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Rutgers basketball landed a big man on Monday night with the addition of Antwone Woolfolk. He is now the third member of the Scarlet Knights 2022 recruiting class.
Originally a tight end prospect in football, Woolfolk is now choosing to focus on the hardcourt. The 6-foot-7 senior is raw but oozing with potential.
Former NBA scout Michael VandeGarde, who spent 18 years with the Philadelphia 76ers organization, sees plenty of promise in Woolfolk’s emerging game. He was asked to evaluate the limited tape on the verbal commit.
“He is a project ‘Big’ that is more center than power forward,” VandeGarde told ‘Rutgers Wire.’
“A hard-nosed player that can handle the physical nature of the game and should be able to play good team defense. His skill set is better than most guys with his size and strength.”
There are areas for improvement, of course, as Woolfolk had been considered a football athlete up until a couple of months ago when he began to consider basketball as a true option at the college level. VandeGarde notes that Woolfolk’s “Shooting and face-up game, rim protection, conditioning, elite quick-twitch explosion” all need to continue to be developed.
He is certainly a bit of a prospect but can and should be able to help head coach Steve Piekiell develop front-court depth.
“He projects as a four-year player that should be able to contribute quickly because of his strength and size,” VandeGarde said. “He has good upside because he has not concentrated on one sport in high school and could makes big strides quickly. His skill set, which is good, could really improve in the coming years.”
He likens Woolfolk to former Michigan State power forward Nick Ward, a former All-Big Ten honorable mention currently playing in Europe.
VandeGarde is currently involved in consulting with several NBA teams. He also is passionately involved with CoachTube. An online training tool that gives athletes access to instruction, knowledge, and sports coaching videos, CoachTube provides access to on-demand online training from the world’s best coaches and players.