Derek Piper:
Future150 Midwest Analyst Covering high & middle school basketball. IL, IN, KY, OH, MI, MO & WI
Nashville, TN (Future150) -- Basketball enthusiasts north of the border have known about 2016 Uplay Bounce PF Nolan Narain for some time, but after a strong showing at the adidas Invitational in Indianapolis last week, he has cemented himself in the minds of high-major coaches across the country.
Prior to his outings in Indianapolis, Narain held offers from Buffalo, Dayton, North Florida and UNC-Charlotte—in addition to interest from Arkansas, Creighton, California and Illinois. Narain was extremely impressive on the hardwood last week, and on Tuesday, he received offers from Gonzaga, Illinois and Xavier.
Narain proved his worth in a matchup with Canada Elite and top-ranked Canadian prospect Justin Jackson on Friday. Uplay fell in overtime 91-87, but Narain notched 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the contest. At 6’9”, Narain has great length and athleticism, and he is highly skilled for a stretch-four. He can run the floor, play inside and out, finish at the rim and make a big impact on the glass. Narain also has a good outside stroke—hitting two of his three attempts from long range against Canada Elite.
Illinois assistant Dustin Ford and Louisville assistant Kenny Johnson were among the coaches watching on Friday. Louisville has since expressed high interest in Narain, and his performance was enough to draw an offer from the Illini. Ford has had Narain on his radar since last year, as he has proven to be well-connected in Canada. Narain said he has a good impression of Ford and the Illinois program.
“I really like him. He’s always talking to me. He’s a really good guy—program is really good,” Narain said. “Definitely a program I could see myself playing at.”
Narain talked about what he is looking for at the next level.
“Mainly for me and my parents, it’s a high academics school. But also a program where I can get a lot of playing time and they’ll develop me as a player,” he said.
Narain will transition to La Lumiere (IN) next season, where he will play with highly-ranked 2015 prospect Jalen Coleman. In the meantime, Narain will play with Team Canada in France and in the FIBA World Championships in Dubai in August. He said that his goal for the rest of the summer is to improve his strength, conditioning, shooting and ball handling. Narain wants to add more bulk to his frame, but his ability to be skilled in other areas helps his game.
“I’m not the biggest guy, I’m lanky right now—trying to put on weight. It helps me because I’m able to step out, shoot, drive past people. If I have a bigger guy on me, I’m able to pull him away from the basket and go to work,” he said.
Tuesday was just the first step in a recruitment that is sure to blow up in the coming months.
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