Scouting and Highlights: Mason Pline (2018)
Mason Pline is a 6’7″ junior wing with a ton of potential. He’s had plenty of attention throughout his junior campaign thanks to a breakout AAU season last year. He’s athletic and has a solid skill-set, which makes him a…
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Continue ReadingMason Pline is a 6’7″ junior wing with a ton of potential. He’s had plenty of attention throughout his junior campaign thanks to a breakout AAU season last year. He’s athletic and has a solid skill-set, which makes him a tough matchup given his size. He has seen up to D1 interest so far, which is a realistic projection for him. Given his size and skill-set, he could develop into a solid player at that level.
Here’s my take on Pline’s game:
Strengths:
Size – Pline is 6’7″ and has already done a decent job filling out his frame. Size is something a player can’t control, so the fact that he has the body puts him ahead of most others. As he gets older, look for him to continue to add muscle and weight and become a force physically.
Athleticism – Pline is very mobile for his size, but the best feature of his athleticism is his vertical. He uses his leaping ability well, as he’s consistently putting down highlight-reel dunks. His leaping ability helps make him a reliable rebounder as well.
Shooting – Can shoot past the three point line. His shot looks smooth and comfortable from anywhere on the floor. Thanks to the combination of his height and leaping ability, he has no problems shooting over people. Also, he’s capable of shooting off the dribble or the catch
Rebounding – He’s put up double-doubles this season, something that he’s capable of doing any given night. He has all the tools needed to be a great rebounder. He’s capable of both going up and getting the rebound as well as banging for position with the best of them.
Areas For Development:
Aggression – When he plays with that fire, he’s a monster. He’s going to be bigger than most of his opponents, so when he’s playing with an edge it’s hard to stop him. He possesses the ability to do this, however, he needs to show it more frequently. If he does this he could be truly dominant.
Lateral Quickness/Defense – Since he plays the wing position, he will need to be able to guard smaller, quicker players. Although he is athletic overall, he struggles with his lateral quickness and his defense at times. This is a simple fix, however, it takes time and effort. Should he become elite at this particular skill, he would surely become a premier lockdown defender, as he already does a good job using his size to block shots.