Prospect Spotlight: RJ Veliz (2019)
RJ Veliz is a 6’2 180 lb point guard who attends Blanchet Catholic in Salem and has big goals, lots of talent, and a work ethic through the roof. Veliz can shoot it from deep with the best of them, attack and break down defenses, and most of all makes his teammates better with his passing ability and vocal presence.
Veliz also has a 4.0 GPA and participates and leads various school service and rec clubs. He also plays football and is a first team all league quarterback in which he has started varsity as a freshman as well.
This separates him from a lot of other players around the state and shows the type of all around person he is in addition to the level of play he provides. Veliz has been the starting point guard since freshman year and last year as a sophomore averaged 22 pts, 7 rebs, and 6 assists and was named PAC West POY as well as 1st team all state, the youngest player in the state to accomplish that.
“I try to get better every day.” This past offseason Veliz has increased his physical frame training with a strength coach as well as his jumping ability to finish over the rim. He started and has continued to train with Elite Sports Performance aka TP Brown, a well known performance trainer. He has taken his body to the next level as well as his game. This past week he scored 27 points (6-7 3pt), had 11 assists, and 6 rebounds leading Blanchet to a win with a smooth double double.
Veliz’s goals are set to play division 1 basketball and he has already received heavy interest from multiple D2’s and also some interest from D1’s. Veliz has played at the highest level of basketball competing and excelling in the Adidas Gauntlet as a freshman, the Nike EYBL as a sophomore and has been invited too many prestigious camps (CP3 Rising Stars Camp, Ballislife all American camp, and WCE All American Camp which he was named top performer). His short term goals for high school are to help lead his team to a state championship this year and win state POY.
He will be playing for The Hoop Salem 17u this spring/summer and his goal for the aau season is to receive his first scholarship offer and he hopes and is going to continue to work for multiple. Veliz is known by many on the court as a point guard who will compete and do whatever it takes to help his team win and off the court as a great kid who excels in the classroom and works to make a change for the better in society. He plans to study law or business in college as well as play basketball for the university he attends.