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2016 seems like a ways away, but with uncertainty regarding our players and the decision to go pro next year, Coach Cuonzo and Co., are recruiting every position. Let's take a look at highly touted big man Tony Bradley.
Here is your basic information:
Name: Tony Bradley
Position: PF/C
High School: Bartow (Bartow, Florida)
AAU: Each 1 Teach 1 Elite
Height: 6'10"
Weight: 230 lbs
Rating: 4-Star (Scout & Rivals), 5-Star (ESPN)
Tony Bradley is rated in the Top 50 for all recruiting websites, and with that comes a plethora of offers. Tony has yet to shorten his offer list. That's not surprising as he is a rising senior in high school. He has also grown 2 inches and close to 15 pounds of weight over the last year. He is definitely a rising prospect and can contribute with his skill set to any program. Let's take a look at his skill set and what he could bring to Bear Territory.
Strengths:
- Finishing Around The Basket - Tony has extremely soft hands and can finish anywhere around the basket. He catches the ball at a high point, but most importantly he keeps the ball up above his head while on his way to the basket. Tony can finish at the basket in transition but can also finish from pick-and-roll's and from offensive rebounding. Its hard to find big men with such subtleties and refined basics. With this aspect alone, Tony will be a prolific finisher at the college level.
- Outside Shooting - In Tony's earlier tapes he did not have a perimeter shot, but in recent tape Tony has extended his range to around the 3-Point line. He has the ability to knock it down from long range but it will be interesting to see if he can use that range to create a mid-range aspect as well. His shot is there, now is just a question whether or not his range is efficient/consistent. The fact that he has developed another aspect to his game goes to show his determination and work ethic.
Weaknesses:
- Lateral Explosion - Tony is fairly quick on the floor, but looking at his highlight reels, he barely gets to the rim when he goes up for dunks. He does have some athleticism when he goes up for rebounds but he mostly uses his wingspan and length. He might not be able to gain explosion but adding to his vertical leap will help him immensely.
- Motor - Being a mental aspect of the game, Tony Bradley can easily make up for this weakness. In certain matches it looks like he loses focus and does not go 100% on every play. That will change when he gets into more competitive games with high competition, but he does need to actively keep away from mental lapses.