2018 WBB - Olivia Nelson-Ododa - PF/C

[DorchesterGamecock]

6'4" post player from Winder, Georgia. Currently ranked #13 overall and #2 at her position in the 2018 class. Also currently playing for USA Basketball's U17 team. Listed at 6'4" but possibly taller with guard-like ball handling skills, above average speed, and comfortable all over the court.

ESPN's Dan Olson most recently said "Explosive in the key with a quickly emerging offensive game; stretches the defender to the arc complemented by soft touch in the key; active, plays at the rim; superb mobility and lateral quickness; continues to emerge as one of the elite prospects in the class of 2018"

According to the article, her favorite schools right now are South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio State, Georgia Tech and Georgia.

Currently averaging 11.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg for the U17 team.

See the article for more interesting facts and quirks about Ododa --> http://espn.go.com/espnw/sports/arti...-championships

ESPN hoopsgurlz page --> http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls...a-nelson-ododa

[USCharleston2]

Gonna be tough getting her away from UGA WBB. She's got a past with that program and their new coach has been doing a good job recruiting so far...

[scfastpitch]

Nelson-Ododa now ranked #1 in the 2018 class by some sites .

[usc1]

We really need a player like her. We've been avoiding getting a dominant low post player for several classes now. Need to capitalize.

[Nuyoika]

I think she definitely stays in the south east. If she does though she will likely play in the SEC and will need to put on about 20 lbs to compete there. She is great at getting position vs other players her age but in the SEC she will be pushed around if she doesn't bulk up a bit. While her skill set is purely low post around the basket play she lacks the strength of an Alaina Coates type player that has anchored this team over the last 3 years.

[DorchesterGamecock]

I think it's very telling what Dawn is looking for in her immediate future post players. The commitment of LaDazhia Williams was especially interesting because if you listen to Kasiyahna Kushkituah's AAU coach (on Coach Bill's weekly recruiting podcast) Dawn essentially chose Williams over KK (who later committed to Tennessee). Which I think helps us with Nelson-Ododa next year.

Williams has a strong body that's more than capable of playing inside but Dawn intends to mostly use her facing the basket in the high post, midrange and on the perimeter as a mismatch. Kushkituah, on the other hand, is a low post banger. You would think given SC's success with Alaina Coates that Dawn would choose Kushkituah over Williams but that's not the case. On top of that, we also have Mikiah Harrigan in our 2016 freshmen class who is also a face up forward.

To my knowledge so far, the bigs in the 2018 class that we are actively recruiting are Nelson-Ododa, Collier, Cosgrove, Cunane and Jarosinkski. I too think Nelson-Ododa stays in the South, if she committed today my money would be on either UGA or South Carolina (when you consider how depleted both schools will be at the 5 by the time she arrives, I would've said Tennessee too before KK committed). I think Ohio State has an outside shot with ONO as well. Collier has a Coates like body and has a very dense list of elite schools. I get the impression that she's the most coveted player in the class.. I don't really think we have a REAL shot at her commitment because we seem to already be behind as far as her recruitment. In fact, I'm not even sure SC will make it past her upcoming cuts in December. Cosgrove is a low post player that likes SC a lot and has visited unofficially and camped at the school. Cunane is a "local" player from NC that's a 6'5 rebounding machine that Dawn is also recruiting very hard. I don't know much about Jarosinkski but she's also a low post performer and she's from the midwest (where SC is beginning to pick up steam recruiting wise).

Long story short, I don't think it was imperative with this class to bring in a backboard cleaner like Kushkituah. Dawn wanted a big like Williams that she could move around the floor with an offensive game that can be molded. Williams has said that she intends to model her game after Candace Parker. While we do lose Coates after this season, it's not like we suddenly become a "small" team next year.. we will still have Wilson and Harrigan, we add Jennings and Williams.. but not only that, almost overnight we added more size at the Wing position, next year we will have 5 "guards" that are 6'0" or taller (K. Davis, Gray, Cliney, and freshmen Grissett and Jackson). Grissett is impressive physically, she's super athletic, still growing and strong at 6'1/6'2 but can play as a guard at the 3 or a forward.

Next year we will likely have another class of 4.. I see us getting a Center (Nelson-Ododa, Cosgrove or Cunane), a point guard (we could go small like Scott-Grayson or big like Massengill), and two more guards.

