Mountain West Newcomer Preview: Styles Phipps Gives Nevada a New Floor General

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The addition of Styles Phipps gives Nevada something every competitive college basketball program needs: an experienced guard who has already handled the responsibilities of running a Division I offense for an entire season.

Phipps arrives in Reno after a breakout sophomore season at Pepperdine. The 6-foot-2 guard started all 32 games at point guard, averaged 34 minutes per game and established himself as one of the most productive all-around guards in the West Coast Conference. Nevada lists the Phoenix, Arizona, native as a junior with previous stops at Pepperdine and Grand Canyon. 

This is not simply a transfer whose production was built around scoring volume. Phipps contributed across nearly every statistical category while carrying a demanding offensive role. He averaged 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, becoming one of only two Division I players officially credited with averaging at least 13 points, 5.5 rebounds and five assists during the 2025–26 season. 

For Nevada, the larger question is not whether Phipps can produce. His Pepperdine season already answered that. The question is how effectively his combination of vision, ball control, dribble penetration and pull-up scoring will translate into a restructured Mountain West Conference.

Production Beyond the Basic Averages

Phipps finished the 2025–26 season with 428 points, 188 rebounds, 167 assists, 48 steals and six blocked shots. He made 142 of 337 field-goal attempts, 20 of 74 three-point attempts and 124 of 158 free throws. Those numbers produced shooting percentages of 42.1 percent from the field, 27.0 percent from three and 78.5 percent at the free-throw line. 

He also collected 62 offensive rebounds and 126 defensive rebounds. That gave him an average of 1.9 offensive rebounds per game despite playing point guard. His willingness to rebound from the backcourt helped him finish as Pepperdine’s leading rebounder, while he also led the Waves in assists and steals and ranked second on the team in scoring. 

Phipps recorded 167 assists against 91 turnovers, producing an assist-to-turnover ratio of approximately 1.84-to-1. His 5.2 assists per game ranked fourth in the WCC, while his 1.5 steals ranked fifth. He also ranked fifth in the conference in minutes at 34.0 per game. Those numbers reflect more than opportunity. They show how heavily Pepperdine depended on him to initiate offense, create advantages and remain available for extended stretches. 

Phipps led the WCC with 91 made free throws during conference play while converting 82.0 percent of those opportunities. He was also the only player in the conference to record both a points-and-rebounds double-double and a points-and-assists double-double during the season. 

That distinction is important. It demonstrates that his impact could change depending on what a game required. He could carry more of the scoring responsibility, control the game as a passer or help his team compensate on the glass.

A Season Filled With Complete Performances

Phipps’ production was not limited to one strong portion of the schedule.

He recorded 22 points, 10 rebounds and three steals against Northern Colorado on November 15. Three days later, he followed with 14 points and 11 assists in a victory over New Orleans. That marked consecutive double-doubles achieved in two different ways—one through rebounding and the other through playmaking. 

On December 18, Phipps produced a career-high 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting at Long Beach State while adding eight rebounds and seven assists. He later matched that scoring high with 25 points and five assists at Washington State on January 24.

His most complete conference performance came during a road victory at Portland on February 18. Phipps finished with 19 points, six rebounds, 12 assists and five steals. Ten days later, he helped Pepperdine defeat Washington State with 16 points, six rebounds, nine assists and five steals. 

He also recorded 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists against San Diego, 18 points with seven rebounds and four steals at Seattle, and 19 points with seven assists in the return meeting against Seattle. 

Those performances show why Phipps should not be evaluated only as a scorer. His best games often included substantial contributions as a passer, rebounder and disruptive defender.

His Development Was Not Immediate

Phipps’ rise at Pepperdine becomes more meaningful when his freshman season is included.

He began his college career at Grand Canyon during the 2024–25 season. He appeared in 20 games but missed nearly two months because of an injury, sitting out from December 16 through February 8. His most productive freshman performance came against Life Pacific, when he recorded 10 points, six assists and six steals. According to Grand Canyon, it was the first six-assist, six-steal performance of the program’s Division I era. 

Phipps was part of a Grand Canyon team that won the WAC championship, but his role was limited behind an experienced backcourt. His move to Pepperdine created a larger opportunity, and he responded by starting every game and becoming one of the most statistically versatile guards in the country. 

That progression matters. It demonstrates that his Pepperdine production was built after a freshman season in which he had to work through limited minutes, an injury interruption and an established rotation.

An Accomplished Arizona High School Career

Before entering college, Phipps produced an extensive career at Saint Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix.

He surpassed 2,300 career points, 700 assists, 600 rebounds and 400 steals. He helped Saint Mary’s finish 20–1 and win an Arizona state championship during his freshman season. As a junior, he recorded a 48-point performance against eventual state champion Perry. 

Phipps also competed in track and golf during high school. His father, Simon Phipps, played college basketball at Point Loma during the 1997–98 season. 

Official college biographies do not completely agree on Phipps’ exact senior-year high school averages. Grand Canyon, Nevada and available high school statistical records present different numbers. For that reason, this evaluation relies on the consistent and independently repeated career milestones rather than presenting one disputed senior-season statistical line as definitive.

That is an important part of responsible evaluation: when credible records conflict, the information should be identified rather than forced into the story.

