Somto Cyril a top performer at OTE Pro Day; Karter Knox leads the way

Basketball season is quickly approaching as practice begins at the college and high school levels in the coming weeks.

With that in mind, the Overtime Elite program took time this week to host a Pro Day at their facilities in Atlanta, and two names familiar to Kentucky Wildcats fans led the way of the top performers at the event.

Those players were Kentucky commit Somto Cyril and recruiting target Karter Knox. Jamie Shaw of On3 had the scouting report from the event and also listed the top standouts from the day. He named Knox MVP and gave Cyril the No. 3 ranking of participating players.

Shaw had high praise for both players after the workouts. Here is what he had to say about each:

Knox: “Going by the On3 Industry Ranking, Karter Knox is the highest-ranked player in the Overtime Elite program. While he showed his high-level explosion during the drills, the 6-foot-7 wing was at his best during the five-on-five portion of the day. Known as a slasher, the jump shot fell, and he took it with confidence. The balance looked improved with the jump shot. He had a consistent release and got his feet under him when shooting off movement. He has upside on the defensive end, especially in the passing lanes, but I would like to see him give a more consistent effort on that end.”

Cyril: “Somto Cyril is huge, and it is hard to ignore that upon first look. He measured 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-7 wing span and a 9-foot-2 standing reach. The Kentucky commit was listed at a muscular 240 pounds on the roster. He also recorded the second-highest vertical jump in the program. What he did on the day was rebound. In and out of his area, he played with a consistent purpose and was able to gather boards in and out of his area. Cyril also ran the floor well, beating his name up the floor a couple of times for easy baskets in transition. Cyril still has touch questions and some questions with his hands in traffic. The size and the motor are there, and you like the fact that he knows who he is and plays within that mold.”

With Cyril already in the mix for the 2024 class, John Calipari and his staff are going to continue and try to land Knox until the final bell. It won't be an easy one, though, as Kenny Payne and the Louisville Cardinals will also be in the mix until the final decision is made. Knox has yet to set a decision date and plans to officially visit Kentucky soon.

Sounds like the Kentucky and OTE pipeline is still producing some solid talent. Let’s hope they both continue to contribute at a high level for their respective OTE teams.

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