Poythress continues hot streak
MORE POYTHRESS: Meyer's mailbag
It was a solid junior season for Alex Poythress, averaging roughly 23 points and eight rebounds a game.
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And he isn't slowing down, rolling right into the grassroots season.
Playing with the Georgia Stars, the 6-foot-8 forward from Clarksville (Tenn.) Northeast has been a monster, finishing at the rim in transition and attacking the glass.
"I think the spring has gone pretty well," Poythress told Rivals.com. "I've been playing pretty well. There's still room for improvement but I'll see how that goes."
While he's capable of stepping out and hitting spot-up jumpers out to the three-point line, Poythress has used his explosive athleticism to his advantage as a slasher. A combo forward who loves to attack along the baseline, he's expanded his game off the dribble in the last year.
Not surprisingly, there's no shortage of schools recruiting him. Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Duke, Texas, Ohio State, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Stanford, Minnesota, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Austin Peay and others have been in contact.
"I just think my versatility helps. I attack the rim really well with the ball from the wing position," Poythress, a four-star, said. "I feel I can get by a lot of people. There's some schools recruiting me as a three-man and some as a combo forward."
While he's already started adding strength and becoming more physical around the rim, Poythress knows that there is still work to do.
"I probably need to work on my defense a little bit," he said. "I'm also trying to get my shot a little more consistent."
In addition to traveling with the Georgia Stars, Poythress is going to be busy on the camp circuit this summer. He's got invites to the Kevin Durant and LeBron James Skills academies and also will head to Charlottesville, Va., in June for the NBPA Top 100 Camp.
As for a decision about his college future, that seems to be on the backburner for now.
"I'm in no rush right now. I've still got time to evaluate everything and take it all in," Poythress said. "I just want to see who is calling the most, making contact the most and all that stuff. I want to see who is making the most effort."
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