To start off, Brandin Cummings is 7th in the entire EYBL in scoring. His numbers are as follows:
18.8 ppg
4.3 rpg
1.9 apg
1 steal per game
54% FG percentage
40% 3 point
2-1 assist to turnover ratio
These numbers are beyond impressive through 2 complete EYBL sessions. They are better than Dior Johnson, Judah Mintz, Ty-laur Johnson, Jaland Lowe, Carlton Carrington, or any other Pitt commit or target not named Justin Champagnie in the Capel era in AAU play thus far. Cummings can score. He is deceptively quick and can beat players off the bounce, he has legit 3 point firepower with a midrange game, and he has an arsenal of moves both 1 on 1 and in the PNR. His step back jumper has been terrific and he can score in a lot of ways. Cummings looks like a top 50 player right now. He is playing like a top 50 player right now. And he has been very efficient on top of the strong numbers, which makes it all the more impressive because he is one of the most efficient players in AAU thus far. The 6 players scoring more than Cummings in the EYBL are 5 star caliber players that schools like Kentucky are going after.
On top of all this, Cummings has only played 25 minutes per game and his coach failed to play him more in the early going. Most of the top players are pushing close to 30 minutes per game or more, so Cummings numbers would have been even better with the extra playing time. He has some Ashton Gibbs in his game and he has some Cam Thomas in his game. He is really good and is far better than even I expected just a month ago. He plays mainly at the SG position as an undersized 6'1 SG, but also has played the role as a scoring point guard. With all due respect to Nelly, Brandin is considerably better.
I've watched every Cummings EYBL game except 1. His rebound numbers are better than what he was doing in high school although he still is not a great rebounder. His defense is average and he has shown some ability to keep players in front of him although he still needs considerable work on defense and gaining strength.
The 2024 recruiting class as a whole is rather weak. There is a lack of real quality NBA talents and a number of the 5 star players wouldn't be close to 5 star players in other stronger recruiting classes. I would expect a wave of 2025 kids to reclass into this weak 2024 class. The top player in 2026 is 4th overall in the entire EYBL U17 division in scoring. He is playing up 2 divisions and eating these players up. If players like Boozer and Flagg played up a division , the same would be the case. It makes me think a player like Meleek Thomas or Alier Maluk may seriously want to class up to take advantage of a soft 2024. Thomas is barely top 5 nationally in 2025. And if the 2026 kid classes up, Thomas will move down even further because he is not better than Dybantsa.
From the looks of where we stand when I look at the future roster a year from now, we need a PG, a SG / Wing combo, and a 4 / 5 somewhere in there. We are only 2 sessions deep into the EYBL after todays games. With that said, I think we need to full court press Jalik Dunkley Distant who we have been consistently recruiting for a long time. 6'6 Guard / Wing with a near 7 foot wingspan. Here are his numbers
12.5 ppg
3.1 rpg
2.4 apg
53% FG
36% 3 point
Like Cummings, he is very efficiency and his team is also in first place in its division with only 1 loss. He has Vince Carter athletic ability and very high upside. Rebound numbers are a little low, but everything else looks good including the shooting percentages and he plays hard on defense. His offense has been better and more consistent than expected. He is high on Pitt and will be taking an official visit here in the future I was told, just not a date in place yet. He should be in my opinion one of our top remaining targets in 2024. Other high majors are starting to take a look at him but we have been recruiting him for a while. We will not take his twin brother.
We still need a point guard in 2024 and a PF / C. The PF / C could be resolved this recruiting cycle, a player like Papa Kante would be perfect.
I still like Kyle Greene as a point guard who is planning to visit here. Pitt recently offered Darius Acuff Jr, 2025 point guard that is a stud. Acuff is one of the 6 players currently scoring more than Cummings in the EYBL. If Cummings wants to try to be a scoring point guard in college, we could start going after guys like Austin Swartz from North Carolina who we might just offer and go after anyway.
It will be interesting how Capel plays this with regards to 2025 kids reclassifying up into a weak 2024 class. I would be very selective in 2024 with what Im seeing thus far. With Cummings being this good, we are in good hands at the SG position unless he wants to try to transition to being a scoring pg.