Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Marquell Fraser might be an under-the-radar name at the moment but don’t expect that to happen much longer as programs get a glance of him during his open gyms at Hill Academy this fall. In its inaugural season, Fraser looks to be the go-to guy from day one and with a unique blend of ball skills and size on the perimeter, the Canadian guard is one of the more intriguing but productive recruits in the 2016 class.

Standing at 6-foot-4, Fraser laced up his shoes on the Adidas circuit playing for the UPlay Canada bunch alongside San Diego State recruit, Nolan Narain. However, it was Fraser who made things go for his squad. He is best with the ball in his hands on the perimeter as he is a tremendous facilitator off the bounce and gets to the line in heavy, heavy amounts. Throughout the Adidas Gauntlet sessions, Fraser attempted just six perimeter jumpers in all and 56 field goal attempts. What is impressive is that he got to the foul line 45 times, making for a .80 free three rate, which is absurd (takes into account field goal attempts and foul shot attempts)! He also averaged nearly eight rebounds per game and had close to a 2.5-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio.

With the numbers in line, it would seem as if the entire nation should be after the playmaker. However, whether it is questioning Fraser’s long term upside, his true spot on the floor, or shot making from the perimeter, things haven’t been as fluid on the recruiting trail as one might expect. His travel coach, Kenold Knight, spoke on where programs see him at. “Most coaches are recruiting him as a point or just as a playmaker. Now some are trying to say he’s a 3-man because of his size but those that have watched him understand that he is a point guard.”

At the moment, programs deep in the mix include the likes of USC, UNLV, Xavier, James Madison, Bradley, Northern Arizona, Georgia Tech, Memphis, Utah, Toledo, and Oregon State. With his first official visit set this weekend to Bradley, who seems to have put in the most time with the versatile guard, others potential visits could occur to Xavier, James Madison, and Minnesota come next month.

While there is a load of ball skills and some size with Fraser, Knight spoke on what a college program should come to expect from the tough guard. “He is going to bring toughness and leadership. The kid is a competitor that just finds a way to win. He’s one of the most natural playmakers I have seen; he just makes everyone around him better.”

It is hard to argue with the numbers that Fraser displayed this past summer and with the need for primary ball handlers and size on the perimeter, expect for things to heat up in the upcoming months with the versatile playmaker from north of the border.