ESPN Insider: Fraizer one of Top 5 Spring signing fits
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:08 pmIt's nice that two of the five mentioned are AAC schools.
Elijah Brown, SG, Butler
Brad Stevens’ Bulldogs will play in their third different conference in as many years next season when they join the Big East. And as Butler continues to push its program to the highest levels of college basketball, the need for length and athleticism on the perimeter will become more glaring on the defensive end. Who better to fill that role than Brown? Brown not only fits that description, but just as importantly he has a defensive strand embedded in his DNA as the son of former Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown, who has been well known over the years as one of the NBA’s foremost defensive coaches.
Keith Frazier, SG, SMU
Frazier was looking for a school that could best develop his professional aspirations. SMU was a program badly in need of a talent influx. Frazier found a program where he could play a signature role from Day One and a coach who has more NBA experience than anyone else in college basketball. SMU found a prospect it could build around -- both on the floor and from a recruiting perspective -- as it continues to build inroads into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This is a home run for both sides.
Darryl Hicks, SG, Boston College
BC has a young and talented backcourt with reigning ACC Freshman of the Year Olivier Hanlan and running mate Joe Rahon. While both players averaged more than 34 minutes per game this past season, that was likely more out of necessity than design. Hicks is the ideal complement because he provides an element of power and athleticism the Eagles don’t currently have.
He can even slide over to the small forward spot at times, giving coach Steve Donahue some versatility to work with. The fact that Hicks makes open shots, has a high IQ and makes good decisions only makes him that much more of a good fit.
Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
Parker has been committed for so long (since late December) that it’s easy to forget he made his decision after the early signing period and will officially ink his letter of intent in the spring. Either way, everything about Parker and his game seems to be a good fit with Duke. The timing couldn’t be better in terms of the team’s personnel, as he’s likely to step into the starting forward position vacated by the graduation of Ryan Kelly. Moreover, in a Duke offense that includes tenants of Bobby Knight’s motion offense and Mike D’Antoni’s ball-screen concepts -- both highlighted by maximum spacing -- Parker’s advanced skill set and high basketball IQ may actually be an even better fit at the college level than they were at the high school level.
Jaaron Simmons, PG, Houston
Houston has a talented young core in place with the likes of Joseph Young, TaShawn Thomas, and Danuel House. With Danrad Knowles set to join the program next season, the only thing the Cougars really lacked was an impact point guard -- and they may have found an under-the-radar one in Simmons, a scoring point who had a great senior season at Archbishop Alter (Ohio). He’ll be a good fit for Houston’s up-tempo style and is ideally suited to play with the Cougars’ young wings because he can push the play and create pace while also making plays for himself and others.
Elijah Brown, SG, Butler
Brad Stevens’ Bulldogs will play in their third different conference in as many years next season when they join the Big East. And as Butler continues to push its program to the highest levels of college basketball, the need for length and athleticism on the perimeter will become more glaring on the defensive end. Who better to fill that role than Brown? Brown not only fits that description, but just as importantly he has a defensive strand embedded in his DNA as the son of former Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown, who has been well known over the years as one of the NBA’s foremost defensive coaches.
Keith Frazier, SG, SMU
Frazier was looking for a school that could best develop his professional aspirations. SMU was a program badly in need of a talent influx. Frazier found a program where he could play a signature role from Day One and a coach who has more NBA experience than anyone else in college basketball. SMU found a prospect it could build around -- both on the floor and from a recruiting perspective -- as it continues to build inroads into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This is a home run for both sides.
Darryl Hicks, SG, Boston College
BC has a young and talented backcourt with reigning ACC Freshman of the Year Olivier Hanlan and running mate Joe Rahon. While both players averaged more than 34 minutes per game this past season, that was likely more out of necessity than design. Hicks is the ideal complement because he provides an element of power and athleticism the Eagles don’t currently have.
He can even slide over to the small forward spot at times, giving coach Steve Donahue some versatility to work with. The fact that Hicks makes open shots, has a high IQ and makes good decisions only makes him that much more of a good fit.
Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
Parker has been committed for so long (since late December) that it’s easy to forget he made his decision after the early signing period and will officially ink his letter of intent in the spring. Either way, everything about Parker and his game seems to be a good fit with Duke. The timing couldn’t be better in terms of the team’s personnel, as he’s likely to step into the starting forward position vacated by the graduation of Ryan Kelly. Moreover, in a Duke offense that includes tenants of Bobby Knight’s motion offense and Mike D’Antoni’s ball-screen concepts -- both highlighted by maximum spacing -- Parker’s advanced skill set and high basketball IQ may actually be an even better fit at the college level than they were at the high school level.
Jaaron Simmons, PG, Houston
Houston has a talented young core in place with the likes of Joseph Young, TaShawn Thomas, and Danuel House. With Danrad Knowles set to join the program next season, the only thing the Cougars really lacked was an impact point guard -- and they may have found an under-the-radar one in Simmons, a scoring point who had a great senior season at Archbishop Alter (Ohio). He’ll be a good fit for Houston’s up-tempo style and is ideally suited to play with the Cougars’ young wings because he can push the play and create pace while also making plays for himself and others.