Section 7, put on by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, is objectively one of the most impressive, expansive summer high school tournaments in the country. It was held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, over Father’s Day weekend and Pro Insight was on hand to cover the event. In between games, we caught up with Kylan Boswell, the talented guard out of Corona Centennial (CA) and Team WhyNot (CA). Throughout the event, Boswell highlighted his mature feel for the game, poise, toughness, shot-making ability, versatility, and leadership in front of hundreds of college coaches.
As part of the Pro Insight Q&A series, Boswell talked about his background, his playing style, his recruitment update, and more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2023 prospect Kylan Boswell, originally from Champaign, Illinois:
Pro Insight: Talk about your background.
Kylan Boswell: I’m Kylan Boswell, I’m 16 years old. My birthday is April 18, 2005. I’m from Champaign, Illinois and I moved out here to Corona, California about two years ago to play for Shannon Sharpe and Josh Giles.
PI: Do you feel like the move has paid off so far?
KB: Oh it’s been all blessings coming out here from Champaign, Illinois to California. Getting offers, getting recognition. It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life to come out here to play. It was a smart choice.
PI: Did you play any other sports growing up?
KB: Growing up I played football and soccer. I was a little chubby kid trying to get in shape [smiles]. Around 5th grade is when I started to commit to basketball and drive all of my focus into this sport.
PI: For those who haven’t seen you play — what are some of your strengths?
KB: Definitely a knockdown shooter. I feel like I’m a really good PG, I get the ball to my teammates at the right times. I’m a great defender, I can guard all five positions. Whichever coach wants me and I want them back they’re going to get a player who wants to win.
PI: What about some improvement areas?
KB: I’ve definitely gotten better with my handle this year. Have gotten better with pulling up off the dribble, trying to get that at an elite level. Trying to work on my downhill game, not making as many moves to get to the rim...that’s about it.
PI: What are some underrated aspects of your game you don’t get enough credit for?
KB: I’d say my athleticism. I feel like I can get up a bit more than last year, get more rebounds than I usually do, boxing out more. That’s about it.
PI: You play with a lot of poise and pace — where does that approach come from?
KB: I feel like it comes with NBA players I had the opportunity to play with this year. I played with Alex Caruso, Klay Thompson, Mike James, etc. Playing with them helped me learn that I need to slow the game down, come down the court and relax. Come off the pick-and-roll, use them better, use not too many moves to get the ball in the rim.
PI: Did they share any advice with you that stuck?
KB: Klay Thompson told me not to overdo things or think too much. That’s all I can think of off the top of my head, but they helped me with my game. Definitely Jordan Lawley out in Irvine, he’s helped me with my game a lot. Shea Frazee, Shannon Sharpe, I mean they’ve all helped me with my game.
PI: What’s the latest with your recruitment?
KB: I’ve had a bunch of schools hit my phone. Arizona, SDSU, UCLA, Illinois, USC, Stanford, Louisville, Washington, Gonzaga...a whole bunch of schools are hitting up my phone. It’s a blessing to come out here from Corona, California and get coaches’ recognition. It’s a great feeling.
PI: What are you looking for in your school of choice?
KB: Building a strong relationship with the coach early and a program that fits my style of play. A coach that wants to win. That’s all I care about, I want to win an NCAA championship when I come to school.
PI: Describe this past season with Corona Centennial.
KB: This is a great team to play with. We all look for each other and we all get each other the ball. We all pick each other up when we’re down. Going to Sierra Canyon and beating them there, there’s nothing better than that for the CIF Championship. I couldn’t ask for a better team, most of my success comes from my teammates. What they do for me off the ball and on the ball.
PI: If you had four words to describe yourself — what would those four words be?
KB: I’m a freakin' winner [laughs].
PI: At the end of the day, what do you hope to be remembered for?
KB: That I don’t quit. That’s what I hope all coaches recognize. No matter what the score looks like, if we’re up, down, or tied...I’m not going to quit. I’m always going to claw our way back into a game or keep the lead until we win. That’s all I want the recognition for, that I’m not going to quit.