Kale Abrahamson

If the Gods decree and by some quirk of fate we sign Abrahamson, I can't resist reflecting upon the last time the Hawkeyes had a Rivals Top 150 player sitting on the bench.....

:)
 
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I must admit that I am confused by the meaning of "create off the dribble". In the video, and I realize that You Tube videos are not definitive, it appears that Abrahamson dribbles the ball driving toward the basket and makes the shot in traffic. There is another thing that puzzles me, when a very good three point shooter has an open shot, the shot is already created, why recreate.
 
jacknicholson said:
I must admit that I am confused by the meaning of "create off the dribble". In the video, and I realize that You Tube videos are not definitive, it appears that Abrahamson dribbles the ball driving toward the basket and makes the shot in traffic. There is another thing that puzzles me, when a very good three point shooter has an open shot, the shot is already created, why recreate.
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One thing it does besides getting a higher percentage shot is it keeps the defense honest. They'll have to respect his ability to put it on the ground, giving him a more open look at a 3 ball the next time.

Kid has the ability at 6'7 to shoot over about any defender. I wouldn't be so quick to write him off.
 
Thanks for the clarification, Ben. It does appear that Kale could keep the defense honest. He seems to have a deadly three, can drive to the basket, and is a decent passer. There is a lot to like about Kale Abrahamson. Quite a few interesting prospects in the 2012 class. We shall see. At this point, it is all idle speculation anyway.
 
sportstalent said:
I agree. Players like Abrahamson always intrigue me and personally, I like the 6-7 to 6-9 kids that are not traditional players. I like them at the 4-spot as a mismatch and by the time their jr/sr years come along they are strong enough physically to play defense and rebound against most traditional PF's. These players also are a benefit when teams want to go big becuase they still have the ball handling to play the 3-spot. This why I like Aaron White so much, I see him as the 3 early, but growing into a nightmare matchup 4 player, but playing the 3 most of the time.
You cannot have enough players that can be flexible enough to play both of those positions effectively. When McCabe is all done he is going to be a nice player a great role player, you have to have those to compliment your stars like Basabe. Iowa has one star in Basabe and all the pieces they are putting around him are going to make him that much better. A player like Abrahamson makes your team better.
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Kale will never have the ability to play the 4 position. He is a "2" guard with excellent ball handling skills. It is a perfect spot for him. He has zero ability in the post. What he needs more than anything is strength and explosiveness otherwise he will struggle at the next level. I believe he works hard on his game though, hopefully he is a good judge of his weaknesses and works on improving them.

An earlier poster commented something about Marbles son at valley, I would be shocked if he makes the starting line-up. I don't see him starting ahead of Kale, Jok or Boffeli.
 
HawlIhoops, you do make some good points. There are only a handful of quality recruits out of the Hawkeye State. It would be nice to get the best ones, but not at the expense of using scholarships that could be better used elsewhere. I think Woodbury and Abrahamson have very good potential, and could help the Hawks in a big way. I like your posts and appreciate your viewpoints.

Finally conquered the smile gadget.....

:)
 
jacknicholson said:
I must admit that I am confused by the meaning of "create off the dribble". In the video, and I realize that You Tube videos are not definitive, it appears that Abrahamson dribbles the ball driving toward the basket and makes the shot in traffic. There is another thing that puzzles me, when a very good three point shooter has an open shot, the shot is already created, why recreate.
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Iowa high school basketball is not quite on par with big ten hoops. I know this might come as a shocker to you, but playing Ames is not quite the same as Ohio State. Did you catch any Iowa games last year? May was incapable of getting to the basket with the dribble, Gatens is all right hand dribble and McCabe was a turnover waiting to happen when he dribbled. In crunch time everyone deferred to Cartwright because he can create off the dribble for himself and others. Teams can easily deny the ball and defend the 3 in the big ten, which is why Gatens disappears when teams get in his shorts...no ability to create off the dribble.
 
Thanks for the information. I thought Abrahamson just finished his junior year of high school and is doing very well playing AAU ball on a national level. Do you think that is on a par with playing Ohio State and the other Big Ten teams. Just speculating on an Iowa player who has attracted national attention and still has two Summers of AAU ball and a senior year in high school to finish before he plays his first college basketball game.

