Caught up real quick with @Eric Bossi today to talk about Braxton Key and basketball recruiting. Here are a few questions he answered:
1. Do you see Key evolving into a power forward in college or a small forward? How does he fit in Alabama's future?
"I think that Key is the type of kid that can play at both the power and small forward in college. I think he's a combo forward who can be used as a three if you want to go big or a four if you want to go small. Basketball is moving away from traditional positions and roles and has become about matchups and spacing. I like Key best as a slightly undersized four who can take guys out on the floor and cause matchup problems with his ability to handle the ball and make plays for himself and others. Defensively, he's tough enough that he can handle defending a bigger man."
2. Does it help a new coach like Avery Johnson down the road to land a commitment from a powerhouse like Oak Hill? Is there any relationship between Johnson and Steve Smith?
"It is never a bad thing to land a player from a powerhouse like Oak Hill and Avery Johnson and his staff are surely building as strong a relationship there as they can. However, Oak Hill is a much different animal than many high schools. Most players who end up there arrive during their senior year and are often times either already committed or very far along in their recruitment so Smith isn't always a huge influence in the recruitment of his players. But, Smith will always have talent and it is most certainly better to have him on your side than against you when you are there to recruit kids who have made their way to Oak Hill."
3. With Ar'Mond Davis, Terrance Ferguson and Braxton Key on board for 2016, what's the next priority for Johnson and his staff in recruiting?
"Finding a big man to go along with the trio of perimeter oriented players is a must. Obviously, the guy that Bama has in their sites is five-star Texan Marquese Bolden. Now the competition for him is stiff when recruiting against the likes of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma so pulling him off would be a major feather in Johnson and his staff's hat. If they can't land Bolden, then most likely they will have to reassess, take a look at who is out there and possibly head down the junior college route."
1. Do you see Key evolving into a power forward in college or a small forward? How does he fit in Alabama's future?
"I think that Key is the type of kid that can play at both the power and small forward in college. I think he's a combo forward who can be used as a three if you want to go big or a four if you want to go small. Basketball is moving away from traditional positions and roles and has become about matchups and spacing. I like Key best as a slightly undersized four who can take guys out on the floor and cause matchup problems with his ability to handle the ball and make plays for himself and others. Defensively, he's tough enough that he can handle defending a bigger man."
2. Does it help a new coach like Avery Johnson down the road to land a commitment from a powerhouse like Oak Hill? Is there any relationship between Johnson and Steve Smith?
"It is never a bad thing to land a player from a powerhouse like Oak Hill and Avery Johnson and his staff are surely building as strong a relationship there as they can. However, Oak Hill is a much different animal than many high schools. Most players who end up there arrive during their senior year and are often times either already committed or very far along in their recruitment so Smith isn't always a huge influence in the recruitment of his players. But, Smith will always have talent and it is most certainly better to have him on your side than against you when you are there to recruit kids who have made their way to Oak Hill."
3. With Ar'Mond Davis, Terrance Ferguson and Braxton Key on board for 2016, what's the next priority for Johnson and his staff in recruiting?
"Finding a big man to go along with the trio of perimeter oriented players is a must. Obviously, the guy that Bama has in their sites is five-star Texan Marquese Bolden. Now the competition for him is stiff when recruiting against the likes of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma so pulling him off would be a major feather in Johnson and his staff's hat. If they can't land Bolden, then most likely they will have to reassess, take a look at who is out there and possibly head down the junior college route."
