The Vanderbilt Commodores and head coach Kevin Stallings had gotten off to a slow start in recruiting for their 2016 basketball class. Now, they have finally picked up their first commitment. Payton Willis, a three-star guard, has decided to join the Vanderbilt basketball program to continue his playing career.
Blessed to announce that I am committed to Vanderbilt University! ⚓️⬇️
— Yøung Curt (@UnlimitedRange0) August 5, 2015
He is a three-star guard out of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and has shown the ability to be a consistent threat from behind the three-point arc. There are quite a few reasons for the Commodores to be excited about this kid, and the upside that he has is obvious. The coaching staff will have to work with him on being a bit more fundamentally sound, but the potential is there for them to work with.
At 6-foot-4 and just 165 pounds, the first thing he’ll need to do is get into the weight room. He has to get to a point where he can handle bumping around with opposing guards, and he’ll have to be able to take some contact in order to be a complete all-around scorer.
His ball-handling is very solid, and he is able to create plays for himself and his teammates. There are also reasons to be excited about his ability to move without the basketball to get open and also knock down shots off the dribble. As far as rebounding is concerned, there is quite a bit of work to do as well.
That being said, there is no question that Willis has a bright future ahead of him at Vanderbilt. He may never develop into being a star, but he’ll be a solid role player for the Commodores.
