Xavier’s extraordinarily busy month of High School recruiting continues, this time with 6’5″ guard Elijah Paez announcing he’ll visit Xavier on 9/13. X is the first of 4 visits he will take; also going to Cal (9/18), DePaul (9/24), and UConn (10/15).
High School and AAU
Paez is going to play his senior season at Iowa United Prep out of Des Moines, Iowa. In the latest 247Sports rankings, he comes in at 86th nationally and a 4* prospect. He is not ranked by Rivals or by ESPN at this time, but has had a breakout summer, earning his 4* designation from 247Sports and a ranking for the first time with this week’s update.
Last season, he played for Dynamic Prep out of Texas and his AAU team is Drive Nation on the EYBL circuit. He helped carry his injury decimated Drive Nation team to the championship game of the Peach Jam. In the semi-finals, he put up 20/5, but averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.5 blocks over the premier event of the AAU season. His ability to hit contacted shots at the rim, but also in the mid-range stands out to me immediately, and his game continues to grow. He has tremendous defensive upside and this is the kind of guy Pitino’s squads prefer to bring in.
Fit
Eli fits the mold of the kind of guy who can come in as a relative unknown and make a huge difference on a roster. While I do believe he is not going to be a volume scorer in the NCAA, his upside is that of an all around Swiss-Army knife of sorts who has the ability to contribute from day 1, especially around the rim and on the glass. His style of play will lend itself well to the Big East if that is ultimately where he lands.
In the ever-changing portal world, having a 6’5″ guard who can grab rebounds and bang down low is something Xavier desperately needs to be able to run the system they want to.
Highlights:
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