5-foot-8 Guards Shot Unblockable

It's not usual that a player gives an early verbal commitment to a SWAC school. But Justin Wilson, a diminutive 5-foot-8, 145-pound point guard from Dickinson, Tex., felt the situation was just right for him and Texas Southern. He turned down some mid-major level opportunities to commit to TSU back in August.

"Justin has committed to TSU and Ronnie Courtney," said Dickinson head coach Mike Odom. "He wanted to commit early, and Coach Courtney and his dad grew up in the same neighborhood. He'll be close to home and everyone can watch him play."

Wilson, who turned some heads on the AAU circuit this summer with John Eurey's Houston Superstars Three Stripes program, had been hearing from some mid-major programs in the Midwest and East Coast. UT-Arlington had offered, and schools such as Siena and Wichita State were extremely interested. But because of Wilson's family connections and comfort with Courtney and TSU, he just couldn't pass up the chance to stay close to home.

As you might expect, Wilson is a blur on the court and is an absolute headache for opposing defenses to keep up with.

"He's so unbelievably quick," said Odom. "Nobody can press him, he's un-pressable. He can also get past his man anytime. And he's such a good passer too. He's so exciting to watch."

But what makes Wilson a special find for TSU is the fact that in addition to being a good floor leader (as a junior he averaged 6.6 assists a game), he can also put points up on the board. As Dickinson's leading scorer at 21.4 points per game as a junior, his numbers as a senior may be even bigger. At his height, Wilson has to find unique ways to score - and he seemingly has developed a patented move.

"He scores a lot for us," said Odom. "He has a great step-back jumpshot - I've never seen him get blocked."

Although Wilson has excelled at AAU basketball since a very young age, he's always fought the perception that little guys can't succeed on the court. To that end, he has a non-stop work ethic that has seen him spend endless hours in the gym and the weight room, seeking to prove people wrong.

"He's an extremely hard-working kid," said Odom. "People always told him he'd never go and play D-I basketball. So that's kept him extremely motivated."

Odom feels that TSU is a perfect fit for his star point guard, and is extremely excited for his future at the collegiate level.

"It's a good choice for him," said Odom. "He knows it's an up-and-coming program, and they got to the round of 65 last year. He'll get a lot of assists at TSU."

Jed Tai is a senior writer with Hoopville.com