Cain can play, flat out. He has the athleticism that we so badly need. Especially as an elite finisher.
His game excites me. Hopefully Michigan can land him because he has a skillset that the team could really use
He can still improve his handle and play a bit more in control. But the tools and talent are definitely there ā length, motor, verticality, finishing. All things that Michigan needs.
How is Kyle Youngās foot speed and lateral quickness? Would he be an upgrade in athleticism?
I donāt think Kyle is the quickest guy around, but certainly think he would be an instant upgrade in terms of post defense at the 4 with regard to size and strength. Kyle is probably a legit 6ā8 225 right now as a junior in HS. Additionally, its obvious from all the film Iāve reviewed that he embraces contact when finishing.
Wanted to give you guys a chance to check out our latest film on Jamal and form your own thoughts before chiming in. Being there live, the dunks and finishes to me were blah (and I mean that in a good way) because I know Jamal is great in terms of verticality. I expect that from him as he had a 37.5 inch vertical as of October of 2015 (which is what THJ tested out at in the NBA combine) as a junior in high school so its not unrealistic to think he could approach a 40inch vert with college level S & C.
For me, the ballhandling display at the :24 second mark was impressive in person. He used a change of direction dribble twice in a row and looked fluid and created tons of separation. In my opinion, Jamal has a better handle/change of direction than Irvin and THJ at the same age, and probably Caris too. In my opinion, Jamal has an above average handle.
Additionally, the hedge and recover at the 1min mark was extremely impressive in person. We just donāt have that type of quick twitch recovery on the current roster, it was an eye opener of what athleticism can do for you.
More than anything though, Jamal just displayed so much versatility this past weekend. He scored midrange jumpers, 3s, in the post, in transition, garbage points from working the offensive glass, blocked shots and rebounded. I mean, his motor was on the max all weekend. He truly made a statement the opening weekend of AAU IMO, and I was quite happy for him.
omgā¦
Really?
You make this kid sound like lebron. Might want to slow down a bit incase he doesnāt quite pan out.
Based on the way Jamal moves/shoots/plays, he reminds me of a more athletic Kris Middleton. I might be more focused on aesthetics than style though.
What position would he play for UM then? The 3?
Raaawrrr rankings guy. Will he be an acceptable recruit when his rankings get adjusted when Scout actually sees him play?
Certainly not Lebron, but then again who is. I think I put everything in proper context, just enough to draw your own conclusions by stating he has a better handle than THJ,Zak, and perhaps Caris too at the same age. Is he Trey Burke, Derryck Thornton, etc with the handle, of course not. Do I think he has some playmaking ability at the 3 with a few PnR situations, I certainly do.
In terms of verticality, Jamal is good/great in that area. I provided the context/comparison - heās on par with a professional version of THJ, for a HS kid that is approaching elite. He could easily approach a 39-40inch vertical in college.
Jamal is an above average/good shooter. Donāt think heās the shooter THJ was in HS (certainly not Nik level),but I do think heās capable of being a 35%+ in college.
I also think Jamal is an above average rebounder for a wing. Heās willing to pursue the ball, and not afraid of contact/posting up - which is displayed on the highlights above numerous times. Is he going to pull down 6 rebounds a game like Derrick, probably not, but then again what guard does? Think Jamal could definitely reach Zak/GR3 territory in that 4.5-5 rebound area.
Strength is the one area where Jamal has to develop, right now heās simply too small to compete at the B10 level, but again, only a junior in HS. His frame may fill out over the course of the next 1.5 years.
Overall, I think you are probably looking at an upper tier wing that is a prototype 3 in college. Has the length, skill, and athleticism that you want from a player that is depended on to be a jack of all trades and play solid perimeter defense.
Ideally, Jamal would play the 3. I think he is custom made for that position from both a skill and athleticism standpoint.
Was impressed with the handle at the :24 mark, like you said. Thanks for taking and posting this video. I hadnāt seen that kind of handle in any of the other highlights Iāve watched, so I was wondering if thatās something he does more often or is something heās been working on. If he can keep that up and be consistent, then of course Iām liking his play more and more.
He has a chance to handle a bit more in AAU because The Family has legit size, but not as often as Iād like to see because Jermaine Jackson Jr and Amauri Hardy play for the team as well. Obviously those 2 are going to take on the majority of the ballhandling duties as they both have D1 offers.
As of right now, whoās more likely to be a creator at the college level: Cain or Ibi Watson? What about Poole?
Are the Michigan coaches in contact with Hardy? What offers does he have? The recruiting sites only list Buffalo, but Iād think heād have more than that.
Donāt think there is any question that Cain is more likely to be a creator in relation to Watson. Poole is a different story, as he as plus handle as well. Think Jordan is certainly a better passer than Cain.