Introducing three-star junior Nigel Burris

In the coming weeks, we will be looking at several under-the-radar prospects that were primed to use the travel circuit to boost their recruiting stock this summer. Now, with grassroots basketball on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, these prospects may not get the exposure in the coming months as they would have otherwise.

Today, we take a look at Nigel Burris.

Burris is a 6-foot-7 versatile and hard playing junior that can play either forward position. He provides a mismatch in the frontcourt with his length, motor, toughness and sneaky athleticism.

Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Burris transferred out of Stuart Hall and into Archbishop Mitty High School last fall prior to the beginning of his junior season. Mitty went on to win its division’s championship in which Burris was awarded all-first team honors for his league. A member of the 2021 class, Burris plans to play with the Oakland Soldiers this summer on the Nike EYBL circuit.

Burris has already seen some of the better mid-majors within his region jump into his recruitment. He currently holds four offers from Cal Poly, Montana, San Jose State, and UCSB.

Greater interest has begun to ramp up in which he has heard from the staffs from Maryland, San Diego, Santa Clara, Stanford, and Washington State. He was also planning to visit Montana before the coronavirus altered spring recruiting, though he has already taken unofficial visits to Cal Poly, Santa Clara, Stanford, UCSB and Washington State within the past year.

I got an up-close look at Burris this past winter at a post-Christmas event in Torrey Pines, California, and was intrigued by his size, length and abilities from 15-feet and in. Delving deeper into his tape, my first evaluation was not entirely off, though I may have underestimated just how long he really is, how bouncy he can be around basket and the energy that he brings in competing each time down the floor.

While in between spots, if there was ever a time to be a ‘tweener’, now it is. He is the ideal combo forward that is deadly off of the face-up and rip move out of the high post. He has a great first step, the frame to absorb contact that should only get stronger as he gets older, and soft touch around the rim in which he can finish with either hand.

His back to the basket game is not developed entirely but he possesses good footwork and balance, yet remains most comfortable facing the basket. He is a bit streaky beyond 17-feet where he tends to dip the ball prior to the up-take, but his jumper is fairly accurate when time is permitted. He can sit down and guard smaller defenders away from the basket but has good instincts and timing as a helpside shot blocker.

In all, Burris is a quality sleeper candidate on the west coast that, at the very least, would have pulled a handful of offers from the better mid-major programs this spring if the live periods would have commenced this month. Instead, his tape is the best that can do for now in enhancing his recruiting profile. He is a solid three-star prospect that is worth monitoring from the high-major level due to the need of those in his mold and the chance that he continues to fill out and improve upon his all-around skillset in the coming months.