In the midst of SEC Football Media Days in Hoover, Ben Howland and the basketball program received some good news. 5-star signee Nick Weatherspoon has officially enrolled.
Ben Howland can breathe a sigh of relief.
Prized 5-star basketball signee Nick Weatherspoon has officially enrolled at Mississippi State University and joined the basketball program on Tuesday. Weatherspoon is the second 5-star prospect Ben Howland has signed during his early tenure in Starkville.
The Men’s Basketball account confirmed the news Tuesday afternoon:
Our roster has officially grown by 1 as Nick Weatherspoon, @quavo_mxbb, is enrolled in school and doing summer workouts. #HailState
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) July 11, 2017
What is Mississippi State getting in Nick Weatherspoon?
Nick Weatherspoon is one of the best combo-guards in all of the 2017 signing class. His ability to explode by defenders, get to the rim, and score the basketball drew him comparisons to NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. That’s right, Ben Howland — the man that recruited and developed Westbrook — compared his newest addition to the program to one of the elite players in the world.
Now, that is a lofty comparison. Westbrook has established himself as one of the best basketball players on the planet. Nonetheless, Howland sees similarities in Weatherspoon’s game:
"“Watching him a year ago, he played out in Vegas and was phenomenal,” said Howland of Weatherspoon. “He made his team so much better. He’s the only other player I’ve ever watched that reminded me of Russell Westbrook. He is the only kid I’ve ever recruited where I’ve said ‘yeah, he’s like Russell’. That is about the ultimate compliment I can pay a player and it’s because of his motor. What makes Russell special is what makes Nick special – competitiveness, toughness, desire to win and plays both ends of the floor.”"
Expecting Weatherspoon to become a future NBA MVP is a little absurd, especially right now, but Weatherspoon is a huge addition to the men’s basketball program. Howland has proven he can bring elite talent to Starkville and Weatherspoon is just the latest example of that.
At 6-2 and over 170, Weatherspoon has the ideal size for an effective floor general in the SEC. His quick first step and handles allow the highly talented guard to blow by defenders to get to the paint and finish at the rim. His vision gives him the ability to find the open man when penetrating defenses — an aspect that Mississippi State will gladly welcome this season.
While a very talented point guard, Weatherspoon’s versatility and shooting will allow Howland to play the younger Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters together on the court to cause headaches for opposing coaches. Like Peters, the younger Weatherspoon plays with a swagger that makes him seem like the best player on the court. With Ben Howland’s history of playing multiple point guards at the same time, Mississippi State fans should be excited about that this backcourt can potentially do in the upcoming seasons.
Next: Overview of Men's Hoops Roster
Last season, Mississippi State’s team filled with a huge freshmen class struggled to close out games and get over the hump. Nick Weatherspoon will have the opportunity to help change that.
Nick will join his older brother and All-SEC second-team performer Quinndary Weatherspoon in the backcourt next season. The one-two punch brought Velma Jackson High School lots of success. Can they do it again in Starkville?