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 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 Alex Gruber of Lake Norman.
We've covered Gruber in every possible setting, including on our 'The Future Backcourt of Lake Norman High School,' where we stated, 'Both guys have been staples at our events over the years, most notably with the recently expanded Carolina Riptide. Gruber surfaced over two years ago at our Tennessee 150 Camp as an eighth-grader. He secured the Mr. Hustle award and was clearly a prospect worth noting for the future. While most high schools would've immediately thrown him into the fire due to sheer ability, Lake Norman opted to let him progress at his own pace. Gruber earned some varsity time, but really dominated as the focal point for their JV squad. In a situation where most players would've sought out a new situation, he made clear strides within his game and subsequently prepared himself to be very impactful as a sophomore. Gruber's smart, heady, well-rounded identity allows him to effectively mesh and find opportunities with any collection of teammates. Heplays hard, defends well, scores with efficiency, and can run a team or make plays without the ball. Following his productive sophomore campaign, Gruber looks increasingly likely to emerge as a captain and start gaining attention from college coaches.' Which was later followed by our 'Coaches Buzzing About the Carolina Riptide,' where we stated, 'While Alex Gruber joins the previous duo as one of the younger players on this roster, his IQ and overall maturity level would imply otherwise. He's a tough, athletic, fairly well-rounded floor general with a nice playmaking sense and capabilities as a penetrator. Gruber is a heady defender, quality rebounder, and overall threat in transition. He can operate as a primary creator or play alongside another point guard, finding success through both avenues. The appeal should be obvious with Gruber, and (like the others) will be watched closely by college coaches over the next twelve to twenty-four months.'
It’s pretty easy to see the value with someone like Gruber, who operates as a tone-setter and steady leader by example in seemingly every context. He's a tough, heady, unselfish floor general with nice size, athleticism, and understanding of how to effectively run a team on either side of the ball. Gruber defends very well at the point of attack, rebounds nicely for his position, and does a great job of pushing the break in transition. He's a well-rounded athlete with a sharp penetration sense and the ability to set up others or finish through contact. Expect Gruber to be a major contributor for the Wildcats.