Duro has turned heads in big way
May 14, 2018 - Normally a freshman center/forward like Oluwasegun Durosinmi doesn't attract serious attention. Sure letters may be sent, workouts and games attended by coaches, but Class of 2021 guys generally are simply monitored, placed on a recruiting board and tracked.
Not Durosinmi.
"Yep, out of all my bigs through the years, this is the first time a high major offered a freshman" said Chris Rhone, coach at Virginia Academy and a Unique Hoops Basketball Academy principal. "Normally my kids get the high majors their sophomore years".
That group includes front court guys who play(ed) for him at Virginia Academy along with ones Rhone has trained with Unique Hoops. It's populated by names like the Golden Brothers - Grant and Bryce - with Richmond and Butler respectively, Ejike Obinna (Vandy) and Wofford's Cam Jackson and Keve Aluma.
Per Rhone and an Instagram posting by Durosinmi's travel team, Boo Williams 15u unit, Georgetown is the school that's offered.
What does head coach Pat Ewing and staff see in Durosinmi, dubbed 'Duro' for short?
Rhone rattled the guy's positives as "National Honor Society student, quick learner, great listener, hard worker, soft touch with great footwork, great timing on his blocks and rebounds well".
In terms of development, the coach wants to see Duro, a 6'9", 225 pound player focus on physicality and mature, since the kid "Needs to be more explosive, jump needs to be quicker. Needs to get stronger. I want him to communicate more on the floor. Needs to dominate the entire game; he's young so he's dominant in spurts".
VCU and George Washington have shown interest in Durosinmi a 9 point, eight rebound and three block per game VA Academy performer last season, though Rhone expects more schools to follow suit shortly.
What led the coach to know his young charge could be very good?
"When I first saw him turning the corner was against Sidwell Friends. He had played a terrible game the game before against Wakefield and I didn’t know if he was going to bounce back during the short week. The entire week, we stressed to him we had a big game and we needed him to step it up. That’s exactly what he went out and did, he did exactly what we told him" recalled Rhone of his team's 49-47, early December win. "He dominated the glass, controlled the paint, contested shots and I also teach my bigs to take charges. He took a charge against Sadiq (Bey, wing headed to NC State) when he tried to dunk on him. It was a momentum changing charge.
"He also stepped to the line down two in a hostile situation - being a young fella - and knocked down down two free throws for us to tie it. After we won, I told my assistants 'Duro has officially grown up'"
Recruiters, with G'Town leading the way, apparently feel similarly.
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