Heard tonight from someone connected to the prep basketball scene that he's coming here. Big kid out of Plainfield who transferred up north from North Carolina. Also a pretty big time football recruit, but apparently is going to play basketball.
Najai Hines
- Thread starter dehere23
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It's not saying much but he would have started for us this year. Raw but love his aggression and athleticism. Great hands, great motor. This is the kind of dog mentality that Sha needs.
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He was a no body on the basketball scene and was a decently recruited football player in North Carolina. Transferred to Plainfield this year for basketball. Sat a few games and then exploded onto the scene. Went from unranked basketball recruit to top 150 on 247. Averaged 18 points and 16 rebounds this year
He is the best NJ big I have seen since Townes.
Wow...that is one helluva statement. Hope you're right. Fingers crossed.
a friend also says he is terrific. and so is his teammate michah jordan
6:00 at your favorite arena, the RAC
Gordon is explosive, but is maybe 5'8 and not a great outside shot. Great playmaker, great defensively and can get to the rim and finish.
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i bet hinson remembers ed "too small" jones. lived with 2 ru friends in the 75-6 winter. the ru glory year.
Hines is a big, athletic rim runner who stays in the paint in the halfcourt and dominates with his size, power and athleticism. He dunks every ball like he's trying to break the backboard. He grabs every rebound. His power and ability to run and jump has earned him his Baby Shaq nickname.
He's dominating his HS competition like Townes did. In his 4 state tournament games he's averaging 27 points & 21 rebounds, but I haven't seen him have to battle any other capable big men during his 25 games in NJ. Today's opponent has a Ukranian kid who is 6'9" going to play D3.
I’ve heard all good things.
On the Baby Shaq piece, others have had that nickname before too FYI. He’s a good prospect but he isn’t that level of a prospect right now. I was hesitant to even post that because of the baby Jokic and baby Mamu absurd comparisons made by the staff this year.
On impact, again please no one think is going to be KAT walking in the door if he comes. I haven’t seen or heard anything remotely like that.
Just heard he’s a developing big, later to the game because of football, with some definite upside if he stays somewhere for a stint with a staff that can do something.
I loved our small point guards over the past 25 years. Ill.take speed over 3 pt ability
He's dominating HS basketball mostly against kids much smaller than him. It's man amongst boys. Nearly all his points are dunks and lay-ups, he owns the glass and challenges every shot. All that and his physicality and violence are why HS FANS use the baby Shaq nickname. Doesn't mean he'll be a NBA Hall of Famer. Just means he looks like Shaq against this HS competition.
Now, that's High School - public HS. Plainfield's #1 and has played some good teams in RC, St Peter's, Linden, etc. but how does he project at the next level?
Looking at him as a scout, he has certain skills/attributes that are BE caliber. The grown man's body. Excellent hands. Runs the floor well, explosive leaper. Aggressive rebounder, shot blocker.
He has a lot of limitations and question marks also. First off, I have not seen him take a shot outside of the paint and his main post move is a power drop step and dunk or short hook. He's a decent FT shooter (78-123 63%) but I haven't seen much of a jump shot, handle or passing ability.
The biggest question mark for me is how does he defend post players with BE-level size and offense. Can he do it without fouling? Can he defend the perimeter, the ball screen switches/hedges? Can he develop his overall basketball IQ and offensive game?
What he is to me is better than any of the bigs on our current roster. That doesn't mean much. As a ceiling, if he develops, I'd say he's a Zuby Ejifor-type. Big guy with incredible strength who is a menace around the rim. Attacks the offensive glass and waits in the dunking position. Took Zuby 2 years of development to get there. Najai would need similar development but he has the attributes.
If we can find a decent veteran big, I'd be happy with Godswill and Najai fighting for backup minutes next year.
Agreed, with one exception on the Zuby comparison. What makes him so effective even when he doesn't score a point is (a) his motor and (b) his athleticism. He has, to quote Kim English, a "Rodman-like" motor on the offensive glass (not defensive glass, interestingly), and Pitino doesn't give him an inch if he sees anything less than that. Two, he has the feet and athleticism to guard someone like Kam Jones out on the perimeter. That's rare. I don't know if this kid ever has that type of athleticism. But the football background is a good thing IMO.
BTW, without revealing names, the person who told me is connected to basketball at the biggest public school in Bergen County, who recently lost to Plainfield in the state playoffs.
Makes sense Sha was actually in the gym visiting him a few weeks ago, alot of bloggers posted about it. I think he was one of the first coaches to recruit him
Plainfield won by 65-48. First public school to finish #1 in NJ in 25 years. Great accomplishment by Plainfield by why did NJ get rid of the TOC?
Montgomery's game plan packed it in to take Hines out. It achieved that goal but allowed Gordon to kill them in space on the outside with 18 in the 1st half.
Eventually, Montgomery had to extend their defense and Hines got some space with 4 dunks in the 4th quarter including a 1-handed flush on a lob that was the clincher. Finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks & 3 assists.
Gordon is a great player. Just a Sophomore, he hit several long 3's and has great quickness and explosiveness with the ball. He and Hines were an unstoppable duo all year.
Montgomery's game plan packed it in to take Hines out. It achieved that goal but allowed Gordon to kill them in space on the outside with 18 in the 1st half.
Eventually, Montgomery had to extend their defense and Hines got some space with 4 dunks in the 4th quarter including a 1-handed flush on a lob that was the clincher. Finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks & 3 assists.
Gordon is a great player. Just a Sophomore, he hit several long 3's and has great quickness and explosiveness with the ball. He and Hines were an unstoppable duo all year.
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