The Anomalous Aggie: Breaking Down Mason Falslev's Unique Game
Mason Falslev's development this season has been pivotal for Utah State's unprecedented success, but what makes the dynamic combo guard so...dynamic
Suffering from success; a philosophy that Utah State’s men's basketball program has been forced to adopt over the past several seasons. To end a very successful 2022-23 season, the Aggies fell to Missouri in the first-round of the NCAA tournament. This led to them losing their head coach, Ryan Odom, and several key contributors to VCU. They made a quick turnaround the next year as new hire Danny Sprinkle led the new look Aggies to another stellar season; this one ending in a second-round loss to eventual national runner-up Purdue. Sprinkle’s debut season with the team would also be his last, as he accepted the Washington job following that tournament loss, bringing Mountain West Player of the Year Great Osobor along with him. That brings us to this season, as the Aggies now find themselves led by former Youngstown State skipper Jerrod Calhoun. Despite their unprecedented staff and roster turnover, Utah State is currently sitting at 24-4 and heading towards their third straight NCAA tournament berth. So, how have the Aggies, a mid-major program, managed to maintain such unordinary success?
There are probably several adequate answers to that question, but I point toward a select group of players as the primary catalyst for the team’s success. In fact, two names in particular stand above the rest: Ian Martinez and Mason Falslev. While Martinez has been fantastic this season, leading the team in points for his senior campaign, it’s Falslev who I want to take a closer look at today. The redshirt sophomore is one of the most interesting underclassmen in the nation; a player who has proven to be incredibly productive despite his undeniably unique playstyle. So, what does Falslev do on the court to separate himself from his peers, how well has he set up his team for tournament success this season, and what do his future prospects look like?
Player Profile:
Mason Falslev is a 6’3” and 200lb redshirt sophomore combo guard from Benson, Utah. He starred at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah before joining the Aggies, graduating in 2020 before serving a mission to Brazil. Despite his stardom at Sky View, he was an unheralded three-star recruit out of high school, holding offers from only Utah State and the University of Utah, where he originally committed to play in 2018 before pivoting to the Aggies once he returned from his mission. He redshirted for the 2022-23 season, as Utah State wasn’t in need of extended backcourt depth, before making his official college basketball debut a year later for the 2023-24 season.
Falslev immediately proved to be productive for the Aggies, scoring 17 points in his first organized basketball game in over three years. He went on to post averages of 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and .3 blocks per game on shooting splits of 56.2% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc, and 64.2% from the free-throw line during his redshirt freshman season.
While his first season with Utah State made it clear that Falslev would be a productive college player, it’s been this season that has cemented him as a potential NBA prospect. So far this year, through 28 games, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.4 steals, and .1 blocks per game on splits of 50.2% from the field, 40.6% from the three-point line, and 56.4% from the charity stripe. He has improved in nearly every category; all while being forced to shoulder a heavier load for the Aggies than he did last season. The question is, apart from roster turnover, what is he doing this year that has led to such dramatic improvement?
Interior Scoring:
Falslev’s offensive skillset is incredibly unique, and his interior scoring is a big reason for that. His well-rounded scoring abilities at the rim are atypical for a small guard, which is exactly why he’s so effective when operating at this range. Not only are opponents not used to defending players like Falslev, but once they do figure out how to slow him down, he’s able to pivot to other elements of his game. His versatility as an interior scorer is already professional-like, and it’s something he’ll be able to hang his hat on throughout his collegiate career.
He possesses a handful of traits that make him an effective on-ball interior scorer, as well as others that limit his ceiling in this department. His ability to accelerate and decelerate on a dime is probably the most important aspect of his game at this level. His quickness enables every other element of his game to work to his advantage. He has an okay handle, but he’s not a good enough ball handler to create consistent space as an on-ball operative, so his ability to accelerate past defenders is vital to create that space. His deceleration skills allow him to maintain that space by throwing off his defender’s timing, giving him better opportunities as a finisher around the rim. He is an impressive finisher with strong touch once he reaches the hoop, but without his strong acceleration he probably wouldn’t get there in the first place.
Because Falslev lacks a few key traits that make elite on-ball scorers elite, he has been forced to adapt to an off-ball role. The good news is that he’s an excellent off-ball scorer. He’s even faster without the ball in his hands, forcing his matchups to sprint marathons throughout games. He’s fantastic at finding open space away from the ball, and he’s an even better finisher in these situations than he is when he’s creating his own shot. He gets off the floor incredibly quickly, so if he receives a pass in a position to immediately go up for a layup he often does so before his defender is able to recover. His herky-jerky start-stop acceleration also applies here, as he utilizes it to consistently get open. All in all, he’s as good as it gets finding strong position without the ball and he creates a ton of easy points around the rim because of this.
