#BrandonClayScouting: NaismithWatch

After spending the first four years of her career playing in the SEC, Baylor redshirt senior guard Te’a Cooper has improved with each season. She’s on my Naismith Preseason List in large part due to her skill set stepping in for Chloe Jackson who was the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four last spring for Baylor. Before leaving South Carolina to head to Baylor, Cooper averaged 11.4 points, 2.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per.

An in-depth High School Eval on Cooper’s potential @ BrandonClayScouting.com All-American Showcase in January 2013:

Strengths

The 5-foot-6 point guard is as physically strong as any guard in the class. Her smooth handle coupled with her strength allows her to get into the paint, take contact from the post game and still finish the play with a basket. She’s a true table-setting floor general who doesn’t shy away from having the basketball in her hands versus pressure in key situations. As a freshman, Cooper quarterbacked McEachern High to a No. 2 ranking nationally and a GHSA Class AAAAA state championship. Defensively, Cooper is more than willing to lockdown the other team’s most potent offensive perimeter threat whether that’s on or off of the basketball.

Area To Improve

If Cooper has an Achilles heel, it’s her ability to consistently knock down the open 3-pointer. She has been working on that in her skill development sessions. Her percentages have increased over the past three summers but it is still an area where the five-star prospect can improve her game. Players at all levels with Cooper’s skill to make plays off the bounce in traffic have to spend time on their outside jumper as they progress into playing elite level competition on a consistent basis.

The Bottom Line

Cooper is the type of point guard who can control the pace of the game for better part of the first 36 minutes with her passing and defense then turn on the jets for the last four to win the game with a couple of key baskets. She has a chance to be the best player at her position if not overall in the class.

Brandon Clay is the owner of the JumpOffPlus.com International Report, Peach State Basketball, Inc., and ProspectsNation.com. The JumpOffPlus.com is picked up by more than 200 colleges and universities nationwide. In addition to serving as ProspectsNation.com WNBA Director of Scouting, Clay serves as the Executive Camp Director for the BrandonClayScouting.com National Training Academies. He is a McDonald’s All-American Game Selection Committee member. Clay serves on the Naismith Trophy Men’s / Women’s College Player of the Year Academy and is the National Coordinator of Voting for the Boys / Girls All-American Teams. He has been involved in the community since 2001. You can reach Clay at [email protected]