Young Star Spotlight: Kids to Look out For

Posted by admin On December - 8 - 2009

Young Star Spotlight: Kids to Look Out For

Mitchell’s potential

After having yet another great performance at the Texas Jamboree against one of the top players in this class, how good do you think Tony Mitchell can be? Can he ever work his way past Harrison Barnes and Jelan Kendrick?

At 6 feet 8 and 220 pounds, Mitchell is a high-level, NBA-type athlete who has the potential to be a go-to wing scorer.

Presently, Mitchell has a game that is rough around the edges. There are occasional mental lapses along with turnovers and bad shots. But when you cut through the mistakes, you have a prospect with incredible long-term potential.

Could Mitchell creep into the top 10 in the final Rivals150 in the spring and overtake fellow small forward Jelan Kendrick? Yes. It is a distinct possibility considering how fast Mitchell’s game is progressing.

Does he catch the No. 1 wing prospect in the country, Harrison Barnes? No. Mitchell might have a dose of athleticism that Barnes doesn’t possess, but other than that, Barnes’ game is much more advanced. Nonetheless, if one day Mitchell is putting up better numbers than Barnes in the NBA, I wouldn’t be surprised.

PG comparison

Just how do 2011 point guards Shannon Scott and Marquis Teague compare? Are they about the same, and do you believe that coach [Thad Matta] will invest in another point guard in 2012?

Teague and Scott are both great point guards. They are exceptional ballhandlers who can also defend their position.

Teague, who is the No. 1-ranked point guard in the 2011 class, has a gear of explosiveness that Scott doesn’t have. In the mold of Chris Paul, Teague gets to the rim with regularity and has a knack for absorbing contact and finishing.

You can argue, however, that Scott – the No. 3-ranked point guard in the 2011 class – is more adept at running an offense and organizing a team. His play with the Southern Kings this summer was exceptional. He demonstrated a high-level understanding of involving his teammates through his ability to penetrate and find the open man.

Whether Thad Matta will target a 2012 point guard is not a question I can definitively answer at this point, but the odds are that Scott will be at Ohio State for more than one year.

Sharpshooters

Whom would you rank as the top 10 pure shooters in the Class of 2010?

This is an interesting and tough question. There are some great scorers/shooters in the class who just miss out on my list. Prospects like Harrison Barnes, Josh Selby, Ryan Harrow, and Gary Franklin are some of the prospects who are known for their ability to make shots and make them in the clutch.