Maybe Virginia was having tryouts!
Brakefield is having a solid HS season thus far and some of the recruiting guru's have commented on his development. Corey Evans said could be the starting 4 next season for Duke. Brakefield said he has been working in add strength and is around 220 now and his hitting the glass. He's a 4-5 star player that could be a surprise next season such as Stanley is this year. He is even listed in the 1st round of some mock drafts.
Coleman is also having a good year so far. The thing that all of the map as an unknown is how he is listed anywhere from 6-6 to 6-8 and 210 to 238 and as a SF and a PF. He is known for his motor and intensity as well as a guy that does the dirty work for the team to win. He could be a key guy because Duke will not be deep in the front court.
I wanted to give these guys some attention because Roach, Johnson, Stewart and Williams seem to be talked about the most for good reason, but Brakefield and Coleman could be just as important for the team's success next year.
NBA Draft Room
2021
#30 Jaemyn Brakefield PF - HT: 6-8 - WT: 210 - WING: NA - FROM: Duke - HSsr.
Versatile combo forward with nice size and athleticism. A high energy player who plays with passion on both ends. Really starting to emerge as a prospect. Travis Outlaw
For what it's worth, Brakefield is up to a 5 star recruit on ESPN, ranked just ahead of Mark Williams.
I'd make some crack about how absurd it is to look at mock drafts for 1 1/2 years from now... but I'm not sure it is ridiculous.
-Jason "the 'go to the NBA out of high school if you want but if you go to college you spend 2 years in school' era cannot get here soon enough for my taste" Evans
Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?
If Jaemyn can play at 5, he will see minutes at the 5. Heck he may even start if Mark isn't ready.
Amile started at the 5 despite being 6'9, 210 lbs.
Very excited about the versatility and depth of next year's team.
We have many dudes in the 6'6 - 6'8 range.
Stanley is a good comp for Brakefield in terms of possibly sneaking up on people with his impact and possibility of being a surprising one and done. Both Cassius and Jaemyn are, in part, dinged in the rankings due to their respective ages. Jaemyn just turned 19 as a high school senior. He’s a solid 9 months older than Wendell Moore.
That age could give him an edge in terms of collegiate adjustment, and also may increase the urgency for going pro.
That is tremendous news about Brakefields development. I wasn’t expecting him to see the court much next year but sounds like he will. Hope he keeps adding muscle.
Anyone on this board see either Brakefield or Coleman play outside of vids?
I saw Brakefield play in the PSA Cardinals event a few weeks ago against Our Savior Lutheran (2 guards committed to Saint Johns).
Brakefield plays hard and rebounds well, but wasn't overly impressed with anything else. Didn't make an outside shot, and had trouble finishing through contact. It was an overall sloppy game and very uptempo, so could just be an outlier.
Not expecting him to contribute much scoring next year, so if he can hit the glass hard then that's great!
Interesting. Corey Evans raved about him and discussed his impact at Duke next year as a score. Players will have ups and downs for sure. It will be something to watch to see how he will contribute to next year's team which does not have a lot of depth at the 5 and will need the guys who play the 4 to be both good in the post defending and getting buckets. But again, Brakefield has an Amile Jefferson build and needs to add some strength to bang with the ACC 4's and 5's.
Coleman on the other hand, is said to be a high energy player who does go after it on the glass, but at 6-6/6-7 (or whatever he actually is) and 210... not sure how he will complete either in the paint unless those recruiting sites that list him in the 230's are accurate.
There was plenty of mention. We discussed it weeks ago. One poster even pointed out that he thought it could be a signal Jalen might enter the draft, something he actually called several months ago.
Mark Williams and Jaemyn Brakefield's teams play tonight ono ESPN2.
A chance to see 2 future Duke players
I watched the first half of the IMG game in which Williams and Brakefield played on opposite sides. Williams is tall and long and moves well (athletic). He appears a little thin but not skinny. He got blocked a few times and doesn't yet have post moves but of course can dunk at 7' tall (they claimed 7'1"). Brakefield looked athletic and may be 6'8". He was talked about like a stud, but was more of a high school player with a lot to work on. Both will benefit from the solid coaching they will receive at Duke. Otherwise, neither kid is overpowering.
Another thought, IMG is as big as many NBA teams. Seven footer and a couple of 6'10"s who are reasonably good. How do they land all these kids?
IMG is not a regular high school, not even close. It is a pro sports training facility. Yes, they do some academics, but the real focus is on developing athletic skills so the youngster can earn a professional living in their chosen sport. As a result, folks who think they have a real shot at becoming a pro someday flock to IMG. Here is a wiki page showing many of the professional athletes to come out of IMG... it is a long page.
Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?
IMG has some really good, touted programs and some of its programs absolutely stink...neighbor's kid is a big time soccer player but found their women's (girls?) program to be an absolute mess...yanked her out of there toot sweet as the French say.