Drew Hanlen shares story of Charles Bassey’s first workout with Joel Embiid and Bradley Beal

On draft day, the Sixers used money to acquire the 53rd overall pick. Later that night, they landed a former high-level recruit from the high school. Charles Bassey, from San Antonio, was ESPN’s 18th ranked prospect in 2018, the same year players like RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, Bol Bol and Romeo Langford completed the top 5. Fast forward, Bassey led the West Kentucky Hilltoppers in points, rebounds and blocks before suffering a tibial plateau fracture that led to a lengthy rehab and changed his path; before the 2020 NBA Draft, he was a projected midterm pick.

(Maybe he would have walked around the beach that Tyrese Maxey took, if not earlier, to a rival who knows?)

Bassey spoke today, according to our Tom West, about training with Drew Hanlen, Joel Embiid’s longtime coach.

Sixers fans know that Hanlen works with superstars like Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and others. Hanlen even openly dreamed on our “No Particular Hurry” podcast of a franchise featuring all of his players on an expansion team playing in a hot place like Maui. Maybe Joel Embiid can get him to settle for Philly and recruit the rest of the Pure Sweat Superstars. It’s been a little warmer than usual lately, have we already closed the weather gap between Philly and Maui?

Bassey has also been working with Hanlen for a few years and believes he is more qualified than fans realize.

For the West:

Daryl Morey tempered the expectations of his two new recruits. By Ky Carlin Sixers Wire:

“We don’t go into a season like, ‘Hey, we think the guys we just drafted are going to help the first year,’” Morey concluded. “It would have no impact on our free agent decisions.”

But according to another article by Carlin, noting how head coach Doc Rivers had some influence on the squad by selecting a pair of big guys (they also hid Adriatic League MVP Filip Petrusev) more from Morey, who looks high on Bassey:

“Bassey, since we’re talking big, Charles Bassey led the country in defensive rebound, I think he’s like one of the top three or four prospects, he might have been number one in blocked shots among the hopes, “continued Morey. “He’s someone who knows how to shoot. I think with the big guys that we bring in, we want to make sure that they can, whether they are switchable or they can shoot, and Charles has some versatility there. I do not know. We love who we choose. Shocking.

Whether or not Bassey is able to step in and contribute will depend on many factors, but one thing is clearer: his ceiling as an NBA player will likely depend on his ability to protect the rim in defense and stretch the floor. . by knocking down 3 wide open in attack.

Looks like Morey and Bassey are his chances of getting there at some point.

Bassey shared a video clip on Instagram this morning. My favorite part was Hanlen’s story about Bassey at around 1:35 from the clip below. While still in high school, playing pickup hoops with Embiid and Brad Beal, Bassey was thrown right under the bus by Beal:

Here is the quote from Coach Hanlen:

“There is a really funny story. He was in high school and I pitched him in one of my NBA five-on-five. So I associated him with Joel Embiid, a kind of real “welcome to the big leagues” and [Bassey] was part of Brad Beal’s team. And he put up a screen for Brad Beal, and Joel bombarded Brad and passed him, and Brad just picked up the ball and was like ‘come on man, Drew, I know you wanna give him some reps but come on I can ‘I don’t have him on my team … and that’s the first moment I think Charles realized how much he needed to close the gap if he wanted to play at the NBA level. And what I’ve seen of him the past 3 years I’ve seen a huge jump. It’s really cool to see how much he’s grown as a person and a player since I first met him.

It’s a great story, and it reminds me of the days when Suns superstar Devin Booker warmed up for being annoyed by consistent double-teaming in summer races. Come on Beal, the perfect opportunity to work on your passes for the big rolling man!

Anyway, great story and exciting to see how far Bassey has climbed since his injury (did he come out of the mud or is it copyright BBall Paul?) The same as the old one NFL star JJ Watt had. You may remember when Watt showed you his scar. It is not for the disgusted. I wonder if Bassey has one like this … But luckily reports say the CB has not suffered any ligament damage and the bone heals much better than the ligament.

He’s come this far, well … he looks a bit like a monster:

If he can keep putting up those overwhelming screens, run the ground, change directions (see that eurostep?) And take down an open 3, he could be a keeper. Coach Hanlen talks about the importance for him of mastering decision making on the small roll, like a possible “hybrid four” like Draymond Green or Bam Adebayo. In the clip, they talked about dribbling transfers, delay action, and even “popcorn” action, whatever it is.

No team knows better than these Sixers how the lack of a good, viable second-round replacement can cost you a chance in the conference finals, in two of the past three years. Not traumatized, you are traumatized.