UAA Friday: Holmgren, Gordon & Cook impress

AURORA, IL. – The first night of the UAA Chicago session brought plenty of sparkling play from the nation’s best. Chet Holmgren, Rongie Gordon, and Jalen Cook were among the group that drew praise thanks to their productive outings from the Windy City.

The first glance at the top-50 prospect doesn’t reflect all that Chet Holmgren can accomplish on the playing floor. A lob threat off of the high ball screen, knockdown artist off of the pick and pop and an elite shot blocker, there is not a whole lot that the sophomore cannot do. Sure, he does need to add about 30 more pounds before he even sniffs a college hardwood but the upside and quirks to his game are difficult to find in a high school prospect.

Finishing things off on Friday with 22 points, including three made 3s, while blocking 12 shots, Holmgren cemented his standing as one of the most unique guys around. Just touching the tip of the iceberg of what he can become, Holmgren’s recruitment has just begun to take.

Minnesota and Purdue are the two programs that are standing out thus far, Holmgren told Rivals.com, but a commitment is far from near. He wouldn’t mind visiting both Purdue again and Texas as the Longhorns have already offered but the competition for his services should become even more fierce as he sits as one of the most unique prospects nationally regardless of classification.

The class of 2020 is a bit short for high-major talent in the frontcourt which should only push Rongie Gordon’s name higher up within power conference recruiting boards in the nearby future. While he is a bit undersized at the power forward spot, Gordon doesn’t lack for instincts, a motor, the ability score inside and out, and defensive versatility.

It was all on tap Friday evening as the three-star forward finished with a complete stat line of 22 points and five rebounds. He has been close to inclusion within the Rivals150 over the past few updates but his night session in Chicago was enough to put him over the top for when it comes time to update the 2020 rankings.

On the recruiting front, things are beginning to pick up for Gordon as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech and UAB are among those that have already offered. However, Gordon told Rivals.com that Auburn is the program that might be the school to beat as he has made a number of visits to the SEC program’s campus over the months. If that is the case, Auburn fans should imagine the next Anfernee McLemore in tow which means a solid two-way threat that should make for a positive impact each time he hits the floor.

One of the top football athletes down south, Jalen Cook has the chance to play both on the gridiron and on the hardwood in college. However, Cook remains indecisive on which sport he will play next year, though offers are not in short supply.

After helping lead his Louisiana Elite squad to a comeback win on Friday evening, Cook told Rivals.com that Georgetown, Houston and LSU are the three schools standing out. However, the football field has kept calling his name as he holds close to 20 scholarship offers on that specific side.

While he has the chance to play both sports in college at a few respective schools, he also went on to say that he would like to decide on whether he will play both sports, or one or the other by the time his travel ball season concludes.

A nice late bloomer out of the state of Georgia, Kendall Lewis put together a strong showing Friday evening displaying room for growth but already the ability to check many boxes on the perimeter. A member of the 2019 class that will be making his college decision in the coming weeks, Lewis finished with a sturdy stat line with 12 points, five rebounds and three steals.

While Lewis is nowhere near his full potential, college programs have begun to take notice of him and value what he can become. Appalachian State, St. Bonaventure and TCU are the three schools currently standing out. He is planning on taking an official visit to Appalachian State by the end of the month and will decide shortly thereafter. If newly named head coach Dustin Kerns can get this one done, Lewis has the chance to leave a quick and positive impression on the Sun Belt program next season.