Recruiting Report: Mike Bothwell (2018)

Since the last time <em>PHO</em> spoke to <strong>Mike Bothwell</strong> (2018), he has accomplished a ton. Bothwell scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a Division IV State Championship win over the Wellington School. He was named Division IV Co-Player of the Year in Ohio. The guard has also grown an inch, now standing 6’3”. While Bothwell said that these accolades have added confidence and experience, he remains hungry. “There’s a <em>lot</em> more to accomplish … A lot of mistakes we could fix just for the sake of basketball. To play the game right. But yeah, that is a big accomplishment, winning a state championship, but there’s always room to improve.” <img class="aligncenter wp-image-77081 size-full" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2016/07/CeCBLgUVAAADeWp-1-e1469036762880.jpg" alt="CeCBLgUVAAADeWp-1" width="600" height="363" /> Those accomplishments at the high school level are just one part of the story. Bothwell, who is playing with King James Shooting Stars 16U this summer, now holds Division I scholarship offers from Akron and Longwood (VA). “I’ve been to both schools before, and I like it. So they’re both going to be schools I would look into going to. But not going to make a decision any time soon,” Bothwell said. What factors will Bothwell consider when he does make that decision? “A coach relationship. With my teammates and my coaches. Somewhere I would like to be. Not somewhere I would dread being just so I can play basketball. Somewhere I would like to be around people. And the campus.” Bothwell credits longtime family friends, the Randall family (which includes University of Memphis guard, Craig, and professional basketball player, Kyle) with providing guidance on the recruitment process and skill development. Other colleges currently interested in the 3.6 GPA student-athlete include Youngstown State, Stony Brook, and Davidson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mifqu9TCZ7I Going into the upperclassman portion of his high school tenure with Cornerstone Christian, Bothwell is likely to keep improving. His work ethic is reflective of that assumption. Right now, he’s not only running with one of the premier AAU teams in the country, he’s obsessed with individual improvements. “Working on all aspects of my game. Of course getting stronger. And getting more shots up to just get better and more consistent on my jump shot. And trying to get quicker and more explosive is the main things I’m working on” Bothwell continued, “I believe my defense has gotten better since probably the season, the high school season. I’ve taken a little more pride in defense, and trying to stop my man from scoring. And that’s one of the good things I think I’ve been able to produce in AAU.” Given the continuous improvement, Bothwell will likely add more D-I offers throughout the next few years. Scouts can catch him in action this week in Orlando at the AAU Super Showcase. <em>photo credit: highschoolsports.cleveland.com</em>