Wyoming senior guard Isaiah Walker made the most of his time in quarantine by getting into the gym.
“I really want to make it evident when I get out of this thing who was working and who wasn’t,” Walker said.
He hopes to be able to take his game up a notch by playing AAU basketball this summer.
“Especially my class, we've been waiting for this year where you get the most attention your whole high school career," Walker said. "Of course, something like this pops up.”
CovCath head coach Scott Ruthsatz says high school athletes bank on playing AAU basketball to boost their recruiting profiles.
“That's how college coaches evaluate these guys now," Ruthsatz said. "They may follow up through the course of a high school basketball season, but a lot of times their minds are made up in the AAU circuit.”
Now, because of the coronavirus, AAU basketball is in question.
“It definitely hurt our grade," Walker said. "We never got a chance to really get in front of coaches so they're trying to organize something for us.”
Walker said he's fortunate to pick up college scholarship offers throughout the offseason, in spite of the pandemic.
“I’m up to 18 now so I definitely have some really good options on the table now," Walker said. "It makes me even more grateful for the position I'm in because I was able to really blow up during the quarantine without AAU, because I know that says a lot.
Woodward rising junior Paul McMillan IV led the CMAC with 31 points a game last season, and his recruiting profile continues to grow.
“I just picked up two new offers from Kansas State University and Georgetown,” McMillan said.
Like Walker, he's also was hoping to play against the highest level of competition this summer.
“It's just a few pieces that everyone's missing, because there's no AAU and that's playing in front of coaches and playing in front of different writers and scouts,” McMillan said.
Now, instead of playing organized competition, Walker and McMillan play the waiting game.
“My AAU coaches tell us, stay sharp, stay ready for what can happen," Walker said. "Their guess is August or September.”
