Class of 2015 C/PF Thomas Bryant (NY) Verballed to Indiana

[BludOrange]

a day 1 recap on Thomas from The Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout.

http://www.cityleaguehoops.net/2014/01/26/2014-dunk-4-diabetes-shootout-day-1-recap/

Thomas Bryant, 6’9, PF, Huntington Prep (WV), 2015- Bryant is doing an outstanding ‎job of establishing himself as an interior presence, spending the bulk of his time on the block instead of on the perimeter, as he did in year’s past. His right hook was reliable, blocked a number of shots, and showed much improved toughness. The move to Huntington Prep has proved awfully beneficial for Thomas, who has played better and better as the season has went on.

 

[BludOrange]

Thomas Bryant Proving He's Elite
by Brian Flinn, Future150

http://future150.com/hs/basketball-news/thomas-bryant-proving-hes-elite-11763

 

[TheRoyalIveyFund]

Take this with a grain of salt because I said Trob would be an all-american the first time I watched him play, so that shows my scouting ability...

I watched the Bryant game on ESPN around Christmas or New Year's and few things stood out:

-His coach had no idea what he was doing. I'm shocked it was at a prep school of that level...seemed very Class D level coaching, not big time. That means Bryant was not utilized well.

-The Bryant I watched was a 4 or 5 on off but a 5 on D. He lacked lateral movement to play the four. Kind of like DC2 getting out on the wing shooters.

-The guy has great hands and moves around the basket and a nice touch. That puts him ahead of 98% of the bigs out there.

-What a motor on the guy. He went after the boards with aggression.

I'd like to see him and MD...the odds are one will strike it big at either the four or five and if both do, it's 40 mins of great play split between two, or JB figures a way to go Arinze and Rick J with them.

 

[tee1222]

-What a motor on the guy. He went after the boards with aggression.

And there it is. All heart, this kid.

 

[TheRoyalIveyFund]

And there it is. All heart, this kid.

I remember this vividly. He had one play where he violently blocked a shoot in the corner and ripped the ball away from the shooter and another off player as it was in the air. It's something you just cannot teach. It was Melo-esque where he wanted it more. The announcer had an "whoaaa"...

To me, it just seems he's gotten real big, real fast, and maybe some coordination is just not there yet? Maybe coordination is not the right word but maybe he's still adjusting to learning to be a guy that really belongs primarily in the post and play like it, or play with the body he know has?

The fact that he was smaller and had ball/shooting skills can only be a good thing, IMO.

 

[Francis03]

Got a chance to watch the Bryant vs Diallo matchup recently. It was a little disappointing because Bryant sat mostly 3/4 of the game with foul trouble and he was nearly paralyzed after taking a nasty fall in the 3rd qtr. When he did actually play I would say that he won individual battle head to head against Diallo. He scored against him with a post move inside and knocked down a three. Diallo had a much tougher time trying to score over Bryant's length and Bryant cleaned up all of the rebounds that came in their area. With Bryant on the bench, Diallo took full advantage and provided plenty of points, rebounds, and hustle plays to put his team in position to win before falling short. Diallo isn't the most skilled on offense and his team hardly runs any plays for him, but he's very aggressive whenever he has space with he ball and is a very good finisher and seems to always be around the ball somehow or another. It was a typical performance from TB when he was out there. Lots of hustle and activity up n down the floor. He's still stuck in cement slow laterally but moves well vertically. I wonder if that's something the staff can work on with him because he was not this slow laterally last year at BK. Another intangible that I think you guys would love is that even though TB hardly played, he was the biggest cheerleader for his squad. Encouraging his teammates, giving them instructions, and when they won with him sitting on the bench he ran on the court happy like a little kid who has seen the ice cream truck coming on the block lol. I think he's the type of player and character that would be a big fan favorite at the Dome.

 

[Francis03]

Nasty facial that TB threw down in his last game. PayPal Cal was at that game.

 

[AWMKY]

Recent Bryant mix. NASTY poster dunk at 1:08 or so mark.

 

[Orangeyes]

 

[Orangeyes]

 

[Yamdat44]

Lets get TB on campus again before the season ends, let him see number 1 in action. Maybe that will speed up this process.

 

[Francis03]

Lets get TB on campus again before the season ends, let him see number 1 in action. Maybe that will speed up this process.

TB will move at his own speed. He loves the attention and love that he's receiving from all the top schools. We'll just have to be patient and let the process play itself out and hopefully we'll come out as the winner for his services.

 

[Yamdat44]

TB will move at his own speed. He loves the attention and love that he's receiving from all the top schools. We'll just have to be patient and let the process play itself out and hopefully we'll come out as the winner for his services.

