Recruiting Report: Daylen Kountz (2018)

<p><strong>Daylen Kountz </strong>is a young man of few words. The 6-foot-4 George Washington wing would prefer to let his game to his game do the talking.</p><p>It’s just as well, since that game is making plenty of noise.</p> <p>As a freshman at George Washington last season, the left-handed Kountz averaged 11.5 points per game. Few, if any, first-year players contributed more at the big-school level. Thing is, he may only be scratching the surface.</p> <p>Kountz’s coach with the vaunted Colorado Hawks 15U squad, Simeon Boddie, said major physical growth this offseason has the young player prepared to become an even more dominant player.</p> <p>“Daylen is a gym rat, but he’s been a major weight-room guy recently,” Boddie said. “His body has changed so much.  Physically he’s stronger defending and he’s stronger through contact. When you see him jump now, it’s crazy to see how high he’s jumping now. His explosiveness has grown exponentially from even the mid-summer to where it is right now.”</p> <p>In a video that went quasi-viral on social media earlier this week, Kountz provided a snapshot of some of that athleticism. During a dunk contest at the Scouts Focus Elite 80 camp in Kansas City, Kountz ran from the baseline as a teammate bounced the ball off the thin edge of the backboard. Kountz sprinted in, leaped up, grabbed the ball in mid-air and flushed it with authority with his left hand, to the delight of the crowd on hand.</p> <p>But when asked what his biggest takeaway from the Elite 80 camp was, the dunk didn’t make the cut.</p> <p>“I’d say defense,” Kountz. “Everybody out there was really focusing on offense, but I was showing that I could lockdown on defense.”</p> <p>His speed, length and athleticism make Kountz a high-level defender on the perimeter. Offensively, his skill set is as good as any player in his hand. His ball-handling ability is impressive, and he uses it with a quick first step to get back defenders or push them back while he pulls up for a productive mid-range jump shot. He has great range from the perimeter and great floor vision.</p> <p>That combination of talent has made Kountz a Division I prospect. He doesn’t have any offers from that level yet, but plenty of schools are closely monitoring the dynamic southpaw. The Hawks said South Dakota, Air Force, Denver, Colorado visited George Washington practice to view Kountz and a trio of other talented Patriots backcourt players in Jervay Green and Calvin and Jon’il Fugett.</p> <p>“I just want to keep getting better,” said Kountz, who will be playing in the loaded sophomore game at the Rocky Mountain Fall Showcase on Saturday. “I’ve just got to keep working.”</p>