Gutierrez got on my radar without needing to just be a scorer and that tells me more than a gunner or player whose game is described by just that. We saw him at the Expo and he separated himself because he made his case defensively. He pressured guards, beat them to spots and understood how to angle ball handlers toward help instead of simply chasing them around the floor. He also turned that pressure into steals and extra opportunities for his team. That’s a skill that can travel as he enters high school basketball. Now I want to see what develops around it. If Gutierrez embraces being disruptive defensively while continuing to grow as a ball handler and offensive threat, he already has one quality that can help him earn minutes. He joined the watch list. 

Gutierrez made his impression on the defensive end, and that is something that excites you at a showcase. He pressured opposing guards and sped them up, stayed in front of his man, and beat them to the spot to turn them to help side, which you don’t see too much of. He also had a couple of steals and created more opportunities for teammates with his effort. He didn’t need a big scoring stretch to get noticed, and that is something that I wish more showcases pushed because being competitive, locked in defensively, and trying to make plays was enough. Solid day for a kid that is now on the radar.