One of the top prospects to emerge this July and prove that he has excellent potential for the future in Arizona's 2019 class is Morenci High School's promising 6-foot-9, 185-pound rising junior post John Olmstead. Olmstead played very well throughout the month of July - catching my attention with his ability to play the post position, and also his serious potential for the future.
Olmstead is a rare find in our state, as he possesses excellent size and length early in the recruiting process. He is also very skilled and is a good overall athlete, which caught my attention quickly in July. This young man has the potential to become a very serious recruiting target over the next year of development.
While watching Olmstead play for a talented Powerhouse Hoops 16U Black squad, I was impressed with Olmstead's ability to play the post position while observing him throughout the month of July. He has a very good jump hook, which he can get off quite easily and seems to be very accurate with it, even while contested. He has good low-post footwork and, overall, has good hands and feet which allow him to run the floor quite well and finish plays around the paint. He runs the floor like a small forward, which is quite attractive for a low post player, and also suggests that he should develop nicely into his body as he continues to grow over time. Olmstead is also an active rebounder and shotblocker with good timing - keeping balls in play that he blocks.
He will need to add some serious physical size to his very thin frame over time, and, as he matures physically and gets much stronger, he will see his game really develop. Because his skill level and level of mobility are already intact, as he adds strength he will maximize his potential as a player.
Olmstead is also a very good baseball prospect and put up impressive numbers last high school season as a sophomore - pumping in better than a .300 batting average. He will have an opportunity to play both sports in college, but he will definitely have many options in both sports. As a basketball prospect, Olmstead should develop nicely over the next two years of high school into a low to mid-major plus division-I prospect.
Olmstead should begin to generate many recruiting options for himself over the next year, and I expect him to begin to see scholarship offers begin to take shape for him in the next 6 to 9 months.
I will continue to follow the recruitment and player progression of Olmstead over the next year, and bring you any updates as they continue to develop.
