Recruiting Report 2019: Odell Dickerson
Odell Dickerson, 6’4″ W, 2019. Chapelgate Christian Academy. (MIAA B Conference)
Grassroots Team : Team BBC
While scouting the Chapelgate Christian vs St. Maria Goretti game on 11-16-17, Odell Dickerson stood out for Chapelgate. Odell is a very long & athletic at 6’4″. His jump shot showed excellent mechanics & deep range where Odell can shoot on or off the dribble with great & elevation & pop. He excels in scoring from all 3 levels with ability to score or facilitate in a coast to coast scenario. Odell can get to the rim & finish with both hands & from both sides. We really like his mid-range game where Odell can score on 1 or 2 dribble pull-ups, off a curl, or from the perimeter with a dribble/penetration move. Odell scored 14 points vs Goretti who were focusing on Odell which proved his game translates to college. We are not sure of his exact level, but due to his height & skill level, Odell could become a D1 mid-major prospect. After averaging close to 7 points per game as a sophomore, we believe Odell is primed for a breakout season for the the Yellow Jackets.
We chatted with Odell over the weekend & asked him about his offensive game,”Currently my strength is attacking the rim while my perimeter & mid range game are tied for 2nd. My handle is solid for a wing. I can use an in & out crossover, between the legs with or w/o crossover, hesitation & go & step back. My current position for college would be a wing or possibly a PG which will depend on if I continue to grow. However, I need to work on my handle if I want to become a college PG. We graduate 2 of our ball handling starting guards this season in Blake Hatcher & Brandon Wise. CG Cameron Heard returns next season & he can play on or off the basketball. I will be working on my ball handling in my downtime this year & coming off season.” St. Maria Goretti placed their best defender on Odell mD1 high major recruit 6’5″ RJ Blakeny. While RJ is an excellent player with potential of becoming elite defender, Odell was able to score on his jumper. He connected on one 3 pointer & 2 other perimeter jump shots. Several times Odell got to the rim where he converted once & got fouled on 2 other attempts. During the Goretti game, Odell always kept his head up & delivered some nice passes & proved he knows hows to be an effective ball-mover. We believe Odell’s IQ & 3 level scoring will translate to college at the D2/D1 mid major level, very possibly to the latter at some point this season. If Odell decides to play PG, at the next level he will be able to see & pass over defenses with his height & long wingspan. Odell possesses a very good change of pace dribble & can burst off the dribble from a near standstill or a stop n go move. While Odell did not convert a dunk in the game, we quickly evaluated he can off 1 or 2 legs utilizing his excellent vertical.
On defense Odell shows excellent promise & upside, but adds” I need to work on my man to man defense. Currently it is ok, but I want to be the best all around player I can be. I use my height & length to get rebounds, blocks, & steals. Coach Fierson wants to me crash the boards on both ends. I have good athleticism, timing & quick reactions to the ball. My instincts allow me to calculate where the ball will go next & end up.” During the Goretti game, Odell rose up & snatched a few rebounds at his vertical peak which adds to his defensive arsenal translation. We rate Odell very high on the intangibles checklist, where he proves to be a leader who encourages his teammates & team. He plays with a very high motor & toughness getting the 50/50 balls. Despite losing the game, Odell is a winner who plays with great effort & intensity.
Since the end last season Odell says he has improved,”My athleticism, strength, ball handling, jump shot constancy & overall basketball skills have gotten much better. After learning what a hyper-jump is, I made one since the end of the Grassroots season until the present. However, I can feel several more basketball development spurts or hyper-jumps coming. When I have time this season & off season I will be focusing on my ball handling, overall basketball skills, strength & conditioning & jump shot. Overall I work on basketball 6 to 7 days a week and I have great passion for the game. I work out with my Trainer Jevaun Bishop (brother of James Bishop, nationally ranked CG for Mt. St. Joseph located just around the corner) on Monday thru Thursday on my basketball skills. My dad helps me with strength & conditioning. We do weightlifting, plyos, run, & work on flexibility 2 or more times daily. My dad likes me to perform natural body exercise movements such as push-ups, pull ups & dips. When I ran in the warmer weather I did a lot of sprints.”
In the classroom Odell maintains a 3.0 GPA & is interested in some form of a Business major at this time. He names his mom & dad as role models & both attend Odell’s games. In the NBA Odell likes to study Paul George (OKC) & Rudy Gay (Spurs) who played for Archbishop Spalding HS in MD & the MIAA A/BCL.
This summer Odell only played one session with Team BBC 16U in the FAB 48 in Las Vegas where he played very well. Team BBC plays on the Adidas Circuit & if Odell plays for them this summer he will get the advantage of getting greater exposure. We will be covering Chapelgate Christian several more times this season & look forward to the Yellow Jacket games vs: Severn, St. Paul, & Indian Creek. We will be providing live game & player articles for the games. Stay Tuned.