No. 6 White Station (TN) defeated Hamilton (TN) on Saturday during an ESPN high school showcase. White Station PF and Illini commit Leron Black shined. Enjoy these gifs of his performance.
To remind you of Black's skill set, here's his brief scouting report, via ESPN.
Black, the No. 36 player in the ESPN 100, is a strong and physical power forward at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds. He will provide Illinois with a dependable rebounder who plays with great energy and urgency on both ends of the floor. He has an under-appreciated skill set and has the potential to be a terrific combination forward on the college level.
He's No. 41 in the 2014 class now, but that's just a number. Outside of the top 10 or 15, the exact rankings don't mean as much. Black is a second-tier recruit--not a one-and-done, but still, a total stud. His performance on Saturday proved every bit of that scouting report.
Black knows his place on the floor. He plays inside and dominates. He usually works in the paint, or floats out to the open space on the floor, waiting for his guards to find him. And when a shot goes up, he fights to the rim. He's an aggressive and talented rebounder.
Here he is working the baseline for a pretty and-1.
He likes and-1s. He finds them enjoyable.
Here he is flicking an easy 3/4 court outless pass off a rebound. Following this pass, the announcers lauded his rebounding and passing ability, then compared him to Kevin Love, the best rebounder in the NBA.
Black protects the rim, too. So if you were worried his size and athleticism wouldn't translate to the defensive side of the ball, don't. We're good.
Oh, yeah, he can shoot. He knocked down several jumpers on Saturday, including this 3-pointer.
It's like finding $20 in your new pair of pants.
VERDICT: Hell yeah! You won't convince me there are 40 better players in this recruiting class than Leron Black. This kid's the cat's meow.