Brandan Wright (Class of 2006)

Wright is a slim, long-armed, lefty from the Class of 2006 who is capable of playing 4 different positions on the floor. Wright played on the Murfreesboro Stars AAU team at the Boo Williams in the 16 & under division. During the just completed high school season Wright led his Brentwood Academy team to a 27-7 overall record, which included Brentwood Academy's 2nd straight State Division II Championship. Wright averaged 21 PPG during his recently completed sophomore season & was named MVP of the state tournament for the 2nd straight year. Currently, he is ranked #2 overall in the Class of 2006 by Rivals.

BDP was able to observe Wright & his Murfreesboro Stars team at the Boo Williams this weekend as they played the Baltimore Stars. Although the Baltimore Stars defeated Wright's Murfreesboro team 58-46, it was definitely clear that Wright was the best player on the floor. Wright ended the game with 21 points, 14 rebounds, & 4 blocked shots. However, he struggled from the foul line as he was able to convert on only 6 of 13 attempts. His baskets from the field were on a variety of spin moves, short jumpers, offensive putbacks, & 10 foot drives to the hoop. On the defensive end of the floor he was definitely a factor with his wide wingspan, but he was also outmuscled for rebounds, on ocassion, by bigger & stronger foes.

Wright has already cut his list of schools to Duke, UNC, Indiana, Kentucky, & Louisville. At the present time, he has no visits set & has made no visits. Grades should not be an issue with Wright, as he currently carries a 3.1 GPA. Wright acknowledged that Duke assistant coach Steve Wojciechowski recently paid a visit to Wright at Brentwood Academy, during which Wright ran some drills in front of Wojo. He also said that Coach K is expected to make an in-school visit with him soon. When asked bluntly if he was interested in attending college, Wright answered in the affirmative. Concerning his timetable for making a college decision, Wright stated that he is in no hurry & that it may be awhile because he would like to take some visits & find out more about each school on his list & how he would fit in with each school's program. It is highly likely that the NBA will be an issue for whatever program Wright ends up committing to in the future.

Brandan Wright stated that he models his game after NBA star Kevin Garnett & although his skill level is nowhere near Garnett's, it is easy to see that he could someday reach that level. Wright is a lefty with long arms & a slim body. He definitely has good skills, excellent versatility, plays unselfishly, & possesses good ball-handling skills for someone of his size. He is comfortable playing either on the perimeter or battling in the paint. He has a nice looking stroke on his left-handed shot, although he struggled at the free throw line in the game that we observed. His long reach can create havoc on the defensive end of the floor, although he lacks the strength to battle bigger & stronger opponents inside. Basically, Brandan Wright is a raw product who has a decent basketball skill level & excellent physical skills, but needs to refine those skills & get stronger as his career progresses.