Top 25 high-impact newcomers (Jeff Goodman Blog)

[Xaveriana]

Can't share the actual ESPN Insider content, but at #22 Trevon Bluiett is described as not being athletic and still scores. Haven't heard about him not being athletic. I guess who cares if he makes it happen.

:sign-wtf:

[xu82]

Well, he's on the list so I guess it's a compliment....
I hope this doesn't mean he''s going to struggle on D.

[ammtd34]

Well, he's on the list so I guess it's a compliment....
I hope this doesn't mean he''s going to struggle on D.

His athleticism was the reason he wasn't a 5 star recruit. He'll be fine.

[More Cowbell]

He reminds me a lot of Jordan Adams from UCLA. Not the most athletic guy, but he can score on anyone.

[Milhouse]

If you watch his game he really isn't that athletic at all. But he more than makes up for it in other facets of his game.

If he was even decently athletic with his abilities elsewhere he would've been a 5 star and probably close to a top 10 recruit.

[nuts4xu]

He has to have some athletic ability, or else he wouldn't have made it this far. He may not be as athletic as Semaj, but not many people are.

It isn't like Trevon has cement shoes, he is not that unathletic. He can still get up and down the floor better than the average 18 year old kid.

[hoyahooligan]

Don't have insider, any of the Georgetown Freshmen on the list?

[Chalmers0]

I hope this doesn't mean he''s going to struggle on D.

I'd be pretty shocked if he doesn't struggle guarding a lot of small forwards/wings.

[casualfan]

I'd be pretty shocked if he doesn't struggle guarding a lot of small forwards/wings.

My biggest concern on him is that during his recruitment his camp was telling people they wanted him to play the 2 guard spot.

I just don't think he is anywhere near quick enough to guard a 2.

He's a very good player, I just hope there weren't any promises made regarding what position he's slated to play as IMHO he's a 3.

[ammtd34]

My biggest concern on him is that during his recruitment his camp was telling people they wanted him to play the 2 guard spot.

I just don't think he is anywhere near quick enough to guard a 2.

He's a very good player, I just hope there weren't any promises made regarding what position he's slated to play as IMHO he's a 3.

He can play and guard the 3 and the 4.

[Chalmers0]

He can play and guard the 3 and the 4.

Yup. I actually think he will have more success (at least early on) while playing the 4, which he did do at least some of in Brazil.

[PMI]

My biggest concern on him is that during his recruitment his camp was telling people they wanted him to play the 2 guard spot.

I just don't think he is anywhere near quick enough to guard a 2.

He's a very good player, I just hope there weren't any promises made regarding what position he's slated to play as IMHO he's a 3.

No, he's definitely not a 2. At least not defensively. And I can promise you that he wasn't made any promises about playing the 2. He will probably play a good deal of true forward in his career, although we won't really need him to this year. He is very wide bodied and has a very high basketball IQ. When people say he isn't athletic, they mean that he isn't high flying, super laterally quick, etc. He is about as gifted a scorer as you'll see from an incoming freshman and has an outstanding touch, and a pure shot from anywhere. He really knows how to use his big body too. Trevon Blueitt will be a prototypical outstanding four year college basketball player who will be ready to contribute from day one, and he will only grow more versatile as he gets older and better. He won't come in as the most naturally ready defender, but like with most every freshman, that will develop. In any case, anyone who is surprised or concerned about a "lack of athleticism" shouldn't worry too much. He brings a lot of special attributes to the table and we will likely be seeing him score tons of points over a four year span. My guess is he will end up as one of our great and favorite X players.

[PMI]

Don't have insider, any of the Georgetown Freshmen on the list?

The only other Big East player on the list was Isaiah Whitehead from Seton Hall. FWIW, the list was for players who aren't just top prospects, but who are also expected to help contribute immediately.

