Interview with VCU signee Rob Brandenberg

Earlier in my review of VCU's Fab Five, I did a fairly comprehensive write-up of Ohio native and VCU 2010 commit Rob Brandenberg. He is a standout guard from Columbus, Ohio and was the first commit in the class of 2010 for Coach Shaka Smart and the VCU coaching staff. It's only fitting that he should then be the first guy interviewed by the Report as well. Rob was gracious enough to spare some moments to talk to me about his decision to come to VCU as well as a little bit about himself as a basketball player.

RRR: On behalf of the Ram Nation I’d like to express our excitement at your decision to be a part of the future of VCU basketball.

RRR: You were pursued by many schools from many different levels, what made VCU the right fit for you in your mind?

ROB: Well VCU's playing style and the coaching staff were the two main reasons why I chose VCU. I feel I can be very successful and I feel that VCU will get the best out of my game.

RRR: Over the course of your recruitment, which schools did you have offers from?

ROB: I had offers from Wright State, Akron, Ohio, Miami(Ohio), Marshall, Western Carolina, App St, Nevada, Butler, VCU, and Loyola of Chicago.

RRR: When you ultimately chose to commit to VCU, which schools did you have offers from or have visits scheduled for?

ROB: I had no officials set up but earlier in the month I went to Ohio, and Wright St. on unofficials.

RRR: Which NBA or college player would you say your game most resembles and why?

ROB: I think I am a 6'2 Kevin Durant...We both play very smooth and can play off the dribble or shoot over a defender.

RRR: What do you think your greatest strength as a player is?

ROB: I think my athletic ability with the ball. I use my athletic ability to jump and shoot over defenders. I use my speed to blow past defenders and I can flush on defenders in the half court or the fast break.

RRR: What role do you see yourself playing at VCU next year?

ROB: I see myself backing up Joey or Rozzell at the 1 or the 2 and being a player off the bench with instant offense and alot of energy on defense.

RRR: Ohio has a lot of D1 basketball talent with guys like Jared Sullinger, JD Weatherspoon, Geron Johnson, Jordan Sibert, Aaron Kraft etc. Rivals ranked you as the #11 player in all of Ohio. How did playing in the Ohio Capital Conference and the States after that prepare you for the college level?

ROB: The teams in the OCC are very defensive minded and I seen all types of defenses so it just prepares me just in case I see those types of defenses in college.

RRR: When did you start hearing from the VCU staff about playing at VCU and who was the primary person in your recruitment?

ROB: I started to hear stuff from VCU in April of 2009 from coach Getter, so him and Rhoades were the primary recruiters.

RRR: You helped lead your high school team Gahanna Lincoln to a big upset of the #1 team in the country in Columbus Northland. Nobody was giving you guys any respect. How did it feel to knock them off?

ROB: It felt incredible. To beat the number one team in the nation is something I can take with me for the rest of my life. Unfortunately we did not win states but I will use that loss to fuel the fire at VCU.

RRR: Any chance Stevie Taylor wants to join you at VCU? ;)

ROB: Stevie is my boy and he is a great player, but he's likely to stay in Ohio or the Midwest.

RRR: Anything else you wanna say to Ram fans?

ROB: Expect big things from us this year! We are going to build off Coach Smart's successful rookie year and do some great things!

RRR: Thanks so much for your time Rob and we can’t wait to see you take the court for VCU!

Reddic finishes just outside the Rivals150...at 151 (per Jerry Meyers at Rivals)

In Rivals' highly complimentary write-up on Juvonte Reddic after committing to VCU, Brian Snow of Rivals.com said this:

On the strength of his senior year, Reddic will earn definite consideration for a Rivals150 ranking when they are updated after the season.

Well, today the Rivals put out their final Rivals150 for the class of 2010...and Reddic was not on it, although his teammates Stargell Love and Aaron Bowen cracked the list. I emailed Jerry Meyer at Rivals.com in his recruiting mailbag to ask what happened with Juvonte in light of Snow's comments. His reply:

"Literally 151 and I’m not being sarcastic"

Close but no cigar. While it is somewhat disappointing this still puts him as the highest-rated CAA recruit in the class of 2010 by Rivals.com. He has been upgraded to a 3-star recruit from unranked however. This makes him the second rivals 3-star after Reco McCarter in the class.

