The spring and summer for a high school junior is generally about a final go-around, the last AAU season, suring up college plans.
It’s the exact opposite for Hassan Martin, Curtis’ 6-foot-7 forward who has experienced neither unto just recently.
“I’m kind of late,” the gifted and high-flying southpaw said.
The long-armed and explosive junior is playing high level AAU ball for the first time, with New Heights’ loaded 17U team. His recruitment has exploded, with scholarship offers from Providence, Rhode Island, Fordham, Iowa State, Kansas State, St. Bonaventure, Duquesne and UMass.
“I definitely didn’t expect this,” he said. “It happened out of nowhere.”
It’s all new to Martin, a late bloomer who led the Curtis junior varsity to a city championship as a sophomore. He missed most of his first varsity season because of a torn tendon in the middle finger on his left hand, depriving him of much needed game experience.
Even before the injury, Martin was planning to join New Heights, as a way of testing himself against elite competition. On his team alone, he’s gone up against top forwards like Jordan Washington and recent Division I commits Chris Obekpa (St. John’s) and Jalen Jenkins (George Mason).
“On Staten Island there’s nothing like this,” he said.
The recruiting process is also new for Martin, just like the heightened level of competition. Before the injury, Fordham offered after his hot start, which included 22-point, eight-rebound performance in a rout of rival McKee/Staten Island Tech, and many have followed suit this spring. He broke out in the Adidas VIP Exclusive Run in Las Vegas, playing a major role in New Heights’ semifinal finish and helped New Heights win the Memorial Day Super 16 Showcase recently.
Martin said he’s hearing the most from Creighton and Rhode Island and hopes to visit both unofficially at some point in the near future. He doesn’t plan on committing anytime soon, possibly next spring, he said. College coaches are intrigued by Martin’s upside, his length and improving skills. At 16 years of age, he’s young for his grade—he could grow more and will almost certainly improve offensively.
“If he develops a shot, he can be scary good,” one Division I coach recruiting Martin said. “His ability to handle the ball and his versatility makes him intriguing. His length as a rebounder will make him pretty special. He’s a high major kid.”
Martin, New Heights coach and family friend Chris Alesi said, is taking it all in stride. Quiet and humble, He enjoys the attention from college coaches like all kids, but rarely talks about it. He’s not looking to compile offers. He’s more interested in getting better, testing himself against top opponents and expanding his game, making sure Curtis has a big season this winter.
“He’s constantly talking about Curtis, how good the younger guys are,” Alesi said. “He’s had a little bit of success and it’s driven him harder to get better. He’s humble with everything.”
Martin, Alesi and Curtis coach Rich Buckheit agree, has a way to go, primarily on the offensive end. He’s diligently working on a medium-range jump shot and looking to refine his ball-handling as colleges are interested in him possibly as a small forward at the next level.
“Continuing to play for an organization like New Heights and when he plays for Curtis come September, October, November, he’s really going to blossom into the player I think he can be,” Buckheit said. “His ability, his smarts, his intelligence, his athleticism and his quickness to the rim no matter where he is on the court, is unmatched. He’s up by the rim before anybody knows he’s going there.”
There is already pressure attached to his blossoming game. Martin is a household name on Staten Island already, particularly at Curtis. The Island isn’t known for producing top basketball prospects, at least not on the boys side.
Three year years ago, Curtis produced Halil Kanacevic, a forward who went to Hofstra and is now at St. Joseph’s University after transferring. The year before St. Peter’s sent O.D. Anosike to Siena. Martin has an opportunity to go higher than both of them – Alesi thinks he will be the highest recruited player from the forgotten borough since Moore Catholic’s Kyle McAlarney, who enjoyed a solid career at Notre Dame.
“He’s going to be up there with the best guys by the end,” Buckheit said.
Martin is trying to keep it in perspective. After all, he has less time than most to find a colege and adjust to the frenetic world of AAU basketball.
“It’s exciting and it’s hard work at the same time,” Martin said. “With college, sometimes it’s stressful. But I want to get better.”