John Calipari, Nate Oats in to see 5-star PG Boogie Fland
The race for Harlem (N.Y.) Archbishop Stepinac five-star point guard Boogie Fland was trimmed to three schools on Sept. 28, as the elite prospect is now focused on Alabama, Indiana and Kentucky.
It appears to be a level playing field for the three contenders, as all have hosted Fland for an official visit. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder was in Bloomington back in June, then made trips to Lexington and Tuscaloosa in September.
On Monday, Alabama head coach Nate Oats and Kentucky head coach John Calipari are both expected to visit Fland at Stepinac. It’s the second time in as many weeks that someone from the Crimson Tide staff has been in for the guard following his visit on Sept. 22.
Fland is the No. 20 overall prospect and No. 1 PG in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 3 player in New York.
Alabama’s growing track record has it in the mix for Fland
It’s no secret that the new era of Alabama basketball under Oats can get players to the next level. Six former Crimson Tide players have been selected in the NBA Draft under the HC, including guards JD Davison, Josh Primo and Kira Lewis Jr.
“I think it fits him a lot,” Fland’s father, Johnuel, told BamaOnLine. “As a player, you want to be able to play free and not stand there. Alabama gives their players — especially guards — freedom to play their game, but also play smart. Boogie adapts to any type of environment, but where he stands out is playing free.”
The OV in September was Fland’s first time in Tuscaloosa. While Alabama may not have as rich of a basketball heritage as Indiana or Kentucky, there’s no denying the positive trajectory that Oats has the Tide on entering his fifth season as head coach.
“Overall, it was a great visit. We had a good time,” Johnuel Fland said. “I like the fact that Nate Oats is very analytical. He looks at all the numbers and percentages. Tries to make sure his players are efficient, but also knows how they’re doing on the court with their stress levels, workouts, shooting percentage, etc…
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“He broke down things for Boogie in a way I’ve never seen another school do it. They broke down pieces of EYBL games and knew that he did not do one pump fake throughout all the sessions. That, to me, shows they pay attention.”
Kentucky continues to make Fland a priority
Not to be outdone, Calipari and Kentucky have also been frequent visitors for the shifty playmaker. Just days after his OV to Lexington, the entire UK staff was at Stepinac for the New York Basketball Coaches Clinic, which was then followed up by an in-home visit. In total, Fland had three in-person meetings with UK in rapid succession.
“(Kentucky is) a winning program under Coach Cal, you know? He came in and had an immediate impact on the entire university and on the fan base, everything,” Fland told KSR this summer. “They’ve got the No. 1 recruiting class coming in, so it’s good.”
While Oats is still developing a reputation with getting players to the next level, Calipari is known for it at the highest order. It’s no secret that guards of Fland’s caliber can succeed inside Rupp Arena, making Kentucky’s appeal rather easy to see and understand.
“The school I am hearing the most with regard to Fland’s recruitment right now is Kentucky,” wrote On3 national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw. “John Calipari’s long list of point guards has not gone unnoticed … Intel suggests that Fland is still a couple of weeks away from making a decision, so continue to monitor the trends.”
Boogie Fland Scouting Summary
“Boogie Fland plays with a New York flair. He has a good handle and is able to shoot the ball from each level. He has deep range off the bounce and will pull up if you give him an inch. He sees the floor well, gets his teammates in evolved, and takes care of the ball, valuing possessions. There is a floater game in there as well, with a one and two dribble pull-up. He will need to continue getting stronger, and he is a solid athlete and has average length. The confidence is sky-high, and the skill set is obvious. He has a comfort playing on the ball or off the ball in a two-guard lineup. Never afraid of the spotlight. Charismatic.”
Fland has an On3 NIL Valuation of $227K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.