2003 Target: Aaron Gray

Emmaus High School's (PA) season ended much differently than it began. After starting the season 1-6, the team made it to the second round of the state playoffs and finished at 18-12. The catalyst for the turnaround was the return of big man Aaron Gray.

The 6'11", 280 pound center sat out the early part of the season with an ankle injury. His 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks per game were just what the team needed to turn the corner and gain new momentum.

"The team's confidence went up because I was getting them easy shots," said Gray. "It took a lot of pressure off of the guards because the other team had to worry about a man inside."

Given his height and weight advantage, it would have been easy for Gray to hang around the basket and pile up points against his outmatched opposition. However, he used the season to diversify his game, build on his skills, and get his teammates more involved in the offense.

"I tried to make myself more diverse," he said. "I wouldn't settle for just using my size every play. I tried to develop my skills to help me out for the next level."

Gray's development will carry over into the summer, where he plans to keep busy playing AAU ball and attending events such as the ABCD Camp. He will also dedicate time to sorting through his college options.

Gray has been hearing from UConn, Rutgers, Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Notre Dame, Miami, Virginia, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and others. He is particularly looking at the ACC, Big East, Atlantic 10, SEC, and Big 10. However, given the early interest in his skills showed by Stanford and several other west coast schools, he hasn't ruled out the opposite coast.

Gray is a bright and personable young man who would be an asset to any program. We will continue to monitor his recruiting and update you should anything new arise.