Rakeem Christmas
Academy of the New Church (PA)
6’9″ 222 pounds
PF
Status: Undecided
Scouts, Inc. Grade: 97
On the Trail
Also Considering: Georgetown, Villanova, Kentucky
Scouts, Inc. Evaluation
May, 2009: Rakeem is a long and wiry strong forward that plays with some serious athleticism and a high basketball IQ. You can tell that he has been well coached. Offensively he has great hands and is solid from 17 feet. He can hurt you in the low blocks with his right handed jump hook, face up jump shot or quick drive to the basket with either hand where he finishes everything above the rim. He has a relentless effort on the glass and has an excellent touch around the basket. His maturity and feel for the game allow him to score in a variety of ways. One of the best parts of his game is his understanding of positioning and feel in traffic. In the Southern Invitational he routinely found ways to keep himself in good position on both ends of the floor. He has great hands and does not come up with a ball that he tracks down. Defensively he is solid in the low blocks but struggles when extended on the perimeter not because of foot speed but purely because of effort. Off the ball he is very good on the help side. He routinely challenges shots and keeps the ball alive. He is going to need to improve perimeter shooting at the collegiate level. He is a major prospect with a huge upside. Full Evaluation Here
