Heath Huff Walk on Center

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

He has agreed to walk on at Auburn

He was not highly recruited but at worst will be a big body for Spencer and Laron Smith to practice against and could provide a little help if Spencer and Laron get in foul trouble. If you looked at Pearl when he was at Tenn. he always seemed to find a walk on player or two that helped the team.

https://recruitlook.com/2016-unsigned-6-10-center-heath-huff-wins-state-mvp-honors/

Quick Facts:

6’10” and 250 lbs

4.09 GPA

24 ACT

12 PPG senior season

11 RPG senior season

3 BPG senior season

2 APG senior season

55% FG Shooting senior season

[PUB78 1,358]

Yes, saw this yesterday. Maybe he can give us a few productive minutes a game. This team only has 3 players, besides this walk-on, that are 6'8" or taller.

[ellitor 33,092]

This team only has 3 players, besides this walk-on, that are 6'8" or taller.

Will be 4 if reports of Danjel up to 6'8 are correct. Also we still have another scholly we can give out for this season so we could add another.

[PUB78 1,358]

That is good to hear,although he is probably a SF instead of a PF.

[cole256 17,055]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

[WarTim 3,456]

I love confidence

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

Like I said worse case is he is a big body to practice against. Also if we are playing really well and get a big lead he could get some PT. I never said he was a great player just a big body that has potential to help as a practice player or a couple of minutes if our bigs get in foul trouble.

[cole256 17,055]

Yes I understand what you were saying and I'm just saying if he ever has to play meaningful minutes we suck

[aujeff11 6,243]

Yes I understand what you were saying and I'm just saying if he ever has to play meaningful minutes we suck

basically

[Altima 200]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

[NoALtiger 3,860]

Seems like a good addition to the team in several areas. Win win for all.

[cole256 17,055]

I just wish one or even two of our juco gets were centers. I just feel like if we scouted hard enough we could find a diamond in the rough somewhere.

[ellitor 33,092]

I just wish one or even two of our juco gets were centers. I just feel like if we scouted hard enough we could find a diamond in the rough somewhere.

The staff scoured Jucos. Apparently didn't find any they liked @ any position since we have not signed any jucos yet for this class. They liked the GT crop better. The 1 head scatcher for me was undergrad Desean Murray.

Also per basketball insider Stephen Hooks on ITAT. AU is supposedly going to get a good surprise for it's last scholly this year. Did not say who it was.

Also even though Laron Smith is 6'8 doesn't his 7'8 wingspan mean he can play center defensively? Honest question.

[cole256 17,055]

With his wing span he definitively can be a shot blocker enforcer. I don't know how strong he is if he can be a main line defensive player. He certainly should be a great help side guy though

[gravejd 3,270]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

That's a nice reception....you never know how kids will develop. I'm personally glad he thought enough of AU and our coaching staff to come play ball for us on his own dime. Welcome to AU Heath.

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

I watched a lot of his film he is an honest 6'9 or 6'10" he has no jumps but has a big body that is soft but that he uses well both for getting offensive position and rebounding. He actually has a nice shooting touch and can hit fifteen foot open shots and he does a lot of half hooks with either hand around basket to compensate for his lack of jumping ability. Actually has pretty good footwork around the basket. He will not be anything more then a practice player his first year but if he can replace the baby fat with muscle and add a few inches to his jump he has the potential by his Junior year to be a guy who comes off the bench and gives you a few minutes.

No doubt a Project type player but if he has the work ethic could be some help down the road. I doubt even with hard work that he will ever be a starter but I think he may help us. Time will tell.

[FoundationEagle 637]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

That's a nice reception....you never know how kids will develop. I'm personally glad he thought enough of AU and our coaching staff to come play ball for us on his own dime. Welcome to AU Heath.

Agreed. Probably won't make the floor as a freshman (or sophomore) but if he does it won't be because we suck, it will be because he worked hard and earned BPs trust enough to get on the court. May never play a minute...but then again there are some 5 stars that can say that too. Walk ons are walk ons for a reason. However many walk ons have earned their way on the court eventually and this guy should be treated no different. I'll be pulling for the kid. Let's show some respect for a guy that chose to pay his own way and come play at AU.