There are not a lot of recruits who just finished their junior year in high school who can play in the Big Ten. Are you aware of that? If there were such players, what do you think the chances are of them signing with the Hawkeyes at this stage.

In the video that I watched he seemed to have natural talent and instinct which will get better in two years. He certainly appeared to be a player who would be a very good fit for Fran's style of play. Just my opinion. Mere idle speculation.

By the way, thanks for inquiring. Yes, I did watch every game last year and liked what I saw. Vast improvement and I noticed the groundwork laid for the coming years. I saw glimpses of the future of Iowa basketball under Fran McCaffrey.

Remember what Roy said.....

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

:)
 
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Vast improvement over the Lickliter era of abyssmal basketball is not saying much. We still finished 10th in the conference and have many holes to fill. If you think loading up on in state talent is the key to rebuilding the program, then we will have to agree to disagree. There is no evidence (outside of the KU kids and most recently Barnes and Paige) that this state produces players capable of getting it done in the big ten other than being role players. Frankly, if that is as high as their ceilings are, then I can't justify more than a 3 point shooter offer now and then. Gatens hasn't gotten any better, May has digressed, McCabe--too early to tell. If Ogelsby doesn't exceed expectations, then we are not get much of an ROI on these kids.
 
jacknicholson said:
Thanks for the clarification, Ben. It does appear that Kale could keep the defense honest. He seems to have a deadly three, can drive to the basket, and is a decent passer. There is a lot to like about Kale Abrahamson. Quite a few interesting prospects in the 2012 class. We shall see. At this point, it is all idle speculation anyway.
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Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I respect yours, just don't agree based on recent history. Gatens was heralded as the next big thing, put up crazy AAU numbers etc., yet other than shooting 3's and free throws, there isn't much to his offensive game. Yes he has played on bad teams with bad coaches, but his game has not evolved. No high school evaluation ever translates to the college game, but I can tell you that when I saw Basabe play his first PTL game I said "wow"! We need more WOW and less soft hands, good passer, nice touch players. You can always find those kids if needed.
 
Fran is looking for more Athletic players. I am not sure he fits the mold of what Fran is looking for. I thought he played a bit small for his size, doesn't finish very well at the rim, but does have a quick release. However, I am afraid he is more of a volume shooter (Needs 20 shots to score 10 points). He could be a nice role player coming off the bench, but I don't think he could help the team much.
 
For those who've seen him play, what's his D like? How is he on the ball, getting through screens, making switches, help D? A spot up shooter who can be your lockdown guy (Boyle, Moe, Lookingbill could be effective defensively) has more of a role than a soft offense-only guy who brings a MVC arsenal to a Big Ten gunfight....
 
Am I missing something here?

I see a solid player whose primary skill is as a catch-and-shoot perimeter guy. Unfortunately, his release is both slow and low, which means that 3s are going to bother/block his shot. (And do we need another spot up shooter at the 2 if Oglesby is as advertised?) He looks like he plays hard and can run the floor, but every single one of his drives in traffic ends in a layup. That is not a good sign for a 6'7" player at the Big Ten level.

If this kid was from Walla Walla instead of West Des Moines you would never, ever see his name on this board.
 
I like Gatens and May. They made the Big Ten Freshman team, have a lot of Big Ten experience, which is helpful in itself. Gatens was one of two scoring threats last year and was the outside focus for the opponents. He did not have the ability to create his own shot and probably should not have taken it to the basket so much as it seldom worked. This year it should be different, opponents will not be able to focus on him because of the new scoring threats added to the team. Gatens was never intended to be the go-to leading scorer. His D has improved very well. He and May are on the team and are Hawkeyes. Both are somewhat limited offensively, but play with all the effort and ability they have.

May for various reasons had an off year. He is one of our best defenders, if not the best, and he can run the floor very well, but is limited in the half court game, despite being our best three point shooter. He and Gatens passed up countless open shots last year when that was the only offensive option on the floor at the time. Perhaps it was subconscious hesitation from Lickliter brainwashing.

