CERRITOS, Calif. – Thought primarily as a high-flying athlete, Cassius Stanley has taken the next step with his game this spring. A 6-foot-4 shooting guard that can play all three perimeter positions, a handful of well-known college basketball programs have begun to prioritize the five-star sophomore.
Arizona, Alabama and UCLA are the most aggressive programs in pursuit of the top -15 prospect, though Stanford, Duke and Kentucky are also in the mix.
“Those are the schools that have definitely made an effort to contact my AAU coaches and tell them, hey, we are really thinking about you,” Stanley said.
Playing with the Earl Watson Elite 17-under unit this spring, Stanley is not short for talent. He has become much better with the basketball in his hands as can be used as a facilitating agent in the half-court, where he is deadly off of the high ball screen. Stanley is a two-way contributor that is bolstered by a great set of intangibles,
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Stanley broke down where he stands with his main recruiters.
Arizona: “I know that they are a powerhouse out on the west coast, but nationally, as well. I know that there atmosphere at their games. They have been telling me to come up and take visit. A couple of my friends already committed there like Ira Lee. They are all telling me that it is a great place.”
UCLA: “It is only 15 minutes away from my house so it isn’t too hard to get to. They are just telling me to come on, you see what Lonzo Ball has been doing, being the hometown guy.”
Alabama: “They have just been really friendly and warm. I guess that down south hospitality, just saying, we love you, checking on you and see how school is going.”
Kentucky: “It is a one-and-done factory. It is a high quality program.”
Duke: “They have done it for many years, decades. I would love to build a relationship with them.”
Stanford: “They are going to really start locking in on some of their top guys. I look forward to talking to them.”
WHAT'S NEXT
Stanley will complete his junior summer with the Earl Watson Elite 17-under team on the Under Armour circuit.
No visits have been taken of late and none are scheduled, but there has been some debate surrounding a possible reclassification into the 2018 class. Regardless, Stanley has an idea of what he wants in a college.
“Just a school that will embrace my role as a 1-2 and a system that is preferably up-and-down and high pace,” he said.
RIVALS REACTION
A top playmaker and talent in the 2019 class, Stanley is sitting firmly within the top-25 of his class’ rankings as he continues to add more dimensions to his game.
Some of the very best programs are beginning to get involved, though Arizona and UCLA may be the top competitors for him, thanks to his connections to each program and the heightened platform that they can present.
