Prospect Spotlight: Rodney Wiley (2019)
Three years into Rodney Wiley’s (2019) high school career and there’s still a massive chip sitting on his shoulder. The electric 5’11” point guard from Colerain, for whatever reason, still hasn’t heard from college programs and it’s the number one thing on his mind.
“[College basketball] is my goal, I got to get to a school, I have to,” Wiley said. “When I’m going through drills, I always have in the back of my mind that I have a goal. I’m doing this for a reason, I got to get somewhere.”
According to the Greater Miami Conference official website, Wiley averaged a shade under 10 points per game last year. However, the website also claims that he missed half the season, which Wiley said is an inaccuracy. He played every games last year.
The 3.0 GPA, 18 ACT student has a tremendous scoring feel, predicated on speed. In fact, the lefty is almost impossible to stay in front of when he’s coming at a defender with momentum. Once you’re on your heels, forget about it.
“Speed with the ball,” said Wiley of his strengths. “I love, off a rebound, being able to push the ball in transition, using my speed because I’m not a taller guard. My mid-range, I feel like I’m a pretty good shooter.”
Cincy Rise, his 17U grassroots team, played a fast-pace style with four to five guards on the floor together. Wiley thrived on the break and with a floor spread with capable shooter. He is shifty in the halfcourt too, and, as he mentioned, the mid-range jumper is money.
If we had to point to a reason he’s not being recruited, maybe it’s size. Wiley is listed at 165 pounds and he’s a wiry prospect without a ton of length.
“I’ve been working on my deficiencies and thinking about what I need to do this season,” Wiley said. One of those, Wiley would go onto acknowledge, is strength. While he may not put on 20 pounds of muscle before college, the self-awareness is promising.
That final piece of development, the physical side, may just come with age and access to a college weight room. Given that he’s yet to hear from any colleges to this point, Wiley is going to be very receptive to whoever reaches out to him first.
When it comes to what he is looking for in a school, well, here’s Wiley, “I couldn’t begin to tell you because I’m just waiting on the first one. Anyone, anywhere, anybody. Anybody who shows some interest.”
Anyone who believes in him, we might add.