Prospect Spotlight: Javin Etzler (2019)

2019 Javin Etzler has been making a big name for himself coming off a strong season with Crestview High School and early in the AAU season. Javin plays with the Spiece Indy Heat 16U team on the EYBL circuit. He is known for his consistent outside shooting but has really been expanding his skill set the past three years. After the Bill Hensley Memorial Run ‘N Slam, I had the chance to speak with Javin about his play and what he is looking to build on moving forward. Javin has proven that he is a lethal wing from outside and at 6’6” it’s tough to contest his shot. “I’m still working to be more confident and taking more and shots, also taking the ball to the basket.” With his length and developing athleticism, Etzler has shown that he can finish above the rim and is creative with both hands when finishing. As Javin builds confidence putting the ball on the floor, he is also a guy that realizes that he can help the team in other ways. “Every game I try and get rebounds because not getting rebounds can kill us on the EYBL.” Javin has been impressive the past few weekends defending the rim and grabbing rebounds at a high rate. Javin is the go to guy at his high school, as many players are that play on this Indy Heat team, but he’s been good at finding ways to make a positive impact on the floor. “I’ve really been trying to accept my role as a screener and trying to get Isaiah (Thompson) and Ethan (Brittain-Watts) open shots.” Ethan and Isaiah are a tough one-two combo out of the backcourt and Javin realizes that getting them open will benefit the team. As an unselfish player, Javin also shows that he has a high basketball IQ with his screens and floor spacing. “Our team is really good at getting to the basket and getting to the line. We also have a lot of shooters that can get in a rhythm and score consistently. Everyone on the team contributes.” As the team gears up for another EYBL Session next weekend in Atlanta, they are going in with a chip on their shoulder and playing to get a bid for Peach Jam. “Our mindset is just go out and play as hard as possible and just flat out win. We need to prove that we are good enough to compete with all of the top EYBL programs.” “Our offense is good for shooters because we have our guards penetrate to the basket which draws my defender to them and gives me a wide-open shot. Having Ethan (Brittain-Watts), Isaiah (Thompson), Harold (Bennett), and Brandon (Newman) is really a blessing for the team. They are excellent at penetrating and pitching to the shooters and post players. We really need to improve on our rebounding and finishing at the basket.” After talking about the team and what their attitude is moving forward, Javin broke his game down a little bit. Javin is a natural wing player and is most comfortable when he’s out there looking to score. “I can catch and shoot with a quick release which makes it hard for defenders to stop.” His length also allows him to get shots off over smaller defenders. “I am still working on getting to the basket and drawing contact so I can get easy points at the free throw line. This year in school ball, I scored a lot of my points at the line, shooting 84%.” An area that Javin has been putting work in off the court is his defensive footwork and lateral quickness. He has improved in both areas and it’s allowing him to be more comfortable guarding shooting guards to power forwards on the defensive end. This is the first time that Etzler has been completely healthy in a while and his play is proving that he can play at a high level with the best of them. As he increases his athleticism and works on his leaping ability, Javin will be a force in the coming seasons, both on the circuit and with his high school team. One thing that Javin also has going for him is his family heritage. “My mom and dad both played basketball at the collegiate level. My uncle played at Ohio State. My grandpa is in the Ohio Coaches Hall of Fame and my school gymnasium is named after him.” Javin is also looking forward to the coming school season because he will get to play alongside his brother, Kalen Etzler, who will be a freshman this upcoming year. Keep an eye on Javin Etzler as he has already received interest from a few D1 programs and he works towards reaching his ever growing potential.