[AU64 10,122]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

That's a nice reception....you never know how kids will develop. I'm personally glad he thought enough of AU and our coaching staff to come play ball for us on his own dime. Welcome to AU Heath.

Agreed. Probably won't make the floor as a freshman (or sophomore) but if he does it won't be because we suck, it will be because he worked hard and earned BPs trust enough to get on the court. May never play a minute...but then again there are some 5 stars that can say that too. Walk ons are walk ons for a reason. However many walk ons have earned their way on the court eventually and this guy should be treated no different. I'll be pulling for the kid. Let's show some respect for a guy that chose to pay his own way and come play at AU.

Schools all over the country have "project" guys like Heath....bring them in and work with them a few years and then by the time they are juniors, they end up making a difference. You see these guys at places like St. John or Butler or Xavier and wonder how they got to those schools...but in many cases, it was because the big schools were not willing to invest the time to develop the kids.

Meanwhile, seems a lot of AU people get caught up in the star system are are constantly looking for a 4* or 5* guy who will come in and change the team overnight...but what appears to be happening is that things don't work out as expected..and we are continually having turnover....and not developing a "team concept".

Heath is not costing AU a scholarship and I just hope the coaches are patient and take enough of a long view that they will work with him and get him ready to put him on the floor in a couple years.

[WarTiger 3,901]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

That's a nice reception....you never know how kids will develop. I'm personally glad he thought enough of AU and our coaching staff to come play ball for us on his own dime. Welcome to AU Heath.

Agreed. Probably won't make the floor as a freshman (or sophomore) but if he does it won't be because we suck, it will be because he worked hard and earned BPs trust enough to get on the court. May never play a minute...but then again there are some 5 stars that can say that too. Walk ons are walk ons for a reason. However many walk ons have earned their way on the court eventually and this guy should be treated no different. I'll be pulling for the kid. Let's show some respect for a guy that chose to pay his own way and come play at AU.

I agree. Degrading the players we already have because this player is walking on is pretty bush league. I don't understand why fans just can't support a program without constantly parroting some negative what if scenario. He'll work just as hard as the scholarship players to EARN playing time. NOBODY in any program is just given playing time. They all have to earn it. A little respect for this player paying his own way to attend Auburn should be a given. In fact, Auburn fans should be thrilled that someone wanted to play for Auburn so badly that he is paying his own way to be part of the program. Unless you are living under a rock, its pretty apparent that Bruce Pearl is building a contender at Auburn and it won't be long until it shows up in terms of wins on the floor. It's exciting to me that players want to pay their own way to be part of it. Why some choose to put a negative spin on something like this is beyond me.

[au_bsci_04 407]

With his wing span he definitively can be a shot blocker enforcer. I don't know how strong he is if he can be a main line defensive player. He certainly should be a great help side guy though

Laron tweeted last night that he is up 10 lbs since being on campus.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

If he ever sees the floor as a freshman our team sucks

or a sophomore, a junior, and senior...

That's a nice reception....you never know how kids will develop. I'm personally glad he thought enough of AU and our coaching staff to come play ball for us on his own dime. Welcome to AU Heath.

Agreed. Probably won't make the floor as a freshman (or sophomore) but if he does it won't be because we suck, it will be because he worked hard and earned BPs trust enough to get on the court. May never play a minute...but then again there are some 5 stars that can say that too. Walk ons are walk ons for a reason. However many walk ons have earned their way on the court eventually and this guy should be treated no different. I'll be pulling for the kid. Let's show some respect for a guy that chose to pay his own way and come play at AU.

I agree. Degrading the players we already have because this player is walking on is pretty bush league. I don't understand why fans just can't support a program without constantly parroting some negative what if scenario. He'll work just as hard as the scholarship players to EARN playing time. NOBODY in any program is just given playing time. They all have to earn it. A little respect for this player paying his own way to attend Auburn should be a given. In fact, Auburn fans should be thrilled that someone wanted to play for Auburn so badly that he is paying his own way to be part of the program. Unless you are living under a rock, its pretty apparent that Bruce Pearl is building a contender at Auburn and it won't be long until it shows up in terms of wins on the floor. It's exciting to me that players want to pay their own way to be part of it. Why some choose to put a negative spin on something like this is beyond me.

