Class of 2018 SF/PF Robert Braswell (SC) SIGNED WITH SYRACUSE

[syr14]

Not quite. It was people with inside contacts that said the staff wasn't looking. It didn't make much sense but I believe the info was reliable.

It was literally the DAY OF the decommit. Why would anyone believe that we would not regroup and be exploring all of our options? I don't care if you have contacts. To be so adamant and so loud in every thread that day was utterly ridiculous.

I get it, this place melts down from time to time. The lack of faith in the staff is just so perplexing to me.

 

[cuseincincy]

Braswell looks like a poor mans Darius Bazley to me (not near the ballhandler). We all thought Bazley looked thin but Braswell is just as tall and 25 pounds lighter (6'9" 175). That could be what kept some of the better programs away. But he has 2 things you can't coach (athleticism and height). He is also good at 2 things that can be coached in his shooting and shot blocking ability. He won't be a traditional shot blocker but as a 6'9" help defender he could be deadly. Some people whine about player strength and how skinny some guys are. I was pretty big fan of Louie Orr, Damone Brown, Kueth Duany and Hakim Warrick. Those last 2 started on a national championship team by the way. Now get him signed and working out.

 

[rrlbees]

I’m hearing he’s waiting on a Rutgers offer.

 

[NateW]

Not quite. It was people with inside contacts that said the staff wasn't looking. It didn't make much sense but I believe the info was reliable.

There’s nothing reliable about ppl w agendas

 

[Cusesky8214]

Didnt know he moved here from germany.

 

[Todoubled23]

Didnt know he moved here from germany.

Blue bloods made me giggle in a nice way

 

[Dinkyspond]

Didnt know he moved here from germany.

I like it this guy called us a blue blood! Who knew?

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Why sad ??? - I will take the FF and that scenerio in a heartbeat.

Seriously. That was me being 'optimistic.' : )

 

[Trueblue25]

Hakim Warrick

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Footey04]

When’s he visiting?

 

[Trueblue25]

Because he is the prince who was promised

 

[JazzNC]

I'm hopeful we can land Braswell to add some much needed depth. He has potential, but I think he may need to hit the weight room and get stronger. I like the comparisons to Hakeem Warrick. If he can play to that caliber he'd be a steal. I must admit, I was hoping we'd go after a big man harder. Chukwu and Sidibe (when healthy) can hold the fort, but I have concerns about their ability to stay healthy. We could play a lot of small ball next year if they don't. Fingers crossed.

 

[Sherman20]

Blythewood coach Zeke Washington said Wednesday that Braswell is down to three schools, including Syracuse, Oklahoma State and Massachusetts.

Braswell has already visited both Oklahoma State and UMass.

"He likes Oklahoma State and UMass,'' Washington said, "but he's intrigued at what Syracuse has to offer.''

Other schools, such as Creighton, Pittsburgh and Charlotte have called recently, but according to Washington, Braswell has narrowed his focus to SU, Oklahoma State and UMass.

Washington said the Syracuse coaches are trying to schedule a campus visit for the athletic forward.

Sounds like this might be a heavy lift for JB and Co to pull off. The other two schools can probably offer more immediate playing time/more playing time as a freshman. But in the ACC, he’d have lots of chances to play closer to home.

 

[dasher]

Sounds like this might be a heavy lift for JB and Co to pull off. The other two schools can probably offer more immediate playing time/more playing time as a freshman. But in the ACC, he’d have lots of chances to play closer to home.

This kid is a military brat. Closer to home won't mean a thing to him. Let's be clear about this. Take a look at the video that Waters put up in his story today. The second video. Not the first. I want this kid. Bad. Not for this year. This kid will be really, really good down the road. Once again, we are in late. I love this kid's film.

 

[Ringostar57]

Hakim Warrick

Yup but a much better shooter.

 

[Cusesky8214]

This kid is a military brat. Closer to home won't mean a thing to him. Let's be clear about this. Take a look at the video that Waters put up in his story today. The second video. Not the first. I want this kid. Bad. Not for this year. This kid will be really, really good down the road. Once again, we are in late. I love this kid's film.

I agree...we seem to go after a certain "type" of player that fits our system but for whatever reason the past couple years the guys we get can't shoot. This kid fits our profile but has a pretty sweet looking long ball. I like his upside for sure. Also looks to have a decent handle and passing skills from the little video there is of him. He makes one pass with one hand when hes by the 3 point line to a guy cutting to the hoop that is sweet! Some stuff you just can't teach!

 

[reedny]

I needed to see only 22 seconds of this guys (second) film and I want him. Feel like I just posted how badly we need another forward who could rebound and space the floor. He's not muscular (watch out when he grows into that frame), but that's fine for now. All we need from him is depth - a few minutes each half to spell our starters. Shazzzam. Go G-Mac.

[Add]: And there's this (RU kidding?):

Braswell is currently looking to defend his state championship in the high jump. Last year, he pulled off a winning leap of 6-feet, 6-inches.

 

[reedny]

This kid is a military brat. Closer to home won't mean a thing to him. Let's be clear about this. Take a look at the video that Waters put up in his story today. The second video. Not the first. I want this kid. Bad. Not for this year. This kid will be really, really good down the road. Once again, we are in late. I love this kid's film.

Get him on campus and show his parents the veterans center going up!

 

[RF2044]

I will be the first to say I have only watched a couple of vids on each kid.

Have not seen whole games & certainly from vids it is hard to see the kid's whole game including D, passing, handle, etc. Maybe the staff sees something not apparent to me from my micro-sample of their games.

