Konieczny Comes Off The Board Early
Things are changing in the recruiting game and it looks like the first of what could be a series of early commitments has come off the board this past weekend. 2021 wing JR Konieczny of South Bend St. Joseph (IN)…
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Continue ReadingThings are changing in the recruiting game and it looks like the first of what could be a series of early commitments has come off the board this past weekend. 2021 wing JR Konieczny of South Bend St. Joseph (IN) made his commitment to Notre Dame.
The South Bend area product chose to stay home and play for the Irish in the ACC over offers from Valparaiso, Miami (OH), Butler, Creighton, Bradley, and Iowa. This was a player that was ranked #8 in the state by Prep Hoops and looked like he was trending up nationally with a couple Power 5 offers already in hand.
While the decision to stay close to home with Notre Dame wasn’t surprising, the timing might be something to watch moving forward. With the change to the way recruiting is done and the lack of visibility as a senior, you could see some more guys that get good early offers take advantage of them quicker and secure themselves a spot.
For JR, he is a guy that showed that he has the skill to play at a high level and score enough to be of interest to these big time programs. While still light on the frame right now, he produced at a high level and did it with some toughness and skill, a perfect fit for a Mike Brey system. With another year of adding weight and developing that 6’7 frame, Konieczny should still see his value take off. This might have been just the beginning and Notre Dame locked him up quick.
He’s going to be a stretch forward or wing for Notre Dame as his shooting is probably his best skill right now. He’s got the ball handling trending in the right direction that position versatility will be an option. Not sure he will grow much more than he already has but the hope is more about the strength coming in and allowing that willingness to play tough to be more at the forefront of his game. Right now, he’s much more comfortable and potent as a catch and shoot or creator in the mid-range but finishing at the rim will be that next dimension of his game to come.
He’s the first guy off the board in 2021 in Indiana but don’t be shocked if a few more come off the board before next Spring. Quite a few guys have offers in this very highly regarded class. Could see a change, starting with JR and ending up looking like things were 8-10 years ago where committing early was not uncommon.