Given the fact that July is right around the corner, it feels like no better time to start introducing some of the players that college coaches should be monitoring. Going into the busiest recruiting month of the year, our Summer Havoc should be a hotbed for coaches and players alike. As usual, Phenom Hoops will have prospects of all levels in attendance. This series will continue by taking a closer look at Gevonte Ware of 1 of 1 Academy.
We’ve spoken highly of Ware for quite a while, recently stating, “Similar to the excerpt above, Gevonte Ware is a prospect who deserves way more action within his recruitment—and it’s unclear why that even needs to be said. Typically, the appeal of a 6-foot-9 big man with his blend of strength, footwork, mobility, and two-way presence would be pretty self-explanatory, yet here we are. Ware is tough, steady, and reliably protects the rim while controlling the glass on both ends of the floor. He finishes well out of the post, above the rim, and utilizes both hands well around the basket, but can also space the floor as needed. Ware is simply a walking double-double with offensive feel and excellent timing/instincts as a defensive anchor. Without belaboring the point: what are we missing' Although Mississippi State recently became the first program to extend an offer to the big man, it feels like Ware should only continue to accumulate scholarships and warrant national attention over the coming months.”
Even though various Division I programs have started getting involved with his recruitment, it’s somewhat surprising that it took so long. That being said, more schools should be in pursuit of the 6-foot-9 big man. He’s a strong, physical post prospect with touch, footwork, and athleticism, which allows him to simply overwhelm opponents on both ends of the floor. Ware rebounds his area extremely well, grabs the ball with two hands, and runs the floor properly in transition. He displays great instincts as a rim-protector and utilizes his body really well to absorb contact as an interior defender. Ware finishes well around the basket, but can also space the floor or operate as a screener in the two-man game. Still tracking as one of the top prospects in North Carolina’s Class of 2025, expect him to truly blow up sooner than later.