Fab 48: Kingma shows off skills

LAS VEGAS - Brett Kingma said he understands that some people have pinpointed him solely as a scorer and that he might be a limited ball-handler and defender so the Mill Creek (Wash.) Jackson guard is out to prove this summer he has an all-around game.

The 6-foot-1 prospect made positive steps toward achieving that goal Friday with his Friends of Hoop Seattle team at the Las Vegas Fab 48. Kingma scored - that's what he does - but he also got out in transition and in passing lanes, played defenses and distributing the ball to open teammates.

"Playing the last couple years I haven't been where all these coaches have been," Kingma said. "The coaches that knew about me were all local coaches so they were at all my games but the national, the Pac-10 coaches, they come to this stuff so being able to show I can do more than just score has been really important.

"Playing with Friends of Hoop, they encourage me to pass the ball better, defend better and everything else. I don't have to take too many shots. The coaches I want to play for already know I can score so I have to show I can do the other things."

Athleticism wasn't a problem for Kingma in Friday's blowout victory whether it was tipping in offensive rebounds or getting out in the passing lanes and then finishing in transition.

He also did all the things that have made Kingma a hot commodity, which included a nice three-point stroke and confidence with the ball in his hands.

Being known as a scorer isn't necessarily a bad thing to Kingma but he wants to expand his game and hopefully take it to the Pac-10 or another major conference.

"Most people say, 'He's just a shooter, I don't know if he can defend at the Pac-10 level or if he can handle the ball at the Pac-10 level,'" Kingma said. "I just want to show them I can guard a bigger guy, a 6-5 guy, that I can guard the two-guard if I have to, that I can play the point if I have to.

"I want to be active out here and the coaches know I can score. I want to show I can defend. The coaches that talked to me in the middle of July said they've been surprised with how quick I've gotten since last year, how well I get out in the passing lanes and how athletic I've gotten. People say I'm not athletic at all so I've been trying to show I can push the ball and finish."

Top colleges have certainly taken notice. Kingma said Oregon has recently picked up its interest, BYU has steadily been involved for a while and that new Boston College coach Steve Donahue has been in touch. Washington, Stanford and Pepperdine also stand out to him.

Friends of Hoop heads to Arizona for a tournament after this hectic week in Las Vegas and then Kingma will return home to evaluate where his recruitment is headed.

Many schools are already involved and more Pac-10 schools have reached out since the spring AAU season started. If Kingma continues to play this well many more will be involved soon.

"I'll probably take all the phone calls and then probably narrow my list to five by late August and set up the officials and then I'll probably have a pretty good idea where I want to go," Kingma said.

"I'm confident I'll be able to choose my school. From what coaches have said, what they want to see, I think I've shown that pretty well.

"Coaches see me in college as a scoring point guard. They want me to have the ball and take my shots but they also want me to get my teammates the ball. In high school I'm a point guard so I get my teammates involved early and then when it matters I do what I have to do."