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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jul 5, 2023 14:45:58 GMT -5
Evaluation on Wills from April of this year --
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Post by trimster on Jul 5, 2023 14:49:42 GMT -5
I am going to guess it has been awhile since AJ Wills has played in a high school game.
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Post by sader1970 on Jul 5, 2023 14:52:43 GMT -5
So, how old is this kid? Should we not worry that he's got the NIL covered?
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 6, 2023 17:26:13 GMT -5
I wonder if DP is Wills' one connection to HC? With his movie credits he should be a confident kid who would fit in anywhere, which is good. Maybe he didn't make a big deal about being available while waiting to see if a substantial movie role opened up and Dave was one of the few aware, and with an available scholarship, that he was ready to play this season.
If Hollywood calls him away we get the scholarship back for next year.
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Post by hcnj on Jul 6, 2023 20:08:39 GMT -5
I wonder if DP is Wills' one connection to HC? With his movie credits he should be a confident kid who would fit in anywhere, which is good. Maybe he didn't make a big deal about being available while waiting to see if a substantial movie role opened up and Dave was one of the few aware, and with an available scholarship, that he was ready to play this season. If Hollywood calls him away we get the scholarship back for next year. Maybe this is a bit tongue-in-cheek but I'll bite. If CDP offered any recruit a scholarship to pass time attending and playing college basketball while waiting for a "substantial movie role" we're in deep trouble. If he comes and "Hollywood calls" it will be a fitting end to our strangest recruiting story of all time. If he stays and plays immediately at 6-2 and displays the wizardry in these reports it will be one of the best recruiting stories in memory.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 6, 2023 21:01:19 GMT -5
I wonder if DP is Wills' one connection to HC? With his movie credits he should be a confident kid who would fit in anywhere, which is good. Maybe he didn't make a big deal about being available while waiting to see if a substantial movie role opened up and Dave was one of the few aware, and with an available scholarship, that he was ready to play this season. If Hollywood calls him away we get the scholarship back for next year. Maybe this is a bit tongue-in-cheek but I'll bite. If CDP offered any recruit a scholarship to pass time attending and playing college basketball while waiting for a "substantial movie role" we're in deep trouble. If he comes and "Hollywood calls" it will be a fitting end to our strangest recruiting story of all time. If he stays and plays immediately at 6-2 and displays the wizardry in these reports it will be one of the best recruiting stories in memory. If I understand correctly, Wills is just about the last train out of the station to get any use of the 13th scholarship for the 2023/24 season now that it's July. If I put myself in DP's shoes I ask myself the "Dear Abby" question, "am I better off with him or without him?" I say with him. The risk is not so much that he is a solid contributor who leaves after one, two or three years for the movies, but that he is a weak contributor and we have him for four years. Agree it's a strange recruiting story. Maybe he'll be as good a late recruit as Tory Thomas.
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Post by HC92 on Jul 6, 2023 21:30:45 GMT -5
2019 Phenom Report:
Avery combines quickness and a crafty handle with three level shot making ability and most impressively a high IQ and floor leadership qualities. He’s a true coach on the floor demonstrating sound game management and clock management skills. He communicates and he knows how to exploit mismatches. It’s really impressive watching him run a team as he shows great poise even under duress and has solid ball handling skills. Avery is fast end to end with the dribble and has a degree of explosiveness attacking space. He is ball quick which makes him quicker without having to speed up because of sound fundamentals. Include his quickness and ability to stop and a dime and then blow by a defender and it makes for a difficult defensive assignment. Avery changes directions nicely and knows how to use hesitations effectively. He is a very good playmaker demonstrating very good vision and passing skills. He is really comfortable and skilled pulling up for shots off the dribble, one of his strengths and one that makes him such a good scorer. He can abruptly stop and elevate into his shot getting good elevation and his release is smooth and high. He uses his dribble effectively on penetrate and kick or penetrate and dish scenarios. Avery can play either guard position due to his shot making prowess and also knocks down the three point jumper at a good rate. The threat of his jumper compliments his quickness off the dribble and he knows how to take advantage of those attributes utilizing ball fakes on hard closeouts and attacking and doesn’t need much time or space given his quick release. On the defensive end he is a harassing and busy on ball defender. He keeps his hands active and has quick feet and solid on ball defensive technique. He’s strong enough and quick enough to get into the dribblers body and not get beat. Also has a long wingspan which helps both defending the dribble and in passing lanes. His quickness and anticipation skills make him a threat to get a lot of tips and steals off the ball. Avery has a ton of potential and great court awareness. He is an impressive athlete who brings great energy on every possession. It’s going to be fun monitoring his growth as a player but he certainly has a lot of tools and natural instincts that give reason to be excited about his potential. He has DNA also!! Avery’s blood sister is University of Georgia star Taja Cole. A McDonalds All American out of high school, Taja was the Jordan Brand Classic MVP and was recently among the candidates for the Nancy Lieberman Award which recognizes the nation’s top point guards in women’s college basketball. Avery’s uncle is former University of Arkansas basketball star Tarik Wallace. His Mother, Starr Wills is the owner and CEO of Cap City Ballerz AAU organization. Avery Wills is one of the top playmakers in Virginia’s 2023 class so add him to your summer “watch list”.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 6, 2023 21:36:51 GMT -5
And that was 4 years ago.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 6, 2023 22:15:00 GMT -5
First time I ever heard or read the term "blood sister." Avery is probably the same age as other '23 HS graduates as that was his class four years ago.
