Recruiting -- Shumate signs with Tulsa

[Chris Harmon]

Tulsa finished off its 2020 basketball recruiting class with a bang. The class started with the signing of highly-recruited 3-star guard Keshawn Williams, and it ended with his Chicago Heights (IL) Bloom teammate Christian Shumate picking the Hurricane on April 17.

LINK: Shumate chooses TU

 

[Chris Harmon]

 

[GoldenCaneKC]

If you’re missing live sporting events like I am right now, here are some longer highlight reels from Keyshawn William’s and Christian Shumate’s high school team’s games to help tide you over. What I like about these is it gives you a better feel for them in the course of a normal game. It’s easy to string together a mixtape when you have a whole season or a whole summer of AAU ball to chose from, but it’s definitely more impressive when you have multiple legit highlights all in the span of one game.

 

[quincy101]

Will K. Williams & C. Shumate be ready for (fairly) big time college hoops? I don't know. But aside from their skill & athleticism, did any Sr's in high school anywhere in the lower-48 play against tougher competition? My guess is not many. Pretty good preparation for the grind of college hoops.

 

[Henry Kendall]

Wow, thanks for posting all those, KC! I only watched the first one, will watch the others later. We knew what we were getting athletically with Shumate, but very impressed with K Williams. Very quick, looks to create his shot. Looks like he will be a very good backcourt defender, quick hands and feet.

Now the interesting part will be the coaching staff taking these gifted athletes and getting them to buy in to the matchup zone concept. A whole new world for them.

 

[I.I.]

Good videos.. It looks like we should have signed # 21 as well.(Cal-State Fullerton) He looked like the best scorer and was the best defensive player too.

 

[Bill Lowery]

Good videos.. It looks like we should have signed # 21 as well.(Cal-State Fullerton) He looked like the best scorer and was the best defensive player too.

Dante Maddox—the HC’s son.

 

[LMGRA]

What is there centers name Bill? and also his classification

 

[TU_BLA]

Dante Maddox—the HC’s son.

He's a player. Not sure what his listed height is and that may be what kept higher level schools from offering, but he can play...on both ends.

I loved Williams' intensity on both ends as well. Looks really smooth with the ball in his hands, nice stroke. But it almost looks like Bloom is running a triangle offense and Shumate and the other big guy sort of left out of the scheme and just there to clean up rebounds and get put backs.

The other player that caught my eye was #5. May be an underclassmen but his defensive footwork was really good and he has some length to him, especially for a guard. Reminded me a little bit of a thinner Ben Uzoh type.

 

[TU_BLA]

What is there centers name Bill? and also his classification

He's going to Minnesota. Is his last name Reid?

BTW, I felt his footwork on both ends of the floor was not especially smooth or good. Gets away with a lot of stuff because he's just taller than everyone else. He is pretty athletic. Not sure he'll hack it in the B1G with the way they like to bump and grind in that conference.

 

[LMGRA]

He's going to Minnesota. Is his last name Reid?

BTW, I felt his footwork on both ends of the floor was not especially smooth or good. Gets away with a lot of stuff because he's just taller than everyone else. He is pretty athletic. Not sure he'll hack it in the B1G with the way they like to bump and grind in that conference.

Thank you! Yes agree 100 percent needs to put on weight to play in the physical big ten. Really like the additions of Williams and Shumate quick athletes seem to have pretty good handles can never have enough of those guys. Does anyone know what the future holds with the younger guys coming up at bloom they’ve lost a lot of D-1 talent

 

[astonmartin708]

He's going to Minnesota. Is his last name Reid?

BTW, I felt his footwork on both ends of the floor was not especially smooth or good. Gets away with a lot of stuff because he's just taller than everyone else. He is pretty athletic. Not sure he'll hack it in the B1G with the way they like to bump and grind in that conference.

Martice Mitchell. He's the highest ranked recruit on the team. I watched a ton of their games and haven't been thrilled with him. He's a finesse big that blocks the occasional shot.

The coach's son got a ton of playtime but I think Shumate has much more potential. Keshawn Williams needs to improve his shooting, but he's a good slasher and disher who can play good defense.

 

[Bill Lowery]

What is there centers name Bill? and also his classification

6-10 Martice Mitchell. He’s a senior and signed with Minnesota. We recruited him and offered.

 

[rusty-c]

Will K. Williams & C. Shumate be ready for (fairly) big time college hoops? I don't know. But aside from their skill & athleticism, did any Sr's in high school anywhere in the lower-48 play against tougher competition? My guess is not many. Pretty good preparation for the grind of college hoops.

My guess would be only the prep school kids, and I’m not sure those should be considered HS

 

[TU_BLA]

Martice Mitchell. He's the highest ranked recruit on the team. I watched a ton of their games and haven't been thrilled with him. He's a finesse big that blocks the occasional shot.

The coach's son got a ton of playtime but I think Shumate has much more potential. Keshawn Williams needs to improve his shooting, but he's a good slasher and disher who can play good defense.

Thanks. He's athletic for a big but I wasn't terribly impressed with his footwork. In some ways he reminds me of Chargois without the outside shot. Chargois' lack of technique and lack of improvement with his feet has caught up with him as he goes up against players who are just as big as he is. Not sure he faced anyone when he was at Union who was nearly as big. Jenks was trying to guard him with a 6'4" kid most of the time. HS players with size get away with a ton of poor technique because they are usually much bigger than the guys they are playing against. It's not like college where every team has 2-3 guys who are as big or bigger than you are with just as much skill. I like the kids who are raw but show a work ethic. Those are the coachable kids who will do whatever it takes to get better. Think Igbanu. I am hoping Idowu has that mentality. Shumate too. Kids with Shumate's athleticism and instinct can be good w/o putting in the work. If they put in the work though...(think Jeffries, Shaq, Jackson).

 

[seniorgolfer]

Good videos.. It looks like we should have signed # 21 as well.(Cal-State Fullerton)
He looked like the best scorer and was the best defensive player too.

That kid can play....Looks like a bigger Dante Swanson....He's a perfect 2 guard....

 

[quincy101]

.(think Jeffries, Shaq, Jackson).

It's kind of ridiculous to contemplate this-but according to his coach, Bossi, his film, etc., young Shumate can dunk & rebound like Jeffries, play D like Jackson & shoot that mid-range & on-out jumper like Shaq.

It's too much to put on the shoulders of one 18-yr old, but a guy can dream, can't he?

 

[TU_BLA]

It's kind of ridiculous to contemplate this-but according to his coach, Bossi, his film, etc., young Shumate can dunk & rebound like Jeffries, play D like Jackson & shoot that mid-range & on-out jumper like Shaq.

It's too much to put on the shoulders of one 18-yr old, but a guy can dream, can't he?

When you put it that way we should be comparing him to Kawhi Leonard (who coincidentally was so under-rated coming out of HS in SoCal he ended up at San Diego State. Not UCLA, not USC, not Cal, not Stanford, nor any other PAC 12 school.

If Shumate has that level ceiling I'd be perfectly happy...for at least 1 yr before the transfer portal and B1G comes calling to recruit him.