Well said, WT

[cole256 17,055]

I say what I say because I've been through it and I know. I can't speak for anybody else. So whether people get upset about being realistic is moot. 95% of the time these are guys that are human cigars and should only see the floor during a blow out of a D1 team. Paying or not paying has nothing to do with anything. If anything it's the jealousy of a kid being highly touted or on scholarship that's a shame. If he plays or depth is bad or we missed out on a target and he's forced to play.

And to be honest he doesn't look that good on film and the talent level he's playing against is horrible. Literally the only thing that looked good was that he may have a back to the basket game and that's only if he can go over his left AND right shoulder. And that's a big if.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

Played pick up with this guy in high school. Big guy who can rebound and finishes well in traffic (mkaes some tough put-backs). Excited to see a friend of mine light it up!

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

I say what I say because I've been through it and I know. I can't speak for anybody else. So whether people get upset about being realistic is moot. 95% of the time these are guys that are human cigars and should only see the floor during a blow out of a D1 team. Paying or not paying has nothing to do with anything. If anything it's the jealousy of a kid being highly touted or on scholarship that's a shame. If he plays or depth is bad or we missed out on a target and he's forced to play.

And to be honest he doesn't look that good on film and the talent level he's playing against is horrible. Literally the only thing that looked good was that he may have a back to the basket game and that's only if he can go over his left AND right shoulder. And that's a big if.

I don't think anybody disagrees with your assessment of the kids current talent level. Basically he is a big body who can shoot over either shoulder he is not super quick and doesn't jump much. What he does do is use big body to shield players and get in position for a pass or to be in position to rebound. Against other big players it will not be as effective. He actually can hit open shots more of a set shot then a jump shot. Some teams have worked with kids like this put them on conditioning programs to get stronger, quicker and improve jumping. You are correct that most don't work out but some do and I applaud those who try. He actually isn't a bad rebounder partly because the other players are smaller but also because he seems to know where rebound will be when it is shot and moves to that area.

Nobody thinks he will be a starter but adding muscle to a big body and working in practice against good players can turn a player like this into a guy who can give your starters breather by bodying up on D and rebounding with an occasional put back. This is assuming a strong work ethic and a willingness to learn and do the little things.

[cole256 17,055]

I say what I say because I've been through it and I know. I can't speak for anybody else. So whether people get upset about being realistic is moot. 95% of the time these are guys that are human cigars and should only see the floor during a blow out of a D1 team. Paying or not paying has nothing to do with anything. If anything it's the jealousy of a kid being highly touted or on scholarship that's a shame. If he plays or depth is bad or we missed out on a target and he's forced to play.

And to be honest he doesn't look that good on film and the talent level he's playing against is horrible. Literally the only thing that looked good was that he may have a back to the basket game and that's only if he can go over his left AND right shoulder. And that's a big if.

I don't think anybody disagrees with your assessment of the kids current talent level. Basically he is a big body who can shoot over either shoulder he is not super quick and doesn't jump much. What he does do is use big body to shield players and get in position for a pass or to be in position to rebound. Against other big players it will not be as effective. He actually can hit open shots more of a set shot then a jump shot. Some teams have worked with kids like this put them on conditioning programs to get stronger, quicker and improve jumping. You are correct that most don't work out but some do and I applaud those who try. He actually isn't a bad rebounder partly because the other players are smaller but also because he seems to know where rebound will be when it is shot and moves to that area.

Nobody thinks he will be a starter but adding muscle to a big body and working in practice against good players can turn a player like this into a guy who can give your starters breather by bodying up on D and rebounding with an occasional put back. This is assuming a strong work ethic and a willingness to learn and do the little things.

Definitely can become a player if he works harder, I'm just evaluating the film that was presented and being honest. As you can see I gave him the benefit of doubt with his post game. But in that film I didn't see what it took to be a good defender or rebounder. The walk on guy we already have on the team seemed much better. But good luck to him, sometimes I forget the sentimental and emotional tie for a walk on and the opposite for a guy who is ranked high