2018 Rankings Breakdown: Bigs

<p>With young big men it's hard to find players that are adjusted to the speed and physicality of the game at the varsity level. However, some players are blessed with both the size and instincts to play the game at a young age. Also, the upside factor of having players so big at such a young age have a lot of coaches interested in these young post players. Here's the top five post prospects of the sophomore class in VA!</p><h2>David McCormack; 6'10; Norfolk Academy</h2><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Whether he chooses a career in football or basketball he’ll likely be a high major prospect, because it’s not every day that you come across a 300 lbs. kid that is as nimble as McCormack. He’s a space filler (obviously) that locks down the paint and sets good picks, but his ability to get up, down and off the floor makes him a rare specimen on the court.</span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">McCormack’s size alone is impressive, and he can play in both an uptempo system and is a go-to guy in the half court. He has good hands and feet, can contest shots without fouling and dominates the glass with his ability to clear space. He has some solid post moves for someone so young, and if he is able to shed 30-50 pounds he’ll be one of the premier big men in the country. ESPN ranked him as the 24th best sophomore in the nation, and he holds early offers from Virginia Tech, Penn State, NC State and ODU.</span></span></div> <h2>Kenneth Nwuba; 6'10; Oak Hill Academy</h2><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">He’s not as physically imposing as McCormack as far as his frame, but Nwuba is long and athletic, and he’s able to be a major impact on the game on both ends because of his activity. His upside is tremendous because of his freakish length and athleticism, and the fact that he’s still totally raw and can still be one of the top players on the floor makes for a bright future.</span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Nwuba has a lot of room to grow in his game, and playing at Oak Hill with the likes of Harry Giles, Rodney Miller, Joe Hampton and Khadim Sy will only make him a tougher and better player. The Nigerian native already has early offers from a number of high major programs including Maryland, LSU, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Penn State and Arizona State, and as he grows into his game he’ll be one of the more productive big men in the country for his class.</span></span></div> <h2>D'Marco Baucum; 6'7; Bishop O'Connell</h2><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">He was a prodigy that was labeled as the next big thing in the DMV at a young age, and he’ll be looked at to provide some big minutes and production in the post for O’Connel this season. Playing alongside 2017 Nate Watson, Baucum will look to provide a physical and bullying type presence this season, and will have to do the dirty work to prove that he belongs.</span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">He has a solid skill set that’s still developing, and if he slims down he could end up as a wing at the next level. Baucum is a mac truck in the post, with a big, yet solid frame that anchors the post and allows him to work on the offensive glass. Despite being a little undersized for the four, his strength and quick first step makes him a mismatch that’s hard to game plan for. This will be an important season, but it always helps when you have a point guard like Ako Adams to feed it to you.</span></span></div> <h2>Jaden Frazier; 6'8; Blue Ridge</h2><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">His skill set is intriguing, and if he manages to put it together and get more of a killer instinct he could become a big time prospect. Frazier is a skilled lefty that can play with both his back to the basket and in the face up out to 15 feet. He has good looking form on his mid range jump shot, and is able to attack aggressively using one or two dribbles.</span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Frazier’s issues seem to be somewhat mental, because you’ll watch him hit a tough fall away over a defender from 15 feet, then miss a point blank lay up because he wasn’t sure whether he should dunk it or not. He has to get stronger with the ball in traffic, especially when securing rebounds, and has to be more physical when defending in the post. Still, you don’t find many bigs his age that can score the ball in so many different ways.</span></span></div> <h2>JaQuan Smith; 6'10; Huguenot</h2><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">He has a soft touch out to 18 feet and has ridiculous size, but his weight continues to be an issue. While Smith has slimmed down considerably, he’s still north of the 300 lbs. mark, and it affects his ability to get up and down the court when the game speeds up. </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Smith is still an intriguing prospect because he has good hands and is able to clog the lane and contest shots without leaving his feet. Because he can hit shots from the high post, teams are able to initiate the offense through him from the elbow and he’s a decent decision maker with the ball. He’s a good free throw shooter as well, and because of his size opposing posts are forced to foul him in order to contest his shots. If he continues to slim down and get in shape he could reach the potential that some see in him.</span></span></div>