Connecticut Recruiting, Georgetown Recruiting, Marquette Recruiting, Syracuse Recruiting

LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY UPDATE, PART 2

More player evaluations from the action in Akron

By Doug Ferguson

Alex Oriakhi, 6-foot-9, 225 lb PF/C from Tilton (NH) School

School of Interest: Verbal Commit to Connecticut

Strength: Ability to bring an outstanding rebounding and defensive presence to the paint.

Area of Improvement: Needs to develop a more diverse arsenal of offensive post moves and a back to the basket game

Skinny: It is more likely than not that Hasheem Thabeet will leave Connecticut for the NBA after this year. Alex Oriakhi is not 7-3, but he will help to sustain a presence around the basket that they will need after Thabeet is gone. He has very long arms that helped make him one of the better shot blockers at this camp. He is very good at keeping a blocked shot in play giving his team an opportunity for a one shot possession. Unlike most players with long arms, his are also very thick. He is very hard to move around when he is near the basket. He is an outstanding rebounder fundamentally. He can be found boxing someone out as soon as a shot is put up. He has very strong hands that are rarely susceptible to getting the ball stripped away from him by a stray hand. His offensive game needs some development. He has virtually no back to the basket game. When he catches the ball on the block he immediately faces up and works from there. Most of his scoring at this camp came on putbacks. Despite his offensive disabilities, he has the ability to be dominant on the defensive end.

“I feel that I have the ability to dominate a game even if I don’t score a single point”, he said. Not many players can do that, but with Oriakhi, its a possibility.

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Keith Gallon, 6-foot-9, 230 lb (media guide typo?) PF/C from Oak Hill (VA) Academy

Schools of Interest: Mississippi State, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Georgetown, Arizona, LSU, USC

Biggest Strength: Combination of big body and quickness is rare and very hard to stop

Area of improvement: His shot selection could stand to improve as he is somewhat of a “black hole” once he gets the ball on the block.

Skinny: One of the outstanding performers at the LJSA was Keith Gallon. He stole the show in many of the games he participated in showing a skill set not usually seen by a player who congers up memories of Oliver Miller at first glance. First of all, if he is 230 lbs. my girlfriend is better looking than Tom Brady’s. His roundness required the people from the camp to find him a new, specially made jersey causing confusion of who he was for some on the first day. It would be the last of people not knowing his name. Gallon creates so much space between him and his opponent it makes it nearly impossible for people to block his shot or get near a rebound. What was really impressive though, was ability to step out on the floor and make shots. He loves to face up his opponent and will drop an 18 foot jumper on them if they back off. He’s so skilled that he at times waved off his point guard after grabbing a rebound and brought the ball up himself. A kid of his size will always bring questions of stamina. He never showed major signs of fatigue, although the players were mainly subbing in five minute intervals. Gallon was definitely one of the most impressive players at the camp.

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Roger Franklin Jr., 6-foot-4, 200 lb SG from Duncanville (TX)

Schools of Interest: Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas State, Marquette, Utah, Indiana, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, SMU, TCU

Strengths: Leadership and overall positive attitude

Area of Improvement: Ball handling and lateral movement

Skinny: Roger Franklin is a real breath of fresh air in the the age of athletes with an expectation of entitlement. He is cut from the old school cloth where hard work and dedication are more important than shoe deals and agents. His vocal and inspirational leadership proved very valuable on a team that made several double-digit comebacks in camp scrimmages as his signature “YEEEEEEAAAHHH” could be heard echoing through the gym. His hustle made a notable impact on the game. He seemed to be a step ahead of the other players on the floor even though athletically he was usually a 1/2 step behind. His best athletic quality is probably his leaping ability. He finishes well in traffic, usually with a dunk. He is also an outstanding rebounder for a guard.

He was quoted as saying, “I know all the guards I play against have the same dream, to play in the NBA. If I don’t stay hungry, they’ll pass me right up. Hard work, that’s the key to everything.”

Related story: Lebron James Skills Academy Update, Part I by Anthony Jaskulski

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