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Post by hcnj on Jul 7, 2023 11:40:14 GMT -5
And that was 4 years ago. Was that pre-high school? My expectation/hope is trusting in CDP that Avery is a PG that's ready to contribute immediately and with our new coach's comment about keeping players he'll be here four years. It should give us a lot of flexibility with Singleton, Batchelder and Williams and help our front court players get better shots. We didn't have a lot of wizardry out of the point last year.
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Post by mm67 on Jul 7, 2023 12:17:45 GMT -5
AJ , Welcome to Holy Cross.
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Post by HC92 on Jul 8, 2023 4:28:26 GMT -5
Highlights from last month. Looks like he might have been planning another year at S3 before DP offered as he’s listed as a 2024.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 8, 2023 7:32:33 GMT -5
Fine vision, unselfish, good decisions here. Quick with the ball, can pass or score off penetration Quick release on jumper From this video he looks like a pass first point who can also score. Impressive clips.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jul 8, 2023 9:04:23 GMT -5
Will be interesting to see how CDP uses him, with Dre Williams in the same class. Who ranks higher on paper?
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Post by hchoops on Jul 8, 2023 9:18:24 GMT -5
AJ
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Post by Crucis#1 on Jul 8, 2023 9:33:58 GMT -5
I wonder if DP is Wills' one connection to HC? With his movie credits he should be a confident kid who would fit in anywhere, which is good. Maybe he didn't make a big deal about being available while waiting to see if a substantial movie role opened up and Dave was one of the few aware, and with an available scholarship, that he was ready to play this season. If Hollywood calls him away we get the scholarship back for next year. Maybe this is a bit tongue-in-cheek but I'll bite. If CDP offered any recruit a scholarship to pass time attending and playing college basketball while waiting for a "substantial movie role" we're in deep trouble. If he comes and "Hollywood calls" it will be a fitting end to our strangest recruiting story of all time. If he stays and plays immediately at 6-2 and displays the wizardry in these reports it will be one of the best recruiting stories in memory. There was the Wizard of Westwood……Maybe with CDP, we will be in the age of the Wizard of Worcester.
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Post by rgs318 on Jul 8, 2023 12:02:55 GMT -5
One can always hope such may be the case!
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Post by DiMarz on Jul 8, 2023 16:45:13 GMT -5
Looks like he has some good skills...I like the step back 3 early in the video, quick move and release..No defense in the video..Someplace I read he was a good on ball defender...He will definitely bring some speed and quickness to the team, and that is really needed! His passing looks solid, but we have to remember stepping up to the D-1 level does not mean he will be able to make the passes we see, the D is much better than what he has seen. However, he plays with confidence and has a good handle..
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 8, 2023 17:23:58 GMT -5
Will be interesting to see how CDP uses him, with Dre Williams in the same class. Who ranks higher on paper? Give them both a screen test. Add Singleton and with Batch and Kirkwood capable of a big jump after freshman year, and throwing in quality coaching now, the backcourt is looking as exciting as the front court is looking uncertain.
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Post by efg72 on Jul 8, 2023 17:36:26 GMT -5
Looks like he has some good skills...I like the step back 3 early in the video, quick move and release..No defense in the video..Someplace I read he was a good on ball defender...He will definitely bring some speed and quickness to the team, and that is really needed! His passing looks solid, but we have to remember stepping up to the D-1 level does not mean he will be able to make the passes we see, the D is much better than what he has seen. However, he plays with confidence and has a good handle.. He has the talent to make everybody better, create movement off the ball, and make the right decision. If we have him for four years he just might pass Glenn Williams assist numbers
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Post by mm67 on Jul 8, 2023 18:06:42 GMT -5
Build on a player's strengths. And interconnect the strengths of each player to build a team. See the great Red Auerbach.
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Post by efg72 on Jul 8, 2023 18:41:10 GMT -5
Paulsen is attracting complementary pieces and depth to this roster. Year one just might surprise PL and hoop fans but not coaches around the country
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jul 8, 2023 19:20:14 GMT -5
I think AJ could be the biggest “wild card” we have had in quite some time…..
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Post by trimster on Jul 9, 2023 5:11:16 GMT -5
I think AJ could be the biggest “wild card” we have had in quite some time….. Only time will tell. The vast majority of us have little idea what we have until we see it on the floor. So much depends on how the individuals mesh as a unit.
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Post by football44 on Jul 9, 2023 7:17:14 GMT -5
44 checking in on the bball site. I had a chance to actually spend time at the football golf outing speaking with Coach Paulson. In my humble opinion, we have struck gold with this guy. Intelligent, engaging and truly understands what HC basketball stands for with all of us. He understands that filling the Hart Center and winning games is the goal for all of us. We also talked about the success of the football program. He has lots of respect for Coach Chesney and what he’s done with football. I told him that we need a successful bball program so we can bring our top flight football recruits there during their visit. He agreed. Great job KH! Oh by the way he has a plan for the future. The man is a strategist.
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