That being said, as i posted above, Bras looked at least as good to me as Golden in the vids that I did see. Maybe Golden is a little bit more advanced for 2018 contributions, but Bras looked to me like he had more upside, especially for our system. His three point shot looked very smooth, especially for a young big.

So, it comes back to the recruiting strategy of our staff. So often it looks serial to me. Why on earth would both kids not be prioritized equally on a first come first serve basis or even take both.

It certainly makes no sense, if what you are saying is correct, to have prioritized Golden simply because he might have been first to respond w interest.

A couple of things. First of all, we have both of our starting forwards returning next year. Bazley [who was signed prior to making an unprecedented decision to go G--league instead of attending college] would have bolstered that group immensely, infusing our team with a frontcourt playmaker that we lacked last season. Along with some deep reserve minutes from Hughes, the cupboard was absolutely stocked at forward.

When Bazley pulled the rug out from under us, we had virtually zero chance to replace him with a player of comparable ability.* But the cupboard was far from bare with Brissett / Dolezaj, so the coaching staff pivoted and quickly tried to identify "gettable" prospects who were unsigned or freeing up due to a coaching change, who wouldn't just be warm bodies.

I think that there is some sour-grapes rationalization about Golden's game, ability, and capability to be a contributor here. I'm not sure that the staff prioritized him over Braswell -- but I do think that it is likely that Golden might be better suited to contribute in year one, which is what the staff is / was probably looking for in whoever they bring in. Think about it: we've got our starters locked in at forward -- we need somebody who can spell them, play right away, not hurt us, and offer a little more size that the 6-6 Hughes to play the back line of the zone. Golden also offered some multi-position "insurance" as a guy who could fill in at the 5 in the event that Sidibe doesn't bounce back physically, or someone gets injured.

Braswell has some intriguing tools. I hope that the shooting translates [I really want to see more film; I'm a bit skeptical of the highlight reels we have seen; not saying that he doesn't have the ability, just that I want to see more before forming a more definitive opinion], because if it does -- I could see him being in the mold of a Southerland / Nichols type player for us. I could even see him being a terrific starter down the line. But the notion that it "makes no sense" why the staff might have prioritized Golden doesn't hold up if you step back and think big picture.


* I acknowledge the remote possibility that there might be some international prospect out there who might be completely under the radar, and that said hypothetical prospect could potentially, theoretically have a similar impact as Bazley, as unlikely as that scenario might be.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

A lot of those video clips look like he's playing against Junior High kids. And still, he has size, reach, a confident 3-shot, a modicum of handle, athleticism, and a spring in his step. Not going to be a banger, but, we would have said the same about Marek, and yet we had him at the 5 when 'necessary.' Braswell looks like a better version of Marek in every way, until you factor in hoops IQ/playmaking/being in the right spot, which we can't assess from clips.

Averaged 15pts his senior year?
Midlands boys high school basketball leaders

Name to Know: 6'9" Unsigned Senior Robert Braswell of Blythewood HS (Blythewood, SC) - Phenom Hoop Report

His HS website is useless:
Blythewood High School

 

[RF2044]

A lot of those video clips look like he's playing against Junior High kids. And still, he has size, reach, a confident 3-shot, a modicum of handle, athleticism, and a spring in his step. Not going to be a banger, but, we would have said the same about Marek, and yet we had him at the 5 when 'necessary.' Braswell looks like a better version of Marek in every way, until you factor in hoops IQ/playmaking/being in the right spot, which we can't assess from clips.

Averaged 15pts his senior year?
Midlands boys high school basketball leaders

Name to Know: 6'9" Unsigned Senior Robert Braswell of Blythewood HS (Blythewood, SC) - Phenom Hoop Report

His HS website is useless:
Blythewood High School

I had a similar reaction while checking out his clips. Important to note that level of competition has zero to do with his ability / physical capabilities / potential, it just makes me more unsure about how the ability translates, at least initially. Shot looked like it had a slow, low release, too.

But track athleticism on a kid with this size suggests he'll be a pogo stick.

The guy he reminds me of the most across numerous dimensions is Donyell Marshall.

 

[RealMcNeil]

A lot of those video clips look like he's playing against Junior High kids. And still, he has size, reach, a confident 3-shot, a modicum of handle, athleticism, and a spring in his step. Not going to be a banger, but, we would have said the same about Marek, and yet we had him at the 5 when 'necessary.' Braswell looks like a better version of Marek in every way, until you factor in hoops IQ/playmaking/being in the right spot, which we can't assess from clips.

Averaged 15pts his senior year?
Midlands boys high school basketball leaders

Name to Know: 6'9" Unsigned Senior Robert Braswell of Blythewood HS (Blythewood, SC) - Phenom Hoop Report

His HS website is useless:
Blythewood High School

I had a similar reaction while checking out his clips. Important to note that level of competition has zero to do with his ability / physical capabilities / potential, it just makes me more unsure about how the ability translates, at least initially. Shot looked like it had a slow, low release, too.

But track athleticism on a kid with this size suggests he'll be a pogo stick.

Had a solid finish to his EYBL time last year, so there's that...

 

[SUOrangeSU]

Anyone know how he did vs some of the better AAU teams? I know he shot well but overall stats?

 

[rrlbees]

Like i mentioned on Page 1, while he didn’t have big numbers in the beginning of EYBL play (7.5ppg), he finished the year out with 10, 20 and 16pts.