Prospect Spotlight: Michael Eley (2021)
The Fort Wayne area in recent years has been stacked with basketball talent. This year there are a few sophomores that are going to turn heads in the area. One of those such guys is 6’4 shooting guard Michael Eley. He brings a level of athleticism and scoring to Fort Wayne Snider that is almost unmatched by anyone in the area and brings a different dimension than other players have brought to them in recent years. Eley is a guy who can impact the game on both ends of the floor and with his athleticism and strength.
Eley is receiving a little interest from D1 programs as Miami (OH), Missouri, Ohio State, and Purdue have all came to watch him play. Eley has not taken any visits to schools yet as he will likely start getting some lower D1 looks as this season progresses. Eley is a guy who will be looked at by D1 schools, but first needs to make some improvements in his game to receive his first offer.
Last year, Eley averaged 12.4 points a game in his first year of high school basketball. He had a career high of 20 points two different times last year. Eley brings an ability to score off the bounce and has shown an improving shot over the summer. He ran with Indiana Elite Central last year and had a good summer. He improved the most on defense and becoming quicker and stronger. These improvements were evident as Eley was able to take over games and score the ball.
Right now, Eley is working on improving his ball handling and his jump shot. His ball handling is already solid and once he gains a consistent jumper, he could be unguardable. Eley is really solid as a slasher and that is where at this point he is going to be best suited. Eley is a guy who knows where to be on the floor at all times and you can see that when he plays. He is much more advanced than anyone at his age in high school.
On the court, Eley sees the main advantage that he has over other players as his athleticism. It sets him apart from everyone on the court as he has the ability to drive to the rim and finish well above the rim. Eley works harder than anyone on the court in the game and works hard at practice which makes him rise above the competition. This year Eley will look to improve upon his statistics from last year and make an impact on the Fort Wayne area with his play. Once Eley reaches another level, we can expect that colleges will start taking a harder look.