As we talked about with Brandon Ingram, finding players who consistently improve as they advance through high school is important for any scout. Far too many “elite” prospects stall out as they get closer to college, for one reason or another.
That is what has made watching the progress of Henry Ellenson so fantastic. Since the first time I saw him in the summer of 2012, Ellenson has progressed every time I’ve watched him since then.
Name: Henry Ellenson
Height: 6’10
Position: Power Forward
Ranking: Five-star, No. 9 overall
Strengths: Ellenson was once a big man who was much, much more comfortable setting picks for his guards, and popping out for a set jumper. Now, however, he’s scoring from all three levels of the floor. His biggest transformation has been with his back to the basket, where he’s finishing with both hands over defenders. He can still compete on the perimeter, where his ball handling and shot continue to be excellent for his size. For all of his skills, what makes Ellenson so exciting as a prospect is that he continues to address the flaws in his game, and his frame. He has cut more than 25 pounds from the first time I saw him play.
Areas to Improve: For all of his offensive proficiency, Ellenson has a lot of ground to make up on defense. Right now, he’s not quick enough to defend power forwards that do their damage outside. He’s also not quite athletic enough to be a true rim protector. As he continues to get his body in the kind of shape that it needs to be in, one can hope that these issues will be addressed.