Reddic's updated Rivals profile

2011 Prospect- 6'7 SF Aaron Rountree

6'7 Rountree is an intriguing prospect that has great size at 6'7 to go along with a nice mid-range game. He is not a polished product but averaged 10.1 points and 8.8 rebounds for Bedingfield High out of North Carolina. He was invited to Dave Telep's Carolina Challenge as one of the top underclassmen in the state. VCU has targeted North Carolina as of late with Reco McCarter and Juvonte Reddic having signed from the 2010 class and Rountree,Travion Leonard, Chris Wilson, Anthony Stitt, Keynan Pittman, and Freddie Jackson among others in the 2011 class. He already visited VCU on March 19th and visited UVA the month before. In a recent workout at his high school, coaches from VCU, UVA, NC State, and Elon were present to evaluate his game. Although he's still a work-in-process, Rountree has a nice all-around game and does many things well. He will be a player to watch for the Rams in the 2011 class.

Rivals profile: unranked, interest from VCU, Virginia, NC State, and Elon.

Scout profile: 2 star

The 6'7, 190 pound wing has a pretty smooth shooting touch and nice range out to the 3-point line. This video clip shows off his nice touch from the perimeter. His highlights begin at 0:28.



Despite it being early in the process ACC-members Virginia and NC State have jumped in on him early. He visited UVA in February along with 2012 phenom Montrezl Harrell who also sports a VCU offer but will almost certainly go higher. The VCU staff brought him in for a visit on March 19th where he toured the campus and practice facilities.

While it's still early in Rountree's recruitment and there is stiff competition from ACC schools, the coaching staff has shown a penchant for identifying under-the-radar players before they blow up. With Kasey Wilson already committed to the Rams and a host of impressive players considering VCU from the 2011 class, there is much to be excited about in the year ahead when it comes to Ram recruiting!

Dave Telep gives high praise, calls 2010 VCU class 'talk of the league'

In an article from the Commonwealth Times (a VCU student-run paper), columnist Adam Stern interviews Scout.com National Recruiting Director Dave Telep. Telep has very high praise for Shaka Smart's first recruiting class and even goes as far as to say that 'it's going to wind up being the talk of the league.' “VCU’s primary concern (going into this year’s recruiting) was getting some bodies for their front court and I don’t know if it could have worked out any better for them. Long, rangy guys that fit in with the style they play, it’s perfect.”

Here is the article in its entirety (very good read):

CT: Basketball Recruiting Class 'Talk of The League'- Adam Stern

Here is a sample of Telep's thoughts on Juvonte if you don't believe me (he also discusses DJ Haley and Rob Brandenberg).

Juvonte Reddic: “They snatched a couple guys, man, I actually thought they were wasting their time with Reddic. I thought he was going to wind up going higher, so for them to pop Reddic was a big deal.”

Needless to say, Telep is highly impressed with VCU's 2010 class. There is much for Ram fans to be excited about. The best part? He didn't even mention the guy he rates the highest and headlines the class in Reco McCarter. The future looks bright ladies and gentlemen.

2010 Recruiting Class Highlight Video

With all 5 NLI's signed, VCU Athletics released a compilation of video highlights of the Class of 2010 coming into VCU this fall. This is probably one of the most athletic overall classes we have had at VCU and there is no doubt that these players fit Shaka Smart's 'Havoc' style to a 'T'. Enjoy!

The Signing Period is Upon Us!

We are now in the spring signing period and 3 players signed their NLI's to play at VCU this coming season. 6'8 Toby Veal, 6'10 Juvonte Reddic, and 7'0 Darrell Haley Jr. are officially part of the Ram family. Here are pictures of the signing ceremonies for all 3 players:


Darrell Haley Jr. signs his NLI surrounded by family and his high school teammates.


Juvonte Reddic (center)signs his NLI accompanied by teammates Stargell Love (left, Baylor) and Aaron Bowen (right, Georgetown).


Toby Veal (right) signs his NLI accompanied by teammate Sherard Brantley (headed to Georgia).

VCU's 'Fab Five': DB's take on the 2010 Recruiting Class

During a season of transition following the loss of the greatest player in VCU history in Eric Maynor as well as the loss of one of the hottest young names in college coaching in Anthony Grant, the Rams have managed to put to rebuild with a 25-win season to this point. They will have a chance at two more in the CBI championships approaching next week in Coach Shaka Smart's first season at the helm. While Ram fans were hoping for a repeat NCAA appearance with surefire NBA first-rounder Larry Sanders leading the way, inconsistencies on the road ultimately were the Rams undoing. The Rams faltered with 7 losses in the conference slate after having a combined 9 over the last 3 seasons prior to this one.


32-year old VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart has gone 25-9 with a trip to the CBI finals in his first year.

