Are Southern Cal and UConn making a push for fast-rising Solomon Ball?
Solomon Ball has been one of the biggest stock risers of the spring. Which makes sense; the 6-foot-3 junior entered high school as a 5-foot-5, 120-pound freshman.
“I’m a three-level score,” Ball told On3. “I can play and defend multiple positions. I think what sets me apart is my athleticism. My favorite player is Russel Westbrook, but I like to watch a lot of Ja Morant, Chris Paul, and DeMar DeRozan. I like mimicking DeMar DeRozan’s mid-range game.”
After his April play with Team Melo on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, the school started heavily prioritizing him. On3 caught up with Solomon Ball recently to talk visits.
“I’ve been on one official visit to DePaul, May 8th through 10th,” Ball said. “I’m going to USC on June 5th through 7th and a bunch of unofficials; Maryland, West Virginia, Pitt, Xavier. I am trying to set up official visits with UConn, Xavier, and Miami.”
Ball talks recruitment
DePaul: “I learned a lot about the location. The campus is outside the city, in a good part; Lincoln Park is nice. The atmosphere and facilities are really nice there. I feel like I can fit into that system.”
Southern Cal: “The location stands out. Coach (Andy) Enfield was on me early, he came over to my house, and we were just talking; that really stood out.”
Miami: “Coach (Jim) Larranaga texts me every day. He loves my ability to score and hustle. I score just as well as I do everything else. He likes how I rebound and move off the ball.”
UConn: “Coach (Dan) Hurley, I talk to him a lot, Coach (Luke) Murray as well. They talk about my tenacity. They like that I’m a competitor, he’s a fiery dude, and I’m a fiery dude, and I think our mentalities would match.”
Xavier: “They have been really consistent. I have been talking to the school for a while, but they have been on me much harder since they had the coaching change. I visited them this season, but that was with the old staff. Like one week into Sean Miller getting the job, I got an offer that is stuck with me.”
“I would say Ohio State, Michigan, Villanova, and Virginia are some schools who haven’t offered yet but could be close,” Ball says.
Ball’s take
“I’m looking for a school with a family atmosphere and a fit,” Ball said. “Those are the biggest thing I am looking for. I could care less about how much a team is winning, as long as I can find a way to get myself into that lineup. I want to play for a coach that allows me to play through my mistakes.”
On’s take
Solomon Ball is a crafty lefty who plays with a lot of pop. He has a slippery way of getting to the rim off the bounce and a crafty finishing package at the rim. Ball is more of a scorer than a shooter. He is confident in the mid-range, and things can get inconsistent from beyond the arc. He is an explosive athlete and has upside as a perimeter defender with his length and pop. You want to see Ball consistently affect the game, even when he is not scoring. But he has a competitive nature that shows from whistle to whistle. A late growth spurt has put Ball on the map, but he still plays with that competitive chip he had as a 5-foot-5 freshman.