Prospect Spotlight: Kobe Sanders (2020)
Prep Hoops Colorado will release its first batch of class of 2020 rankings, players who will enter their sophomore seasons in the fall, for the first time later this month.
One player you can expect to find near the top of the list: Kobe Sanders.
The 6-0 point guard is coming off an impressive freshman season as the starting floor general for Chaparral, which finished 15-10 and made it to the second round of the playoffs before losing to eventual 5A runner-up George Washington. Sanders averaged 7.8 points, a team-leading 3.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game.
“I took away that, as a team, we just need to do everything together,” Sanders said, previewing a 2017-18 season in which the Wolverines will begin with high expectations. “If we have a workout, it’s about everyone being there. We have a chance to win it this year. We just have to stay focused and stay together.”
If Sanders has the sound of a team leader, that’s because he’s putting in the work to back it up. A Chaparral assistant raved to us last week about the offseason work Sanders has put in. It’s evident in a frame that has added noticeable muscle mass since this time last season.
As for his game, Sanders excels with his quickness. He has a tight handle, and during the Metro State Team Camp last weekend he continued to foil defenders with a lightning-quick crossover he’s worked tirelessly to perfect. He has a nice pull-up off the crossover, but he can also get by a defender quickly he plays too close. He has a promising jump shot, shooting 37 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent from the free-throw line last season, and he shows an advanced knack for getting teammates involved.
“I have a gym for our whole apartment complex and I usually go there every day and work on one thing,” Sanders said. “I just focus on that one thing and try to get better.”
Sanders appears poised for a big year. He’s played up with Billups Elite and will guide the 16U squad into July before taking locking in for a promising sophomore season. He’s a point guard schools should already be putting on their radar.