When we ranked Trae Hannibal as the number 11 prospect in South Carolina’s 2019 class, we caught some flack for it. Not because of Hannibal’s talent but because many people had seen him play. Now, after watching what he has done this season, 11 may be a bit low for him.
Hannibal was a standout player at the prestigious South Carolina Top 80 leading into the season and he has done nothing to quell those aspects throughout the season. He is a sturdily built point guard, who mixes court vision and explosion with his sense of flair to be an incredibly productive player.
When watching Hannibal what sticks out the most, more than his above the rim antics and pin-point passes, is his ability to affect the game on the defensive end. He seems to always be around the ball. He is a very good rebounder and can play defense for 94 feet, creating havoc for the opposing player.
Offensively, Hannibal has the handle and quickness to touch the paint virtually any time he wants. He has the natural strength to absorb contact when trying to finish at the rim and the explosion to finish above the rim in traffic.
As we mentioned above, Hannibal is an alum of the South Carolina Top 80 event. This event brings the best players from the state of South Carolina under one roof to compete in front of national scouts and media. After his performance in this past year’s event we wrote, “Hannibal is an explosive athlete, no questions about it. He showed a good pace and the ability to get to the basket. Hannibal’s camp coach Pete Ellis stated, “Trae plays well beyond his years. He also showed the ability to make plays in the half court and in transition.” Hannibal is a tough player and has great upside.”
Hannibal plays the game light years beyond his age. He watches a lot of Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook in the NBA, but he says that he studies Lillard, “He plays the way that I want to, he is athletic and gets his team involved but is also able to score.” We can see that comparison, because Hannibal does have a similar build and that type of natural athleticism. It wasn’t mentioned by Hannibal, but it may have been assumed, but he also plays with that same chip on his shoulder that Lillard does. In last night’s game he finished with 12 rebounds and 3 steals…That paired well with his 14 points (all in the second half when his team needed to come back) and 8 assists.
When prompted about what he does well, Hannibal seemed very self-aware of his game. Hannibal said, “I am a pass first point guard, I am athletic and able to finish at the rim. I am able to get to the basket.” When asked what he was working on, he stated his jump shot, “I got to get my jump shot as a consistent weapon.”
Right now College of Charleston and South Carolina State are the only schools who are calling on him. Even at number 11, Hannibal may be a touch low. He has great vision and is very explosive as a play maker. We will enjoy tracking him over the next couple of years, there are a lot of natural traits to really fall in love with here.