Quite a few posters seem to believe that Gesell and especially Woodbury are essential to the continuing success of the team. Woodbury has attracted a lot of attention and has been offered by California, Iowa, Nebraska, Stanford, Virginia, and Xavier. Perhaps we should consider him as a last resort if nobody better comes along. Same thing about Abrahamson, there are a lot of top programs acquiring interest in him. They must see something they like. They certainly have more expertise in the matter than I do. Again what would be the harm to keep him in the back of one's mind as a last option if all else fails. Fran probably has the last word on the subject.

HawkIhoops, I had the same reaction when I saw what Basabe could do, and would like to see the team filled with quick competent athletic players, which we have already started to do this year. We should try to get the top players available wherever they are from. We do not need to take players just because they are from Iowa. We are a little bit away from being able to choose which players we want and actually getting them to sign, but the year's incoming class has started the ball rolling. A very good season is essential to continued recruiting success.

Many on the forums seem to think that we need at least one seven foot recruit to be successful in the Big Ten, perhaps we need a seven footer if for no other reason than to quiet the furor.
 
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Even if he was from Walla Walla, you would see his name on this rivals.com page.

Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - EYBL session off to fast start in L.A.

Saturday EYBL L.A. standouts

Kale Abrahamson, SF, All-Iowa- Putting the 6-foot-7 wing into the 2012 Rivals150 is looking to have been a very smart move. But, at No. 147 overall, Abrahamson has probably been underrated a bit. He's long-armed, has good athleticism and can knock down shots with range. On Saturday, he also showed that he's not shabby off the dribble and that he can create plays for others. He'll take an unofficial visit to Stanford after finishing in Los Angeles.

He is the first one listed as a standout, and no, it is not alphabetical. Perhaps the recruiting "experts" know more than I do.
 
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jacknicholson said:
Even if he was from Walla Walla, you would see him name on this rivals.com page.

Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - EYBL session off to fast start in L.A.

Saturday EYBL L.A. standouts

Kale Abrahamson, SF, All-Iowa- Putting the 6-foot-7 wing into the 2012 Rivals150 is looking to have been a very smart move. But, at No. 147 overall, Abrahamson has probably been underrated a bit. He's long-armed, has good athleticism and can knock down shots with range. On Saturday, he also showed that he's not shabby off the dribble and that he can create plays for others. He'll take an unofficial visit to Stanford after finishing in Los Angeles.

He is the first one listed as a standout, and no, it is not alphabetical. Perhaps the recruiting "experts" know more than I do.
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Abrahamson reminds me of the Korver boys from Pella. Big for his position, can be a defensive liability against ultra athletic opponents, goofy haircut, and a deadly spot up shooter. Now the question is does he become Kyle (who easily could of played in the Big Ten) or Klayton/Kaleb who were mid-major level players.
 
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jacknicholson said:
Even if he was from Walla Walla, you would see him name on this rivals.com page.

Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - EYBL session off to fast start in L.A.

Saturday EYBL L.A. standouts

Kale Abrahamson, SF, All-Iowa- Putting the 6-foot-7 wing into the 2012 Rivals150 is looking to have been a very smart move. But, at No. 147 overall, Abrahamson has probably been underrated a bit. He's long-armed, has good athleticism and can knock down shots with range. On Saturday, he also showed that he's not shabby off the dribble and that he can create plays for others. He'll take an unofficial visit to Stanford after finishing in Los Angeles.

He is the first one listed as a standout, and no, it is not alphabetical. Perhaps the recruiting "experts" know more than I do.
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I think it's great that Iowa is churning out a much higher level of basketball talent, and kudos to Abrahamson for having a great season at Valley and what looks like an even better AAU season. But I claimed that he wouldn't be mentioned on this website if he weren't from Iowa for two reasons... he reproduces the skill set of a guy we have coming in this fall (Oglesby, who has a much quicker and higher release on his jump shot), and he looks like exactly the type of player who fans wanted to get away from once the Lickliter era ended (average athleticism, primarily a jump shooter, etc.). The fact that a recruiting service watched him play at a summer tournament and gave him some hype is great for him, but it shouldn't change Iowa's plans in terms of their recruiting. Click on some of the other guys who are profiled in that Rivals article and tell me if you're interested in them. Yes, there are several elite guys mentioned, but it's basically a mixed bag. The guy listed below Abrahamson appears to be a football recruit.
 
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