Game Scouted: Wake Forest vs Queens
I was able to attend Wakes first exhibition game of the season against D2 nationally ranked Queens from Charlotte. Two highly touted freshman and one grad transfer played significant minutes and will all 3 be counted on heavily for the Deacs this season. Wake was able to narrowly escape Queens upset bid with a score of 76-74.
Olivier Sarr, 7’0″, C, FR
Wake Forest was fortunate to land the 4 star French prospect who was labeled one of the top international prospects by multiple recruiting services and had his share of offers. First thing you notice about Sarr is his length and size. Lanky but runs the floor like a deer. Can hedge ball screens pretty well and is fluid. Needs to add strength and is still a bit raw at this stage, but Coach Manning has a great track record when it comes to developing bigs, so Sarr should improve weekly especially with more game experience. High upside with size and his athleticism which is what NBA teams love with him. I can see him getting into foul trouble especially in ACC play. Showed some flashes last night in limited minutes and finished with 4 pts and 3 boards.
Chaundee Brown, 6’5″, G, FR
Brown is Wake’s highest ranked recruit since 2008 and after watching him play 27 minutes last night I can see why. Absolutely loved his composure and court presence. Great body, strong and athletic. Plays hard and doesnt play outside his strength. Defends and can guard multiple positions- I can see this eventually being one of his biggest calling cards as a lockdown defender. Shot is a little slow and his 3- point shot needs to improve- did hit one 3 in the second half. Showcased the ability to score off the bounce and in transition. Definitely a player NBA teams need to add to their list if he isn’t on it already. Would not be surprised if he made the leap to the pros before his 4 years was up. Finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds, and a block.
Terrence Thompson, 6’7″, F, GR
Thompson is a grad transfer after playing the previous 2 years at Marshall. Thompson is going to be asked to fill a big hole after the departures of John Collins and Dinos Mitoglou, 2 big men who are now pro’s. Gritty player who fights inside and is a traffic rebounder. Plays hard on both ends. Underrated hands. Not a good outside shooter, did attempt one 3 (which he missed), and needs to improve his FT shooting. His calling card is going to bring toughness, rebounding, and some scoring out of pick and rolls (Which the Deacs run at a high rate). Would like to see if he could score with his back to the basket, which he was not able to showcase much in this game per lack of post ups. Low to mid level European prospect.