By: CHIP MILLER
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – With the emergence of Tyler Ulis, short is no longer a concern when it comes to elite point guards in the NCAA. Ulis tore up the college scene during his sophomore season, earning consensus first-team All-American honors, winning the coveted Bob Cousy Award and being named the SEC Player of the Year above the overall No. 1 NBA Draft pick, Ben Simmons.
For South Kent (CT) 2017 four-star point guard Tremont Waters, being overlooked because of his size became a factor early on in his playing career.
“The beginning of my sophomore year I felt that way,” Waters said. “But my parents just stayed in my head, Coach (Kelvin) Jefferson from South Kent (CT), they just pretty much told me to keep working. There are a bunch of small guards out there and all the schools that need to see me will see me.”
At 5-foot-11, comparisons to Ulis and even former Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell were almost inevitable. At the same time, they were once again proof that talent and hard work can trump size.
“Tyler Ulis is a small guard, Yogi Ferrell is a small guard, so I pretty much immolate my game after them,” said Waters. “I try and improve on what they did and get better. If they were able to play there (Indiana and Kentucky), that means I can.”
That size, or maybe lack of, hasn’t kept the blue bloods of college basketball from offering. Both Duke and Kentucky are firmly in the mix.
“Duke offered me the same day Kentucky offered me,” Waters stated. “I think it was the last day they could offer kids, I don’t remember the date.”
Garnering attention from some of the top schools in the country is an honor, but basketball isn’t the first thing on Waters must have checklist.
“I would have to say, head coach wise, not someone who is all about basketball, but someone who also wants me to be a good man, have a life after basketball,” Waters emphasized. “That would be the first part. Then go to a school where I could be the lead guard, run the show and pretty much take over.”
The modern point guard seems to be trending towards a score-first option, but Waters sees himself more as a facilitator.
“I would have to say facilitator first because going into the game I don’t think I’m going to have to score 30, instead I’m thinking I have to do what it is going to take for us to win,” Waters stated. “I go in looking to make plays for my teammates first, then when the defense sags off, I can make plays for myself.”
At only 6-foot Chris Paul has carved a path to success as a lead guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. His style fits the mold of what Waters looks to become.
“I would have to say Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul,” Waters said. “Kyrie gets into the lane, he plays where he wants to. Chris Paul does a lot of one-dribble pull-ups. He’s more of a facilitator while Kyrie is a facilitator and scorer.”
The recent run of NBA one-and-done between Duke and Kentucky makes a statement to Waters about his game and his potential.
“For me, they’ve been doing it for so many years, you pretty much know that those are the schools that produce those type of kids,” Waters said. “If they see me fitting into a program, that means I could be a one-and-done, two-and-done or maybe three-and-done, so for them to recruit me and have those type of kids come to that school, that pretty much tells me something.”
Along with Duke and Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas, Georgetown and Providence are a few of the other schools targeting the rising point guard. Waters said the most recent school to jump back into the mix has been UConn and Coach Kevin Ollie.
“They came back in about two weeks ago,” Waters stated. “I don’t know why they left, but they left and now they are back in the picture.”
Waters recruitment has really taken off over the summer. Always a major D-1 target, offers from Duke and Kentucky put a statement on his current and future potential.
As far as a timeline, Waters has yet to set any visits, official or unofficial and told the throng of reporters garnering his attention that he has no plans on cutting his list or on making a decision.
Asked if committing to Duke or Kentucky ahead of other 2017 point guards like Quade Green or Trae Young created any urgency, Waters said that wasn’t a concern.
“Not really,” Waters said. “To me it’s not about going to a big time school. Obviously those are great schools, top of the line, but if they commit first I’m not going to cry or pout about it. I’m going to pick the best school that fits my game and my situation. I don’t need to focus on what they’re doing, I need to focus on winning Peach Jam, working out and trying to get better. Obviously if I don’t, they won’t want me anyway.”
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