By Steve DiMiceli
Some high school prospects are blue chips. Some are referred to by the number of stars they recieve from Scout or Rivals or ESPN. Recruits are referred to as "great gets" or "nice pickups" by the talking heads so frequently that those complements are rendered meaningless. Some players are called sleepers or late bloomers. In the case of LG Gill, I would classify him as a deep sleeper.
Athleticism/Physical Makeup
Gill has a long, muscular build and he is likely taller than the 6'5'' he played his senior year at. I would guess he is 6'7'' at this time. Gill does not stand out athletically but jumps and runs the floor well enough to be an effective three.
Tendencies
Gill seems more at home on the perimeter right now and is very effective as a catch and shoot option on the wing. He doesn't seem to have a spot and shoots from anywhere on the floor. He appears strong enough to be a presence down low, but is more sneaky than physical right now.
Effort to Output
Gill looks relaxed and might have another gear that will bring his game to another level with experience.
Decision Making
Gill shoots the ball so well, you're going to wish he decided to put it up more often. Nice form, quick release. Doesn't force plays or do anything to hurt the team. His ego might develop overtime, but it's noticeably absent this summer.
Player Comparison
Whether it's fair or not, Gill will likely be evaluated against Quevyn Winters for the next two years even though I don't see many similarities with their games. Winters is more willing to put the ball on the floor to get to the basket. Gill is more reliant on his teammates to create for him. At the moment Gill is the better shooter and maybe rebounder, but I liked Winters all around package better at the end of 2012 Pro-Am. Long run, I think Gill has more upside.
We haven't had many players who have the combination of size and shooting ability that Gill has at Duquesne or any other A-10 school for that matter. I've had a difficult time determining a player whose game is like Gill's and the closest I can think of is Kellen Dunham from Butler last year. I don't expect Gill to make that kind of impact from day one, but I think down the road, he'll offer outstanding shooting, and strong rebounding. If he can learn to create more for himself better, his upside goes through the roof.
First Year Outlook
Gill will likely provide a depth option at the three and will try to keep up with the Jones'. He might also get some minutes at the four. I would expect to see him get opportunities early in the season, but how much he plays against the A-10 will be up to him. I wouldn't be surprised if he averaged 4-5 points per game. I don't expect much more than that because I simply don't think the minutes will be there. He feels like a good candidate to unexpectedly go off on an unsuspecting opponent for 10-15 points if they're not aware of him. Gill will serve as a nice complement to the high volume Duquesne players in the sense that he could score 10 points on ten touches.
