OT: Who remembers Schea Cotton?

[STL_Cat]

I was flipping through my Amazon Prime account last night, and stumbled upon "Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story." Looked like an interesting basketbal doc, which I'm always good for. Somehow I hadn't heard of this one.

I haven't finished the documentary yet, but goodness GRACIOUS this guy was a beast as a sophomore in high school. He was right in that Garnett/Ron Mercer/Kobe era of guys in the mid 90s. Mercer even gets a great shout out during the documentary talking about some of the tournaments these guys played in and against each other. Now I haven't finished the documentary yet, but I can obviously see it coming that this guy peaked as a sophomore in high school, because watching the stuff he did as a sophomore is unreal. I'm most surprised I just don't remember his name. He did apparently play one year at Alabama, and was pretty good.

Who remembers this guy?

 

[SmedMoley]

I remember him. I think he was on that Duke team we beat in '98. I don't recall him panning out.

 

[BlueInBrooklyn]

I watched it, too. I was a big recruiting follower back then, and I remember he was at one time considered the best player in high school regardless of class. And as you noted, that was a golden era for talent.

 

[TopCatCal]

I was flipping through my Amazon Prime account last night, and stumbled upon "Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story." Looked like an interesting basketbal doc, which I'm always good for. Somehow I hadn't heard of this one.

I haven't finished the documentary yet, but goodness GRACIOUS this guy was a beast as a sophomore in high school. He was right in that Garnett/Ron Mercer/Kobe era of guys in the mid 90s. Mercer even gets a great shout out during the documentary talking about some of the tournaments these guys played in and against each other. Now I haven't finished the documentary yet, but I can obviously see it coming that this guy peaked as a sophomore in high school, because watching the stuff he did as a sophomore is unreal. I'm most surprised I just don't remember his name. He did apparently play one year at Alabama, and was pretty good.

Who remembers this guy?

I sure remember the name. That's a name I haven't thought about or heard in years. Don't remember UK recruiting him.

 

[Smashcat]

Looked him up. Had lots of problems getting qualified.
Sounds like a young manchild who didn't continue to develop.
Entering high school, Cotton's physical maturity provided him the size, speed, and power to dominate his opponents.[6][43] "He is a kid in a man's body," said Toby Bailey, who faced a freshman Cotton in the Southern Section Division I-A semifinals in 1994.[44] As a sophomore, Cotton was described by the Chicago Tribune as "already a complete player with upper-body strength of a college senior."[45] However, he did not undergo a second growth spurt.[10] As he grew older, his strength and size were no longer an advantage like they were in high school.[6][9] Cotton became too short to be a forward, but was not quick enough to defend guards.[6] His jump shot and ball-handling ability were suspect by NBA standards.[34] "I never thought he could play," said NBA scout Marty Blake.[46]

 

[HagginHall1999]

I remember him. He was definitely a specimen at a young age. Super talented.

Does anyone remember @RunninRichie? What happened to that guy?

 

[UK-chulo]

I remember him. He was definitely a specimen at a young age. Super talented.

Does anyone remember @RunninRichie? What happened to that guy?

He didn’t have a second growth spurt.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I remember him. He's the poster boy for the Mater Dei HS busts and West Coast rankings guys who use political power to influence others and these guys just flame out and don't do ****. There are a ton of great players out West, but so many get underrated and ignored because the same people keep pushing agendas and same programs.

 

[kybassfan]

Classic case of a kid that grew early. Folks assume everyone matures at the same rate. Stupid assumption. There can be many year’s difference. Some maturing at 16 or so. Some at 23. Just a single year can be HUGE! We have been witness to this over and over and some of our ‘special’ fans still don’t get it.

 

[UK90]

I remember him. When he was around 15 years old, he was being hyped as one of the best prospects his age ever seen, and projected as hands down the No. 1 guy in his class. People thought he was a sure future NBA star. But then he stopped growing, stopped improving, and had injuries and academic problems.

Players peak at different ages. Poor ole Schea peaked at around 15. One of the all-time early bloomers.

 

[gossie21]

I definitely remember that name. He was a prep star back when I was in high school. I don't even remember him playing at Alabama. I guess it took him a while to get there, and then he underwhelmed in college.

Seems like there are a few of these types of cautionary tales floating around: Lester Earl, Lenny Cooke, probably a lot more.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I remember him. Didn't he end up at Bama? He was a superstud in high school. There were a few names in the late 90s that stood out in the magazines: Kobe, Cotton, KG, Marbury, McGrady, Artest, Brand, Korleone Young, Al Harringston, Mercer, etc.

