As part of a packed weekend of basketball in Texas, Coach Wootten’s Top-150 Basketball Camp brought together an excellent group for two packed days of hoops at Fieldhouse USA in Mansfield. Pro Insight was on hand to cover the event, and we had the chance to catch up with a lot of the young talent in attendance.
Four-star class of 2023 Austin Ball stood out throughout the weekend due to his excellent shooting, size, and underrated athleticism. Ball is a 6’7 wing who can get hot in a hurry with NBA range, confidence, and a humble approach. Ball will be playing with the Miller School of Albemarle (VA) and the WV Generals this year, and is already receiving attention from mid and high-major college programs.
As part of the Pro Insight Q&A series, Ball discussed his background, his basketball journey, his recruitment, and more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2023 prospect Austin Ball, from Man, West Virginia:
Pro Insight: Tell us a bit about your background.
Austin Ball: I’m from a small town called Man, West Virginia. I was born and raised in that area. It is definitely a place where everybody knows everybody, and I grew to love basketball there. When my assistant coach first hit me up to play little league, I said “little league… what?”, and he said “basketball” so I said sure I’d give it a try. Played with him for one year and fell in love with it from there. I don’t think nobody else in my family played basketball, but it was just crazy being tall from a young age and it evolving into playing high school basketball. I started doing pretty good and would hear people say that I’m pretty good and could make it. Then I made the move to the Miller School of Albemarle after playing two years at Man High School, and reclassified to the class of 2023. I play for a new coach now (Coach Jack Meriwether) and I really enjoy playing there.
PI: What’s the latest with your recruitment?
AB: Ever since I got to the Miller School of Albemarle my recruitment has been going really well since I’ve been playing well. I have offers from West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Marshall, Drexel, Stetson, Fairfield, and Radford right now. I have also heard a lot from Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech who I heard from recently. I have heard from Maryland, Wake Forest, and a couple ACC, Big 10, and Big 12 schools that are hitting my line lately. Everyone has been recruiting me really good and I appreciate that all, and I would say my recruitment is wide open. Therefore, I look at everything as in where I feel the best, the place where I need to be, the place that feels home to me, and who really wants me. Those would be the most important factors when it comes to recruiting me.
PI: What are your current measurements?
AB: I stand at 6’7 and weigh 188 pounds.
PI: What would you say are some current strengths of your game?
AB: Definitely shooting. I have developed a really nice jumpshot and have shot the ball really efficiently lately. It has helped staying in the gym and getting up 1000 shots a day, and just constantly working on it. It will really help since my driving and defensive skills are coming along.
PI: What areas are you looking to improve?
AB: The main focus of going to this new school is so I can also focus on defense and driving so I can be the best that I can be. My defense has really come a long way from where it was two years ago. I play a lot of guard at my new school as well, so my guard skills are coming together to help make me a better athlete.
PI: What are some underrated aspects about your game?
AB: My bounce. It’s sneaky. Everybody just thinks I am a shooter, but if I catch it in the corner, pump fake, rip through, and take it to the rim...watch your head! That’s definitely the most underrated aspect of my game, because people don’t seem to think I can play above the rim and put it down, but I can. Mostly when I step on the court, everyone knows what I am out there for, but yeah that’s the most underrated part for real.
PI: What are some primary goals of yours on and off the court?
AB: Off the court, my main goal is to be a great person and have a great personality and show that I am a funny guy. I don’t want to come across like I think I am better than anybody, because, I mean, in God’s eyes, we are all equal. So I take that as a main feature of my life and how I live. On the court, it would just be to play to the best of my ability and be a great player, you know? I want to take my skills to the highest level of basketball and from there on out just be really good at what I do. I hope to go to college for it and then go even further with it.
PI: If you were to describe your personality with five traits, what would they be?
AB: Funny, good to be around, friendly, athletic, goofy.
PI: If you had a hashtag to describe yourself, what would it be?
AB: #Ayyyy, because every time I dunk the ball I seem to scream that. I don’t know why.
PI: At the end of the day, what do you want to be remembered for?
AB: Definitely being a really good basketball player that showed his skills at the highest level, as well as being known as a great guy that had a great personality.