A reoccurring theme you will notice in this article is just how effective Falslev is on fast break opportunities. As a scorer, he’s an effective option both on- and off-the-ball. With the ball in his hands, he does similar things to what he does in the half court, but without the limitations as a space creator. Against weakened defenses on transition opportunities, he doesn’t have to worry about his usual concerns as a ball handler and is able to take the ball directly to the hoop in most cases. Without the ball he’s excellent at streaking to the hoop, often times becoming the lob threat that he isn’t in the half court. He’s not a great vertical athlete, but he’s a capable lob finisher if the defense fails to put a body on him. Overall, when Falslev is involved in a fast break situation, his team is going to score more often than not.
Mid-Range Scoring:
Falslev does a lot of his work in the mid-range, giving defenders a ton of issues with his intriguing scoring package from this range. In my opinion, this is where he looks the most like a professional, as he’s considerably more comfortable with the ball in his hands in the mid-range than he is anywhere else. When he’s able to penetrate into this part of the floor; he all of a sudden adds physicality to his already elite craftiness and footwork. In addition to that, he maintains his strong off-ball abilities, making this the most well-rounded aspect of his scoring arsenal. This is both a negative and a positive, as you would much rather him be at his best near the hoop or beyond the arc, but for the time being I still subscribe to the “If it works, it works” philosophy.
As I mentioned, the physicality that Falslev has developed in these situations is not something we see in him elsewhere. On occasion, he can be a tough finisher around the rim, but nothing like how he is in these scenarios. He’s not afraid to throw his body into a bigger defender or put his back to the basket to create space, a trait that has proven successful for smaller guards at higher levels of the sport (see, Jalen Brunson). When switched onto a front court player he will still attempt to back them down, but is able to quickly shift to a footwork-focused strategy if need be. By creating space these ways, he doesn’t have to rely on his average ball handling skills, instead utilizing skills that we typically see from wings and forwards. Much to the theme of this entire article, it’s difficult to deny the uniqueness of his playstyle and effectiveness from this range.
Where he looks more like your average smaller guard from this range is on his floaters and soft touch shots. If defenders don’t step to him quick enough to stop his downhill momentum and force him into his back-to-the-basket game, he will punish opponents with floaters. He is elite on these shots, and because of his acceleration abilities he can create the momentum necessary to get these shots off from almost anywhere on the court. He can also incorporate these shots into his post-up game, adding another layer to his already incredibly unpredictable back-down scoring arsenal. These shots will translate to higher levels of the sport when he inevitably reaches them, as they are perhaps the most important shots for a small guard to master inside of the arc at every level of the game.
Something that he does lack is a strong traditional pull-up game. He occasionally attempts these shots, and looks pretty solid when he does, but I think he lacks confidence when taking them. As we will cover soon, he’s not a great off-the-dribble outside shooter, and I think he knows that’s the case from this range as well. He has the deceleration abilities necessary to be a good pull-up jump shooter, but he just doesn’t seem overly comfortable taking off-the-dribble shots from anywhere outside of the low post. Perhaps this is something that he can develop down the road alongside a stronger on-ball outside shooting game, but for the time being it’s difficult to project him being a good volume shooter on these attempts.
Outside Shooting:
Here is where things start to get super strange, and that’s because his shooting habits from beyond the arc are so incredibly vanilla. It’s unusual for him to be predictable in any area of the game, but his game from the perimeter is relatively uniform at all times. Almost all of his shots from long range come on off-ball actions, and he’s been very impressive on these attempts so far this season. He’s shooting over 40% from deep on just under four attempts per game, and his growth as an outside shooter is one of the biggest reasons why Utah State’s offense has been so potent this year. That said, it’s important to analyze the entire picture when evaluating him as an outside shooter, because there are some indicators suggesting this could be an outlier shooting season for Falslev.
For a guy who does so much of his work on the offensive end while moving his feet, he’s very strong on standstill catch-and-shoot attempts from deep. As far as professional production is concerned, this is probably the most promising element of his beyond-the-arc arsenal. Almost all of his issues as a shooter occur when he puts the ball on the floor, suggesting that he’s simply not the greatest movement shooter. At the very least, he’s worse with movement than he is with his feet planted. So, while some statistics point toward his development as a sharpshooter being somewhat fraudulent, I do expect him to maintain strong numbers on catch-and-shoot looks throughout his career.
