Player Profile: Max Klesmit
Max Klesmit has been the second-best scoring guard in the 2020 class for a while — it’s just now that people are starting to come around. Including the postseason, Klesmit paced the FVA in scoring with 24.3 points per game.…
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Continue ReadingMax Klesmit has been the second-best scoring guard in the 2020 class for a while — it’s just now that people are starting to come around.
Including the postseason, Klesmit paced the FVA in scoring with 24.3 points per game. He snapped Neenah’s single-game scoring record, twice, tallying up 41 points in an overtime loss to Kaukauna, proceeding to top himself days later with 45 points against Appleton East. He shot 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from three last season, both statistical categories that were much improved over the second half of the year. The all-around aspect of his game is just as evident in the big picture. Though it’s often glossed over, Klesmit was Neenah’s top shot blocker, assist man (4.8), pick-pocketer (2.8), and second-leading rebounder (5) as a junior.
Yet, the guy with the second most votes for the FVA’s POTY went offerless until May of 2019.
Eventually, things began to snowball on the recruiting scene, as a fistful of college programs started their sales pitch in the past few months. Hillsdale offered about 48 hours after the guard tore up the Marquette team camp last weekend. Coach Tharp joins Minnesota Duluth as the only two schools to offer Klesmit a full ride.
But that waiting room of coaches will soon fill up. Klesmit told me, “There are a wide variety of schools that have talked to me…a lot of division 2 schools have picked up interest since AAU began. There are a few division one programs that are interested as of right now.”
Individual aspirations and all, Klesmit told me, “The only goal I want to fulfill this upcoming year is to go get that gold ball.”
An Aside: That’s a bit of a microcosm. Neenah basketball’s motto, One Fist, is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Klesmit. Despite his dominance on the court, he plays within himself, within the offense, rarely forcing things but being the aggressor at all times
Neenah’s state birth last season was a tad surprising, as they were the fourth seed in their pool. Their supporting cast was crucial in their run, but it took 26.2 points per game from Klesmit (and game-winner to beat Hudson in the Elite Eight) to get them there. Even with question marks looming after senior departures, Klesmit is back, and the expectation is to be in the Kohl Center. The expectation is that they’ll be snipping nylon this time around.
“I think we have a very good incoming junior class,” said Klesmit. “We are going to be very fast and athletic…We came very close last year and nobody expected us to get to that point at all. So having some experience and teammates that have the same goal in mind I don’t see why we couldn’t give ourselves a shot.” If Neenah can get another solid core around their star and Klesmit can make nuance-adjustments in his game, possibly ramping up his scoring even more, there’s no reason Neenah can’t return to state.
Overall: Klesmit is an elite prospect on the verge of a recruiting outburst. He’s a gifted scorer, connecting on contested jumpers has become his MO. He’s added muscle last offseason, aiming to do more of the same heading into his senior season. Though he’s a guard, you can expect a stuffed stat-sheet on both sides of the ball and consistent high-level play.