COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.– Connor Vanover is the most intriguing figure at USA Basketball’s U16 tryouts for the FIBA Americas tournament here this week.
The 15-year old prodigy is a 7-3, 210-pound rising sophomore center from Arkansas Baptist High School in Little Rock who made national waves when he sprouted six inches from 6-6 to 7-1 in nine months before entering eighth grade in middle school, bringing up comparisons the Shawn Bradley, a one time 7-6 center from Utah who played for BYU and was the second pick in the 1993 NBA draft. .
He doesn’t have the physical body strength of other candidates like 6-10, 250 pound rising junior center Wendell Carter from Pace Academy in Atlanta, but his skill level as a face up three point shooter, has good mobility, can run the floor has the type of upside potential that has given USA coaches something to think about as they cut down to the final roster, especially since the U.S. will have to deal with bigger European teams in the U17 Worlds at either Caracas or Mexico.
He may not be ready for the physical international Americas competition in Argentina, but he survived the first cut to 17 and keeping him on the roster will only hasten his development.
Vanover comes from an tall, athletic family. Both his parents Robyn and Chris are 6-3 and he has twin 18-year old brothers Justin and Brandon who are 7-feet and 7-1. “I think people are amazed when they see the three of us walking down the street.”
His mother played basketball for the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks. His grandfather Robey Irvin played football at TCU. An uncle, Terry Irwin, played football at Arkansas and has has a pair of cousins Jeromy and Sean Irwin, who are two thirds of a set of triplets who currently play football at Colorado.
Connor started playing basketball in kindergarten. “I started hearing about him from Ron Crawford of the Arkansas Wings when he was just 13 years old,” USA Youth Development coach Don Showalter said. Vanover and got national attention when he attended John Lucas International skill development combine for elite middle school prospects in Houston and a video of him went viral. “I never thought I never thought I would have a video going out, so many people watching it, people writing me,” he said.
At that age, he was just too big for players who are half his size.
But the state of Arkansas loves its athletic treasures. Many Hog fans are already pushing him to stay local at attend the University of Arkansas. “People are constantly asking me if I’m going to be a Hog,” he said. He started for the Arkansas Baptist High team as a freshman last year and played on the same front line as Brandon (Justin doesn’t play), averaging 14.8 points, 94 and 3.2 blocks for a 25-8 team that reached the state 4A semi-finals. And he is just starting to scratch the surface.
“The doctors tell me I am probably done growing,” he admitted. “But I can see myself gaining weight. I’d like to get to 230. drink protein shakes every night and consume about six cartons of milk a week.”
Vanover is a growing boy.
