Now that the AAU/camp season is over, we'll take an in-depth look at each of Purdue's 2012 and 2013 recruits, in addition to its two remaining 2012 targets.
Today: Kendall Stephens
July review
We saw him in July in Elmhurst, Milwaukee and Fort Wayne and briefly in the spring in Merrillville prior to his foot issue.
First off, this past weekend is getting thrown out. After sitting out the whole spring, Stephens clearly hit a wall at the end of the month as a lot of players do and didn't have much left in the tank in Fort Wayne. Prior, he helped his Illinois Wolves to the championship game in Elmhurst and a championship win in St. Louis, so he played a lot of games.
Prior to Fort Wayne, Stephens played well and played efficiently, I thought, for a Wolves program often defined by balance in every sense of the term. In the games prior to Fort Wayne, he shot a high percentage from three-point range and showed some signs of being more than just a shooter, showing flashes as a rebounder and certainly doing some positive things defensively.
Strengths
Stephens is a great natural shooter, Jaraan Cornell-like in that sense. He could end up being one of the finest shooters in his class.
A lot of kids can shoot, but what really sets Stephens apart is that he's 6-foot-5 and growing and really just scratching the surface.
You can't teach his height and length for a backcourt player. It's just a combination that doesn't grow on trees.
Stephens has blown up, but he's not done. As he matures as a player, if his competitive streak can match his talent level, look out.
Weaknesses
'Areas for improvement' is a more appropriate label here because Stephens is just now coming of age.
Physically, he has a long way to go. He's tall and skinny and has to keep growing into his body. He still runs sometimes like a newborn deer, all arms and legs getting all twisted up. As players get older, bigger and stronger, they generally also become faster, quicker and more fluid.
Most areas for Stephens to progress in are tied into size and strength, but it's also going to be key for him to diversify offensively. His long-range shooting is his calling card. If he can do more to play off of it by fine-tuning a pull-up game or driving more, he can be really dangerous. He's shown some of that, but the more the better.
Stephens shows signs of trying hard as a rebounder and defender for what he is now, but he has to get stronger in both phases. Defensively, that condor-like wing span allows him to close out on shooters effectively, a defensive asset for him.
Super-fun comparisons
Right now, and I emphasize right now, because Stephens will look very different in two years than he does today, you may make some comparison to Jon Diebler, just because of Stephens' height and shooting acumen.
I don't know how comfortable I am really making that comparison, but at the same time, I also don't want to write something outlandish like 'Ray Allen.'
I don't know much about the systems he's played in for his high school, but the Wolves AAU program has prepared him well for moving without the ball and understanding how to position himself for shots. In college, he'll obviously be a guy who'll have to be able to use screens to get shots, because he'll be the sort of shooter Purdue will game plan to get shots for.
Stephens obviously has a long way to go to be as good a college player as Diebler was and may not be as good a shooter as one of the Big Ten's best ever. But one thing that stands out about him is that he seems to really get it in that sense. Very humble, modest kid.
Position
In college, Stephens will play the wing, whether it's the shooting guard position or that third guard/small forward spot. It doesn't matter.
Final analysis
Stephens obviously has a chance to be really, really good, blessed with that combination of natural shooting ability and size. But he's very much a work in progress and has a long way to go, ground natural physical development will help him cover.
But one of the best things about him as a prospect is the head he has on his shoulders. The attention Stephens has gotten in the past few months could have turned a lot of kids crazy. If anything, it's grounded him even more.
Here's what he said a couple weeks ago for a story we did on rankings. Thought it was telling.
"I keep it in mind that they know who I am, but at the same time I look over at (AAU teammate) Lance Whitaker, who's not getting as much recognition as he should be," Stephens said. "Everyone's human and there's always going to be mistakes. There's a lot of good players.
"You just can't fall in love with it, because if you do, that's when you're going down and someone else is passing you up."
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2011. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
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Today: Kendall Stephens
July review
We saw him in July in Elmhurst, Milwaukee and Fort Wayne and briefly in the spring in Merrillville prior to his foot issue.
First off, this past weekend is getting thrown out. After sitting out the whole spring, Stephens clearly hit a wall at the end of the month as a lot of players do and didn't have much left in the tank in Fort Wayne. Prior, he helped his Illinois Wolves to the championship game in Elmhurst and a championship win in St. Louis, so he played a lot of games.
Prior to Fort Wayne, Stephens played well and played efficiently, I thought, for a Wolves program often defined by balance in every sense of the term. In the games prior to Fort Wayne, he shot a high percentage from three-point range and showed some signs of being more than just a shooter, showing flashes as a rebounder and certainly doing some positive things defensively.
Strengths
Stephens is a great natural shooter, Jaraan Cornell-like in that sense. He could end up being one of the finest shooters in his class.
A lot of kids can shoot, but what really sets Stephens apart is that he's 6-foot-5 and growing and really just scratching the surface.
You can't teach his height and length for a backcourt player. It's just a combination that doesn't grow on trees.
Stephens has blown up, but he's not done. As he matures as a player, if his competitive streak can match his talent level, look out.
Weaknesses
'Areas for improvement' is a more appropriate label here because Stephens is just now coming of age.
Physically, he has a long way to go. He's tall and skinny and has to keep growing into his body. He still runs sometimes like a newborn deer, all arms and legs getting all twisted up. As players get older, bigger and stronger, they generally also become faster, quicker and more fluid.
Most areas for Stephens to progress in are tied into size and strength, but it's also going to be key for him to diversify offensively. His long-range shooting is his calling card. If he can do more to play off of it by fine-tuning a pull-up game or driving more, he can be really dangerous. He's shown some of that, but the more the better.
Stephens shows signs of trying hard as a rebounder and defender for what he is now, but he has to get stronger in both phases. Defensively, that condor-like wing span allows him to close out on shooters effectively, a defensive asset for him.
Super-fun comparisons
Right now, and I emphasize right now, because Stephens will look very different in two years than he does today, you may make some comparison to Jon Diebler, just because of Stephens' height and shooting acumen.
I don't know how comfortable I am really making that comparison, but at the same time, I also don't want to write something outlandish like 'Ray Allen.'
I don't know much about the systems he's played in for his high school, but the Wolves AAU program has prepared him well for moving without the ball and understanding how to position himself for shots. In college, he'll obviously be a guy who'll have to be able to use screens to get shots, because he'll be the sort of shooter Purdue will game plan to get shots for.
Stephens obviously has a long way to go to be as good a college player as Diebler was and may not be as good a shooter as one of the Big Ten's best ever. But one thing that stands out about him is that he seems to really get it in that sense. Very humble, modest kid.
Position
In college, Stephens will play the wing, whether it's the shooting guard position or that third guard/small forward spot. It doesn't matter.
Final analysis
Stephens obviously has a chance to be really, really good, blessed with that combination of natural shooting ability and size. But he's very much a work in progress and has a long way to go, ground natural physical development will help him cover.
But one of the best things about him as a prospect is the head he has on his shoulders. The attention Stephens has gotten in the past few months could have turned a lot of kids crazy. If anything, it's grounded him even more.
Here's what he said a couple weeks ago for a story we did on rankings. Thought it was telling.
"I keep it in mind that they know who I am, but at the same time I look over at (AAU teammate) Lance Whitaker, who's not getting as much recognition as he should be," Stephens said. "Everyone's human and there's always going to be mistakes. There's a lot of good players.
"You just can't fall in love with it, because if you do, that's when you're going down and someone else is passing you up."
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2011. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
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