FWIW, I think Jazmine Massengill ends up at SC.

[Nuyoika]

So Cunane sounds like more of a Coates replacement and Williams is more of a Wilson replacement.

[DorchesterGamecock]

Originally Posted by Nuyoika

So Cunane sounds like more of a Coates replacement and Williams is more of a Wilson replacement.

Just about. Cunane is a much better ball handler and mobile in transition, but yeah that would be a fair assessment. Cunane would be a really good get for SC, especially when it comes to cementing our status in NC. Dawn loves her.

[allnet43]

If we have a shot at Olivia we best get her especially now that Collier has already committed. We can't ever have too many top 10 prospects.

[JerseyBird]

So you're saying we have to make a move on her

[DorchesterGamecock]

We haven't had a top 10 recruit since Wilson and White, meanwhile schools like Baylor (because it's texas) and UConn (because it's UConn) get at least 1 a year. Tennessee got 2 top 10 players in Evina Westbrook (#2) and Anastasia Hayes (#9) two players that I believe SC had a REALLY good shot with and likely would've ended up at SC had our class not filled so quickly. They also got Rennia Davis (#12, but I think she's better than that) and Kasiyahna Kushkituah (#55 but probably one of the better low post players in her class) in their 2017 class. This 2017 class for Tennessee will make the SEC very interesting going forward. Raven Fairley-Clark at LSU is a big get as well.

We've put together some okay classes since 2014 but in order for us to stay near the top we need to replenish with the elite talent every year.. I marked underranked players (IMO) in green and over ranked players in red.

According to Hoopgurlz...

2015:
- Shay Colley - 89

- 2015 was a disaster class for SC (and also explains our current lack of playmakers behind Gray and Davis at 2/3), and the only player we got that year is no longer even here.


2016:
- Tyasha Harris - 97 (#28)
- Aarion Bradshaw - 97 (#33)
- Mikiah Harrigan - 95 (#72)
- Victoria Patrick - 90

- a good class, but not elite. Harris is a gem and will more than likely be the point guard of the future for the next 3 years, she's only going to get better and will more than likely be one of the better players in the country at her position in a a few years. Harrigan was a steal and has definitely proven to be better than her ranking. She rebounds exceptionally well for her height and is stronger than she looks (you grow up fast when you practice against Coates and Wilson everyday). We haven't seen much from Bradshaw or Patrick yet, but from what I can tell they are both project-type players that will need time to develop... both will probably be solid contributors at the guard spots off the bench by their junior-senior seasons.


2017:
- Elisia Grissett - 97 (#24)
- LaDazhia Williams - 96 (#47)
- Bianca Jackson - 95 (#54)
- Haley Troup - 90

- in my opinion, a much better overall class than the 2016 class for SC. Grissett is the big get here. I actually think she's underranked at #24 in the nation.. very few players ahead of her have her combination of strength, athleticism, rebounding and ability to attack the rim in transition and off the dribble. Grissett is just a basketball player and has a college ready frame (she will likely contribute a lot as a freshmen). Where she needs to improve is on the perimeter, but she's not bad there either. She's one of our better recruits since the 2014 class. Williams is a 6'4 forward and will be a stretch-4 for us. Super quick and athletic. This class is rounded out with Troup and Jackson, with both being good offensively.. Jackson is the shot creator with great ball handling skills and a midrange attack. Troup is the long distance sniper with the flashy passing skills.






So as you can see, not shabby at all.. but no really elite (program building type) players, that's not to say Harris and Grissett aren't very good, because they are. It's imperative our staff develop these players well and those around them, the complementary pieces. In 2018 (the year we lose Wilson, Davis, Gray and Cuevas), if we reel in a similarly ranked class to 2016/2017 then it would be fairly accurate to say that we've essentially fallen back to the pack in the SEC and nationally (as far as talent), doesn't mean we won't be one of the better teams in the country..it just means we'll be on par talent wise with a top 20/top 15 team and not a top 10/top 5 team like we are now.

