Local 2018 forward Andre Kelly visits Cal basketball

Class of 2018 forward Andre Kelly (6’8, 235 lbs.), out of Stockton, CA, recently visited Cal and is listed as a three-star prospect by Scout. He currently holds offers from the Bears, Fresno State, Montana, Nevada, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, and Washington State.

Kelly and his AAU squad Team Arsenal recently competed in the Capital Classic in Sacramento and — by the look of things — Kelly dunked on pretty much everyone in attendance.

Ferocity definitely stands out in this clip as Kelly throws down several powerful dunks and swats away opposition attempts at the rim with ease. Kelly also displays an ability to run the floor fairly smoothly and finish in transition. He’s not just a powerhouse, though, as he has a variety of post-moves in his arsenal — including a nifty spin-move and a sweet hook shot. One of my favorite plays from this highlight video features a double-team that converges on Kelly as he receives a pass in the paint. The two backside defenders both turn to help, but before they even make two steps Kelly has already dished to a wide-open teammate in the corner for a three-pointer.

This next video features more of Kelly’s all-around offensive game. He can put the ball on the floor decently well for a big guy, while he can also make some jumpers at range. He seems to be a good fit for a Louisville-style of play with his ability to run the floor. He seems to position himself well to receive passes in the post, too.

In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting to see much of note in the highlights after looking at his list of offers, but he appears to have a solid skill-set. He performed well on the AAU circuit and in all-star camps, so it is difficult to figure why he is flying under the radar so much. Take a look at his high school stats and it becomes even more difficult to reason. Kelly’s numbers have grown significantly each season at Lincoln High School (stats via MaxPreps):

2014-15 (Freshman): 5.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.6 BPG, 18.2 MPG, 14 GP

2015-16 (Sophomore): 18.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.2 BPG, 28 MPG, 26 GP

2016-17 (Junior): 24.1 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.9 BPG, 28.3 MPG, 27 GP

Also, according to MaxPreps, Kelly finished 18th nationally in double-double rankings, 20th in rebounds, and 25th in scoring per 32 minutes. It would not surprise me to see Kelly’s recruitment pick up during his senior season if he continues to play this well.

Cal’s 2018 recruiting class has seen an uptick in talent with Matt Bradley and Jacobi Gordon, but we need help in the front-court. Maybe Kelly is a player capable of playing a role for the California Golden Bears as power forward.

What do you guys think about Kelly as a player? Sound off below!

Go Bears!