Colorado Prospect Spotlight: Jacob Storey (2017)
Jacob Storey, a 6-foot-7 junior forward for Lakewood, can put the ball in the basket in a plethora of ways. He can post-up, he can make defenses pay for leaving him open from long-range, and he can put the ball…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingJacob Storey, a 6-foot-7 junior forward for Lakewood, can put the ball in the basket in a plethora of ways. He can post-up, he can make defenses pay for leaving him open from long-range, and he can put the ball on the floor, attack, and draw fouls. Point is, the junior is far more than just a big man limited to playing in the paint.
“Jacob believes at the next level he’s going to have to handle the ball more,” Lakewood coach Daryl Johnson said. “He’s a great shooter. He’s an accurate three-point shooter. He’s a pick-and-pop and he’s a dangerous player when he’s aggressive, as long as he doesn’t settle for the three.”
Storey is grooming himself more and more into a potential small forward, one who can play either the three or the four. Oh, and his offensive numbers as a junior—17.6 points per game, 49 percent from the field, 31 percent from three and 81 percent from the line—demonstrate an aptitude for scoring that Johnson wants even more of from his junior.
“We challenge Jacob all the time to be aggressive and be physical,” his coach said. “He has so much upside, because of his talent and his size. We feel that when Jacob is aggressive, it gives a sense of empowerment to the whole team. When he does big, athletic things we feel we can do anything.”
Storey can score in bunches and takes a lot of pressure off fellow junior Kolton Peterson, a wonderfully skilled guard averaging over 21 points a game. So what else does Storey bring to the table?
“I think defensively I’m able to lead the team and I tell the team where people are at,” he said.
Johnson added that he believes Storey has the physical tools to defend at a high level. He’s aware defensively, has pretty good strength, and can guard in the post or on the perimeter. Storey says his biggest focus right now is being more of a presence on the glass. He’s averaging 4.1 rebounds.
Already a gifted face-up forward, Storey’s game could really take off as his rebounding and footwork in the post matures. He’s a surefire small-school college prospect with upside for more. And, on top of that, he’s turning into a serious riser in the 2017 Colorado class.