GU picked up a commit from a top 25 player in the class of 2008 (current high school junior). He is considered one of the best players in the D.C. metro area and has been a Hoyas target for a long time. He picked GU over Nova, UConn, Maryland, Virginia, and a host of others. Here are some links:
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=2&c=580116&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fscouthoops.scout.com%2f2%2f580116.html
Rivals ranks him 12 nationally:
http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1617
Here's some video:
http://www.hssmtv.com/Players/Chirs%20Braswell.htm
Needless to say, Freeman and Wright played a big role in this commit. Freeman is a teammate of his at Dematha -- two Dematha players on the Hoyas!!!! This is truly a sign of the second coming.
In other recruiting news, the Hoyas reportedly recieved a commitment from a mid-major caliber guard from Tennessee for next year. This is wierd for a number of reasons. First, we didn't have room for Chris Wright but it was reasonable to assume that Jeff might go pro or someone would transfer. In any event, you make room for someone like Wright. Where will the scholarship for this guy come from? Here are some possible scenarios: First, maybe the staff just thinks they've found the second J-Wal -- someone nobody else really recruited but they think will be a stud. Supposedly, he is a ridiculous shooter. Second, maybe this offer is contingent on a scholarship opening up. That is, they would rather have this guy as a sophomore than a more highly touted freshman come 2008. Third, he is being offered the J-Wal deal -- walk-on but you can earn a scholarship. Fourth, maybe he is a straight walk on. Fifth, maybe JTIII just wanted to bring the first Arab-American to GU basketball.
This was how one Hoyatalk member who has played against the recruit, Omar Wattad, described him:
Wattad made it official today. He committed to Georgetown at 3:oo pm in a press conference at his high school. Wattad is a 6-5 combo guard. He weighs about 215 right now and has been putting on pounds, without giving up quickness, over the last 4 months. He can stroke it from deep. Real deep. He is an ultimate team player and his b-ball Iq is tremendous. I had a hard time keeping this kid infront of me and i played ball in college (albeit dII but still). His length is deceptive. Not tremendously athletic but he makes up for it with great positioning. He really understands the game. I've seen him function in all types of systems and his game is perfect for the Princeton-style offense. I think JTIII found a diamond in the rough with this kid.
Maybe this kid is a diamond in the rough, but with the 2008 interest GU has -- esp. from guys like Ed Davis, why use up the scholarship? This is an interesting story that has been drowned out by the Braswell commit. What I hope this does not mean is that the staff KNOWS Jeff is gone after this year, despite him publicly saying that he will stay. I think Roy, whose statements have been much stronger, can be taken at his word.
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3 comments:
Braswell is a great land. I would be curious to see some video of him in some other situations. Most of the shots we saw in that montage were just him picking up sloppy seconds or making a two-foot open dunk (though there was a shot of one great layup in there and the shot blocking looked great). You know things are going to be that easy for the kid in the NCAA...I wonder how he'll translate.
In connection to your Wattad story. I wonder how common this is for other big time programs. Maybe a lot of school try to lure in talent that others aren't recruiting with offers of scholarships if things open up. Who knows? If you have the means you might rather attend a first-rate academic institution with an outstanding D1 program than a lesser known D2 school, right?
I hope we get more Bras video from this year. Remember: those shots are of him as a high school SOPHOMORE, playing against some top-flight competition. Most think he is a lock for the burger game. How sick would a line up of Wright, Freeman, Summers, Braswell, and Macklin be? We could feature 4 McD AAs in the starting line-up!
Update on Wattad from the Board:
The situation from sources inside both the Georgetown staff, and from family members of Wattad is as follows:
2007-2008 Georgetown has 15 players for 13 scholarships. That leaves 2 players as walk-ons.
Assuming Jeff Green goes pro that leaves 14 players with 13 scholarships. 1 player is a walk-on
Wattad has agreed to be a conditional walk-on in-so-far as barring injury, or any academic or conduct related ineligibility, he will be a scholarship player from 2008-graduation.
This means that in 2008-2009 with the addition of Braswell, the hoyas will have 11 players on scholarship (including wright, wattad, braswell) meaning that they can give scholarships to two more players in 2008-2009 season if they so desire. (it is probably likely that they will recruit one more post , and possibly another swing-player if not another shooter.)
Now back to 2007-2008, if Jeff does not go pro, the hoya's don;'t have a scholarship for either Wattad or Wright and they will both have to walk on. This is a possibility that i Highly doubt, as Wright's commitment was totally contingent on him recieveing a 4 year scholarship (where as wattad was willing to pay for ONE year).
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