Previewing the Future: Michael Humphrey
2014 Stanford men's basketball signee Michael Humphrey is a classic example of a late bloomer.
Advertisement
As recently as June of this year, Humphrey was still awaiting his first college offer. Just a few months later, after a strong showing on the summer AAU circuit, not only had Humphrey received offers from a who's who of top college basketball programs - Indiana, Louisville and Arizona, to name a few - but the 6-foot-10 forward was ranked among the top 100 prospects in the nation by several recruiting sites.
After narrowing his list to Arizona and Stanford, Humphrey made a verbal commitment to the Cardinal in October. Stanford helped its cause by evaluating and starting to recruit Humphrey before many of his other suitors.
"Fortunately we started recruiting him the year before he kind of blew up," Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. "He blossomed but he had already started recruiting him. He fit our profile in a number of ways. We were watching him already. This past summer when he came on we had already been in touch with him and his family so we had already started forming a relationship. And so then when everything kind of went into high gear, fortunately we were already involved with the process."
Like fellow 2014 Stanford signee Reid Travis, Humphrey was a top quarterback in high school. The intangibles that Humphrey acquired on the gridiron complement his versatile skillset on the hardwood.
"We think he brings a lot to the table," Dawkins said. "For one, his ability coming from the quarterback position having to make plays and make reads really fast out of that position, as well as leadership from that position, is something that he'll bring to the table. I think he's very skilled. I think he still has a huge upside. What he brings is a versatile big guy who can step out and knock down shots, he can score around the post with either hand. He gives us versatility on the interior, which is good for us. He's more like for us like a power forward."
Why Stanford? "I think it's obviously once of the top schools in the world," Humphrey told Cardinal Sports Report. It has everything to offer from academics, the athletics are great, it's a great place. All the people there are wonderful, So not that any of those other schools were bad places or didn't have the best things about them, but Stanford was really a dream school, the best situation for me. I think that's what it came down to."
Scouting Report: "Thin big man is very mobile and is improving rapidly. Not overly physical but he will rebound and he can definitely stick a jump shot. Runs the floor well, passes well out of double teams and seems to add to his game each time out. Needs more strength and experience against high end players." - Eric Bossi, Rivals.com, 9-25
On Film: Here are highlights of Humphrey in action from last summer.
Fun Fact: Humphrey threw for 1,676 and threw 11 touchdowns against only one interception in leading Sunnyslope High School's football team to a 10-1 record this season.