Was able to make it to Mequon last night and have some observations on Wisconsin targets:
2016 F Willie Jackson - Really athletic kid who spent a lot of time in the paint and on the baseline last night. Probably closer to 6-foot-4 than he is to 6-foot-5. Hit a few mid-range jumpers but I question if he can consistently hit from deep. Spoke to him after and he said Wisconsin has still been in contact but its recent focus has clearly been on the tournament. He picked up an early offer from the Badgers. I never saw Khalil Iverson live but I think Jackson could be comparable, though, Jackson doesn't necessarily play "above the rim."
2016 F/C Nick Rakocevic - Rakocevic, who has an offer from Wisconsin, was not in Mequon last evening. He plays for Mac Irvin. Not sure what his status is.
2016 F Rapolas Ivanauskas - Was my first time seeing him live and he was described to me as "Jarrod Utoff with an attitude." I definitely would agree with that but Utoff, in my opinion, was more polished at this point in his development. Ivanauskas has a great frame and gets up and down the court really well. His shot is still a work in progress but he has a lot of tools. Has a motor and isn't afraid to mix it up in the paint. Still learning to play the game and he had stints where he was a bit out of control. I like his upside a lot, though.
2016 F Sam Hauser - I've seen Hauser live multiple times and I think he's worthy of an offer from Wisconsin. However, with limited scholarships available, I'm not sure how his recruitment will shake out with the Badgers, who absolutely need a point guard in the 2016 class. Hauser is starting to fill out nicely and has an excellent frame. Great shooter who also looks to attack. Not an elite athlete but does everything pretty well. I think he could see his offer sheet double this spring and summer. Top in-state prospect in the 2016 class.
2017 wing Christian Negron - Really small sample size but I thought Negron looked great Friday night. An athletic wing who was making plays on both ends. Has a college-ready frame with great length and energy. Also listed on Mac Irvin's 17U roster. Already visited Wisconsin and is absolutely someone to keep a close eye on.
2017 SG Jordan Poole - I'm a big Jordan Poole fan. I think he has huge upside and the potential to be a high-volume scorer. Top prospect in Wisconsin's 2017 class.
2017 G Luke Loewe - Wisconsin target who has already visited a few times. Fundamentally sound prospect who played more off the ball Friday night but could play point in college. Probably not as athletically gifted as Bronson Koenig but they have some similarities. Good shooter and distributor.
2017 G Philip Flory - Second time seeing him and again I wasn't overly impressed. Decent shooter but not a great athlete. Looking forward to really focusing on him more over the next day or two.
2018 F Joey Hauser - I think he has a chance to be more heavily recruited than his older brother. A lot to like for a kid who is still a freshman.
2016 F Willie Jackson - Really athletic kid who spent a lot of time in the paint and on the baseline last night. Probably closer to 6-foot-4 than he is to 6-foot-5. Hit a few mid-range jumpers but I question if he can consistently hit from deep. Spoke to him after and he said Wisconsin has still been in contact but its recent focus has clearly been on the tournament. He picked up an early offer from the Badgers. I never saw Khalil Iverson live but I think Jackson could be comparable, though, Jackson doesn't necessarily play "above the rim."
2016 F/C Nick Rakocevic - Rakocevic, who has an offer from Wisconsin, was not in Mequon last evening. He plays for Mac Irvin. Not sure what his status is.
2016 F Rapolas Ivanauskas - Was my first time seeing him live and he was described to me as "Jarrod Utoff with an attitude." I definitely would agree with that but Utoff, in my opinion, was more polished at this point in his development. Ivanauskas has a great frame and gets up and down the court really well. His shot is still a work in progress but he has a lot of tools. Has a motor and isn't afraid to mix it up in the paint. Still learning to play the game and he had stints where he was a bit out of control. I like his upside a lot, though.
2016 F Sam Hauser - I've seen Hauser live multiple times and I think he's worthy of an offer from Wisconsin. However, with limited scholarships available, I'm not sure how his recruitment will shake out with the Badgers, who absolutely need a point guard in the 2016 class. Hauser is starting to fill out nicely and has an excellent frame. Great shooter who also looks to attack. Not an elite athlete but does everything pretty well. I think he could see his offer sheet double this spring and summer. Top in-state prospect in the 2016 class.
2017 wing Christian Negron - Really small sample size but I thought Negron looked great Friday night. An athletic wing who was making plays on both ends. Has a college-ready frame with great length and energy. Also listed on Mac Irvin's 17U roster. Already visited Wisconsin and is absolutely someone to keep a close eye on.
2017 SG Jordan Poole - I'm a big Jordan Poole fan. I think he has huge upside and the potential to be a high-volume scorer. Top prospect in Wisconsin's 2017 class.
2017 G Luke Loewe - Wisconsin target who has already visited a few times. Fundamentally sound prospect who played more off the ball Friday night but could play point in college. Probably not as athletically gifted as Bronson Koenig but they have some similarities. Good shooter and distributor.
2017 G Philip Flory - Second time seeing him and again I wasn't overly impressed. Decent shooter but not a great athlete. Looking forward to really focusing on him more over the next day or two.
2018 F Joey Hauser - I think he has a chance to be more heavily recruited than his older brother. A lot to like for a kid who is still a freshman.
