2016 Ohio State Commit Profile: 3-Star Power Forward Micah Potter

The Buckeyes have their second commitment for their 2016 class in Micah Potter. Potter, an in-state three star power forward from Mentor High School, will be sharing the court with fellow power forward Derek Funderburk for Thad Matta's squad. Potter doesn't project to be a star, but it's not hard to imagine him becoming a solid two way player after some time on the team.

He's not going to spend too much time above the rim, but he will be in the lane on offense and defense.He has relatively good footwork and if he beefs up a little (he stands 6'10 and weighs 245, but he doesn't look quite that heavy) he'll be able to take up major space in the lane. His outside shot is decent and he's mentioned focusing on it more during his last year in high school, which would be a boon for the Buckeyes. The most impressive aspect of his game might be how well he rotates on both sides of the floor, as you can see in his highlight video:

He seems like a pretty prototypical three star player: he's not quick but he's not plodding, he boxes out well but can't really get above the rim, he has a decent shot out to about 18 feet, and has the body to potentially become a solid piece on a good B1G team.

There are signs he may transcend that ceiling and become a really good player, though, they may be buried a bit. We all just saw Xavier's Matt Stainbrook tear up bigger, more athletic competition in the NCAA Tournament last month and it seemed like more than a flash in the pan March moment. Stainbrook showed good footwork, a keen eye for open passing lanes, a couple of nifty post moves, a decent mid range jumper, and a wide frame (oh, and those glorious rec specs. There was definitely some magic in them). If Potter continues to develop at his current pace (he averaged 20 and 9 last season) Stainbrook could actually be a realistic comp.

The foundation is there: he's surprisingly good on the boards, he's pretty much always looking for the outlet pass, he makes his rotations in concert with the rest of his teammates, and already has a burgeoning array of post moves. He's never going to be Jared Sullinger, but even Sully played below the rim during his time at OSU. It's not like earthbound big men haven't had success in the B1G. Potter will also benefit from playing alongside Funderburk, who is more athletic and will probably eat up a lot of the lane on offense. If Potter develops a three point shot, I'm guessing we're looking at a 10-12 point, 6-8 rebound guy on what figures to be a really good Ohio State team.

That's all probably best case, and while his ceiling may not be all that high, it doesn't seem like his floor is all that low. There's always room in college basketball for big guys that can make up for what they lack in athleticism with their size, understanding of the team's system, and a couple of reliable moves. Potter seems like he already has that. His worst case scenario is probably that he ends up giving OSU ten good minutes a night, playing solid defense, crashing the boards, and getting the ball out of his hands quickly (pass or shot) on offense.

It seems a little strange that Thad Matta would pick up his second commit for 2016 this early considering that Potter is only a three star recruit, but once you watch him play, it's easy to see why Matta inked him so early.. He's going to be a solid role player no matter what. Potter is the "Law & Order" of recruits, if you will: he may not always be good or interesting, but you know what you're getting.