Colleges need to take a deeper look at this young man, and ASAP!!! Here we go:
KYREE KASSIDY NELSON, 6'5" COMBO GUARD, SIMEON CAREER ACADEMY (CHICAGO):
Twitter handle: @Kyreelll_
Nelson is #17 in Big Tim's Class of 2026 rankings for state of Illinois. He has a chance to get higher before his high school career is done. This young man will be a college basketball player. It's just a matter at what level?
STRENGTHS: Versatility on offense and defense, length, athleticism, mid range shooting, finishing at the rim, rim protecting off the ball.
His versatility is his calling card. Offense he can play anywhere from point to small ball center in some lineups. He attacks off the dribble and has ball handling to get to any spot on the floor. Defense he can guard all five positions, moves his feet well on the perimeter to guard quick guards. Has the strength to keep bigs off the block and makes them work for position. Has long arms to get deflections on or off the ball, can be a pest in a zone, and is nasty on the ball for opposing players. In your face defense could call him the Secretary of Defense. Sneaky athlete can dunk on unsuspecting defenders, uses it when needed. Can catch an alley oop from the dunkers spot or running on the wing. He has the ball handling skills to get to his spot and hit two dribble pull-ups from mid range. Has a smooth stroke when focused in following through on the shot. Gets to the rim and finishes, usually with Euro side steps to the rim, or on straight line drives usually with the right hand. His long arms again allows him to rim protect blocking shots off the ball, and the ability to do it on the ball.
WEAKNESSES: Left hand, long range shooting, can get lost at times off the ball, can be too unselfish at times,, focus can lag on the court.
He needs to work on his left hand finishing at the rim. He sometimes will go for a layup on the left side, and instead of shooting it with the left hand (proper hand), he'll shoot it with the right hand. That makes it easier to block for the opponent. Shooting with the left hand protects the shot from being blocked, and his body is between him and the defensive player. He needs to develop a consistent three point shot to counteract his drives to the basket and to the paint. He has a good stroke mechanically, but needs more repetitions in the gym on the gun. Extra practice outside of practice time and confidence in his shot makes this an easy fix. Gets lost looking at the ball at times on defense. This is common for most high school players but would accentuate his great defensive instincts. Focus needs to be every possession on the court, once again this is common of high school players.
CONCLUSION: College coaches NCAA Division One and Division Two need to tap in. This young man has a chance to be special. His weaknesses are all fixable some with maturity and time, others with more time in the gym to build his confidence specifically on his long range shooting. Why would you not want a 6'5" versatile player who could be the top defender in the state of Illinois? He has a nice stoke on his jump shot, evidence hitting the mid range jumpers. Left hand is also fixable with more time in the gym working on it constantly. He'll likely play point for Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) and this will make him more marketable. He can do everything else needed on a basketball court to be great. He has a good demeanor to play the position, setting teammates up and making them look good as well as himself. He'll have to find his voice to be a leader on the court, but the basketball ability is there. He's playing at a historically great program so plenty of opportunity to come check him out. He will explode this season, the numbers may not be eye popping, but he will fill the stat sheet with points, rebounds, assists, steals, deflections, and block shots. Versatility is his calling card and he may never come off the floor, because he can be deployed in a number of ways by the Wolverines. Once high school season ends he should be playing travel ball somewhere, played with Meanstreets National 16U last Spring/Summer. I look for his recruitment to explode in the next few months. Come check him out as Simeon will be playing at Showcases all over the state. Chicago Elite Classic, Quincy Shootout, Pontiac Holiday Tournament to name a few. I look for a move up on my Class of 2026 list.
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