Isaiah AbrahamBREAKING: Georgetown transfer SF Isaiah Abraham has committed to Kansas State, @JoeTipton reports.https://t.co/37o8bCHsmK pic.twitter.com/h1eBu6GXrh

High School Rankings: 4* (94.5) – National Ranking: 64 – Small Forward Ranking: 21

Transfer Portal Rankings: 3* (88.2) – National Ranking: 344 – Point Guard Ranking: 56

Played at Highland School (VA) and Paul VI (VA) in high school

Helped lead Paul VI to a 31-4 record and a Division 1 VISAA Basketball Championshiop

Helped lead Paul VI to a 35-3 record, played in the Chipotle National Championship

Abraham has a season of starting experience under his belt, albeit for a dysfunctional Georgetown squad. He has the potential to be a defensive stopper and 3-tier scorer; that was his reputation coming out of high school. He hasn’t yet lived up to those lofty expectations, but he still has the physical tools and skill set that made him a 4* ranked in the top 100 of his class.

More than anything, this offense needs a wing who can finish at the rim but still has enough shooting to maintain the spacing. In theory, that’s what Abraham brings to the table. The defense needs versatile defenders capable of switching onto different positions. He fits that need as well.

This team will have several options on the wing; someone needs to step up and earn the starting position in camp. Abraham has the skills and athletic ability to be that player; all that’s missing is the consistency. He’ll have every opportunity to showcase his skills at Kansas State.

You know how everyone is upset that Casey Alexander didn’t land any of his former Belmont players?

In part, it’s because Alexander’s “Big 3” ended up at Nebraska (coming off a program-defining season), Tennessee, and Duke. I’m not sure I see much of a difference between the careers of Abraham and Belmont’s Tyler Lundblade (Tenn). Alexander brought Lundblade to Belmont after Lundblade appeared in 15 games over two seasons at TCU; he went 1-7 from 3-point range in those appearances. As a junior at Belmont, he played 32 games and went 100-212 from 3 (47%). Sometimes it comes down to a coaching staff having faith in a player’s skill set and then turning that faith into production. When Lundblade left TCU, no one batted an eye. I guarantee that if Kansas State picked him up after his TCU run, it wouldn’t have been well-received. After two seasons at Belmont under Alexander, not landing Lundblade in the portal is now considered a huge miss.

Either Lundblade was unplayable at TCU and received super-soldier serum upon arriving at Belmont…or…Alexander saw a player with the perfect skill set to thrive in his system and allowed Lundblade to showcase those skills at Belmont. Abraham is a significantly better athlete than Lundblade and is arriving in Manhattan with more experience than Lundblade had when he transferred to Belmont.

Does that mean Abraham is going to be the next Tyler Lundblade?

This is a gamble on talent. Coach Alexander likes the skill set and thinks he has the secret sauce to unlock it. I’ll say this: everyone is wondering how this team is going to compete on defense, and guys like Abraham are the answer. In theory, he has a similar skill set to Lundblade on offense and is a significant upgrade on defense. The hope is that the offense develops while the defense remains.

Coach Alexander is stocking up on players like Abraham, who have the athletic prowess needed to defend in the Big 12. If I knew how this was going to play out, I’d make a living as a talent scout. If it works, this guy has an incredibly high ceiling as a two-way player. If his offense doesn’t come around, he will still give the team something on the defensive end off the bench.

I can see a world where Coach Alexander turns Kansas State into something like a 4*- 5* recruit rehab. If he can get someone like Abraham to reach his full potential, more will follow. I’m also hopeful that these guys know what it’s like to be somewhere they’re not wanted (or at least not needed) and may decide to stick with the coach who salvaged their careers.

This was a low-risk, high-potential pickup who could pay dividends over the next two seasons.