Gabriel could be UK's best recruit

[preacher_tom]

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1829534

 

[Smashcat]

But I want to focus on the tools. Gabriel's ability to take a rebound and weave in and out of traffic for coast to coast drives is well beyond his years. His motor never stops. He can go over the top of a screen and bomb deep jumpers. And while he lacks strength, he plays a highly physical style. Assuming he continues to play as he did in New Haven and that he continues to improve at anywhere near the rate he's been getting better, Gabriel will push for a move into the national top 10. A serious debate could get started about whether or not he's UK's best incoming recruit if he keeps this up.

Might go beyond best recruit in this class. He has so much upside he could be a top 3 Cal recruit ever imo. Of course he has to keep evolving. Certainly has the work ethic and desire.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Might go beyond best recruit in this class. He has so much upside he could be a top 3 Cal recruit ever imo.

Calm down boss.

 

[Blue Decade]

Calm down boss.

Agree. LOL! Gabriel is a fine player, probably still underrated. If he develops the defensive skills to check wings effectively, Gabriel may make a lot of money someday. Glad he is a Wildcat. But Fox and Monk are 2 of the best players Calipari has recruited at Kentucky, and definitely the 2 money players in this class.

 

[poppycat]

People keep calling Gabriel a PF, but keep describing SF features.
I think Gabriel was calling himself a SF or wanting to be one.

May be that SF is the most needed spot to be filled by him.
We seem to have the C & PF covered good for next year.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

Man I'm a little scared to say this, but he's got a similar size and skillset KD had at that age.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

6-10 MKG with a better jumper.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

I said this the day that Gabriel committed he could turn out to be our best recruit in the class. It's not so much his talent at this moment. When it comes to right now, Fox and Monk are probably better talents and will impact games more. When it comes to a kid like Gabriel, the fact the kid is 6'10 and can handle and shoot the basketball means a lot for his potential. When people look at Gabriel, they are thinking of a future Durrant type of talent and that is what everyone wants to see. It's very unlikely that Gabriel ever becomes as good of a talent as Durrant, but it's not out of the question either. If this kid keeps working on his game, it could happen. With his reported work ethic, i would never doubt one's desire to become the best at what he does. He has the frame and skillset to become great, now it's just a waiting game and lots of work to do for him to become what he sees himself becoming. If Gabriel can really play sf in college, his NBA value is going to be through the roof. We will have to see him guard sfs in college before we completely buy in. So far it's looking like it just might happen.

 

[poppycat]

Man I'm a little scared to say this, but he's got a similar size and skillset KD had at that age.

Keep on with the adjectives.......
"Middle income man's".............Ben Simmons??

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

It's always a good thing when the best recruit isn't the one you thought it was going to be.

 

[gossie21]

He's like a mix between Lebron, Steph Curry, and Detlef Schreimpf.

 

[Jkwo]

I'm gonna be the eeyore here, sorry guys.

They have these superlatives that make it sound like he has wing skills, etc, but if you watch his clips from the summer, it's pretty apparent that his handles and speed, while *very good* for a PF, are not at the elite level for a wing.

His dribbling patterns still have a little bit of that big guy awkwardness to them and he kind of lurches forward on drives to the basket instead of zipping through openings in the defense.

And he may yet improve - they said he's improving as quickly as anybody in the country, so he could be a totally viable wing on both ends of the court by next season. Worst case scenario, he's a skilled, hyperathletic four. Not a bad problem to have.

But if you guys are expecting to see a HS junior Tracy Mcgrady right now, you might be a tad miscalibrated.