create for others. Since Coach Aldin Ayo is supposedly intent on transforming Troy into a Point Forward, it could very well happen.
Defense
Troy wasn't Arvin Tolentino bad defensively in High School, but he wasn't someone who you would expect to shut down the opposing team's best player.
That's not to say that he doesn't have the tools to be a good defender. He has long arms, decent lateral speed, and is strong enough to defend bigs down low. But his issue lies with the amount of effort that he puts in the defensive end, and his IQ. In terms of effort, it's understandable that he preserves his energy for the sake of producing offensively. But he has to learn to put in the right amount of effort in stopping other players. He doesn't have to one on one shut down another player like Kawhi Leonard. Simple things such as rotating correctly, or even as simple as going for blocked shots can already help. He has the athletic tools to do these things anyway, he just has to put in the effort for him to do these well.
In terms of IQ, it's somehow related to the amount of effort he puts in. Don't mistake this as me calling Troy dumb defensively. He isn't. It just that, because of the lack of effort that he puts up, his decision making defensively is also affected. Put in the right amount of effort, and Troy turns into a plus in the defensive end.
That's not to say that he doesn't have the tools to be a good defender. He has long arms, decent lateral speed, and is strong enough to defend bigs down low. But his issue lies with the amount of effort that he puts in the defensive end, and his IQ. In terms of effort, it's understandable that he preserves his energy for the sake of producing offensively. But he has to learn to put in the right amount of effort in stopping other players. He doesn't have to one on one shut down another player like Kawhi Leonard. Simple things such as rotating correctly, or even as simple as going for blocked shots can already help. He has the athletic tools to do these things anyway, he just has to put in the effort for him to do these well.
In terms of IQ, it's somehow related to the amount of effort he puts in. Don't mistake this as me calling Troy dumb defensively. He isn't. It just that, because of the lack of effort that he puts up, his decision making defensively is also affected. Put in the right amount of effort, and Troy turns into a plus in the defensive end.
Physical Tools
If there's a reason to be excited for Troy, it's this. His offensive skills are still relatively raw and he needs work defensively. In terms of his physical tools, Troy is a beast through and through.
The first thing that you'll notice is how strong the body of Troy is. He has a strong body overall, capable of finishing down low with his strong upper body and he's able to box out others with his strong lower body. He's college-ready physically. There's no doubt about that.
Blended with his size is the athletic ability that he has. He has hops, that's for sure. Pair this with a strong frame, and Troy is someone who will get rebounds over other defenders no matter what the case may be. At the same time, he has decent agility as well. Mallillin isn't as speedy as say, Ricci Rivero, but he's fast enough to keep defenses honest every time he drives to the rim.
Troy is something special physically. There's a reason why he was able to play against much older players back when he was still playing in Marikina. He has awesome athletic ability, and a frame that screams "GET OUT OF MY WAY".
The first thing that you'll notice is how strong the body of Troy is. He has a strong body overall, capable of finishing down low with his strong upper body and he's able to box out others with his strong lower body. He's college-ready physically. There's no doubt about that.
Blended with his size is the athletic ability that he has. He has hops, that's for sure. Pair this with a strong frame, and Troy is someone who will get rebounds over other defenders no matter what the case may be. At the same time, he has decent agility as well. Mallillin isn't as speedy as say, Ricci Rivero, but he's fast enough to keep defenses honest every time he drives to the rim.
Troy is something special physically. There's a reason why he was able to play against much older players back when he was still playing in Marikina. He has awesome athletic ability, and a frame that screams "GET OUT OF MY WAY".
Basketball IQ/Intangibles
Troy isn't the kind of player who just screams intangibles. He isn't a vocal leader by any means, and his Basketball IQ isn't something which gets people talking. He's a physical beast who's smart enough, just not overly smart in the level of guys like SJ Belangel.
There's work to be done with regards to his intangibles, that's for sure. First, he has to learn how to be a bit more vocal. It's been mentioned before how Troy isn't your stereotypical La Salle Greenhills graduate. He isn't someone who you would expect to see around parties socializing around other people. He's rather laidback, who'd choose to stay silent rather than confront other pwople around him. It's not a bad thing. But Troy being a bit more vocal certainly wouldn't hurt.
In terms of his IQ, a little more understanding is needed. Making the correct decisions with the basketball is definitely needed, and knowing what things to do defensively is something that will only do him good.
These criticisms of Troy's IQ/Intangibles don't mean that he's bad. He's a well-versed basketball player, and he's capable of communicating with his teammates. It's just a matter of him improving, so that he'll become an even better player than who he is now.
There's work to be done with regards to his intangibles, that's for sure. First, he has to learn how to be a bit more vocal. It's been mentioned before how Troy isn't your stereotypical La Salle Greenhills graduate. He isn't someone who you would expect to see around parties socializing around other people. He's rather laidback, who'd choose to stay silent rather than confront other pwople around him. It's not a bad thing. But Troy being a bit more vocal certainly wouldn't hurt.
In terms of his IQ, a little more understanding is needed. Making the correct decisions with the basketball is definitely needed, and knowing what things to do defensively is something that will only do him good.
These criticisms of Troy's IQ/Intangibles don't mean that he's bad. He's a well-versed basketball player, and he's capable of communicating with his teammates. It's just a matter of him improving, so that he'll become an even better player than who he is now.
Overall
It's not fair to expect Troy to produce at an MVP level as early as now. He's still relatively raw compared to other college players. There's still a lot of work to be done for him to even be considered as a Top 10 player in the UAAP. Right now, expect him to be a decent bench player for the uber deep Green Archers. He won't handle the ball that much given the talent-rich roster of La Salle. Expect him to be an off-ball option who thrives in the open court the most.
That doesn't mean that this is where it stops for Troy. View him as a long-term project rather than as someone who will produce now. There's plenty to work with him. He has a unique blend of athletic ability, strength, size and a developing skillset. That's the reason why he was such a highly touted prospect in the first place. That amount of upside is insane.
Clearly, his upside is something which his head coach realizes. Just imagine if Aldin Ayo is able to turn Troy into a point forward. Calling him King Archer won't sound as ridiculous as it does right now.
That doesn't mean that this is where it stops for Troy. View him as a long-term project rather than as someone who will produce now. There's plenty to work with him. He has a unique blend of athletic ability, strength, size and a developing skillset. That's the reason why he was such a highly touted prospect in the first place. That amount of upside is insane.
Clearly, his upside is something which his head coach realizes. Just imagine if Aldin Ayo is able to turn Troy into a point forward. Calling him King Archer won't sound as ridiculous as it does right now.
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