Houben's Rookie Report: What Huefner could bring to the Wildcats

• College returnee Cameron Huefner signed a three-year deal with the Perth Wildcats with the first season as a development player
• Huefner played three years at Sam Houston State, receiving recognition as a Conference USA All-Conference honourable mention in his senior year
• At 6'7" he possesses the ability to stretch the floor, shooting the three at 37% on four attempts per game

All the talk has been about the big-name replacements for Bryce Cotton this offseason for the Perth Wildcats, and rightfully so, but the club's first move of free agency was the signing of a lesser-known first year pro, Cameron Huefner.

The announcement was met with little fanfare, but the Wildcats signed the Adelaide product to a three-year contract — a move reflecting a quiet confidence in the college graduate's ability to be a long-term contributor in the NBL. So, what exactly have the Wildcats found in the newly secured swingman?

Huefner played three years of college basketball at Sam Houston State, a program that moved from the Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA after Huefner’s first year at the program. Year to year, Huefner’s opportunity and production steadily grew, culminating in a senior year that saw the forward receive recognition as a Conference USA All-Conference honourable mention.

Across his collegiate career, Huefner has carved out a specific niche on the offensive end, proving to be a reliable three-point shooter across multiple seasons, shooting a combined 37.4% from outside the arc on four attempts per game, where he’s comfortable in catch and shoot situations, as well as catch and shooting off basic pin-down actions. In fact, so comfortable is Huefner having actions run for him off-ball, that his ‘off-screen’ shot type proved to be his most effective scoring situation, averaging 1.1 points per possession (ranked in the 71st percentile).

He’s not a wildly dynamic shooter, but extremely dependable, and at 6’7", possesses the size to get his shot off with minimal interference.

Huefner’s scoring versatility inside the arc is a little more shaky, with his two-point field goal percentage bouncing between an encouraging 48.9% figure in his junior year to a less optimal 40.9% his senior year as his volume increased. Huefner possesses several tools in the toolbox to off-set closeouts, including a soft floater in the lane, and some acumen as a post scorer in favourable matchups, but it appears evident that any efforts to expand into a higher volume scorer is stretching the capacity of his offensive skillset.

Thankfully for Perth, that’s not what they’d be after — Huefner is the definition of a role player at the next level. His shot profile is refined in the best way possible, built to be an off-ball foil for Perth’s higher volume stars, and his ability to play the three and four whilst contributing on the glass (6.7 rebounds per 40 as a senior) means he contributes all over the floor.

It’s clear the Wildcats see potential in Huefner long term. Wildcats general manager Danny Mills referred to Huefner as “an integral part of their long-term vision” in their press release, with head coach John Rillie citing excitement in the opportunity for him to learn under positional familiars Kristian Doolittle and Jesse Wagstaff. There are certainly parallels in the young forward’s game, particularly to a younger Wagstaff.

Huefner’s contract is full of team-side flexibility — a development player in year one, he comes onto the roster in year two, with a team option for year three. The Wildcats will definitely take their time to assess Huefner’s contributions but have given themselves the team control to account for an outcome that Huefner turns into a legitimate NBL role player.

In a comparatively weak returning college class, Huefner appears to be a savvy pickup that adds to Perth’s already impressive depth.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.