Ex-Washington standout Foster has bright future
Options. That is a key word for Michael Foster.
The former Milwaukee Washington boys basketball standout who attends Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix remains one of the nation’s top prospects for the 2021 class.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 26 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks last season for a prep school that plays a national high school schedule sponsored by Adidas. He is a rising senior who is coming of age at a time when there are more options than ever for elite basketball prospects.
The world is his oyster.
“He’s got to make a decision about what he wants to do,” Hillcrest coach Chianti Clay said. “Do you want to be a pro at 18 or a pro at 19 or 20?”
That appears to be the track Foster is on. He is a consensus top 10 player for 2021 with his highest ranking No. 6 in the country by ESPN. Players ranked that highly usually eventually land in the NBA.
According to Clay, a former Washington assistant coach who is a long-time mentor to Foster, the prep school experience has enhanced Foster’s chances in that regard.
Able to put in multiple workouts a day, Foster is up to 240 pounds, has improved his shooting and has become better with his off (left) hand, Clay said. Foster has also gotten a jump start on playing with the shot clock, an aspect of the game not available at the prep level in Wisconsin.
It is a different world than the traditional high school experience.
“You have unlimited gym time. Weights. Cryo(therapy). Yoga,” said Clay, who took over the program in March. “We travel extensively. You’re getting your work done then it’s basketball training. You get skill-specific stuff. It’s about winning, but it’s about making you become a better player individually.”