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Recruiting: Brandon Hutton Brings Toughness to Iowa Basketball

Brandon Hutton, another Chicago recruit, plays physical and will make an impact at Iowa.

By Brian Sonnenberg
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

It doesn't take long to realize Brandon Hutton plays with great effort and intensity. Watching him just for a moment and his ability to impact the game through sheer energy becomes quite evident. Hawkeye fans will discover that Hutton won't short them on effort, or athleticism for that matter.

Brandon Hutton is another Chicago player (much like Isaiah Moss), but unlike Moss, he's a product of De La Salle Institute. The 6'6, 205-pounder is a 3-star recruit according to ESPN. ESPN ranks him 37th at his position and Hutton signed with the Hawkeyes last summer, giving Iowa another athletic wing. Speculation is that Iowa's coach Fran McCaffery wants to play uptempo and he's recruiting personnel to execute that system, with Hutton being another building block for that strategy.

With that being said, let's take a closer look at the wing.

Scouting Report
His athletic ability is really his main selling point. Hutton's pretty dynamic in the open court and finishes above the rim aggressively. He's a good enough ballhandler and passer to lead the break and find open teammates. Impressively, he's pretty refined going right or left when attacking.

Much like Isaiah Moss, Hutton can shoot, which isn't necessarily a guarantee for someone as young and athletically gifted. Occasionally players like Hutton can thrive on athletic ability alone in high school, something that is not always the same when moving up another level. Great athletic ability can cause stagnation in development, but not with Hutton. While not lights out, he'll shoot well enough to make defenses nervous and force them to guard him. In doing so, it'll open up driving lanes where he'll demonstrate his superior athletic ability.

On defense he's capable of guarding multiple wing positions and should create havoc with his length and effort. It's starting to become a little more obvious as to what McCaffery's been up to recently, with his recruiting showing that he wants to play uptempo on offense and defense with interchangeable parts on the perimeter. On the glass, his effort and athleticism should translate to opportunities. Having guards who can rebound will help Iowa get out in transition and Hutton can quickly flip the court on the opposition, just like several others recently recruited by McCaffery.

Areas for Improvement
While his jumper shows potential, he'll continually need to develop it. A mid-range game off the dribble could be a very beneficial addition to his game as well. When driving lanes close, as they will more quickly in college, he can audible to a pull up jumper and become an even more dangerous offensive threat.

He's aggressive defensively and plays hard, but he'll need to be more disciplined. Crafty and athletic offensive talents will exploit someone who gambles on steals or doesn't stay committed to sound defensive assignments. His length should help him get in and out of passing lanes and close out on defenders without completely selling out, though, so he has the athletic skills to be a capable defender.

Player Outlook
Brandon Hutton's game fits perfectly with what Iowa intends to do. They want to attack and play with aggression and ESPN thinks he'll see the floor early, solely because his defensive ability. McCaffery can afford to ride out a few of Hutton's offensive transitions, if he plays hard on defense and hits the glass. It's a bit terrifying to think about Isaiah Moss and Brandon Hutton roaming the perimeter in the future for Iowa. Both incoming players are long and very athletic, set to start wreaking havoc on Big Ten backcourts in the near future.

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