We've seen a lot of players come through our doors over the years, varying in appearance, skill level, and everything in between. We decided to put forth a 'Getting to Know' series on some players who have attended events over the past few years but still remain on the lesser-known side of things. Each of these prospects embody being a student-athlete and getting it done in the classroom as well as on the basketball court, and today's edition will take a closer look at Cole Callaway of Pine Lake Prep.
We've seen Callaway various times throughout the last year, including at our most recent NC Phenom 150 Camp in March, where we stated, 'Moving onto a player that continues to further his reputation as one of the top three-point shooters in North Carolina, Cole Callaway. He's a young, smart, well-rounded guard prospect that has added a noticeable amount of strength and skill over the last few months. Callaway is a lethal shooter but showed his ability to get involved in all facets of the game during camp. Next in his development process is working to get quicker, as it would make him a better on-ball defender. Coach Dre on Callaway: 'Cole is building his r'sum' around the state as a knockdown shooter. Anyone who has seen this kid knows he is good for three to five three-pointers a game. But don't disrespect him by thinking that he is just a shooter. He is more comfortable putting the ball on the floor and getting by people. For a kid in the ninth grade, his game is very advanced and his body is built more like a junior or senior. Cole is the type of player any coach would love to have on his team and, in my opinion, it's not 'if' but only a matter of where he will be playing at the college level.' Callaway continues to impress and stand out as one of the top players in his class, which should have college coaches buzzing for the foreseeable future.'
Although the travel ball season has been slowed, Callaway can still be found in the gym and applying his usual amount of pressure. He's added noticeable strength while maintaining a knockdown three-point stroke with great range and repeatable mechanics. Callaway has also continually developed his game off the dribble and as a playmaker, which has only make him more lethal of an all-around offensive threat. His IQ and positioning allow him to be a useful defender that doesn't gamble unnecessarily. It'll be exciting to watch his continued progression over these next few years.