Mr. Basketball Candidate: DJ Steward
In this series we take a look at the potential candidates for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois for this upcoming season. Here we profile Whitney Young combo guard DJ Steward! Profile: Steward has been one of the…
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Continue ReadingIn this series we take a look at the potential candidates for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois for this upcoming season. Here we profile Whitney Young combo guard DJ Steward!
Profile:
Steward has been one of the top prospects in this class since they entered high school. He took his game to another level during the spring in the Nike EYBL with Meanstreets and then even another gear at Peach Jam. That play opened the eyes of blue blood schools eventually leading to his commitment to Duke. What he brings to the table is such a smooth offensive game with his shot making ability. Lethal mid-range game that he drills with ease and has stretched it out to three at over a 40% clip. When he looks to facilitate he can be a solid floor general.
Odds to Win:
2/1
Why He Can Win:
With the way he exploded in July he is one of the favorites coming into the season with his name recognition. Being committed to Duke gives him instant cred. Steward will have every opportunity to play in prime time games in the city against the premier competition in the state. They will also play a couple games downstate to give him exposure in that area as well. He is going to put up 20+ scoring games on the regular for one of the top programs in the country.
Obstacles to Win:
In a way the Duke commitment might turn some voters off as crazy as that sounds with Duke being a polarizing program. On the court he will have to share some of the spotlight with fellow top 10 in-state senior Tyler Beard which might cut into his numbers some.