Prospects That Are Working Harder Than Me

<p>There is 1 thing that I know for certain:  I work hard. I’ll hit multiple states and multiple events in a day. I’ll watch film and livestreams any chance that I get. I’ll hit the gym and watch prospects play and work out. That being said, there are prospects in this state that put my work to shame. They spend countless hours perfecting their craft and honing their game. When these players hit the floor, they leave everything they have on the court. Let’s look at 6 prospects in Michigan that are working harder than me.</p> <p><strong>Kareem Aburashed (2022, PF, M&amp;M Boyz, Detroit Country Day)</strong></p> <p>Really, I could include any of the M&amp;M Boyz in this list, just because that’s what they do. Aburashed stood out though. His willingness to battle and play any role that’s needed is always obvious when watching. Aburashed has turned heads this spring and summer, and his grit is a huge reason why.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1211320" first="Karim" last="McCune II"] (2022, CG, EAT Athletics, Saginaw)</strong></p> <p>McCune has played with a chip on his shoulder ever since the spring. You can just tell that he wants it bad. That he wants to be a college basketball player. Whether in Prep Hoops Circuit play or in an open run, McCune is bringing a different type of energy. If the world is a right place, his results will match his determination.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1130946" first="Brennan" last="McKenzie"] (2023, PG, Midwest Stampede, Adrian)</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Brennan-Mckenzie.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1187343" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Brennan-Mckenzie-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" /></a></p> <p>Seriously, just watch McKenzie at a workout or a practice. He doesn’t take a single play or a single rep off. He goes hard from start to finish. McKenzie is a stickler for details and you can tell by the way he focuses on every word from a coach. Not only does he listen, but he consistently goes back and applies what he hears.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787618" first="Ty" last="Rodgers"] (2022, SF, MeanStreets, Grand Blanc)</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Ty-Rodgers-Chi-Town.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1174355" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Ty-Rodgers-Chi-Town-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>One of my favorite quotes from motivational speaker Eric Thomas is "Why you grind so hard E?" Rodgers goes so hard that I want to ask him, "Why you grind so hard T?" That’d be a silly question though because we all know the answer. Rodgers wants to be the best and he wants his team’s to be the best. He’s well on his way.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="902884" first="Jakhary" last="Towns"] (2023, SG, Team Rose 3SSB, Godwin Heights)</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1195091" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/DB197C8A-4B66-41C7-A01D-B6B062210E13-crop-640x420-1614192170-crop-378x249-1621292241.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1195091" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/DB197C8A-4B66-41C7-A01D-B6B062210E13-crop-640x420-1614192170-crop-378x249-1621292241-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Godwin Heights’ [player_tooltip player_id="902884" first="Jakhary" last="Towns"] [/caption] <p>One thing that we can never doubt is if Towns will put in the work. He’s most definitely willing to sacrifice to his greatest version of himself as a basketball player. Why do you think D1 high majors are starting to peek their heads around the corner? That type of attention doesn’t come free. Towns’ old fashioned work ethic is what’s driving his success.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1111926" first="Noah" last="Vanlaningham"] (2024, SG, Strictly Skills, Mattawan)</strong></p> <p>I noticed a long time ago that this young man seemed to always be in the gym at Strictly Skills. If he wasn’t there, he seemed to be on some court somewhere. Well, all those hours are now reaping rewards. The way he played, especially late summer, happens when you embrace the process. With his type of commitment, Vanlaningham has a bright future ahead.</p>