ROCK HILL, S.C. – Shon Abaev learned a valuable lesson last summer about what hard work and focus during the circuit season can earn you, reeling in more than 10 high-major offers after a productive run.
“It got pretty crazy after last summer,” Abaev said. “What I learned is that if I just focus on winning then everything else takes care of itself. You can’t be worried about a bunch of different things, so that’s the mentality I’ve had ever since. Right now, I just want to win the UAA finals.”
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It certainly helped during the high school season where Abaev averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals en route to leading Calvary Christian to the district title.
He was right on brand Friday night to open the Under Armour Association season, dropping 18 points in SOH Elite’s loss to Canada Elite.
Abaev has great positional size at 6-foot-7 and shoots with a confidence that trickles down to other aspects of his skill set on the offensive end.
That’s brought a who’s who of potential college suitors knocking at his front door, but when asked which schools stay in contact the most frequently, Abaev said, “Oregon and Tennessee,” both of which he’s taken official visits to.
“I loved both places,” said Abaev, who checks in at No. 39 overall in the Rivals150. “I love the way they play and both places have great facilities and fan bases. I’ve gotten really close to both coaching staffs, so I would say that both of those schools are really high on the list for me.”
As it stands, Abaev is in the process of setting up more visits that will begin this summer.
“For me, it’s all about fit,” Abaev said. “I want to be somewhere that I can produce from day one, so I’m not as focused on the name of the school as I am the system. Right now, I’m just trying to take my game to the next level because I want to be a McDonald’s All-American and I want the Nike Hoop Summit and all of those things. It won’t come if I’m not producing.”
