Player Profile: Austin Dufort (2018/Tigard HS/Team Fly)
Coming off a breakout junior season and a good AAU experience, 6’6 forward Austin Dufort is looking ahead to a big senior year with Tigard High School. We caught up with the versatile big man to talk his aau experience, the outlook for the Tigers, and what he’s looking for in a college program.
Coming off of a high school season where he averaged 14.5 points and 8 rebounds per game on the way to 2nd team all league honors, Dufort spent the aau season playing for Team Fly. He found the experience to be a very positive one, “Personally I played well in front of a lot of different college coaches and collectively as a team we shared the ball and played well together. We had a really close group and everyone worked really hard to get better.” When it comes to college programs, Dufort mentioned that he has heard from several northwest D3 and NAIA programs and plans to explore those options more this fall. As far as what he’ll be looking for in a college program he mentioned fit saying, “I want to find a good environment for me where I can thrive and be the best player I can be. I’m also looking for a place where I can step in and help the team become the best we can be.” The solid student is leaning towards majoring in business, so expect that to play into his decision as well.
When asked to assess the strengths and weaknesses of his game, Dufort was open and honest in his assessment. “I think that I’m a very versatile defender that can guard the 2-5 spots. I have a pretty good back to the basket game and my perimeter shooting has really improved. I think I will need to play the wing in college, so I need to work on my ball handling and attacking the basket.”
Prep Hoops Oregon Evaluation:
Austin Dufort is a 2018 prospect who plays at Tigard HS and for Team Fly. He’s an athletic 6’6 forward who is one of the most versatile defenders in the class of 2018. As he continues to expand his offensive skill set and ability to play on the perimeter, he will come close to reach his ceiling. A kid that plays with a high motor on both ends, appears to be a good teammate. A kid that NAIA programs on the west coast should take a hard look at.