2022 Recruiting: Diggins Update

[rip7774]

Great points all, we need that vocal leader and we thrived with kids with that swagger like KEA and Kemba/Bazz.

I like that it looks like he can get around a defender get into the paint and dish or kick out. Really going to need that next year without Bouk creating. Hoping Andre can get more confident in driving next year and expect he will.

 

[HooperScooper]

Weird to see them playing with Covid 19 masks on. Why did they do that? I guess mandated as it looks like they had some fans close to them. Either way that was werid.

Massachusetts did the same thing with high school basketball. So might be a New Jersey state rule.

 

[navery12]

 

[olehead]

That was nasty. Can't wait for the swag this young man will add to the program.

 

[rip7774]

We’re really missing one of those shifty, quick, change-of-direction point guards like the Harris freshman at Georgetown & Butler, respectively.

Really hoping he can be that for us as a quick guard could let RJ play off the ball more, where he looks a lot more comfortable & get buckets.

 

[Mr. French]

He seems the highest ranked of the 3 recruits, but on the eye test, he seems to be behind the other two in terms of athleticism and shooting. What am I missing Bc I clearly am missing something here, not flaming at all...

I think, without sounding TOO much like an old codger, that's a big part of the misses in recruiting - who's a really good player and will be a really good player in 2-3 years vs. who's an athletic freak with all the tools that hopefully can put it together.

Diggins is a high major athlete but not an explosive freak ... he's also a floor general PG with savvy finishing and a super mature game. So I'm not even close to worried about his athleticism. If he becomes a knock down shot maker he's all-conference at some point.

 

[olehead]

I think, without sounding TOO much like an old codger, that's a big part of the misses in recruiting - who's a really good player and will be a really good player in 2-3 years vs. who's an athletic freak with all the tools that hopefully can put it together.

Diggins is a high major athlete but not an explosive freak ... he's also a floor general PG with savvy finishing and a super mature game. So I'm not even close to worried about his athleticism. If he becomes a knock down shot maker he's all-conference at some point.

Gimme AJ Price 2.0

 

[ToolzieFan]

Gimme AJ Price 2.0

I think anyone would take AJ Price 2.0. Price went from being a 27% 3-point shooter on 88 attempts to being a 40% 3-point shooter on 204 attempts. If Diggins approaches 40% from deep at a high volume, then we’re going to win an awful lot of games by the time he’s done.

 

[husky429]

He seems the highest ranked of the 3 recruits, but on the eye test, he seems to be behind the other two in terms of athleticism and shooting. What am I missing Bc I clearly am missing something here, not flaming at all...

FWIW I would expect Hawkins to be above Diggins when rankings are updated after the HS season for those reasons. I am by no means an expert, but I think that 25-35 is probably fairer for Hawkins than 50. His ball-handling and 1v1 shot creation need work, but he's ELITE shooting the rock, a fantastic defender, and a superior athlete.

Johnson is lower-ranked because he's an athletic freak but extremely raw offensively. He also isn't the shotblocker you'd like from a 6'11 kid with a 7'6 wingspan. Diggins is sort of the opposite--outside of streaky shooting, he's pretty polished as a floor general and has a great resume on winning teams. He's just limited ceiling and probably a 4-year player because of his size/hops.

I actually like the balance we've struck. Likely 2-year player in Hawkins. 4-year program stabilizer in Diggins. And a swing for the fences, high-risk/high-reward big with SJ.

 

[husky429]

I never got around to watching the last few of Diggins games. He's playing in the PCL title game tomorrow and I'll try to catch that. By the end I should be able to get stats for 11/16 of his games.

vs McDevitt



19 PTS
0 REB (0 offensive)
5 AST (5 potential/0 foul)

2 TO
2 STL
1 BLK

4/10 2FG
2/6 3FG
5/6 FT

• Video quality kinda sucks, but you can tell sool bc of the blue mask.
• If we’re going to be a SLOW team like we are this year, ‘Sool is going to be really beneficial. He’s also a great passer on the break, but we don’t have someone to set up an offense like he can right now.
• He’s a much better off-ball shooter than off the dribble. He’ll need to learn how to play off ball with us because his usage is through the ceiling currently, but I think shooting from the corners could be a decent off ball role for him when playing with Gaff or Cole.
• Gut tells me he’ll shoot 29-32% from deep next year. Not good, but not bad. We need shooters badly for 2021-2022.
• He’s limited driving the ball, but I do think he’s improving quickly. Hawkins and Samson are meh too. As is much of our roster… Rese and Jackson and Gaff are going to need to put in some work this summer.

2 point left-hand reverse
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Real nice potential assist that his teammate blew
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Forcing 5! Not the best competition... But good to see the heat on D. He hasn’t really been so engaged defensively most games.
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Drive for 2
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Nice defensive hustle play
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Slick assist
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

3
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

Not entirely sure how this one dropped
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

That a D1 pass
McDevitt Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wood

 

[Mr. French]

Gimme AJ Price 2.0

Yeah this was my comparison for Diggins the second I saw his game. And I'm down for that floor general, for sure.