At Coach Wootten’s Top-150 Camp, class of 2024 wing K. Annor Boateng took a few moments to catch up with Pro Insight’s Alex Brown about his background, recruitment, and personality.
Boateng is a 6’5, 205-pound wing who has yet to turn 16, but already has a great head on his shoulders and a well-developed frame. He goes to Little Rock Central HIgh School (AR) and plays with the Arkansas Hawks AAU squad on the adidas 3SSB circuit.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2024 prospect K. Annor Boateng, from Little Rock, Arkansas:
Pro Insight: Can you tell the audience a bit about your background?
K. Annor Boateng: Well, I was born in Ohio and lived there for eight months, and then I moved to Arkansas. I did not start playing basketball until about second grade, and the only reason I picked it up was because my older brother played it, so might as well. It was really fun. As I got better, I joined the Arkansas Hawks in that summer of second grade and started playing school ball for my elementary school, and those helped me develop when I was really young.
PI: Any other athletes in the family other than your brother?
KAB: Not really, my dad focused on books because his dad wanted him to focus on books, and then my mom actually ran track. She was actually pretty good at it, but she couldn’t really get too far with it due to the situation she was in. She lived in South Africa, and her parents weren’t really able to buy her new track shoes and stuff like that.
PI: What’s the rest of your family background like?
KAB: Both of my parents are actually both originally from Ghana, so we are Ghanaian. The culture is still prevalent a lot, we play a lot of music from there and like to have a lot of family gatherings too, and we are all like close friends. We try to have a big party every year.
PI: We hear you are quite the musician, as well. Can you share a bit about that?
KAB: Yeah, I started playing music when I was young. I had started with piano, then guitar, and then saxophone for my school band.
PI: Switching gears, tell us a bit about your strengths on the court.
KAB: Definitely getting to the rim and using my athleticism. I am able to rise up above people and finish strongly at the rim. That would probably be my greatest strength.
PI: What areas are you looking to improve?
KAB: My weakness right now is maybe my shooting. You always got to work on your shot, start from the bottom and build up, so I am trying to get a lot of shots up everyday.
PI: What are some underrated aspects of your game?
KAB: I feel like my ball handling and sometimes my point guard skills. I feel like I can read the floor pretty well, and I notice I can make some reads that some other guards don’t see. Especially during school ball or AAU, I like to facilitate a lot. Even if I don’t have the ball, I’ll call to swing the ball or to hit my guy open in the corner, sort of directing traffic.
PI: If you were to define your personality with just a few words, what would they be?
KAB: Chill, friendly, goofy (if you get to know me), and open-minded.
PI: What are some motivators for you, and how do you push yourself?
KAB: Well mainly I just love to compete a lot. If I ever see someone better than me or have skills that I want, I want to measure up to that while not necessarily comparing myself. I also like making people around me better, because you are only as strong as your weakest link. If I can push others to be good, that pushes me and motivates me to lead the way.
PI: What is the latest with your recruitment? Who has been in touch the most?
KAB: Arkansas mainly because I am from there I think, the coaches come to my practices every once in a while. Auburn came to my practice as well. Missouri came to one as well and showed interest, but they haven’t offered me yet. Mainly Auburn and Arkansas right now.
PI: What is something you are looking for in a college fit?
KAB: Overall, first I am looking for good academics, because you know, what if basketball doesn’t work out even if it is my goal? But also, I want to see how willing they are to invest in getting me to the next level and help me to possibly go pro. I want a good relationship and stuff like that.
PI: What is your ultimate goal right now?
Annor Boateng: I’m going for the highest point. That would mean going pro, but at the same time, I want to be the best version of me and achieve as much as I can. Get better every day.
PI: Are you working with a trainer right now?
KAB: One of my main people I am working with is Coach Sammy Clark. He coached Moses Moody and Archie Goodwin. We focus on balance, reading defense, ball control, little details like angles and touch around the rim in different scenarios, and stuff like that.
PI: If you had your own hashtag, what would it be?
KAB: #Boat (like my last name).
PI: At the end of the day, what do you hope to be remembered for?
KAB: I want to be remembered as someone who gave it their all and as a hard worker. Whenever I am in the gym or wherever I am, I always want people to know that I can play and that I give a lot of effort on both ends. I want to be remembered as someone who gave a lot of effort.