Note: Scout.com used for all player rankings.
Justise Winslow Lands in Durham
Last Thursday afternoon, five-star small forward Justise Winslow announced his intention to play for Coach K and the Blue Devils. The 6’5” Winslow is currently rated as the No. 10 prospect in the country and No. 4 small forward in the class of 2014. With the commitment, Duke wrapped up an extraordinarily successful seven-day period which started out when the Blue Devils received commitments from the top player in the country in center Jahlil Okafor as well as the No. 2 ranked point guard in Tyus Jones. Winslow is set to join a talented team next year that will have numerous options on the perimeter in juniors Rodney Hood, Rasheed Sulaimon and Alex Murphy along with sophomores Matt Jones and Semi Ojeleye. Playing with talented wing players is nothing new for Winslow who played AAU ball the past two years with two other top 10 talents in Kansas commitment Kelly Oubre and North Carolina commitment Justin Jackson. Just like AAU play, Winslow brings a different skill set to the table when compared to his wing counterparts.
On the offensive end, the Houston native can do a variety of things. With his chiseled frame, he uses his notable strength advantage to crash the glass, score down low and finish with contact. He is tough to guard off the dribble and can often finish with a powerful dunk. Winslow is also fairly adept at handling the ball and using his passing ability to find cutters or shooters on the perimeter. On the defensive end, Winslow can guard numerous positions. He is quick enough to stay in front of most guards and strong enough to battle most big men in the post. This past spring and summer, Winslow’s versatility was on full display as he averaged 14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and a couple steals per game. The main weakness in his game right now revolves around his outside shooting. Although still a work in progress, he shot just 31 percent from the three-point line in AAU play. Winslow’s weakness will be offset by the numerous Duke players who can already shoot from the outside and his versatility will be used elsewhere. This past summer Winslow played on the U-19 USA World championship team and was one of only two high school players to make the team (along with Okafor). He averaged almost 10 points per game there and the time he spent playing against older players proved that he will be more than ready to contribute next year in Durham.
Stockman and Doorson Set Foot in the U.S.
Last Tuesday, 7’2” center Matz Stockman committed to Louisville and then on Friday his teammate, center Shaquille Doorson, signed with Pittsburgh. Both players play for the Canarias Basketball Academy in Las Palmas, Spain, and not a lot of information was initially known about these two foreign prospects. Then, both players showcased their skills at the National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Connecticut, over the weekend. As noted, the Norwegisan Stockman stands 7’2” and weighs around 240 pounds. While quite tall, he is still fairly skinny but runs the floor well, remains active in the post and doesn’t shy away from contact. In his first game, Stockman went 6-of-6 from the floor for 14 points. The lefty displayed a soft touch around the basket and scored on some nifty post moves down low. He was great at using his strong hand, but struggled when forced to use his off hand. As for Doorson, he was fairly raw on the offensive end but the native of Holland is physically ready for college ball right now. At 270 sturdy pounds, Doorson is a strong rebounder but only received limited playing time. Both players are a long way from reaching their ultimate potential but it’s always noted that you can’t teach height. Both Rick Pitino and Jamie Dixon will look to sculpt these foreign centers into future ACC contributors.
A Name to Remember: Tremont Waters
The freshman class of 2017 has arrived, and while these kids just began their high school careers, you can be sure that college coaches are already taking notes. One name to mark down is that of freshman point guard Tremont Waters. The 5’10” guard comes from New Haven, Connecticut, and plays for South Kent School (CT). With assistants on hand from many mid- to high-major colleges, Waters’ early play has already left a strong first impression. The guard showed off his strong ball-handling skills, and then with his team down double-digits, Waters got hot from behind the arc hitting several deep and contested threes to notch the comeback win. He also scored from hesitation moves and dribble penetration while showcasing his high arcing floater. In just his first game against prep competition, Waters went for 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting and 5-of-10 from the three-point line. There is plenty of time for the precocious talent to improve his game and grow a few more inches, but you can be sure that college coaches have already recognized the young man’s skill set.