What the Film Shows

At 6-foot-2, Phipps possesses very good court awareness and an advanced understanding of how to manipulate defenders with the basketball.

His handle allows him to change direction, attack openings and create dribble penetration without always depending on a screen. He is capable of getting two defenders committed to the ball and identifying the next available pass. His vision is not limited to basic ball movement. He can see plays developing and deliver the ball to teammates moving into scoring areas.

Phipps also has a natural feel for scoring off the dribble. One of the more valuable parts of his offensive game is his ability to stop under control and rise into a pull-up jumper. That shot has become less common among guards who are often instructed to hunt only layups and three-pointers.

The pull-up gives Phipps another solution when a defender retreats, a big remains in drop coverage or the paint becomes crowded. He does not have to drive directly into length every time he turns the corner.

His 5.9 rebounds per game also support what appears on film. He does not stand outside the play and wait for a teammate to secure the ball. He tracks rebounds, enters traffic and can begin the transition offense immediately after gaining possession.

How He Fits Nevada

Phipps enters a Nevada roster that returns two proven contributors in Elijah Price and Vaughn Weems.

Price averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals last season while earning second-team All-Mountain West and All-Defensive Team recognition. Weems averaged 10.1 points and 4.2 rebounds, shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from three. 

Those returning pieces help explain why Phipps could be so important.

Price gives Nevada a productive interior target, rebounder and defensive presence. Weems provides an efficient scorer who can finish plays without needing to dominate possession. Phipps’ responsibility will be to connect those pieces, organize the offense and create quality opportunities before Nevada is forced into late-clock possessions.

He does not need to lead the team in scoring to become one of its most valuable players. His value may be determined by how well he establishes pace, gets Price touches in productive areas, creates clean perimeter opportunities and limits empty possessions.

Nevada finished the 2025–26 season 24–13 overall and 12–8 in Mountain West play. The Wolf Pack defeated Grand Canyon in the conference tournament before continuing into postseason competition. Phipps is joining a program with established expectations rather than a complete rebuild. 

The Mountain West Translation Question

The 2026–27 Mountain West basketball membership now includes Air Force, Grand Canyon, Hawai‘i, Nevada, New Mexico, San José State, UC Davis, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming. The conference has changed structurally, but the league still contains programs with experienced coaching staffs, strong home environments and postseason expectations. 

Phipps will face larger guards, more physical ball-screen coverages and teams that will study how he prefers to create offense.

The primary statistical question involves his perimeter shooting. He made only 20 three-pointers in 74 attempts last season, finishing at 27.0 percent. Opponents may initially go underneath ball screens and attempt to take away his driving lanes until he proves he can punish that coverage consistently. 

He must also continue improving his possession management. His 167 assists were impressive, but his 91 turnovers cannot be ignored. The number is understandable for a guard who played 34 minutes and carried a heavy creation burden, but Nevada will need him to turn those responsibilities into a more efficient assist-to-turnover profile. 

The adjustment will not be measured only by whether he duplicates 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists. His success should be judged by whether Nevada’s offense becomes more organized, whether its returning scorers receive better opportunities and whether Phipps can maintain control against the conference’s more physical defensive teams.

Areas for Continued Growth

The three-point shot is the clearest developmental area. Phipps does not have to become a high-volume perimeter scorer, but he must become reliable enough that defenders cannot consistently retreat below screens or close the paint.

His shot selection will also matter. The pull-up jumper is a legitimate strength, but the difference between an effective pull-up and a difficult contested attempt is often determined by timing, balance and awareness of the game situation.

Phipps will also need to manage the physical demands of defending larger guards while carrying a major offensive workload. His steal production shows anticipation and activity, but conference play will test his ability to defend without reaching, absorb contact and remain available late in games.

Those are not reasons to minimize what he has already accomplished. They are the areas that could determine whether he progresses from a productive transfer into one of the Mountain West’s most dependable lead guards.

Why This Player Matters

Styles Phipps matters because Nevada is adding more than a guard with respectable scoring numbers. The Wolf Pack are adding a player who led his previous team in rebounds, assists and steals while starting every game at point guard. His ball skills, vision, dribble penetration and pull-up game give Nevada a guard capable of creating offense in several ways. His next challenge is translating that production into a stronger team environment, improving his perimeter efficiency and proving he can control games against the Mountain West’s physical backcourts.

Final Take

Styles Phipps enters Nevada with legitimate Division I production, extensive on-ball experience and a history of contributing beyond the scoring column.

His court vision and ball skills should give the Wolf Pack a more natural organizer. His ability to get into the lane can create opportunities for Nevada’s returning frontcourt and perimeter players. His pull-up jumper gives him an important counter when defenders remove the direct path to the basket.

The three-point percentage and turnover total represent the two clearest areas for improvement. Both will be tested early as opponents determine how aggressively they need to guard him outside the paint.

The numbers from Pepperdine are significant, but Nevada will not need Phipps simply to recreate his previous averages. The Wolf Pack will need him to manage the game, define roles and help productive pieces function together.

That is what makes this one of the more important newcomer additions in the new-look Mountain West.

At Unit 1 Hoop Source, we don’t chase noise — we study film, define roles, and project truth.

Subscribe to Unit 1 Hoop Source and follow our continuing 2026–27 Mountain West newcomer and team preview series.

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