So for 2018 it's necessary that we start bringing in top 10 recruits again. We're in the running for Olivia Nelson-Ododa (#1), Christyn Williams (#2), Izabella Nicoletti (#3), NaLyssa Smith (#4), Destanni Henderson (#10) and Honesty Scott-Grayson who's right outside the top 10 at #11. I'm not comfortable yet revealing who I feel we have a good to great to no shot with yet because most of these players haven't visited yet.. but I think Smith may be the best player in her class and SC is turning up the heat on her big time (she recently included us in her top schools after us not being in it for her at all). Smith has Candace Parker-like potential at the power forward position.

It'll be interesting to see how this class turns out and it'll be a bad sign if we strike out on all 6.. UConn already has a commitment from #7 Charli Collier (who had SC in her top 12) and they are turning up the heat on Nelson-Ododa (who interestingly enough plays similarly to Collier but is more of a Center, so I guess you can play both). The Huskies are also recruiting Williams, Smith, Nicoletti and Shakira Austin (#5). UConn just brought in a monster class of guards/wings in 2017 so I can't see that helping them too much with Williams or Nicoletti unless Williams is just dead set on playing for UConn.

For Tennessee in 2018, they are looking at Nelson Ododa, Williams, Nicoletti, Aquira DeCosta (#6) and Scott-Grayson as far as top 15 players.. They already have a commitment from Amira Collins, the #27 player in the class. Tennessee has to feel really good about DeCosta.. for a school in the middle of Appalachia (i.e. nowhere) they do exceptionally well on the West Coast (especially Oregon). DeCosta, from California, is good friends with Westbrook (I believe they play for the same AAU program) and she looks up to Diamond DeShields. Nothing set in stone really, but I'd be shocked if DeCosta ended up anywhere other than Tennessee.

[Ace Dilcock]

Thanks for what you do, DG. Good stuff as always, well thought out and knowledgeable.

Is Dawn looking for a Recruiting Coordinator? She should sign you up!

[Ahmad]

Originally Posted by Ace Dilcock

Thanks for what you do, DG. Good stuff as always, well thought out and knowledgeable.

Is Dawn looking for a Recruiting Coordinator? She should sign you up!

I'm with all the way on this. DG puts in some amazing work with women's recruiting.

[Mechanical Cock]

My wife is from Winder....and she fled the area as often as she could to Athens growing up as her happy place.

Undoubtedly UGA is Olivias second home. Winder-Barrow high are also the "bull dogs" and wear red and black. Anyone who has been through barrow county knows the cool-aid is served in place of breast milk.

[smoovecock]

Originally Posted by Mechanical Cock

My wife is from Winder....and she fled the area as often as she could to Athens growing up as her happy place.

Undoubtedly UGA is Olivias second home. Winder-Barrow high are also the "bull dogs" and wear red and black. Anyone who has been through barrow county knows the cool-aid is served in place of breast milk.

...Yep...nice area but they do have a flea problem and the fire hydrants have to be painted every year. If you walk down the streets of Winder you may get a leg humping if you are not careful...

[Cockhornleghorn]

Tyasha Harris is a great addition in 2016, but don't forget about Kiki Herbert Harrigan. She is an outstanding athlete and surprisingly tough inside. I think she will start next season. While we haven't signed any top ten freshmen in the last 2 years, we have 2 transfers starting this year who were top ten as high school seniors.

[JDuro]

While much of the national attention was on the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona, Connecticut signee Megan Walker and Monacan were working their magic at the Crescom Bank Invitational in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Walker was named MVP after leading Monacan to wins over Prairie View (Colorado) and Georgia's Norcross and Winder-Barrow. Playing against No. 1 junior Olivia Nelson-Ododa in the final, Walker had 22 points and seven rebounds. Nelson-Ododa, who was named most outstanding player, had 16 points and 22 rebounds.

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/b...28&season=2016

[scfastpitch]

Originally Posted by JDuro

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/b...28&season=2016

I assume Nelson-Ododa was double-teamed a lot in the championship game as she also had 8 turnovers . In the tournament opener her team beat Dreher 63-37 . Elissa Grissett's Hillside team only went 2-2 in the tourney , but she averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds and made the all-tournament team .

http://cbhi.beachballclassic.com/cha...ip-day-recaps/

[DorchesterGamecock]

Thanks for posting guys.. looks like LeLe is a stat stuffer.. she had good stats across the board in the final consolation game. Box Scores aren't everything but we are getting a good player next year in Grissett..

[JDuro]