[LA Muskie]

"Athletic" is code for quick, fast and agile with hops. Bluiett is a scorer notwithstanding the fact that he's not particularly noteworthy in any of those categories. It's not a knock by Goodman. It's pretty much common knowledge.

[JTG]

"Athletic" is code for quick, fast and agile with hops. Bluiett is a scorer notwithstanding the fact that he's not particularly noteworthy in any of those categories. It's not a knock by Goodman. It's pretty much common knowledge.

When you think of Bluitt, think of Gordon Hayward of Butler. Not a gifted athlete, but can score from anywhere, with a high bball IQ. He's Hayward with an NBA body. Our biggest problem the last 2 years is NO SHOOTERS. If he can drop 12 a game, I don't care if he can't guard a lightpost. He was afterall the 2nd or 3rd alltime leading scorer in Indiana hs history, and that includes some great players.

[Milhouse]

Mack has already gone on record stating he will be playing the 3 and the 4 this year.

Athleticism at this level isn't nearly as important as it is at the next level. His bball IQ is off the charts. I'll be shocked if he's not a 10 PPG contributor from day one.

[casualfan]

He can play and guard the 3 and the 4.

Where kids can play and where they want to play often differ.

These days with size being such a priority in the NBA lots of guys in college want to play a spot lower than where they probably should be.

All I'm saying is that at one point during his recruitment I know his camp was telling teams that he wanted to play the 2.

[PMI]

Where kids can play and where they want to play often differ.

These days with size being such a priority in the NBA lots of guys in college want to play a spot lower than where they probably should be.

All I'm saying is that at one point during his recruitment I know his camp was telling teams that he wanted to play the 2.

I think you are wrong about that. I don't think Trevon committed to Xavier or UCLA with the idea that he was going to play the 2, and I'm even more sure that Chris Mack and his staff did not make any promises to Trevon that he could play a position that he does not play. Trevon is a wing/forward, and I reckon he understands what he is at this point.

[casualfan]

I think you are wrong about that. I don't think Trevon committed to Xavier or UCLA with the idea that he was going to play the 2, and I'm even more sure that Chris Mack and his staff did not make any promises to Trevon that he could play a position that he does not play. Trevon is a wing/forward, and I reckon he understands what he is at this point.

You can think I'm wrong all you want, but I know for a fact that when he was shopping around initially his camp was telling teams he wanted to play the two. What happened from there I have no idea, but I know for a fact that when he went back on the market that's what teams were initially being told.

[PMI]

You can think I'm wrong all you want, but I know for a fact that when he was shopping around initially his camp was telling teams he wanted to play the two. What happened from there I have no idea, but I know for a fact that when he went back on the market that's what teams were initially being told.

You know that for a fact? If that were the case, he would not be at Xavier. Or Michigan State or Butler for that matter. He would be at a lesser program. I initially wanted to be an NBA center, but the whole 6'0 below average athlete thing got in the way. Trevon Blueitt was never going to be a 2, and he was most definitely never promised he was going to be a 2. He's a 6'6 wide bodied forward. His perimeter skills are that he can shoot. It seems every year we have people who think that anyone who can shoot is automatically a guard. Justin Martin is the biggest example of a guy Xavier fans mistake for being a guard. Blueitt is simply not a 2 at this level or the next, because it's not who he is. Now if you're saying, since you know for a fact, that Blueitt at one point had it in his head that he was going to be a shooting guard, then that's fine, but it was never going to happen for him at a school like Xavier. Maybe in some big lineups he may find himself sort of playing that spot on the offensive end at some point, but it's just not who he is.

[Irishdawg]

When you think of Bluitt, think of Gordon Hayward of Butler. Not a gifted athlete, but can score from anywhere, with a high bball IQ. He's Hayward with an NBA body. Our biggest problem the last 2 years is NO SHOOTERS. If he can drop 12 a game, I don't care if he can't guard a lightpost. He was afterall the 2nd or 3rd alltime leading scorer in Indiana hs history, and that includes some great players.

