Much of the world was introduced to Thon Maker in 2014, when his first YouTube mixtape was featured in nearly every major website, including the front page of Yahoo!, where Maker was compared to NBA scoring champion, Kevin Durant.
That comparison shouldn’t surprise anyone, as every player who stands over 6-foot-9, shows the ability to dribble, and shoot is inevitably compared to Durant. However, it is far from an accurate comparison.
Nonetheless, Maker remains one of the most high-pursued prospects in the 2015 class, and he has yet to make his college commitment, though the 247Sports Crystal Ball–a tool used by industry experts to predict a prospects’ landing spot–favors Arizona State.
Name: Thon Maker
Height: 7 ft.
Position: Power Forward
Ranking: Five-star, No. 10 overall
Strengths: Maker’s best qualities are his physical tools. Standing at 7 feet, his athleticism, mobility, and coordination are both exceptional, and contribute to him having as high of a ceiling as he does. These tools also allowed him to continue working on his skill-set. When he’s at his best, Maker is in the open court finishing above the rim and showing off his flashy abilities. He’s also attacking off the dribble in the half court, knocking down a perimeter jumper every few possessions and then blocking shots on the other end. Maker also has a consistent motor.
Areas to Improve: When you’re as talented as Maker, sometimes you get the tendency to, shall we say, show off a bit. There are times when he seems more focused on showing the crowd that he can dribble rather than making winning plays. Maker’s shot, basketball IQ, feel, and offensive arsenal have a long way to go.
