Vs Fusion today. As always EYBL messed up some stats. I’m not quite sure how they even got that # of FT from their own box score. But anyways, here’s my thoughts. As always, I’m not sugarcoating anything to be nice if a kid’s family visits the ‘Yard. Relatively unfiltered thoughts. Keep in mind, this is just one game and 4 or 5 highlights of information… VERY preliminary scout.
27 Minutes
29 PTS
8 REB (2 offensive)
1 AST
2 TO
8 STL
3 BLK
10/16 2FG
1/2 3FG
6/9 FT
Overall: Freak athlete. Defensive savant. Offensively limited. Size will limit him. He’s definitely about 6’5, which is going to make even the 4 for us a challenge considering his skills on offense. At first I was thinking he’d be a ¾ tweener, but I’m not sure that’s the right word. He has some 3, 4, and 5 in him, but no real offensive identity. He’s the kind of player in football recruiting they’d just say “athlete.” He’s going to impact a team positively, but it’s unclear what actual role he would fit in the offense we’ve run these past two years. Defensively, he’s going to kill some people.
Offense: Very limited offensively, especially in the half-court. He’s getting by right now by being bigger and stronger than his peers. Not a shooter at this stage. Free throw percentage is promising with an overall of something like 75% through EYBL, but his form is odd. Combs his hair with the release a bit and it’s a bit flat. Seems to like working from the mid-post posting up, driving, or mid-range J which doesn’t really jive with our offensive identity at present. Handles are not great for a 3–okay if he’s playing the 4. Can handle a little in the full-court, but not half court outside of a line drive with a lot of space. No left hand at the rim or dribbling. Seems comfortable swinging on the perimeter vs pressure, but not a good or creative passer in the half-court. I do think he has some decent footwork on the drive, and that can be somewhere he grows.
Defense: I am having trouble thinking of a single negative thing to say about his individual and team defense skill. Yeah, he had a lapse here or there but I don’t recall scouting such a complete defender in a long time, frankly. He will easily, easily guard the 2-4 and even the 1 or 5 in a pinch. He seriously looks that versatile. Long, superb athlete with unbelievable strength for his age. At times it looks like he could guard two opponents at once. On another play, he read a lob from outside the 3-point line and sprinted and leapt to break it up. Hustle plays galore. At one point he had back-to-back steals for and-1s. Great rebounding instincts and technique overall. Finds a body and hits it, but also uses his instincts to just get the ball too.