As a Butler fan and someone who watched Trevon a fair bit in AAU and HS, this isn't true. Hayward, IMO, was a much better athlete and guarded anyone from the 3-5 at 6'8 while he was at Butler. Bluiett is a much better scorer (Hayward was more of just a shooter early on) coming out of high school, and is a lot stronger (which you pointed out). I'd say his apparent lack of really good to elite athleticism will likely limit his ceiling to becoming an NBA player (he can, but likely in more of a specialist/shooter type role), but the kid is as skilled as they come and I think he'll be a GREAT college player, and he'll be great quickly, especially at the offensive end of the floor. I think if you want to compare him to anyone, I'd say he's a slightly smaller and slightly quicker version of Doug McDermott.

One thing that is encouraging though if you're a Xavier fan is that from the end of his Junior year to the end of his Senior year, his conditioning had improved immensely and he'd leaned down quite a bit, so he was noticeably quicker, which will definitely aid him in guarding the wing in college assuming that's the route he wants to go.

[LA Muskie]

You know that for a fact? If that were the case, he would not be at Xavier. Or Michigan State or Butler for that matter. He would be at a lesser program. I initially wanted to be an NBA center, but the whole 6'0 below average athlete thing got in the way. Trevon Blueitt was never going to be a 2, and he was most definitely never promised he was going to be a 2. He's a 6'6 wide bodied forward. His perimeter skills are that he can shoot. It seems every year we have people who think that anyone who can shoot is automatically a guard. Justin Martin is the biggest example of a guy Xavier fans mistake for being a guard. Blueitt is simply not a 2 at this level or the next, because it's not who he is. Now if you're saying, since you know for a fact, that Blueitt at one point had it in his head that he was going to be a shooting guard, then that's fine, but it was never going to happen for him at a school like Xavier. Maybe in some big lineups he may find himself sort of playing that spot on the offensive end at some point, but it's just not who he is.

I think you two may be talking past each other. It is entirely plausible that he preferred to play the 2 -- and that he made that known -- but his top schools didn't see him playing there and in the end it wasn't a deal-breaker for him.

[PMI]

I think you two may be talking past each other. It is entirely plausible that he preferred to play the 2 -- and that he made that known -- but his top schools didn't see him playing there and in the end it wasn't a deal-breaker for him.

It's possible that that may be true, but the post I responded to said "I hope there weren't any promises made" in regards to him playing the 2. There weren't. I guarantee it.

[danaandvictory]

Yeah, the Hayward/Bluiett comparison is not a good one. Bluiett is built like a cannonball. Hayward is built like John Isner.

Bluiett is not a great athlete by the standards of high major D-I basketball players. He isn't a big-time leaper, he doesn't have great straight line speed, he'll never be a particularly great defender. What he does have is (a) outstanding body control and strength, (b) a simple, repeatable, accurate shot, and (c) the confidence/arrogance of a big-time scorer. Much like Kenny Powers, Bluiett is really good at sports, he's not trying to be the best at exercise.

[RealDeal]

Is it just me or does he sound a little like DFW?

[xu82]

Is it just me or does he sound a little like DFW?

We can certainly hope! And, since we are Xavier, we can say a little prayer.
(But he doesn't sound at all like the post presence, but what do I know?)

[kmcrawfo]

Is it just me or does he sound a little like DFW?

He reminds me most of Paul Pierce. Highly skilled player, but not overly quick or athletic.

[Olsingledigit]

He reminds me most of Paul Pierce. Highly skilled player, but not overly quick or athletic.


Reminds me of Adrian Dantley

[profson]

I
Reminds me of Adrian Dantley

I will refrain from comparing him to two NBA all-timers.
Back in the real world he reminds me of Khalif Wyatt, and that is no slam as Khalif was A-10 Player of the Year for Temple. Similar build, high basketball IQ, not elite athlete but top scorer. Took a while to get used to college game.