Any chance we can scare other schools off by making him look like a Syracuse lock?

 

[Francis03]

Any chance we can scare other schools off by making him look like a Syracuse lock?

Most schools always felt that he was an SU lock in the early goings but just like what happened in the DC2 recruitment, he inquired interest to other schools telling them that he was open and wanted them to recruit him. If you're a teenage top 20 recruit, wouldn't you want to explore free trips to Universities around the country? He's only a Junior that has only visited SU and WVU so far to my knowledge. I'm pretty sure he wants to do more due diligence with other schools before deciding.

 

[Yamdat44]

Most schools always felt that he was an SU lock in the early goings but just like what happened in the DC2 recruitment, he inquired interest to other schools telling them that he was open and wanted them to recruit him. If you're a teenage top 20 recruit, wouldn't you want to explore free trips to Universities around the country? He's only a Junior that has only visited SU and WVU so far to my knowledge. I'm pretty sure he wants to do more due diligence with other schools before deciding.

As long as Rick Fox isn't giving the campus tours.

 

[Whitey23]

@TheRecruitScoop
Ohio State will host Huntington Prep (WV) duo Thomas Bryant '15 & Miles Bridges '16 on campus later today.

 

[Francis03]

As much as I like Diagne, give me a player like Bryant if we had to choose one. I'm tired of watching these emotionless kids on our squad. We need a badass who is going to get everybody hype and play with some passion.

Tears of joy after winning a State championship. Tell me we don't need players like that?

 

[EastCoast2]

As much as I like Diagne, give me a player like Bryant if we had to choose one. I'm tired of watching these emotionless kids on our squad. We need a badass who is going to get everybody hype and play with some passion.
View attachment 9498
Tears of joy after winning a State championship. Tell me we don't need players like that?

Bryant is a must get recruit IMO

 

[Trueblue25]

As much as I like Diagne, give me a player like Bryant if we had to choose one. I'm tired of watching these emotionless kids on our squad. We need a badass who is going to get everybody hype and play with some passion.
View attachment 9498
Tears of joy after winning a State championship. Tell me we don't need players like that?

I like this.

You pull at my soul francis

 

[Wallo]

Great to hear--I like the prospect of landing a 4-year kid with Obokoh's tools. I have a feeling that he'll prove to be a better version of Baye.

As long as does not have the proverbially, "Hands of Stone" !

 

[Francis03]

Bryant is a must get recruit IMO

In Hop we trust.

 

[Antiprodigy]

As much as I like Diagne, give me a player like Bryant if we had to choose one. I'm tired of watching these emotionless kids on our squad. We need a badass who is going to get everybody hype and play with some passion.
View attachment 9498
Tears of joy after winning a State championship. Tell me we don't need players like that?

I think that is one area that DC2 brought to the team, that was missed after his injury. Some times it is the little things that make a difference.

 

[phil77]

In Hop we trust.

Francis this maybe should be in its own thread but what kind of negative impact will it have on Bryant and our recruiting if/when Hop decides to take another job? It would be interesting to get your take on that? Will the program take a dip down in recruiting or are we a big enough brand now that it doesn't matter?

 

[Antiprodigy]

I would never presume to answer for Francis, as my level of knowledge can't hope to hold a candle to what he knows, but losing Hop would definitely affect SU's chances with the kids that Hop is recruiting. Recruiting is all about relationships. Some kids go somewhere because of the school, some go to a school because of the people recruiting them, but a vast majority are a combination of the two. So, it is inevitable that losing Hop would cause some averse effects.

Personally, I think SU is in a position that they can overcome the averse effects for most recruits, fairly well. Recruiting is definitely not all about Hop. I also would rather not have to find out. I would rather like to learn how Hop does as a head coach, in a couple years, when JB decides to retire.

 

[Francis03]

Francis this maybe should be in its own thread but what kind of negative impact will it have on Bryant and our recruiting if/when Hop decides to take another job? It would be interesting to get your take on that? Will the program take a dip down in recruiting or are we a big enough brand now that it doesn't matter?

As AP stated above that's an answer I hope that we'll never have to figure out because Hop is mainly responsible for 70% or more of the current and committed players, plus the current list of targets that we're going after at the moment. Losing him would be a huge blow and would hurt for a bit, but depending on who JB brings to the staff as far as being a heavy connected recruiting Assistant like we saw with Weaver back in the day then things should eventually be okay. SU is a current top 10 program with the Dome, Melo Center, and numerous number of recent lottery picks to the Association that are great selling points for recruits whether Hop is here or not.