While there is some cause for disappointment, the Rams are looking at the CBI as an opportunity to grow as a team and gain experience for freshman such as Darius Theus and Troy Daniels, as well as opportunities for players like Jamie Skeen who will be expected to step up in the absence of Larry Sanders next year. With Larry Sanders leaving early for the NBA, another year of adjustment is only to be expected, especially on the defensive end where Larry was a defensive stalwart (not to mention 2-time Defensive POY). However there is cause for optimism with strong senior leadership and a stellar recruiting class for first-year Rams’ coach Shaka Smart. Here is my breakdown of Smart's impressive recruiting haul and VCU’s version of Michigan’s ‘Fab Five’ (minus the violations of course). I will start with each recruit and do as comprehensive an overview as I can; one post per recruit. Reco McCarter headlines the 2010 class and will be the first write-up coming shortly!

Reco McCarter - 6’7, 190 pound SF (Wayne Country Day, NC)

Scout.com Profile:(3-star, #38 SF)

Rivals.com Profile:(3-star, former Rivals150 prospect at #128 (#22 SF) and #147)

ESPN Profile: (91 Grade, #30 SF)

Hoopscoop: (#186 overall in 2010)

Bob Gibbons:(#164 after the summer then #188 after the fall overall in 2010 class)

Reco McCarter headlines VCU’s 2010 class and signed his LOI with VCU in the fall. He is the #9 player out of the state of North Carolina in what is touted as one of the deepest NC classes in a long time. During his recruitment he made it clear that Wake Forest was his #1 choice and that he would commit immediately if offered. Reco waited despite offers from Virginia Tech, Clemson, NC State from the ACC and Georgia out of the SEC. The offer never came and Shaka Smart was able to nab a commitment from the ultra-quick and athletic small forward from Goldsboro, NC. Here’s a highlight video from OneEntertainmentHoops.com showing off a little bit of Reco’s game, including a nasty slam over top-15 national recruit and Kentucky target C.J. Leslie:



Bob Gibbons, who is one of the top talent evaluators in high school basketball, has high praise for Reco and named the most talented overall prospect along with Patric Young (Florida commit) at the 14th Annual Bob Gibbons Fall Evaluation Clinic at Wake Forest University where over 200 young prospects showed up. He also attended the Wake Forest Elite Camp.



“ McCarter is, unquestionably, one of the top 2010 prospects in the talent-rich state of North Carolina. He is blessed with exceptional athletic abilities, including a terrific vertical jump, lightning speed and quickness, the hands of a magician, and superb reflexes. McCarter can explode to the hoop or pull-up and shoot his soft left-handed jumper. He has good ball-handling skills and is an effective passer. He still needs to focus on his 3-point shooting consistency, and becoming stronger. He always plays with high intensity, desire, and confidence, and has a great work ethic. McCarter's potential is virtually limitless. He projects as a high major college prospect.” – Recruiting Analyst Bob Gibbons

Here is the write-up from WolfpackHoops (now PackInsider.com) on Reco’s game. They were covering Reco extensively while he was being recruited by North Carolina State:

Offers: NC State, Clemson, Virginia Tech

Description:

The potential for Reco McCarter is limitless and his ceiling is sky high. He is 6'7 and runs the fast break like he is a point guard. In fact the fast break is where McCarter thrives. He has great handles for someone his size and can go coast to coast in the blink of an eye. If this lefty were to be described in one word it would be the word explosive. He loves to attack the rim and is ferocious in his approach. Reco is also a skilled passer on the break and within the half-court offense. He has a well-developed spin move that seems to be his bread and butter. His quickness and length make McCarter a nightmare on defense. Lack of effort is not in his vocabulary: he plays his heart out. Truth be told, this wonderful attribute leads to his weaknesses as well. Reco plays with so much energy that he can at times be out of control and take poor shots. He also needs to work on his perimeter shot. If Reco can harness some of his energy (mentally and physically) and develop his perimeter shot, he will be a nightmare of a mismatch in college. Even though Wake Forest hasn't officially offered Reco yet, most people think that they are a major contender as well. Reco is the #22 SF in the 2010 class and the 128th player overall.

Reco’s most significant weakness at this point is perimeter shooting. Although he has range to the NBA 3-point line, he is not as consistent as he needs to be at this to be effective at the college level. He has committed to improving his perimeter shot and is working on it. When he is on, he is quite deadly and impressive. The key for him is to maintain that level of consistency throughout. For a peak at how good Reco can be from the perimeter, check out this video clip from his 31-point performance against a Greenfield team that featured Brian Richardson (2010 South Carolina commit) and Jeremy Jeffers (2010 Drake commit):



All in all, Reco is a high-flying athletic recruit with a great deal of upside and potential. His skill-set is a great fit for the Rams up-tempo ‘Wreak Havoc’ system. ESPN.com’s Director of Recruiting Paul Biancardi agrees:

"Reco is a long, athltletic and wiry strong lefthanded perimeter player who's blessed with exceptional talent," Biancardi said. "He's smooth and he scores in a variety of ways.

