3 Questions: Ivy League Recruiting, New Age 2021 Prospects, WIU Stellar Class
In our new series 3 Questions we will look at a trio of topics going on in the state of Illinois and recruiting! Check it out! What kind of level is the Ivy League recruiting at in Illinois and…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn our new series 3 Questions we will look at a trio of topics going on in the state of Illinois and recruiting! Check it out!
What kind of level is the Ivy League recruiting at in Illinois and misconceptions about prospects going to the conference?
Two huge commitments happened this past Saturday and both are headed to the Ivy League. It started off with Evanston shooting guard Blake Peters announcing for Princeton. That was followed up just a few hours later by Louis Lesmond going to Harvard. For a reference point Peters is the #17 overall prospect and Lesmond sets at #7 in the best class of prospects in several years. They could have played at the mid-major plus/high-major levels.
One misconception that has driven me nuts over the last several years is players that are considered a D2/D3/NAIA prospects try to tell myself and others that they want to go “Ivy League” almost as if it is a D2+ league for smart kids. That’s just not the case. Look at some of the recent commitments to the Ivy League from Illinois. In 2019 there was Perry Cowan (Brown – #19) and Ciaran Brayboy (Harvard – #23). In 2017 you had Tai Bibbs (Columbia – #20) and Jameel Alausa (Yale – #28). The year prior in 2016 it was Mike Smith (Columbia – #9). The last year we are going to examine is 2015 where Lake Forest stud Evan Boudreaux (Dartmouth – #8) and Weisner Perez (Harvard – #17) headed to the conference.
What does this look back tell us? The prospects going to the Ivy League are almost all rock solid mid-major prospects and a couple in Mike Smith and Evan Boudreaux eventually grad transferred to high-majors in the Big 10. This is a big time basketball conference that is looking for high-major/mid-major plus prospects who have academics and not D2 guys that happen to be smart.
How does the class of 2021 in Illinois showcase new age positionless basketball?
Another thing I will never understand is why players care so much about what they are listed as positionally. I’ve had players get mad at me because I don’t list them a “position down”. All centers want to be power forwards. Power forwards want to be small forwards. Small forwards want to be shooting guards. And shooting guards want to be point guards. My favorite one was when a player I covered for years committed and they called me to ask a question. He wanted me to say on their commitment tweet instead of a position that they were “A Draymond Green type point forward.” That did not happen because it was factually incorrect. In reality players should be looking at it the other way. Your value is if you can play a position up especially on the defensive end. PJ Tucker is 6’5” and playing center in the NBA! The Rockets gave him 4 years/$31 million because he accepted his role in the new age of basketball.
So who are some of the players that fit what we are talking about as new age basketball players. First category is the mobile four that can play either the three or small ball four. I think right off the top you have to look at Bryce Hopkins. The Fenwick combo forward has the versatility to play both the three and four effectively for Louisville in college at a high level. He also has a chance to play in the NBA down the line because of his willingness to be versatile on both ends of the floor. Niles Notre Dame’s Troy D’Amico, Zion Benton’s Amar Augillard, and Hillcrest’s Julius Rollins are three others that are very intriguing to colleges because of their versatility.
Next category is three and D wings! You hear this often in the NBA meaning players that can guard on the perimeter and hit threes at a high clip. Ben Schwieger Ben Schwieger 6'5" | SG Waubonsie Valley | 2021 State #229 Nation IL of Waubonsie Valley is racking up offers because of his ability to knock down shots and use his athleticism on the defensive end. Others that come to mind when looking at this are James Dent James Dent 6'3" | SG Springfield Southeast | 2021 State IL (Springfield Southeast), Jaiden Lee Jaiden Lee 6'4" | SG Joliet West | 2021 State IL (Joliet West), and Jakobi Heady Jakobi Heady 6'8" | SF Hillcrest | 2021 State IL (Hillcrest).
Combo guards are what colleges are looking for these days. Players that can create with the ball in their hands as scorers or distributors. Jaylin Gibson Jaylin Gibson 6'3" | SG Legacy School of Sports Science | 2021 State TX from Evanston does this great! The top 10 prospect is an excellent passer that has strength. Can drive, dish, and shoot off a live dribble. Others in the class who fit this description are Ahamad Bynum Ahamad Bynum 6'2" | SG Simeon | 2021 State #94 Nation IL (Simeon), Anthony Sayles Anthony Sayles 6'2" | PG Niles Notre Dame | 2021 State #167 Nation IL (Niles Notre Dame), and Ty Johnson Ty Johnson 6'3" | PG Depaul Prep | 2021 State #198 Nation IL (DePaul Prep). These are all very coveted recruits at the next level.
The last new age position we are going to look at is the rim running, shot blocking, mobile post that can switch in ball screens, and hit a spot up jumper. No one represents this better than Von Steuben’s Ola Ajiboye Ola Ajiboye 6'8" | PF Evanston | 2021 State IL . He is an elite athlete running the floor catching lobs and hitting the offensive glass. The rising senior swats shots at a high rate protecting the rim and can switch on to guards moving his feet on the perimeter. He also has the special ability to stretch the floor as well. Whitney Young’s Grant Newell Grant Newell 6'7" | PF Whitney Young | 2021 State IL also has a chance to be this type of player at the next level.
What does the Class of 2020 commitments
Marcus Watson
Marcus
Watson
5'11" | PG
Morgan Park | 2020
State
#131
Nation
IL
,
Ramean Hinton
Ramean
Hinton
6'4" | SG
Curie | 2020
State
#181
Nation
IL
, and Tamell Pearson mean to Western Illinois?
Program defining class for sure! Since Western Illinois has hired assistant coach Nick Irvin from Morgan Park they have landed the three best prospects possibly ever in the programs history. That includes headliner Marcus Watson Marcus Watson 5'11" | PG Morgan Park | 2020 State #131 Nation IL who committed to the program on Saturday. He checks in at #7 overall in the 2020 PHI Rankings. After a coaching change at Wake Forest the leader in EYBL for assists and steals last year decided to reopen his recruitment from the school he signed with in the spring. The question was could Western Illinois and Watson’s high school coach steal him away from other high-majors and mid-majors. They did it on Saturday. He will join the #8 prospect in the state’s 2020 class Curie’s Ramean Hinton Ramean Hinton 6'4" | SG Curie | 2020 State #181 Nation IL in the backcourt. Tough and physical two way guard is an impact player in his own right. To top it off their other in-state commit comes in the form of UAB transfer power forward Tamell Pearson who was #13 in 2018 out of Morgan Park. This trio is the type of class that could lead them to the NCAA Tournament down the line.