Prospect Spotlight: Wes Peterson (2021)
To all defenders that attempt to block Wes Peterson when he goes up for a basket in the paint – Good luck.
Photo credit: http://all-metelite.blogspot.com/No, seriously. When Peterson gets to the basket, it’s difficult to stop him, as he absorbs contact like a sponge while releasing the ball towards the cylinder. Not only can he execute off a drop off pass from a teammate, but the 6-foot-4 wingman can create off the dribble as well.
The rising sophomore has the versatility to go head to head with a forward down low and can face up with a guard on the perimeter too. As he continues to progress through his high school career, he has transitioned to more of an outside scorer, allowing him to get more creative with the rock.
Over the summer, Peterson has focused in on his jump shot, looking to add more fluency to his pull-up. If he can become more dependable with his jay off the dribble, and even in a catch-and-shoot situation, he will be even more of a lethal weapon.
“I’ve been really working on getting my jump shot more consistent,” Peterson said. “Because I’ve noticed that I’ve had to use it more often on my high school team.
“That’s one of the things I’ve been really working on.”
Sporting a Bishop O’Connel uniform during the school season, Peterson is looking forward to what the Knights are returning. With a plethora of big men coming back, Peterson will have the luxury of staying on the wing rather than flopping back and forth between the two positions.
Last year, Bishop O’Connel went 30-9, ending its season second in the state tournament behind Paul VI.
“We have a lot of returning players,” Peterson said. “We only lost two seniors last year, but it just so happens those were our two best players, but I feel like with our team now, we have good chemistry and we’ll be able to go far.
“We’ve been underrated. That’s good for us because it keeps us motivated, and with a chip on our shoulder.”
As far as the recruiting process is concerned, Peterson was able to pick up interest from Virginia Tech and Tulane over the AAU circuit while running with DC Premier on a schedule that took him from Indiana all the way down to Orlando. He also attended Hoop Group Elite (session two) showcase where many college coaches were in attendance.
Due to the fact he is only entering his sophomore year, there’s no question interest will continue to pour in.