Kasey hill and Chris Walker

[madgator]

Originally Posted by tampajack1

Keefer:

I can't tell you why I might disagree with the professional recruiting analysts, but I do from time to time. Any evaluation I have of a high school player is based on some combination of seeing the kid play in Tampa, in Lakeland at the high school state championships, at the City of Palms, and/or on television. I don't base anything on highlight videos, as they are completely meaningless. So, I don't see that many kids play, but the kids I do see play generally are playing for their high school teams in games against really good competition.

Based on my limited viewing of these kids, I believe that I have noted the following over the last few years:

1. Fab Melo (rated in the top 10 by the experts) is a big stiff and is nowhere near as good as the Sheehy kid who plays with him at Sagemont. Note: I believe that I was right on that one. Melo was a stiff, and Sheehy is a solid player for Indiana.

2. Ray Shipman (Miami Pace) is not that good a player. Note: I believe that I was right on this one, but I did think that he would be better than he turned out to be.

3. Neither Vargas nor Kadji will start over Tyus at center as freshmen. Pretty much everyone disagreed with me on this one.

4. We should sign Shane Larkin over Austin Rivers. All the experts and most Gator fans disagreed with me on this one. Note: We should have gone after Shane. Supposedly, he was a big Gator fan.

5. The Lake Howell point guard (Joey Rodriguez) playing with Parsons and Calathes is really good and could help us. Note: He went on to play really well at VCU.

6. Justin Jackson from Arlington Country day is really good, and we should go after him. Note: Justin starts for Cincinatti. He was at several Gator games sitting behind the Gator bench. He likely would be a solid role player for us.

7. That brings me to Kasey Hill. Kasey is coveted because he is explosively quick and is a tremendous leaper. He also is an outstanding ballhandler and has really good court vision. He should become an outstanding point guard. However, he has deficiencies. He is not a good defender right now. He also is not a good outside shooter, although he is improving. He is an outstanding free-throw shooter. His court judgement is not real good right now. He forces things. In a televised summer game, Kasey had 9 or 10 turnovers at half-time. However, he lead his team to victory. IMO, he is not as good a point guard as Joel Berry right now, nor is he as good a point guard as was Larkin in high school. So, my guess is that he comes off the bench next year as our 3rd guard and starts as a sophomore. I also think that he will be a great college player, but I don't expect him to be a star in his first year at Florida.

Fair assessment on Hill. The only counter points I'll make is that outside of maybe Donnell Harvey, Kasey could very well be the best athlete we ever had and that when he is focused and on his game. He is almost unstoppable in every respect. He can literally put a team on his back and single handidly win games (and not just through scoring).

there is no doubt that he is a special talent with far more upside than Joel Berry

[StrangeGator]

Not getting into the debate about how good these kids are, just looking forward to seeing them play in the McD game. Might even pay extra money to get seats near the court this year. I know that's a crazy kind of game, but we should get a little more insight into their potential during that game. Best part will be seeing them both on the court at the same time.

[gatordd]

Some of these posts are comical. Kasey will prove his doubters wrong from day one.

I've seen him play over 20 times in prep/AAU. He is the best player we have ever signed.

[madgator]

Originally Posted by gatordd

Some of these posts are comical. Kasey will prove his doubters wrong from day one.

I've seen him play over 20 times in prep/AAU. He is the best player we have ever signed.

I agree.....however I do understand the criticisms

just think that they are slightly over-done. I think he is the best PG in the country regardless of class. Also think that Emmanual Mudiay is the second best. Berry the 3rd, and Jones being 4th

Andrew Harrison I would put as the 5th best PG in high school today regardless of class.


I don't like his handle. I think he is a tad slow of foot for a point guard. I see him more a 2 guard that is being pushed into the point role in large part to increase his profile and potential draft status. As a scorer and as a 2 guard, I actually think his brother is better.

No way Harrison should be ranked above Hill.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by madgator

We need to relax on this "turnover prone" thing with Hill.

3. At UF he will play within a much more regulated and controlled system. Hill knows the game and is a good coachable kid. He will adjust.

and Andrew Harrison (while being very good) is probably the most over-rated recruit in the country right now.

The thing is, that even if he is not turnover prone, Hill will have to gain Donovan's confidence in his ball handling ability to get Donovan to bench or move Wilbekin off the ball. I am not sure Donovan will be willing to do that very easily. Also Hill will need to gain the confidence of UF's rebounders. It took a while into this season for them to quit looking for Boynton and start looking for Wilbekin once they got the ball.

I do agree Hill will learn and adjust as a college Frosh. That is what most Frosh must do even the most highly recruited. As I have said, I expect him to play starter, ie 25ish minutes.

I am on the same page with you about Andrew Harrison. Like the mythical 6'+ CB recruit often ending up at FS or SS or WLB, the 6'5"+ PG recruit is often a 2 or even a 3.

[StrangeGator]

Only concern I have about Hill for his first year is his size and strength. He looks awfully skinny. Is that a problem for him if he's still below 180-185 by the time the season starts?