Whispers on the Recruiting Circuit: Could This Be The Next Great Hoya Frontcourt?

With forward Isaac Copeland and guard Tre Campbell already in the fold, John Thompson III and the staff have focused recruiting efforts in the Class of 2014 on beefing up a frontcourt that will have a number of minutes to go around. Two of these recruits, center Elbert Robinson and forward Zylan Cheatham are discussed below.

Center Elbert Robinson Class of 2014 7'0 280

As we know by now, Robinson visited Georgetown the weekend of the Syracuse game and came into the summer with little buzz surrounding his name. It has been clear since the beginning of the AAU season that III and the staff were not going to wait for Robinson to blow up to go all in and it appears their hard work may be close to paying off in a huge way. Robinson was measured on his Hoyas visit as 7'3/4 with a 7'6 wing span, size 19 shoe and somewhere within the hemisphere of 280. That being said, the Bigman is not all size and shows a nice skill set and soft touch around the basket. A solid athlete despite his weight, he runs the floor well and has good agility for a kid his size.

In the post he does most of his damage with his back to the basket, mostly turning over his right shoulder and shooting a lefty hooker with great accuracy that Rich Chvotkin will be ecstatic with. He has also shown the ability to hit short jumpers and has a solid stroke from the free throw line (6-8 the game I saw). When double teamed, he makes quick decisions and is not afraid to pass out, repost, and wait for another entry pass this time with better position, showing not only a nice feel but good court awareness and smarts for a young center.

Overall his offensive game like most young bigs is far from a finished product, he doesn't appear comfortable shooting with his right and does not have many go to moves other than the hook. All in all a smart player with a lot of talent that Hoya fans should be more than excited to land if it become true.

Rumor is Hoyas are in great position and if it ended today Big E would be in Blue and Gray. This should come as no surprise to anyone that has followed this recruitment closely but it has been confirmed through multiple sources that Hoyas are out front here with his visit to Louisville looming this month. Lock him up!

SF Zylan Cheatham Class of 2014 6'8 210

Yes Please! It is my opinion and the opinion of others that I have asked that Zylan is being undervalued at this point, but make no mistake this will not continue. I watched some vids on him and for his size it looked like all of his skills were above average or elite except his shooting. He's a plus athlete, has a great handle for a kid his size, quick first step and blow by speed. His second jump is quicker than most people's first and is effortless. He also can initiate offense from anywhere on the court, and has good bball IQ. His handle may be the most impressive aspect of his offensive game, the ball just explodes of his fingertips, dribble is tight and low and he can get wherever he wants on the floor. He was blowing by people and if he missed the layup he was so quick to the ball nobody had a chance. Without question Cheatham would be the most athletic forward we've had here since PE Jr, he is an awesome athlete.

Defensively is where he really shined though, and it's high praise but he might end up being as good or better than Greg Whittington in that area. He can legitimately guard 4 positions and has the athleticism and mentality to shut you down. Saw him rip a couple PGs multiple times and made it look easy. Over the weekend Zylan guarded everyone from 6'2 explosive guard Malik Newman to centers and held them all in check according to a good source who watched him this weekend in Minneapolis. Love love that kid and based on his interviews, smart. All of the skills are there and one thing III is always good for is improving players shooting. Defensively he has the ability to guard 4-5 positions depending on matchup due to his size and athleticism. If you take shooting out of the equation, his other skills are top flight and up there with any kid his size in the class. He's a hardworking kid from what people say so I'm sure he is doing what he needs to improve in that area.

On the recruiting front Coach Broadus has done a great job selling the program to Zylan, and appears to making headway. Word is the Hoyas are in good position with Zylan, and look for things to heat up if they can get Zylan out to DC for on official visit. His list of schools at current rate is not daunting and word is from reports over the weekend he is very interested in Georgetown. Call it a gut feeling but I expect the Hoyas to be a major factor here, heard from I guy I trust that
"Cheatham is a great kid. He mentioned how academics are important to his family so that helps and Stanford and good academic schools are targeting him in addition to Georgetown--so it's not just talk. He's not a 1 and done--but if the shot comes around-he's likely 2 and done. Guy is an NBA athlete already." III tends to do very well with kids like Zylan so look for Georgetown to be in it until the end

Pairing these two with Isaac Copeland would give the Hoyas three legitimate NBA prospects in the frontcourt and would be this team's best frontcourt since 07. If the whispers on the circuit are correct, the odds of at least landing one is more than good, and both are realistic. Get er Done III #Hoyasaxa