 

[king of cali]

Matured earlier than guys his age, but then they caught up. Bounced around high schools, then the NCAA totally f*cked him with no Vaseline by invalidating his SAT score even though he was diagnosed as having a learning disability. He would have been at UCLA in the Baron Davis class.That’s how he ended up at the prep school in Connecticut. Then he finally made it to Bama and made 2nd team All SEC. He could play, but certainly not at the superstar level that many had him pegged at when he was 15.

 

[Titpwhami2014]

I remember him but no memory of him playing at Bama. I do remember they had a guy around the same time named Rod Grizzard that torched us a few times. Another guy who once had a bright future but fizzled out. I don’t know if he ever made an NBA roster.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

I was flipping through my Amazon Prime account last night, and stumbled upon "Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story." Looked like an interesting basketbal doc, which I'm always good for. Somehow I hadn't heard of this one.

I haven't finished the documentary yet, but goodness GRACIOUS this guy was a beast as a sophomore in high school. He was right in that Garnett/Ron Mercer/Kobe era of guys in the mid 90s. Mercer even gets a great shout out during the documentary talking about some of the tournaments these guys played in and against each other. Now I haven't finished the documentary yet, but I can obviously see it coming that this guy peaked as a sophomore in high school, because watching the stuff he did as a sophomore is unreal. I'm most surprised I just don't remember his name. He did apparently play one year at Alabama, and was pretty good.

Who remembers this guy?

Ya i remember him. Best player growing up but everyone else caught up with him. Played at Bama when Auburn was decent for a year.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

I remember him. Didn't he end up at Bama? He was a superstud in high school. There were a few names in the late 90s that stood out in the magazines: Kobe, Cotton, KG, Marbury, McGrady, Artest, Brand, Korleone Young, Al Harringston, Mercer, etc.

Oneill out of SC was another one. Almost committed to us

 

[HagginHall1999]

Classic case of a kid that grew early. Folks assume everyone matures at the same rate. Stupid assumption. There can be many year’s difference. Some maturing at 16 or so. Some at 23. Just a single year can be HUGE! We have been witness to this over and over and some of our ‘special’ fans still don’t get it.

100% true. I have instances of that in my family.

I have a cousin who was about 5'6" in high school. He was a great player but was just so small for a 5A school. He was cut from HS basketball team when he went for varsity. He grew about 8" between his Senior year of high school and Freshman year of college.

I guarantee you he could play at NKU as a walk on at least. He is about 6'2 or so now and is a Sophomore there. Kid can take alley oop dunks with ease. Already could shoot the lights out.

 

[Ripcord65]

I sure remember his name, and that he was a highly rated high school player who never really became the college player everybody had predicted when he was in high school. His Wikipedia entry says he played professionally for 10 years but never in the NBA. Some D-League action, but mostly overseas, Europe and China.

 

[TeoJ]

Big time name,I thought he went to UCLA being from Cal.but he ended up at Bama..

 

[UK-chulo]

100% true. I have instances of that in my family.

I have a cousin who was about 5'6" in high school. He was a great player but was just so small for a 5A school. He was cut from HS basketball team when he went for varsity. He grew about 8" between his Senior year of high school and Freshman year of college.

I guarantee you he could play at NKU as a walk on at least. He is about 6'2 or so now and is a Sophomore there. Kid can take alley oop dunks with ease. Already could shoot the lights out.

I was 5’1” as a freshman in high school. Had a decent growth spurt before senior year and kept growing after graduating. Finished at 6’2” and could palm a ball and dunk it vertically. Can’t imagine what old schoolmates would think if we ran into each other now.

 

[UK90]

Big time name,I thought he went to UCLA being from Cal.but he ended up at Bama..

He did originally commit to UCLA. But there were all sorts of problems with his SATs, the NCAA invalidated his test scores so he had to sit out his first couple years after high school while he fought that out, then he ended up playing one season at Bama, then left for his pro career.

Not at all the career expected of a kid once hyped as the best young thing in years.

 

[christophero]

I remember him committing to UCLA. Seems similar to Taylor King, who peaked early in high school. He had a big time rep. in high school.

 

[RunninRichie]

I remember him. He was definitely a specimen at a young age. Super talented.

Does anyone remember @RunninRichie? What happened to that guy?