Scouting Report on Four-Star SG Joe Bamisile

Robert Irby | @Rob_Irby

August 17, 2019, 03:00 AM

As our series of scouting reports concludes, we have officially broken down every newcomer to Virginia Tech’s current men’s basketball roster. Those newcomers include Hunter Cattoor, Jalen Cone, John Ojiako, Nahiem Alleyne, Branden Johnson, and Keve Aluma. As you can tell by reading each of these reports, head coach Mike Young has done a phenomenal job recruiting since taking over in April. Not only did he bring in these six players, but Young also convinced Wabissa Bede and Landers Nolley II to return to VT after entering the transfer portal. Young took a broken, depleted roster and turned it into a competitive one. He deserves all the recognition and praises a coach can get for that. However, Young has done more than just damage control; he is ready to take this program to the next level. Young has proven that by making waves in recruiting beyond the 2019 class as well. Virginia Tech is on the top lists for several high-profile 2020 recruits, and one has already committed. That player’s name is Joe Bamisile, and he is currently the sixth-highest rated commit in Virginia Tech history according to 247Sports. Bamisile is a 6-5, 175-pound shooting guard from Monacan High School in Richmond, VA. He is rated as the fifth-best player in Virginia by both 247Sports and 247Sports Composite. Watching Bamisile’s highlights, there is plenty to be excited about for Hokie fans. Bamisile is a jack of all trades, combining size, length, and athleticism with a good jump shot. His versatility will be what sets him apart from most other players. Bamisile can score in a variety of ways. First of all, he can drive to the basket and use his length and strength to get good looks at the rim, as seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaN0dPICG4&t=91s&start=97&end=103 Or he can use his deadly jump shot, both off the dribble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19y3hqYqahU&start=45&end=65 And spotting up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaN0dPICG4&t=91s&start=56&end=62 He can also use strong post moves to score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0koZY8eHe4&start=21&end=27 And perhaps his most deadly weapon of all, Bamisile can embarrass defenses when they give him open lanes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19y3hqYqahU&start=16&end=24 Bamisile is a scorer through and through. Though he does not possess elite handles, he more than makes up for it with his ability to get past defenders consistently. He will likely need some time to learn how to function off the ball and to create opportunities for teammates, as many elite high school players do once they get to college. It naturally takes time to get accustomed to not being the primary scoring option every play. I see no reason to worry about that, however. Bamisile is one of those guys who has all aspects of basketball come naturally to him. He saw something he liked in Young’s system, and he will gladly play his role in it. Additionally, Bamisile should benefit from having a pair of talented point guards alongside him for at least most of his time in Blacksburg in Jalen Cone and Wabissa Bede. Defensively, Bamisile has the potential to be a star as well. His frame is ideal for his position, as he is on the longer side for shooting guards. Combine that frame with his athleticism and the proper coaching and Bamisile may be the guy who defends opponents’ best player every night. Bamisile has all the bearings of being one of the best two-way players the Hokies have ever had. Some have called Bamisile “Baby Victor Oladipo”, so I will go ahead and run with that player comparison. Oladipo, also a shooting guard, stands at 6-4, 210 and has made the NBA All-Star team twice in his six seasons. Much like Bamisile, Oladipo is known for being a great two-way player, having been named to the NBA First Team All-Defense in 2018. Oladipo and Bamisile both possess similar athleticism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkEAfKrlaVY&start=1&end=7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19y3hqYqahU&start=37&end=40 They can use that athleticism to get to the basket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkEAfKrlaVY&start=62&end=68 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaN0dPICG4&t=91s&start=68&end=75 And they can kill defenders at any moment with their jump shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkEAfKrlaVY&start=22&end=30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19y3hqYqahU&start=24&end=28 Once Bamisile gets into a collegiate weight training program, he can look to add more muscle. He currently weighs 45 pounds less than Oladipo, but once the muscle is added, he will likely weigh the same if not more. Bamisile has the potential to be a truly special for the Hokies, as does the rest of the 2020 class that only continues to grow with the addition of Darius Maddox, another four-star guard ranked in the top 100 nationally by all four major recruiting rankings. As the dominoes continue to fall and more players join this 2020 class, we at the Tech Lunch Pail will keep you updated with scouting reports and everything else you’ll need to know.