Each year, we see several players who struggle to receive the appropriate level of recruitment from college coaches. Some folks will say an individual’s recruitment reflects their ability. History has shown us this isn’t true. Plenty of players go too high or too low. However, it feels like far more players go where they are wanted, outperform expectations, and either leave a legacy or transfer up. Regardless, this topic feels relevant to someone like Israel Eatman of Green Level and SW15H Elite.
It’s truly perplexing to consider Eatman’s lack of offers. At 6-foot-4, he’s a very skilled, adaptable guard who finds production in every possible setting. Eatman is comfortable from either backcourt spot, displaying the necessary IQ to initiate the offense and scoring prowess to fill it up from all levels. He’s a willing passer and useful creator off the bounce. Eatman defends with great energy and anticipates well to force turnovers. He’s the type of player who can excel in a variety of different roles given his all-around game. Eatman (who has only lost 12 games in his varsity career) has been incredibly consistent throughout the last three seasons. He’s currently averaging 17.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 2.1 SPG with 50/39/73 splits.
While there are a lot of worthy prospects in North Carolina, it feels like college coaches are overthinking this one. Eatman is a guard with size, feel, and the ability to impact all facets of the game. Regardless of role or surrounding teammates, he always seems to find ways to stand out as an asset. Eatman is undoubtedly a scholarship-level prospect and high-academic student who should already hold a slew of offers. He would be an immediate asset for several types of programs, so it’ll be interesting to see what coaches get involved over the coming months.