Even his “moving” attempts from beyond the arc don’t involve a ton of movement. For the most part, his movement on these looks is restricted to rhythm steps. That said, him looking comfortable and confident when taking those rhythm steps could suggest that a more well-rounded movement shooting package may come down the road. That development could be well into the future, which is always concerning for an older player like Falslev. Much like his standstill catch-and-shoot looks, I feel relatively confident that his growth in this area is real, but I’m not entirely convinced. I would like to see him maintain his 40+% output throughout the remainder of the season to build confidence in his outlook as an outside shooter.
I watched a ton of his games from this season (probably around fifteen) in preparation for this article, and this dribble-out three following an offensive rebound was the only real off-the-dribble three I remember him making. I’m not sure what it is, but he’s just not a very good off-the-dribble shooter from either the perimeter or just inside of it. His incredibly poor free-throw shooting percentages throughout the first two seasons of his college career further suggests a low ceiling and even lower floor as a deep threat. He also doesn’t attempt a great volume of outside shots, as I would like him to take over five attempts per game at his current percentage. All in all, I’m comfortable projecting Falslev to be a solid outside shooter throughout the rest of his college career, but if his numbers do fall off next season, I wouldn’t be incredibly shocked.
Passing & Playmaking:
Falslev’s swing skill is probably his passing, an element of his game that I think flies under the radar. His 3.8 assists per game is a solid number no doubt, but I believe he’s a far better passer and playmaker than that number suggests. His off-ball acumen has led to deflated assist numbers, and if he were ever able to transition into a full-time point guard role, I believe he could become a 5-6+ assist per game player. He’s an excellent processor with an advanced understanding of his gravity and when to release to a teammate near the hoop or to an open shooter beyond the arc. Everything we’ve talked about so far regarding his scoring ability allows him to manipulate the defense, which makes his job as a passer significantly easier.
He’s at his best as a passer once he has penetrated the paint, forcing defenders to collapse on him if they don’t want him to go to work as a scorer from this range. He has perfect release timing, finding teammates as soon as their defender gets far enough away from them that recovery isn’t an option. This is also where he’s at his best finding teammates along the perimeter, as his gravity often leaves open shooters standing still beyond the arc. Utah State is an excellent three-point shooting team, making this skill an incredibly dangerous one in his current situation. This elite productivity within a three-point shooting focused offense is a big reason why I think Falslev could potentially succeed in the NBA, a league in the midst of a three-point renaissance.
Falslev is an excellent overhead entry passer, specifically when throwing lobs to rolling bigs. His ability to consistently put these passes on a dime from the perimeter is a skill that not many players possess. He’s able to throw these passes over taller defenders and is lethal when defenders fail to switch and leave two opponents facing him. His ability to maintain his composure and deliver perfect passes in these situations is something we only see from the best floor generals in the game. That said, Falslev isn’t a floor general; he’s an off-ball agent. It’s his elite passing abilities that suggest just how good he could be if he was able to transition into a full-time facilitator role.
As I mentioned, Falslev is a legitimate weapon in transition. Not only is he a very effective scorer both with and without the ball, but he’s also a very talented fast-paced passer. He gets the ball down the court incredibly quickly, regularly throwing full court passes on a dime the second the ball touches his fingers. His teammates have gotten incredibly good at getting loose in the fast break as soon as they see Falslev going up for a rebound, and he’s gotten even better at finding them. When he does decide to keep the ball in his hands, or when he himself receives a down-court pass, he suddenly becomes an elite lob passer to teammates who stick with him on the break. All in all, he’s incredibly effective as a scorer and passer in these situations, making him an almost unstoppable threat in the open court.
Defense:
Falslev is an interesting defender, because he does what he needs to do to succeed but still has a relatively low ceiling on this end of the floor. He averages a staggering 2.4 steals per game, a number that is directly related to his elite feel for the game, advanced timing, and solid hands. He’s a pest, primarily operating away from the ball to offer support and force turnovers on blindsided opponents. He’s a post-up player’s worst nightmare, regularly coasting into the paint to strip the ball away and kickstart fast break opportunities. That said, he has legitimate flaws on the defensive end, and players with a similar defensive outlook as Falslev don’t always have the strongest defensive reputations at the professional level.
There’s no denying that Falslev is an annoying defender. He’s the type of player that you despise matching up against when you go out for a pick-up game. He constantly pesters and prods opponents who are more focused on their primary defender than they are on Falslev. He’s also solid in passing lanes, utilizing his quick first step, impressive timing, and good hands to snag steals out of the air when opponents make a lazy pass. However, small guards with good defensive instincts who are better away from the ball than on it don’t always have the strongest defensive outlooks in the pros (see, Reed Sheppard just last year). These players can still be solid defenders, but they won’t be as effective against professional opponents as they are against collegiate ones.
