Derek Piper:
Future150 Midwest Analyst Covering high & middle school basketball. IL, IN, KY, OH, MI, MO & WI
Nashville, TN (Future150) -- The Ville four-star PF Raymond Spalding was one of the most impressive talents on the court in Indianapolis last week, with head coaches Tom Crean, Chris Mack and Rick Pitino getting a look at one of their top targets in the 2015 class.
Spalding wasted no time wowing the coaches and fans looking on in his first outing on Wednesday night—totaling 36 points and double-digit rebounds. The 6’9” Louisville native continued to surge, on his way to leading his team to the 17U semifinals. Spalding talked about the feel he has for his game right now.
“I feel like I’m starting to pick my pace up a lot more, and play more competitive and confident,” he said.
Spalding’s ceiling is extremely high with his length, athleticism and versatility. He has always been great around the rim on both ends, but he also showed that he can get out in transition, knock down some outside shots and be a playmaker for his teammates. With his progression has come an immense amount of attention from the college ranks. Spalding is taking his recruitment in stride, and he enjoys the fact that he is still blowing up.
“It’s going good. It’s very exciting talking to new coaches each and every day, and getting to know these guys and their program,” he said.
Nevertheless, Spalding already has some schools who have solidified themselves at the top of his list. On Thursday, he said that Indiana, Louisville and Xavier were his top three (no order). Spalding received an offer from his hometown Cardinals after taking a campus visit on June 11th.
“It was good, it was very exciting. Coach Pitino and Coach Kenny Johnson, they showed me lots of love there,” Spalding said. “I’m a high priority.”
What does Spalding like about Louisville?
“It’s hometown. Coach Pitino really gets his guys to the next level—the pro level,” he said.
Being from Louisville, it’d be hard for Spalding to turn down the Cardinals, but if anyone is making that possible it’s Crean. The Hoosiers offered Spalding a scholarship in March, and Crean has made sure to let Spalding know just how badly he wants him to play in Bloomington. The two are in constant contact, and Spalding said they exchange at least three text messages a day.
“I talk to Coach Crean every day, and he’s becoming one of my best friends,” he said. “You know, we talk every day about basketball and then just our families in general. He’s a great guy, great coach.”
Crean made sure to sit front and center for a handful of Spalding’s games last week, which did not go unnoticed by the talented prospect.
“It really tells a lot about him and his program. He takes basketball to heart over there. He’s a great coach, so for him to come to my games—the head coach, the head guy—it means a lot,” Spalding said.
Another coach at nearly every one of Spalding’s games was Mack. Spalding said that he has a good impression of the Xavier program. He played there for a team camp last month.
“It’s a great school,” Spalding said. “Xavier basketball is big over there in Cincinnati.”
Spalding said that he still isn’t sure when he’d like to make his college decision, but he noted that it’s possible he would wait until the spring. Part of that could be motivated by recent interest from Duke, who is new to the party. Spalding said he began talking with Duke assistant Nate James two weeks ago, and the Blue Devils staff is expected to watch him play during the July evaluation period.
For now, Spalding wants to savor his recruitment, which has gotten quite juicy over the last five weeks.
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