Convincing a recruit to attend Ohio State is a lot easier when a family member did the same 30 years ago. Similarly, that same recruit can effortlessly sell his abilities to Thad Matta and the coaching staff when he's considered one of the best centers in the state.
Kaleb Wesson, son of former Buckeye Keith Wesson, committed OSU last week. The Westerville South center is a four-star prospect according to 247Sports' composite rankings and ranked as the tenth best at his position in his class.
Devin Howard, an assistant for Wesson's All-Ohio Red 16U team and Columbus-area competitor Pickerington Central, thinks Wesson is the most skilled big man in Ohio, regardless of class.
"He catches any and everything thrown his way and his footwork is amazing on the low-blocks," Howard told Eleven Warriors. "What makes him special to me is his passing abilities. A lot of big men look to go as soon as they catch it, but Kaleb loves to survey and find the cutter or open man, which leads to a lot of easy baskets. Thats how he makes guys better, always looking to get others involved since he knows he can get his pretty much whenever he wants to."
That patience and overall feel for the game has been lacking in Ohio State's big men since Jared Sullinger left. A new crop of recruits, more versatile than the last, will seek to prevent the half-court offense from continually stalling like the last two seasons.
Freshman Mickey Mitchell is one of the most gifted passers in his class and the most hyped Buckeye recruit in that area since YouTube mixtapes gained prominence. Freshman Daniel Giddens and 2016 commit Derek Funderburk Jr. also improved their face-up games over the course of their prep careers.
Wesson, meanwhile, continues to stretch the range on his jumper – a dangerous notion for those trying to guard the 6-foot-9-inch, 260 pound big man.
"On the block, he is a load, and if he gets a clean catch, there wont be many bigs in the Big Ten that can handle him," Howard said. "He is money from 15 to 18 feet and, this spring, has even shown the ability to knock down the three-ball at times. Not sure he is there yet, but he seems comfortable taking them and we don't have a problem if he's hitting them."
Wesson's multi-faceted offensive skill set draws a lot of focus to that end of the floor. Howard believes he's an underrated defender, as well.
"Our head coach, Neshaun Coleman – also a former Buckeye – harps on defense first and Kaleb knows he cannot take plays off on that end of the floor," he said. "He blocks more shots than people realize, also. If stats were kept he'd average about 4-5 blocks per game during AAU. With his size and length as his body changes, he can really become an elite defender by the time he gets on campus."
Of course, his on-court performance isn't the only thing Ohio State considered when Matta offered him a scholarship. With only a few exceptions, the Buckeye staff brings in high-character players who are in high academic standing.
Howard credited Keith for keeping Kaleb level-headed throughout the recruiting process and praised Kaleb's leadership abilities.
"Kaleb is a great kid with a fun personality and is great to be around off the court. Those are the kids you want to recruit and coach," he said. "He is becoming more of a vocal leader and that was evident during this spring. Even when he was out for a couple games, he was like another assistant coach, helping guys out in need."