As a primary defender, Falslev has an intriguing game. He’s not great against quick guards or athletic wings, as his limited athleticism is often exposed by these players. He’s not a bad lateral mover, but he’s not great at recovering once he’s been beaten and he’s not strong enough to stand up opponents once they’re near the basket. That said, his peskiness does translate to his on-ball defense, especially when he finds himself switched onto poor ball handlers. He’s great against stretch bigs, as they are perimeter players who he can stick with laterally. He does generate a solid number of steals in these situations, but obviously he doesn’t find himself in these spots incredibly often.
As far as rim protection and shot blocking is concerned, I doubt it will come as a shock to you that he isn’t very effective. Not only is he a 6’3” guard who is rarely in position to protect the hoop, but he’s also not much of a vertical athlete. Sometimes you’ll see similar players picking up blocks on the help side, but Falslev doesn’t even go up for them. I’m fine with this, as it limits his fouls and allows him to stay on the court, which is significantly more important for his team than the occasional block.
I’ll include this here even if it doesn’t technically fit; Falslev is an excellent rebounding guard. He does most of his work on the defensive glass, a system decision that allows Utah State to quickly get into the fast break. That said, he does grab more offensive rebounds than you would expect and is great at quickly getting off the ground once he does snags them for easy baskets. I’m not sure how well this will translate to higher levels in the future as he is a small guard without much leaping ability, but I’m fairly confident projecting him to be an above average rebounder relative to his peers.
Summary:
Before I summarize Falslev’s game, I want to list out any and all of his weaknesses and flaws. I include this disclaimer in all my player breakdowns, but it’s important to remember that every player has flaws and that these should be seen as areas in need of improvement. It’s also important to remember that Falslev was away from the game for three years, so his development path is probably going to be significantly different than most players, making his growth in certain areas more difficult to predict.
Despite being a twitchy mover with fantastic stop-start acceleration, his handle lags behind the rest of his body, limiting his on-ball capabilities.
While he is a solid finisher around the rim, he avoids contact at all costs to limit his trips to the charity stripe. This shouldn’t be the case considering that he’s an effective finisher through said contact.
Because he doesn’t get off the ground well, much of his at-the-rim offense is quickly snuffed out by good rim protectors. His floater is useful in these situations, but that shot is only available when he’s farther from the hoop.
His traditional pull-up game is poor, and he rarely even attempts these shots. This is almost a required shot for players of Falslev’s archetype, and his inability to make them and avoidance of taking them will hold him back in the long term.
He doesn’t take off-the-dribble threes, which is strange for a 6’3” combo guard who has the ball in his hands quite often. It’s even stranger considering how good of a shooting season he is putting together. This raises questions about his long-term outlook as a shooter.
He’s an awful free-throw shooter, just awful. He’s about as bad from the charity stripe as I’ve ever seen from a guard. His mechanics totally fall apart as soon as he steps to the line. It seriously seems like a case of the yips, and it’s been an ongoing case for two years now.
He’s a below average on-ball defender, mostly because of his athletic and size limitations. These are not things he can make substantial improvements in, which leads to concerns regarding his long-term outlook as a defender.
He isn’t an effective help side rim protector, but I’m not sure how real of a concern this is. I highly doubt a coaching staff will ever be overly upset about this fact, especially if he’s making a strong effort in every other defensive aspect.
Summarizing Mason Falslev’s game is a difficult thing to do, because he fits into an archetype that I’m not used to evaluating. He’s an incredibly strong off-ball guard, constantly moving in the half court to find strong scoring position at all three levels. He has shown flashes of being an effective on-ball agent, especially as a passer, but still has a long way to go as a ball handler before he can transition into a full-time point guard role. Because of his size and athletic limitations, it’s incredibly important that Falslev eventually become a real point guard. If this does happen, his game will change tremendously. I believe he could be one of the better passing guards in the nation but will have to make significant changes to his scoring arsenal to do so. That said, it’s clear that this change would maximize his ceiling and raise his floor.
For the time being, Falslev is an incredibly effective operative away from the ball for a Utah State team that will almost definitely make noise in March and April. His path has been a strange one, seeing that he graduated high school the same year as Hunter Dickinson but is only in his second year of college basketball. This means he will be an incredibly old senior in two years, something that is becoming more and more valuable in the college basketball ecosystem. If he remains with the Aggies, expect him to be in contention for the best mid-major player in the country in the years to come. If he decides to transfer up to the high major level, he could become an intriguing cog on a contending team. Finally, I’m not entirely sure what his outlook as a professional is, but it’s difficult to deny the level of feel that Falslev brings to the table. All in all, he’s an incredibly entertaining player who I believe still has a lot more in the tank, and I think he’s a player worth following closely throughout the remainder of his basketball career.