Recruiting Report: Michael Karl (2017)

T.J. Rushing

June 4, 2016 @ 05:00 AM

With just one summer left to prove himself, New Philadelphia's 6-foot-5 wing Michael Karl is eager to work hard in June and prove himself in July.   He’s currently offer-less, though he has been invited on a couple campus visits, and he has been invited to several elite camps this summer as well.   “A little bit last winter I talked with Malone, they invited me on a visit although I wasn’t able to go. And then Indiana Wesleyan also invited me on a visit, but I couldn't do that either. I’m sure this summer I’ll talk to more schools and stuff like that,” said Karl, who is hoping for a big summer.   “June is a dead period so that’s a big time of the year to really just get ahead of everybody else and than in July just prove it. I’m going to hopefully attend all those camps I got invited too, and then just prove myself in AAU.”   Over the past year the versatile forward has been working to develop into an improved ball-handler who can see the floor better.   “I’ve really been trying to get quicker, I’ve been working a lot on ball-handling and I’ve been working a lot on my vision as a passer,” said Karl. “And just getting quicker and stronger, things like that.”   As a junior with the Quakers, Karl averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists per game -- he was very pleased with how he played.   “I thought I was a really good defender. I always guarded the best player on the other team, and I thought I did a really good job of getting stops down the stretch, and making big plays on the defensive end. I was also the leading scorer, so I thought I did well on both ends of the floor,” said Karl, who is spending his 17U season with King James Ohio Varsity   “We just run five out, so it’s whoever has the hot-hand is the guy. And a lot like my high school team, I’m the best defender on the team, so I’m always guarding one of the better players on the other team. And then I score too, I do whatever I have to do to get the team the win.”