Recruiting Report: Taqwain Drummond (2017)
It’s always hard to watch an up and coming prospect have to deal with a devastating injury in the middle of their stock ascending. That’s what happened to Kecoughtan wing Taqwain Drummond when he tore his ACL in the middle…
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Continue ReadingIt’s always hard to watch an up and coming prospect have to deal with a devastating injury in the middle of their stock ascending. That’s what happened to Kecoughtan wing Taqwain Drummond when he tore his ACL in the middle of his sophomore season.
“It affected everything, and they’re still trying to evaluate my knee,” the 6’5” forward said. “The rehab process was stressful but I put my all into it so that I could come back stronger.”
It hasn’t been easy for Drummond, who says that 12 division one schools have been recruiting him since his freshman year. Still, he feels like some good came from the situation.
Taqwain Drummond has looked full strength early in the summer.“The time off the court gave me time to mature more and learn more about the game,” Drummond said.
With a 6’5” frame and guard skills, it’s easy to see what the early hype was about. In his first two seasons with Kecoughtan, he showed the ability to both play above the rim and fill it up from the outside. He can handle the basketball and create his own shot, and he’s capable of guarding every position on the perimeter, including point guards.
In his junior season at Kecoughtan, we saw flashes of what made him such a highly touted young recruit. He shot the basketball well, and seemed to get more comfortable as the season went on. However, there were times when he was attacking, or landing on shots, when he seemed to be hesitant, wondering if his knee would give out on him again.
Early in this summer, playing for Team Loaded 757, it’s hard to tell that he had any injury problems in the past. He’s shown good elevation on his jump shot, attacked the rim hard in transition and been an impact player on the defensive end and on the glass.
“I feel much more comfortable now. I’ve been working hard, working out every day to get back, and I think that plays a big factor in my recovery.”
While he holds no offers currently, Drummond has seen heavy interest from the likes of JMU, Norfolk St, NJIT, Longwood, Campbell, ODU, Robert Morris, VMI, UNCG and Mount St. Mary’s, among others who have inquired about him.
If he can prove this summer that he’s healthy, and back to his explosive self, it could be a big July that may include his first offer. Whatever happens, it’s clear that his perseverance through an almost career ending injury means he will find a way to come out on top, no matter how hard he has to work for it.