[alexsonic60Participant]

Hello guys,

I just want to know your feedback about the hype around Cody Riley, the best freshman in HS. This PF got game. But on the other hand, some people have serious doubt (including me) about him. Indeed, we don’t know much about his age. To my mind, its case is very similar to Shabazz Muhammad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj5zrf-NdRg#t=20

[MalcolmxParticipant]

 He is a freshman that is clearly very good. I think he will remain a top 20 or so player throughout high school.Other kids will catch up to him and pass him but I think he should always remain good if he keeps working.He is 16 turning 17 in october.It’s a mature age for a freshman but a lot of kids get reclassed once now days. He just happened to do it twice.MCW and Ricky Ledo did the same thing. The main thing is just working and staying level headed if he can do that he can be a successful high school player and hopefully college player. I will not get into talking about his league potential it is way to early.

[MalcolmxParticipant]

 He is a freshman that is clearly very good. I think he will remain a top 20 or so player throughout high school.Other kids will catch up to him and pass him but I think he should always remain good if he keeps working.He is 16 turning 17 in october.It’s a mature age for a freshman but a lot of kids get reclassed once now days. He just happened to do it twice.MCW and Ricky Ledo did the same thing. The main thing is just working and staying level headed if he can do that he can be a successful high school player and hopefully college player. I will not get into talking about his league potential it is way to early.

[Big_C_KUParticipant]

I’d call his situation probably closer to Perry Ellis of KU. Ellis hit the scene as an 8th grader as a top 5 player in his class. He was physically more developed than most players he was going up against but never grew a tremendous amount in high school like expected to. Started high school 6-6 but ended high school at maybe 6-8. By the time high school ended he was still ranked around 25 but didnt reach the potential as a recruit many thought he would. I can see Riley ending up similar to Ellis. 

Like Ellis I think KU is going to be tough to beat here. Riley may be from California but he and his family are originally from around the KU area and most of their family is still there. 

[Big_C_KUParticipant]

I’d call his situation probably closer to Perry Ellis of KU. Ellis hit the scene as an 8th grader as a top 5 player in his class. He was physically more developed than most players he was going up against but never grew a tremendous amount in high school like expected to. Started high school 6-6 but ended high school at maybe 6-8. By the time high school ended he was still ranked around 25 but didnt reach the potential as a recruit many thought he would. I can see Riley ending up similar to Ellis. 

Like Ellis I think KU is going to be tough to beat here. Riley may be from California but he and his family are originally from around the KU area and most of their family is still there. 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

For those who have not seen him, have some videos on the [Player: Cody Riley] profile, which was created as he will undoubtedly be a major NCAA prospect. Certainly has solid size and athleticism, plus talent that has allowed him to play well against top competition. The thing that gives him the advantage right now in the rankings is that he is born December 12, 1997. In terms of the US system, which tends to go from September 1-August 31, that would make him a year older than most of his class.

So, right now, while he does still look like a strong prospect, he has a solid year of physical maturity on most of the 2017 class. Guess it is stranger, at least for me, that he is not born in 1998 and thus turned 16 before the majority of his HS season had started. You have a number of players, such as [Player: Jarred Vanderbilt] and [Player: Troy Brown Jr] who are born in 1999, making them at least a full year younger (plus a few months) than Riley. So, in terms of contributing right now, Riley may do more, just who is to say that this makes him a better prospect than guys who have yet to turn 16?

Holding kids back has been a common practice in basketball for years, it is not something new. In the 2016 Class, [Player: Josh Jackson], [Player: Thon Maker] and [Player: VJ King] are all born in 1997. [Player: DeRon Davis] is another one who is born in 1996. This does not necessarily mean they are still not among the top prospects in their class, it just is maybe something to be aware of. You have guys like [Player: Harry Giles], [Player: Jayson Tatum], [Player: Malik Monk] and [Player: Seventh Woods] who are up to and possibly beyond a full year younger.

This is why it is probably best to hold off on putting too much stock into rankings at a young age. Not saying that you cannot rank players or make statements, just that a player who is ranked as a top HS freshman might not end up staying in that position. Players develop at different ages, factored in with us maybe not knowing a players age. So I do think Cody Riley is a good player and he is amongst the top HS freshman.

