Grudzien, a guard out of Woodstock Academy in Connecticut, comes in at #22 among the combo guards and #113 overall. The 6’1″ guard has the strength needed to play through contact, knows how to play at different speeds with the ball in his hands, and is a relentless competitor on both ends of the floor. He’s better scoring around the basket than from the perimeter, but does such a good job of navigating traffic, that he rarely has to settle for anything outside of the paint. Defensively, he’s tough at the point of attack, makes opposing ball-handlers uncomfortable, and is willing to give up his body to make winning plays. Grudzien has the ability to help a college program from Day 1 and should see plenty of recruitment this fall.

At the helm of a deep cadre of scholarship-level prospects, Grudzien emerged steadily throughout the spring and summer while quarterbacking the Magic to another HGSL title. The lead guard plays with a fun bounce in his step, confidently weaving to spots off the bounce with a blend of shiftiness and physicality. He sees the floor well as a playmaker for others once the defense collapses on him and is able to keep things honest as a respectable shooter from the perimeter. Defensively, he shows good aggressiveness getting into the ball at the point of attack but can be a bit susceptible to allowing penetration when matched up with quicker guards. Transferring to Woodstock for his senior year, he should be garnering continued scholarship-level attention heading into the fall.

I feel pretty confident saying that Grudzien is the most well-conditioned athlete I’ve scouted in my time at Prep Hoops. I’ve seen the 6-foot-1 guard play 40 straight minutes and still seem like easily the freshest player on the court—I don’t know what it would even look like for him to play tired or without maximum effort. Offensively, he’s a relentless rim attacker and transition punisher because of his athleticism, strength, and tough mindset; he’s always coming at you downhill and forcing you to defend, but he’s also a talented passer once he gets a paint touch. Defensively, he guards absolutely anybody you ask of him and beats everybody to the spot. Grudzien plays harder than anyone I saw at the NEPSAC’s this weekend, and that should earn him scholarship looks when combined with his skillset, especially if he can continue to shoot the ball well from the outside. 

Grudzien doesn’t jump off the page as much as some of his Middlesex Magic HGSL teammates, but I think he might be the most valuable player to that team. The 6-foot-1 guard is the best defender on his squad and seems to always be around the ball, whether he’s defending the ball-handler or being active on the help-side. Offensively, he’s an above-the-rim athlete who has incredibly good quickness and passing ability but is also getting more confident from three-point range. Grudzien is just a winner, and I think there are probably some scholarship schools he could make an impact at. Don’t sleep on him.

Grudzien was lethal for Middlesex Magic’s HGSL team. The 5-foot-11 guard is a total pest on the defensive end and wreaks havoc all game with his ability to be physical and handsy at the point of attack. He has great toughness and clearly wants to compete, even in AAU. Offensively, the Marianapolis Prep junior has an awesome spin move and a knack for finishing with contact at the rim. He’s a better athlete than you think, and he’s a relentless attacker of the rim. Grudzien needs to improve his outside shot, but everything else in his game is pretty buttoned up, so he’s absolutely a D3 college prospect.

+22 (#123 to #101)

Grudzien, a guard out of Marianapois Preparatory School in Connecticut, rose 22 spots in this update and now sits at #101 overall. Grudzien is a terrific floor general that might be one of this class’s top passers. He does a great job of getting downhill off the bounce and using his strength and athleticism to his advantage as both a creator and finisher. On top of that, he stands out on the defensive end of the floor as an active and aggressive defender that can generate steals and deflections while also protecting the rim.

+28 (#157 to #129)

Grudzien, a playmaking guard out of Marianapolis Prep, made a 28 spot jump in this update. A high basketball IQ prospect, he knows how to use his frame to his advantage and shows the ability to make plays through contact off the bounce. He’s a shot creator with the ball in his hands, both for himself and for others, and does a nice job of picking his spots as a scorer. He can score with touch over size, does a nice job of utilizing shot fakes to get into his driving game, and makes them in bunches from behind the arc. Defensively, he’s physical at the point of attack and can really defend in space with his lateral mobility.

Grudzien was easily Rhode Island Magic’s best player this weekend and really impressed me with his point guard abilities as both a scorer and a passer. He has great strength and quickness for his size, and he can shoot the ball from the mid range and three. He’s so solid as a ball handler and makes the right play again and again, even if it doesn’t earn him anything in the stat sheet. Grudzien will have a tough time playing scholarship ball if he doesn’t grow, but he’s a definite D3 player, probably at a pretty high level. So skilled and fundamentally sound and I really enjoyed watching him.

Grudzien, a lead guard out of Marianapolis Preparatory School in Connecticut, is a strong ball-handler that gets to his spots off the bounce and makes plays for others. He has a strong frame and uses it to his advantage when opponents try to bump him off his lines on drives. He does a good job of pushing the pace in transition, shows the ability to break down the initial defender off the bounce, and has the ability to finish with strength around the rim. His passing and floor vision are seperating skills as he does a great job of making the game easier for his teammates. Defensively, he hits the floor for loose balls, is willing to take charges, and knows how to make plays in passing lanes.

Don’t tell Grudzien that players aren’t supposed to defend full court in a showcase, because he’s going to do it anyway. The Marianapolis Prep sophomore is an absolute dog on that end of the floor and was giving ball handlers hell all afternoon. Offensively, Grudzien is a strong downhill attacker who loves to get to the spin move and can elevate and finish with both hands at the cup. The future is very bright for him, and any level of ball is on the table for him.