Prospect Spotlight: Omahn Dobbins (2020)

Old-timers watching the Earl Boykins Summer League were oohing and ahhing as they watched unheralded Omahn Dobbins put on a show as his University School team faced off with state-power Garfield Heights at the Word Church Multiplex Arena in Warrensville Heights. Dobbins was matched up against freshman to be Meechie Johnson (2021), 6', Garfield Heights, who is ranked among the top players in the country in the class of 2021, according to some rankings. But on this night Dobbins held his own, repeatedly using his strong handle and quickness to get to the cup in a manner that can be described as crafty. “I’m an all-around player. I can shoot, drive, find the open man,” said Dobbins, who said he dressed varsity as a freshman at US and according to his father averaged 21 points and seven assists on the school's JV. The son of former high school coach Ozell Dobbins, the younger Dobbins displays a high court IQ.“He’s the smartest player on the floor. He’s going to control the game,” said the elder Dobbins in giving his scouting report. “If you back up on him he’s going to let the 3 fly if you come up “He’s the smartest player on the floor. He’s going to control the game,” said the elder Dobbins in providing a scouting report on his son. “If you back up on him he’s going to let the 3 fly if you come up on him he’s going to go to the basket. If you collapse on him he’ll drop a dime. He’s just trying to be the smartest player on the floor. Everyone knows that’s Omahn,” said Ozell Dobbins. Another interesting tidbit about Dobbins: He is mentored by Boykins himself, who is from the Cleveland area, and was boyhood friends with Dobbins’ dad. “I don’t care how tall or big I am. I just try to compete as hard as I can,” said Dobbins. Dobbins was able to consistently get past the bigger Johnson and displayed a nifty running one-hander reminiscent of something his idol Kyrie Irving tosses in on occasion. In the end, his team would lose by 5 but he would finish with 26 points and 8 assists against the more heralded Johnson.