What I also believe is that he has to keep working and that their maybe others who absolutely catch-up to him and surpass him. The age advantage tends to even out over time. To me, it has given some players a boost in the "early rankings", though it is something that is very difficult to sustain when the rest of the class reaches the later stages of physical development, particularly in their final year of high school.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

For those who have not seen him, have some videos on the [Player: Cody Riley] profile, which was created as he will undoubtedly be a major NCAA prospect. Certainly has solid size and athleticism, plus talent that has allowed him to play well against top competition. The thing that gives him the advantage right now in the rankings is that he is born December 12, 1997. In terms of the US system, which tends to go from September 1-August 31, that would make him a year older than most of his class.

So, right now, while he does still look like a strong prospect, he has a solid year of physical maturity on most of the 2017 class. Guess it is stranger, at least for me, that he is not born in 1998 and thus turned 16 before the majority of his HS season had started. You have a number of players, such as [Player: Jarred Vanderbilt] and [Player: Troy Brown Jr] who are born in 1999, making them at least a full year younger (plus a few months) than Riley. So, in terms of contributing right now, Riley may do more, just who is to say that this makes him a better prospect than guys who have yet to turn 16?

Holding kids back has been a common practice in basketball for years, it is not something new. In the 2016 Class, [Player: Josh Jackson], [Player: Thon Maker] and [Player: VJ King] are all born in 1997. [Player: DeRon Davis] is another one who is born in 1996. This does not necessarily mean they are still not among the top prospects in their class, it just is maybe something to be aware of. You have guys like [Player: Harry Giles], [Player: Jayson Tatum], [Player: Malik Monk] and [Player: Seventh Woods] who are up to and possibly beyond a full year younger.

This is why it is probably best to hold off on putting too much stock into rankings at a young age. Not saying that you cannot rank players or make statements, just that a player who is ranked as a top HS freshman might not end up staying in that position. Players develop at different ages, factored in with us maybe not knowing a players age. So I do think Cody Riley is a good player and he is amongst the top HS freshman.

What I also believe is that he has to keep working and that their maybe others who absolutely catch-up to him and surpass him. The age advantage tends to even out over time. To me, it has given some players a boost in the "early rankings", though it is something that is very difficult to sustain when the rest of the class reaches the later stages of physical development, particularly in their final year of high school.

[Scott42444Participant]

to lower high school prospects.  There are just too many variables.  Big_C_KU brings up one of them.  Big men sometimes don’t continue growing and then they are 6’6” with PF skills.  I think that is part of the reason there are so many bigs that don’t have post skills.  They know that they might stop growing and attempt to develop guard skills to play it safe.  I read that Joakim Noah was only 5’11" in 8th grade.  How on earth did he know he was going to grow another foot in 3 years?  Guys like Anthony Davis are 6’2" as a junior and grow 8-9 inches by the end of their senior year.  Seventh Woods is the first prospect that I have actually paid attention too that was a freshman in high school.  The reason is that he plays PG and is already 6’2" with elite athleticism.  If he doesn’t grow another inch, he can still continue working on his game at the PG position and become an elite prospect.  God willing, if he hits a growth spurt he could be a 6’7" PG and become a Top 5 pick.  It’s just too hard for me, as a "scout for fun", to be able to project big men that early.  Especially since many of the best big man prospects just appear out of nowhere.

[Scott42444Participant]

to lower high school prospects.  There are just too many variables.  Big_C_KU brings up one of them.  Big men sometimes don’t continue growing and then they are 6’6” with PF skills.  I think that is part of the reason there are so many bigs that don’t have post skills.  They know that they might stop growing and attempt to develop guard skills to play it safe.  I read that Joakim Noah was only 5’11" in 8th grade.  How on earth did he know he was going to grow another foot in 3 years?  Guys like Anthony Davis are 6’2" as a junior and grow 8-9 inches by the end of their senior year.  Seventh Woods is the first prospect that I have actually paid attention too that was a freshman in high school.  The reason is that he plays PG and is already 6’2" with elite athleticism.  If he doesn’t grow another inch, he can still continue working on his game at the PG position and become an elite prospect.  God willing, if he hits a growth spurt he could be a 6’7" PG and become a Top 5 pick.  It’s just too hard for me, as a "scout for fun", to be able to project big men that early.  Especially since many of the best big man prospects just appear out of nowhere.

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