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Isaiah Stokes - Class of 2017


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http://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/tigers/basketball/body-transformation-helps-turn-team-pennys-isaiah-stokes-into-top-70-national-prospect-3739c47a-3f0c-386153701.html

 

Body transformation helps turn Team Penny’s Isaiah Stokes into top-70 national prospect

 

Posted: July 09, 2016

By Jason Smith of The Commercial Appeal

 

 

This time last year, Team Penny 2017 big man Isaiah Stokes weighed more than 300 pounds and couldn't get up and down a basketball court more than a few consecutive times.

 

"I had gotten to 310. I used to last three, four minutes and have to come out and get a sub. I'd just start fouling, just to try to get out," said the 6-foot-9 Stokes, who back then was planning to pursue a college football career as an offensive lineman.

 

Stokes, who's attended Lausanne since the eighth grade, said he had football offers from Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame and Ole Miss among others.

 

Stokes' father, Willie Stokes, told The Commercial Appeal late Saturday night that his son is headed to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season.

 

The younger brother of NBA forward Jarnell Stokes, Isaiah was going to be a left tackle. But all that changed last fall.

 

"To be honest, every day something was going on with football, as far as like CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), people dying. It's crazy out there. It was the No. 1 (reason)," Stokes said of changing sports. "I feel like if basketball don't work out, I can always go back to (football). But football is a whole 'nother sport."

 

Less than a year after making the decision to focus on basketball full time, Stokes has turned himself into the No. 70 overall prospect in the Class of 2017, according to ESPN, which ranks him the ninth-best center prospect nationally. He's transformed his body, having lost 50-60 pounds, and now has schools all over the country, including the University of Memphis, eager to land him.

 

"(Memphis coach) Tubby (Smith) and them, they're coming after me hard," said Stokes, whose brother starred at the University of Tennessee. "Tubby's a great coach. Got a great past. Everywhere he went, he was successful. You can't ignore that. I can't wait to see what he does this year with (brothers) Dedric and K.J. (Lawson) and everyone. We'll just wait and see it out."

 

Even 50-60 pounds lighter, Stokes is still massive. But he isn't just a big body under the basket. Stokes knows the game, having studied his brother's growing up. Whether it's taking a charge or making a perfect bounce pass into the post from the wing, he's fundamentally sound with good footwork in the post. While he's not overly athletic or a dominant rebounder at this point — he averaged just 3.7 boards to go with 10.3 points (on 53.1-percent shooting) in Team Penny's first six Peach Jam games this weekend — he should improve in those areas as he continues to tune his body.

 

Team Penny coach Todd Day, who played eight seasons in the NBA, said Stokes has come a long way in a short time.

 

"Especially with his body. He always had the game, but his body and his weight were limiting him from doing what he could do," Day said. "With the hard work with (Team Penny trainer Raheem) Shabazz, he lost like 50 pounds and the scouts are slobbering over him now."

 

Asked what other areas Stokes needs to focus on, Day said, "Just keep playing the game. Sometimes he gets frustrated and doesn't play his game against bigger guys. But he's got impeccable footwork. He just has to use it to his ability. He's probably the best skilled big man here (at the Peach Jam)."

 

Stokes talks daily with Jarnell, who's playing for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Summer League. While their games and bodies are similar, Isaiah is by far a better shooter than Jarnell was at the same point, capable of stepping out beyond the 3-point line, where he's gone 2 of 5 this week.

 

"He's 10 times more skilled than I was at that age," Jarnell said.

 

Added Day of Isaiah's skills: "This is just me personally, I think just hearing all the people saying what Jarnell couldn't do, (Isaiah) wanted to make sure that he could do that. Jarnell wasn't the offensive player, they always said. He couldn't shoot. He couldn't do this. And I think Isaiah just really worked on that, especially as a youngster, because he's had that since the eighth grade. He just had to get his body right where you can see it."

 

Isaiah said he ran the weight off. "I was going to Southwind (High's track). I was going to Lausanne. I was going out to Halle Stadium. I was running around Memphis," Isaiah said, laughing.

 

His father adds more to the story, saying that Isaiah used to like to "sneak and eat." He's cut back on that as well, Willie Stokes said.

 

"I was sort of surprised (at how much weight he's lost) because he loves to eat," Willie said. "But he's actually doing it. I'm glad to see him trying to do his thing. This is what he wanted to do, so I'm glad to see him do it."

 

For those assuming Tennessee is the leader for his services since it was the school his brother attended, Isaiah, who has several SEC basketball offers as well as ones from Memphis and Iowa State, said Saturday he doesn't have a leader. "No favoritism," he said.

 

"(Tennessee is) a whole 'nother school, a whole 'nother coaching staff, you know?" he said. "I mean, people will assume that. Don't get me wrong — Tennessee is a great school. But just because my brother went there doesn't mean that I'll go there."

Edited by kwc
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Not a fan of a post player doesn't post up much. The only thing he and jarnell share on the court is the last name.

What I saw was a sweet touch and a mid range jump shot to go along with the size and athleticism. When he did post and the guards fed him the ball on the block (which is becoming a dying art), he finished the play. The big guy can run the court, he gets back on defense, and boxed out well, as well as, grabbed rebounds.

 

Oh, I liked what I saw. Get'em coach Tubby!

Edited by kwc
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