"He excels in an up-tempo transition game where he can go from defense to offense efficiently. He's a finisher with flair in transition."

McCarter's athleticism allows him to do a variety of different things on the court.

"He's a versatile scorer who can make 3's as knock down mid-range jumpshots with ease," added Biancardi. "On his jumper he elevates and see's over his defenders for easy buckets.

"Reco also handles the ball well for a small forward and is capable of putting up big numbers with more physical maturity and coaching."

McCarter also has the defensive skills that the VCU staff covets, according to Biancardi.

"He really shows his versatility on the defensive end of the floor with his athleticism. HIs quickness combined with his outstanding length allows him cover a lot of ground on the court in a fullcourt press situatuion. He can also close out on shooters in the blink of an eye making him very difficult to shoot over.

"He does need to get stronger and be a more consistent plyaer but that should come once he physically matures."

Biancardi cannot help but notice the terrific start Smart and his staff are off to in Richmond.

"The new VCU staff have landed a kid who can really fit into their future plans. He'll thrive and produce in the Rams' fullcourt pressing style of play. McCarter's athleticism and versatility give them a weapon on both ends of the floor.

Reco needs to put in some time in the weight room and work on his perimeter game, but he’s a tantalizing prospect and is one of the more highly touted prospects in recent VCU history. Coach Shaka Smart during one of his weekly broadcasts mentioned that Reco committed to VCU after visiting Georgia out of the SEC and Oklahoma out of the Big 12. The kid is a player and his above-the-rim athleticism should entertain Ram fans for years to come.

Rob Brandenberg- 6'2, 175 pound SG (#9 Nationally-Ranked Gahanna Lincoln, Ohio)

Scout.com Profile:(2 star, offers from Butler, Ohio, Marshall, Akron, Wright St., and Appalachian State)

Rivals.com Profile: (unranked, offers from all of the above plus Loyola (IL))

ESPN.com Profile:(86 Grade, #92 SG)

Hoopscoop:(#256 overall in 2010)

Rob Brandenberg was the first commitment in the Class of 2010 for Shaka Smart and the VCU Rams. He committed after exploding over the summer after being relatively unknown as a junior playing in the shadow of Rivals150 recruit Stevie Taylor at Gahanna Lincoln in Ohio. His play over the summer garnered him recognition from Rivals.com as the #11 overall prospect in the talent-rich state of Ohio. Several Division 1 offers followed including Butler and John Groce's Ohio Bobcats who recently knocked off Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament as a 14-seed. Brandenberg is a long and athletic 2-guard with a relatively large wingspan (6'7) to his height (6'2). He is one of the biggest risers on the Ohio hoops scene, coming from virtually nowhere as a JV player who burst onto the Varsity his junior year. He stars along with 2 other Division I prospects in Stevie Taylor and Anthony Jackson.


Anthony Jackson, Stevie Taylor, and Rob Brandenberg have led Gahanna to a #9 National Ranking

Rob Brandenberg played for a new AAU program called the Mustang Ballers unknown to most Coaches outside Columbus and as a result he was not exposed to many college coaches. All that changed when Brandenberg blew up at the Adidas Take 5ive Classic in Cincinnatti. His high school team Gahanna Lincoln runs the Princeton offense so it does not get to showcase his explosive athleticism as much, but on the AAU circuit, coaches got to see it first-hand, including one Shaka Smart. Here's highmajorscoop.com's take on Brandenberg at the Take 5ive Classic:

I will be the first to admit, I didn’t see the flash at first either, but my mind changed on Wednesday, July 8th at 2pm when he caught flame like a Columbus Wild Fire against Ricardo Johnson in the Silver Championship game. For 10 minutes I saw something that very few and far between witness and that was something we like to call in the business as “The Zone”.

He was slicing, dicing, cutting the opposition apart like a Billy Mays infomercial! He is blessed with the ability to blow by guys with a quick first step, he can create his own shot off the bounce and plays with a sudden burst and gear that most are not given at birth. He can keep you honest from 19 feet, but then hurt you if close out hard and gets to the rack and finishes above the rim in a half court set or transition. His High School team runs the Princeton style offense so you don’t get to see much off the bounce, but you see the fluidity in the break when he runs the lanes like a thoroughbred.

