If you’re a tall, skinny guy who can shoot, it’s probably a good idea to pattern your game after Kevin Durant. The former Texas one-and-done and current Oklahoma City NBA star carries the banner for talented ectomorphs worldwide.
Jermaine Lawrence, a 6'10" junior forward, draws such comparisons from his high school coach, Jason Hasson. While it’s too soon to put any such expectations on Lawrence, perhaps a dotted line can be drawn between the kid and his hero. It’s the best way to explain a kid his size who is able to can six treys in a game, as Lawrence did at this weekend’s Philly JamFest event.
“He’s going to be a pro, I think,” Hasson told Adam Zagoria. “He can handle the ball, he can shoot. He kind of modeled his game after Kevin Durant, that style of play. He can also post up, he’s not just a perimeter guy. He can play everywhere. His shot is getting more consistent. He’s close to being unguardable.”
Lawrence’s game has drawn an elite cadre of eyeballs this weekend, according to Zagoria’s Zagsblog:Kansas coach Bill Self watched both of Lawrence’s games Saturday and Rutgers coach Mike Rice and Cincinnati assistant Darren Savino were also on hand.
Along with Kansas, Rutgers and Cincinnati, Hasson said both St. John’s and Syracuse are working hard for Lawrence.
“St. John’s, they’ve been coming pretty hard,” Hasson said. “Rutgers for sure. Syracuse was going pretty hard.”
Hasson has coached both Tyreke Evans at American Christian and Kyle Andersonat St. Anthony and says Lawrence is comparable in talent to those two.
“Other than Kyle Anderson and Tyreke Evans, he’s the best player I’ve ever coached,” Hasson said.
So, other than those guys, he’s the best.
That’s pretty good company for a young baller to keep. If Lawrence continues his rise, perhaps he’ll even share a court with Durant and Evans from time to time.
Eric Angevine is the editor of Storming the Floor. He tweets @stfhoops.