Johnny brought some needed toughness to the interior and wasn’t afraid to play through contact. At a showcase like this, the guards who want to overdo plays and dribble and take all of the shots, and you don’t see too many big man touches in the post, and while it could be frustrating, he still tried to find ways to be effective. Fuentes established himself around the basket, used his body to create space, and finished through contact. He stayed near the paint as the help side guy, he defended without fouling and showed value to his team. Some things don’t go unnoticed just because you’re not shooting it every time. Just keep working, big fella. 

Fuentez brought a much needed physical presence to Olympic City Elite, using his size and strength to make an impact in the paint. He was a big body down low who consistently battled for position, competed on the boards and made opponents work for every point and rebound. Fuentez played with a relentless motor, embracing the tough gritty parts of the game on both ends of the floor. His ability to provide interior strength, absorb contact and create second chance opportunities gave his team a valuable piece. Players with his toughness and willingness to do the dirty work are always impactful, and his continued growth will be exciting to follow

We got to see Fuentes at Rocky Mountain Mayhem to start out Spring, and the big man naturally grabbed our attention with his ability to affect the game in various ways. He was a force on the glass, which got him easy baskets as he grabbed boards out of his area and went right back up, and if he got an open look, he let it fly as well. Fuentez knocked down a few mid-range shots, he uses his body well on the block, and he’s a creative finisher down low. They got him the ball at the block and he hit cutters for easy baskets. He kicked it back out or he had some back-to-the-basket finishes. He’s still putting the full package together, but there are enough flashes to warrant being on the watch list as we’re curious to see how he looks moving forward. 

Fuentez is a versatile big who brings a modern skill set to the floor. Offensively, he has the ability to extend beyond the arc and knock down perimeter shots, adding valuable spacing. His confidence from deep forces defenders to step out, creating driving lanes and opportunities for the offense. He also shows the ability to finish effectively around the rim, making him a dualvthreat scorer. On the defensive end, Fuentez is active and disruptive. He does a great job reading passing lanes, generating steals and creating transition opportunities. His effort on the boards further adds to his overall impact, as he competes for rebounds on both ends.