His name you ask? Rob, Rob Brandenberg.From where you wonder? Gahanna Lincoln High School.What year? He’s a 2010. What position? Scoring Guard. How tall? 6-foot-2.

His skillset is perfect for a full-court pressure system and his 6'7 wingspan will be an excellent asset in the VCU press. Here is ESPN's evaluation of Brandenberg prior to his blowing up over the summer:

May, 2009: This long and athletic guard plays with great energy. He sprints the lane in transition and can get to the rim and finish before the defense can set. Brandenberg does a good job of making scoring plays of the dribble in the half court and can finish with good touch and body control. He is also athletic enough to get the ball in the hole with some impressive athletic finishes. He is streaky but respectable from behind the arc and can finish above the rim off the vertical with a clear path. Brandenberg also puts forth excellent effort on the offensive glass. Brandenberg needs to add strength but has great upside and could be a player on the rise in the state of Ohio.



Brandenberg has had a solid senior season for Gahanna and though they were undefeated at 25-0, they were not getting much respect nationally since they had not played any big-time teams and were playing in shadow of Columbus Northland who not only shared the same city, but were ranked #1 in the entire country. The Northland Vikings were led by the #1 overall recruit in the 2010 class in Jared Sullinger (Ohio State commit) as well as JD Weatherspoon (Ohio State commit) and Trey Burke (Penn State). Northland had beaten such national powers as Oak Hill and Findlay Prep while Gahanna had played relatively lesser known opponents. When the 2 undefeateds met up in the regional finals, Gahanna was expected to be little more than horse fodder for the Vikings on their way to their second state championship in a row. Rob Brandenberg and Gahanna Lincoln had other ideas. Here is footage from the game (Brandenberg is #1):



Rob Brandenberg led all Gahanna scorers with 19 points as the Lions shocked the high school basketball world and thrashed the #1 team in the country by 26 points by a score of 71-45. Taylor, Brandenberg, and Jackson led Gahanna to a hot shooting night and ended the Vikings' season. Subsequently Brandenberg's team was named the #9 team in the nation by ESPN RISE. Brandenberg has had a stellar season and is a recruit that Shaka could just not pass on. His combination of speed, athleticism, and shooting touch make him a very intriguing prospect.

Toby Veal- 6'8, 230 pound PF (NWF State, freshman Colorado transfer)

Scout.com Profile: (3 star, offers from Colorado, Auburn, Colorado St., Florida St., and UNLV)

Rivals.com Profile: (3 star, #39 PF, #18 Georgia Prospect)

ESPN.com Profile:(88 Grade, #25 SF, #109 in 2008 ESPN Top 150)

Hoopscoop: (#91 overall player in 2008 class)

JUCOJunction.com Profile: (#49 JUCO in 2010 Junior College Top 150)

Toby Veal is an interesting example of how maintaining relationships with players you have recruited before pays off. Both VCU (when Anthony Grant's staff was around) and Shaka Smart (while he was an assistant at Clemson) recruited Veal when he was a highly-touted high school senior with offers to several major colleges. Veal chose to go to Colorado and play for former NBAer Jeff Bdzelik in the Big 12 conference. Upon coming there Veal did not get much playing time and was disappointed with the lack of burn he was getting. Toby also had a child back in Georgia which strained on him as he was across the country in Colorado. This led him to transfer to Northwest Florida State, a junior college in Niceville, Florida last year to be closer to his young family.



Toby Veal giving NWF State hoops big inside presence
Toby Veal: Colorado's loss is NWF State's gain

"I went to play for (Bzdelik) because he coached in the NBA for a long time," Veal said. "I wanted to see how that was, but it didn't work out too good. He said playing time relied on me. I just didn't understand why I wasn't playing because I did everything he told me to do."

Veal was named Newcomer of the Year in the Panhandle Conference in which the NWF State Raiders play. He helped lead the Raiders to a 5th place finish in the NJCAA national tournament. His exploits are all the more impressive considering he had been battling knee injuries for much of the conference season. He is quite explosive athletically and runs the floor well, throwing down dunks on the fast break with authority.



Veal is reportedly not a firm commitment as he is still being courted by at least one SEC school. Although Veal had verbally committed in January it appears his recruiting situation is still fluid. According to his junior college coach he will be visiting VCU this week and is expected to commit then. Veal will provide valuable experience with the departure of senior players TJ Gwynn and Kirill Pischallnikov as well as the likely early departure of Larry Sanders to the NBA draft. Veal's bulk and low post moves will be a welcome addition to this recruiting class.