The Robins: These 5 supporting prospects could develop into STARS
The five players are not the top-ranked incoming guy to their future college. They’re not the Batman, at least on paper. That’s totally fine. But understand this - they have a chance to develop into a real stud for their school and even beyond. Meet The Robins.
The headliner here is Mouhamed Dioubate on all of the rankings lists. But let’s not bury the value of a guy like Sam Walters here. For starters, he’s a shooter with major size. Take a look at the specialists on the wing at the pro level. Walters has a checklist very similar to them. See Cameron Johnson, Jon Leuer, Kyle Korver, Ryan Anderson, etc.
Every time I see Walters play, I quietly think he could be a guy that justifies a five-star, top 30 ranking in the class because of what he could be. Walters has a feathery touch on the wing, and length that allows him to attack the rim with just a couple of dribbles and despite his thin frame, he can finish at the rim at this level. NBA scouts know what he is now and what he can become. Smart coaches like Nate Oats and his staff evaluated this one very well and have one of my favorite Robins in the class of 2023 nationally.
Man, I love this fit. And I love the player that McFarland can become under the tutelage of the Cougar coaching staff. McFarland is a late-bloomer that deserved a place like Houston. He didn’t get caught in the hype tidal wave like so many other big men in this class have been swept up in. I’d take McFarland over the likes of so many other 6-foot-10 or taller big men that dot national top 100 lists. I think the California native is just starting his upward trajectory and could be one of the best long-term players in the country.
Okay, sure, yes, fine, whatever. Xavier Booker is the headliner for the Spartans. No doubt about that. I get that. I support it. But, what if Carr turns out as the fan favorite? What if the Georgia native’s athleticism makes believers throughout the Big Ten? What if he just bends rims like Brandon Dawson and Jason Richardson did when they played for Tom Izzo? All of these questions have very strong possibilities of having an emphatic ‘yes’ behind them. Carr is a heck of a player and a heck of a guy to watch develop into a potential first-round draft pick.
The men of Troy, hoops edition, are constantly in the top end of recruiting conversations these days. USC is recruiting nationally and landing some big-timers year after year. The Trojans went to Marietta, Georgia to land the next talented big man in Arrinten Page (No. 73 nationally on HoopSeen). But I do have to wonder if Demary may be the more valuable player in time. The North Carolina wing is just inside our top 100 national rankings at No. 93 overall. That’s a fine spot. Our NC expert Justin Byerly told me “Demary is going to thrive in the Enfield system. With his size and his appetite for winning, he can be an All-Conference guy.” High praise, for sure.
We’ve talked about just how historic this Iowa State class is quite a bit. When you have a class that is good, the conversations are justified. Yes, Omaha Billew is that dude. Yes, Milan Momcilovic is an important instant-impact addition. But, let's not lose sight of the fact that Hamilton is good enough to be an important starter for the Cyclones. He’s a big wing with big scoring capabilities. He’ll thrive on defense, too. Hamilton reminds me of a poor man’s version of former Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens.
