(2019) PG Austin Van Zyl

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

I mean he's clearly a real person.. but is he legit from a recruitment standpoint?

[Stuhoo 79,861]

8 minutes ago, Capt. Crimson said:

I mean he's clearly a real person.. but is he legit from a recruitment standpoint?

 

He's only a real person if you wish hard enough!

 

 

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

Just now, Stuhoo said:

 

He's only a real person if you wish hard enough!

 

 

Jokes aside, look through his twitter. There's tons of video of him on there from other organizations that tag him directly. He just didn't take a traditional path and thus there isn't a ton on info on him in the traditional places. 

[Stuhoo 79,861]

8 minutes ago, Capt. Crimson said:

Jokes aside, look through his twitter. There's tons of video of him on there from other organizations that tag him directly. He just didn't take a traditional path and thus there isn't a ton on info on him in the traditional places. 

 

I just looked back a little over one year. Other than his U16-21 club team, I don't see one single post from another organization of any substance whatsoever.

What's more, in June of 2018, the same semi-AAU coach that tagged him a few times tweetered this:

 

 Austin Van Zyl Retweeted

DeAnte' Mitchell‏ @MitchellDeAnte 8 Jun 2018

More

DeAnte' Mitchell Retweeted ASMonaco Basketball Association U6-U21

South African - Canadian point guard still might go to college despite his rising draft stock playing Pro

DeAnte' Mitchell added,

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

 

I just looked back a little over one year. Other than his U16-21 club team, I don't see one single post from another organization of any substance whatsoever.

What's more, in June of 2018, the same semi-AAU coach that tagged him a few times tweetered this:

 

 Austin Van Zyl Retweeted

DeAnte' Mitchell‏ @MitchellDeAnte 8 Jun 2018

More

DeAnte' Mitchell Retweeted ASMonaco Basketball Association U6-U21

South African - Canadian point guard still might go to college despite his rising draft stock playing Pro

DeAnte' Mitchell added,

Huntington Prep in WV. There's videos and pictures of him playing.. What more do you need? lol 

 

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

https://www.proballers.com/basket-ball-team/3062/monaco-u21

[RatpigHoosier 1,022]

https://www.proballers.com/basket-ball-team/3062/monaco-u21

Not even a pic of him on the team roster site. This adds to the intrigue. He’s the International Man of Mystery!


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

[Stuhoo 79,861]

 

A little more research:

Austin tweeted that his uncle was former UK player and basketball lifer with NBA employment Bret Bearup. Bearup was a paid consultant to the AS Monaco club team that Austin Van Zyl got hooked in to.

So there's that.

 

 

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

1 minute ago, RatpigHoosier said:

Not even a pic of him on the team roster site. This adds to the intrigue. He’s the International Man of Mystery!


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

Ehh.. it's a u21 team. Not that surprised.

[yogisballin 2,299]

3 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

 

A little more research:

Austin tweeted that his uncle was former UK player and basketball lifer with NBA employment Bret Bearup. Bearup was a paid consultant to the AS Monaco club team that Austin Van Zyl got hooked in to.

So there's that.

 

 

Added to the team as a favor to Mr. Bret? Maybe?

[Stuhoo 79,861]

42 minutes ago, Capt. Crimson said:

Huntington Prep in WV. There's videos and pictures of him playing.. What more do you need? lol 

 

• I do not see one. single. video. of Austin Van Zyl playing for Huntington Prep.
• There is only one photo that comes up of him in a Huntington uniform, from his debut there in November of 2016. And, it's of him standing around on the court during a stoppage in play.
• Maxpreps and other websites of the like have no record of him accumulating any stats at Huntington Prep, and there are no news stories of his play at Huntington Prep.
• After one year, he was gone from Huntington Prep.
• Nevertheless, his twitter handle lists him as a "Huntington Prep alumni".
• The only confirmed offer I can see was by Marshall University during his sophomore year. Marshall is in Huntington, WV, and shares facilities with Huntington Prep. That offer was made in October of 2016, exactly 35 days BEFORE he showed up at Huntington Prep.
• Lol

[Stuhoo 79,861]

9 minutes ago, yogisballin said:

Added to the team as a favor to Mr. Bret? Maybe?

 

Entirely possible that the Huntington Prep addition was a favor to Uncle Bret too.

 

[Capt. Crimson 3,425]

I'm not trying to say he's good. I'm just saying he's a real person. lol

That proballers link I posted above... his stats aren't incredibly impressive for minutes played.

[RaceToTheTop 25,133]

5 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

• I do not see one. single. video. of Austin Van Zyl playing for Huntington Prep.
• There is only one photo that comes up of him in a Huntington uniform, from his debut there in November of 2016. And, it's of him standing around on the court during a stoppage in play.
• Maxpreps and other websites of the like have no record of him accumulating any stats at Huntington Prep, and there are no news stories of his play at Huntington Prep.
• After one year, he was gone from Huntington Prep.
• Nevertheless, his twitter handle lists him as a "Huntington Prep alumni".
• Lol

247 lists a supposed offer in 2016 from Marshall.  So he has moved up in the world -- three years later his imaginary offer has went from MAC to Big 10.

[RaceToTheTop 25,133]

Next up:  "Lakers find their third star, sign Austin Van Zyl to a max offer'.

[Brass Cannon 24,294]

4 minutes ago, brumdog45 said:

Next up:  "Lakers find their third star, sign Austin Van Zyl to a max offer'.

Knicks will do it 

[Stuhoo 79,861]

ALSO:

He had crappy stats in the "France ProA U21 league"

France has a true 18 team pro-league, the LNB ProA, with many 18-21 year-olds in it. Austin is already 20 years old!  At age 20 Austin Van Zyl didn't get a sniff of wither the LNB Pro A, or the LNB ProB leagues, the two best pro leagues in France. That 36 French pro teams that passed on him.

Instead, he was at French prep school level basketball, probably because he never could get even a little sniff of the court at Huntington, and couldn't get a US college offer once the fine folks at Marshall U saw him play.

But maybe he's blossomed into the all-time hidden gem. If so, I hope we're the ones who've found him. But I sincerely doubt it.

 

[yogisballin 2,299]

2 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

ALSO:

He had crappy stats in the "France ProA U21 league"

France has a true 18 team pro-league, the LNB ProA, with many 18-21 year-olds in it. Austin is already 20 years old!  At age 20 Austin Van Zyl didn't get a sniff of wither the LNB Pro A, or the LNB ProB leagues, the two best pro leagues in France. That 36 French pro teams that passed on him.

Instead, he was at French prep school level basketball, probably because he never could get even a little sniff of the court at Huntington, and couldn't get a US college offer once the fine folks at Marshall U saw him play.

But maybe he's blossomed into the all-time hidden gem. If so, I hope we're the ones who've found him. But I sincerely doubt it.

 

Nicely put. Probably truth. 

[Hoosierfan2017 21,006]

The international Austin Boucher?

[Hurryin' Hoosiers 1,952]

nothing wrong with big dreams.  Another future Grand Canyon player? :)