Every year in grassroots basketball, there are plenty of circumstances in which a prospect doesn't receive the appropriate amount of attention for their play or overall production. While numerous examples have already surfaced during the current summer season, few guys should be more frustrated than Mike Herrin of Manzer Basketball Club. In all honesty, this entire roster has the right to feel somewhat frustrated. Herrin and his running mates have been playing at an exceptionally high level, both as individuals and as a team, yet college coaches would rather be the latest offer for a guy with over a dozen scholarships than actually take a chance on someone who could ultimately pay equal dividends in the long run.
Prior to his summer season, Herrin came off a junior year with per-game averages of 16 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.7 SPG. The team didn't have overwhelming success, but that shouldn't completely negate his production or make his appeal any less desirable to college coaches. At the end of the day, these programs should be looking for prospects that they believe can succeed within their level. All the high school accolades, statistical totals, and wins/losses are thrown out the window upon reaching a college campus. They are nice and could help build a reputation, but are basically rendered useless at the next level. When players of any higher level matchup against one another, do you think any of them say, 'Man, I'm worried about Player X because of his high school accomplishments'' No, because it's a completely different game, context, competition, etc.
That being said, any questions surrounding Herrin and his ability to win should've been answered during the last month or so. Manzer has been a model of consistency throughout the last few weeks, winning a ton of games while showcasing their balanced two-way attack. During this process, Herrin has been at the helm of the operation. He's shown flashes of offensive brilliance, doing everything and scoring in various different ways at 6-foot-5. As effortlessly as Herrin has scored the ball, he's far from a one-sided or one-dimensional player. He's an intelligent passer, capable ball-handler, reliable defender, and useful rebounder that can actively toggle between roles on either end of the floor. Above all else, Herrin has shown the ability to effectively run a team with IQ, poise, and unselfishness. Many programs are starting to get involved, so it'll be exciting to see who all decides to get in the eventual bidding war for the underrated wing prospect.