2021 Prospects Most Affected by AAU Postponement

Steve Quattrocchi April 2, 2020 @ 06:58 PM

With the AAU season all but wiped out for at least the first part of the spring, prospects and college coaches are lying in wait until they can get back in the gym. Here’s a look at prospects who will be impacted the shutdown and players who programs should flock to when it’s time to resume action… [player_tooltip player_id="530673" first="DeAjuan" last="Stepp"], West Jessamine and M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs - Coming off a strong Junior season, Stepp had helped get West Jessamine to the Sweet Sixteen and was playing some of the best basketball of his career. Anyone who has watched Dee knows he can get into the paint and finish through contact but a good AAU season and showing he can be a consistent outside shooter would likely have gotten Stepp multiple D1 offers heading into the summer. [player_tooltip player_id="700960" first="Zek" last="Montgomery"], Fern Creek and M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs - Montgomery, like Stepp, is ultimately a wing at the next level. But if you watched Fern Creek this season, he spent a decent amount of time on the block or in the high post. A solid AAU spring could have catapulted Zek from an offer from LaSalle to multiple mid major plus offers. [player_tooltip player_id="922991" first="Scotty" last="Draud"], Beechwood and Griffin Elite - One of the best scorers in the state, Draud missed the July live period and NCAA camp due to being sidelined by mono. Coming into the Spring AAU season, the 6’6 wing was poised to attract coaches if he could perform against top competition, offers were likely to be close behind. [player_tooltip player_id="922992" first="Sekou" last="Kalle"], DeSales and Louisville Legends - Before Sekou arrived in Kentucky, he had "offers" from schools like UCLA, Rutgers and Western Kentucky. Then his recruiting went quiet until Eastern Kentucky offered in February. Would Sekou have had a [player_tooltip player_id="706008" first="JJ" last="Traynor"]-esque rise to prominence? Now we may never know. [player_tooltip player_id="922993" first="Darrius" last="Washington"], Fern Creek and G3 Grind - Another forward prospect who was hoping to add to his offer list, Washington had an ok Junior season while splitting time with [player_tooltip player_id="922998" first="Cearius" last="Warren"] in the Tiger frontcourt. Heading into the spring with an offer from Morehead State, Washington would have had a chance to show his perimeter skills like he doesn’t get to at Creek. [player_tooltip player_id="922995" first="DaShawn" last="Jackson"], Frederick Douglass and Manimal Elite - Coming out of his Junior year riding some serious momentum and playing the best basketball of his career, Dashawn was primed to keep rolling into the spring and hope to catch the eye of some D1 coaches. As it stands, Dashawn will have to make the most of whatever AAU season does happen (if any), [player_tooltip player_id="793762" first="Kelly" last="Niece"], Simon Kenton and Indiana Elite Team Indiana - Kelly missed the evaluation periods last year after tearing his ACL in April. Niece made his way back to the court and had a strong season heading into the AAU year. If Kelly can show coaches that he’s as shifty and athletic as he was pre-injury, he will be a solid low and mid major option for schools. [player_tooltip player_id="922999" first="Dez" last="Lindsay"], Male and Louisville Magic - Dez finished his Junior season as a role player on a loaded team and this Spring was a chance for him to break out and show college coaches what he can do. Now it remains in doubt if coaches will see him at all with Spring AAU cancelled. Lindsay is a good prospect at 6’6 and still growing and he can shoot with range as he was a 36% shooter from deep.