Bulls-Eye Scouting Report: Brandon Paul

November 24, 2007

9:30 A.M. CST

We never had any doubt that Brandon Paul is a special player, especially considering that he rose from relative obscurity to elite status in the eyes of those who watched him this past summer as the result of some outstanding performances while competing on his Team NLP AAU squad, which is coached by former Chicago Bulls player Dickey Simpkins.

Illinois Prep Bulls-eye finally got the chance to see the 6'3 junior guard from Warren Township High School in Gurnee, IL live and in person at the Fremd Thanksgiving Tournament.  Paul was absolutely spectacular in his team's 64-53 victory over Bartlett.  With University Of Illinois head coach Bruce Weber in attendance,  the Illini recruit finished the game with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals.

Offensively, Paul is an outstanding mid-range scorer who is capable of hitting shots as a result of pulling up or coming off the dribble.  What makes Paul especially dangerous at the offensive end is that he gets tremendous lift on his shot and has exceptional hang time.  He also has a superb handle and tremendous leadership traits on the court.

While Paul's offensive game has few weaknesses, he may be even better at the defensive end.  He has the ability to be a lockdown man-to-man defender due to his length and ability to get into the passing lanes.

Based on what we have seen from Paul, we believe that at the present time he is the #1 prospect in Illinois from the class of 2009.  This is because we believe that Paul's game is the most well-rounded of any of the top players in the state from this class.  Simply put, he has the perfect blend of athleticism and natural scoring ability.  Combine that with the fact that Paul has a great work ethic and an outstanding attitude, and it isn't difficult to see why he gets our nod.

There will be plenty of opportunities to watch Paul play against top-level competition over the next month, as his team will face New Trier at the Shootout At The Hall in Champaign on December 15 and will then compete at the prestigious Pontiac Holiday Tournament in Pontiac, IL from December 27-29.

Continue to check in with Illinois Prep Bulls-eye for all of the latest as it pertains to high school basketball and recruiting in Illinois.