David Joplin’s Peach Jam Takeaways (Pool Play)
Meanstreets’ forward David Joplin took a regaling offensive game and mid-range prowess to Peach Jam this weekend. Below are three takeaways from what I saw of Joplin on the biggest stage in summer hoops. 1.) Joplin Fits with Positionless Basketball:…
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Continue ReadingMeanstreets’ forward David Joplin took a regaling offensive game and mid-range prowess to Peach Jam this weekend. Below are three takeaways from what I saw of Joplin on the biggest stage in summer hoops.
1.) Joplin Fits with Positionless Basketball:
Positions are a messy thing to dole out, but I’ll use “small forward” as a commendation to Joplin’s unique skill set. He has more than ideal height and freakish length, though his playstyle is all-encompassing. He willingly sought out the three-point arc on fast breaks while cutting to the mid-range in the half-court offense. After vacuuming up defensive rebounds, Joplin could push the pace and facilitate offense without deferring to a guard. He shot the ball with confidence, even when contested he could maneuver around to put up a shot. Overall, aside from defending other bigs, there wasn’t anything center-ish about his performance. He’s a wing that fits comfortably in the three and four spots.
When asking him about where he thinks he falls on the 1-through-5 spectrum, he said, “At this level in high school I can play 1-5 depending on what my team needs, I can score pass and guard 1-5,” following up with, “I’m most comfortable at the 2-3.”
2.) Joplin Thrives in the Mid-Range
This week it was his mid-range play — largely accompanied by a jab step, spin, fadeaway combo move — that resonated with me. He would often find himself gathering on the wing, where a sliver of spacing led to a vicious trek towards the hoop or a smooth jumper. This was also where he excelled at drawing a whistle, as he tallied the bulk of his points off free throws this week.
3.) His Performance Warrants College Interest
Joplin and the Meanstreets may leave pool play a tad crestfallen, their record not as W-laden as they’d hoped. But with that luggage comes the experience of playing in front of coaches, even laying a base with a few new faces and programs.
“I’ve talked to Butler so far,” Joplin told me shortly after the final whistle of his Friday matchup. And while he didn’t add another offer to his collection (yet), the sidelines were jam-packed with coaches that, if they weren’t ready to offer now, may have sowed the seeds for a potential offer later down the road.
“It’s great,” Joplin said of his first Peach Jam experience. “It is so fun playing against the best players in the world and competing with them. Every game is a battle and I love it, college coaches are all along the sideline watching us go at it. I just want to keep playing in a circuit and keep competing with great competition.”