MI Expat NY

January 13th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^

If he isn't seen in the NCAA it most likely won't be because of his professional aspirations.

Sure, he has a nice handle, and nice skills for his age.  But almost every kid that goes to basketball camps/clinics perform the same drills.  He performs them exceptionally well, but he isn't exactly doing anything special.  He's ahead of the curve now, but the curve tends to catch up, especially if he gets passed in the all important physical attributes category.  

Flying Dutchman

January 13th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

Look at his dad - not an impressive athletic specimen.   This kid is going to have to make it over 6 feet if he's going to matter in Division1.   If he somehow becomes 6'4" or so, look out.

el segundo

January 13th, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^

the white guy on the Globetrotters.

It's a cute story (and the reporter emphasized the cute), but I did not see a lot that manifested the potential to play basketball with nine other people.  Schooling those middle-aged clowns in a pick up game shows me nothing.  I would have been impressed if they showed him dominating in games against kids his own age or a little older, but they did not.  I wonder if he even plays AAU or on a travel team.  I suspect he spends his time in the gym learning tricks instead of how to play on a team.  Issaquah, WA is pretty rural and pretty far from Seattle, which is not exactly a basketball hotbed anyway.  I also suspect he's not getting much competition.

And he's twelve.  And small.  I don't expect that D-1 coaches will be beating a path to Issaquah.

a7ooz2225

January 13th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^

My fiance used to work the Jason Otter basketball camps (those are Jason Otter's logos on the kid's shorts) and this kid used to be there most of the time. She said he is the best ball-handler of any age she has ever seen at any of the camps. She said he is also a very humble, polite kid who doesn't like to show off and is very helpful with others at the camp. Seems like an all-around good kid and a great basketball player. Just thought I'd share that with everyone.