Player Profile: Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson
6-foot-5
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Shooting Guard
Lincoln High School
As it stand right now, Lance Stephenson is the king of high school basketball in New York City. While some might say that the crown was awarded too early, before he ever put on a Lincoln uniform in 2005, he hasn't disappointed many. Check his track record. Two years with the Railsplitters, two PSAL Championships.
And if you think Stephenson is just coasting, think again. His freshman year saw him average, 20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Wonder what happened last season? 26.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and close to six assists a game. And people are scratching their heads and questioning why he's one of the best if not the best in New York City.
The summer saw him run with Juice All-Stars in the AAU circuit where he was the star attraction for a lot of fun. In between his AAU playing he had time to attend the Kobe Bryant Skills Academy, Adidas it Takes Five campaign and the USA Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs.
With two years of eligibility still left in Stephenson's career at Lincoln, some rumors have swirled that he might transfer to a prep school for more exposure. For what? Everyone knows who he is. They've known since his battle with O.J. Mayo at ABCD a few years back. Indiana, Seton Hall and a host of other programs in the country have been hounding over him, so it's only right that he continue to do his thing in New York City. Stephenson fits the Lincoln tradition perfectly, following the path of Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. It probably wouldn't be far-fetched to say that Stephenson could leave Lincoln being better than both his predecessors. The one thing he has going for him is his size. I had a chance to catch Marbury on his way out of Lincoln and had the chance to experience playing against Telfair first hand and what sets Stephenson apart is his size. At 6-foot-5 he's already surpassed the size and weight of Marbury and Telfair.
Strengths:
At 6-foot-5, Stephenson can play multiple positions and be effective. And when you think he doesn't really hit the weight room often, you can just imagine what his frame will turn out to once he gets to the next level. He can get to the basket anytime he wants to and has the ability to finish with either hand.
Weaknesses:
The biggest setback for Stephenson has been his jump shooting ability. It's something that every time I've seen him working out has been his main focus. His stamina is another thing that has been improving as of late. Knowing the Coney Island ritual of running on the sand, it should only get better.
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