3 Observations from Pittsburgh

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, April 20th, 2013

The Pittsburgh Jam Fest was one of the biggest tournaments in the nation this weekend, hosting hundreds of players and teams.  Here are a couple of observations after a few days in the steel city:

1. Donovan Mitchell is for Real

The Canterbury School sophomore runs with The City, an Under Armour sponsored program that won AAU’s 9th grade national championship last summer.  This weekend, Donovan showed why he is one of the top young prospects in New England, leading The City to a run into the Final Four of the Pittsburgh Jam Fest.  The six-foot-four swingman drew a long list of coaches every time he took the court this weekend including the likes of Kansas, St. John’s, and many others.  

2. Kenny Grant is New England’s Best Prospect You’ve Never Heard of

The six-foot-nine southpaw is the starting center for a Sports U team that took their second consecutive Pittsburgh Jam Fest title in the u17 division.  Grant is currently in the midst of his first season in New England, starring on both the gridiron and the hardwood at the Hyde School in Connecticut.  And while he’s managed to fly under the radar of most casual fans, that certainly isn’t the case for college coaches, many of whom are hoping the long and powerful post prospect chooses basketball over football at the next level.  

3. Vermont Academy is Getting a Potential Star

It was just last week that Vermont Academy head coach Jesse Bopp announced the addition of Sedee Keita, a six-foot-nine forward who plans to reclassify to the class of 2016 upon arriving at Vermont in the fall.  This weekend, we got our first look at the young talent, and came away very impressed.  Keita was part of a We-R-1 squad that took the u16 championship, and surrounded by a variety of other potential high-major prospects, Keita still managed to stand out with his obvious physical potential and budding skill set.  While he certainly still has a long way to go, look for him to become one of New England’s top prospects in the class of 2016 upon his arrival.