When you are one that gets a chance to watch young prospects perform at the high school level, projecting what they may end up as can be a guessing game at times. Of course, there are players every year at the top that look to be no-brainers. However, moving down rankings or lists of players after the top echelon, one has to look at the traits or specific parts of a player’s game that could ultimately push that player to the highest level, if everything continues to develop.
So, when one makes a statement that a player could be a future pro, it is based on what they could ultimately end up as and the traits that they see could translate in the NBA.
One player that we recently watched and have watched over the years is 2021 6’6 Bryce McGowens from Legacy Early College. We viewed him last at the Battle at the Rock, where he continued to turn heads with his play.
Now sitting as one of the top players in the country for his class, our own Patrick O’Brien had this to say after his play:
McGowens is a 6’6, long, athletic, and skilled prospect that can play and operate on multiple levels and at multiple positions. He has shown the ability to initiate the offense or push the ball in transition, as well as create for himself using his length, athleticism, bounce, and IQ. That doesn’t mention that you can nearly guarantee a knockdown shot with big-time range coming from him, as he plays well off the ball to get to his spots or simply rise up over a defender in the half-court.
Phenom Hoops’ Colby Lewis recently said this about McGowens:
“His combination of length and athleticism along with his ability to handle and create opportunities for himself and others make him difficult to guard. He is a smooth three-level scorer who has great range from the perimeter, can get to the mid-range, and finishes well at the rim. He has a smooth handle, change of pace, and direction as well, and has good patience coming off of ball screens. In addition to scoring, he is a high-level passer. Defensively, Bryce uses his length well, especially when blocking shots either when chasing down the opponent in transition or rotating from the weak side.”
These are all early traits that could translate at the highest level but of course, we do understand that it doesn’t stop here. Now committed to Nebraska, he has to continue to make progress with his game, getting stronger for the highest level and continuing to elevate his level of play. But that just takes time at the collegiate level.
Right now though, McGowens has a lot of tools that could certainly make him a name to remember down the road, as he looks to achieve his ultimate dream of playing in the NBA.
