Looney's game has evolved:
The evolution of Looney as a player and a prospect is one that continues to unfold. The 6-foot-8 (maybe pushing 6-foot-9?) junior forward at Milwaukee (Wis.) Hamilton broke onto the national hoops scene with the Milwaukee Running Rebels as a rising freshman. At the time, Looney was a skinny, wide-shouldered wing who loved to shoot deep jumpers and get on the glass and seemed like a natural small forward.
Kevon Looney has evolved physically and in his game.
As time has gone by, Looney has grown into those wide shoulders. As we watched the No. 7 player in the class of 2014 over the weekend, we could see that his game is developing as well.
The part of Looney's game that has remained consistent during his development is the high volume at which he rebounds the ball. He's not one of those guys who is some kind of stupendous athlete who leaps over or runs by everybody. No, Looney is a grinder with great hands and a natural instinct for being in the right place at the right time. He reads where the ball will go, understands where misses tend to fall and has excellent reactions to get to and corral rebounds. Those same instincts and patience have turned him into a very good shot blocker.
That ability to rebound affords him lots of chances for easy scores around the rim. A growth spurt that has allowed him to fill out his once skinny frame and get a little taller has turned him into a more reliable interior finisher and somebody who can play with a bit more physicality. Because of that, it's probably time that we start looking at Looney more as a power forward than as a small forward on the next level. He can handle the ball, has a jumper that has to be respected and is an excellent passer, which will allow him to face up and be more versatile as a four who can play inside and out than as a three who will shoot and slash from the perimeter.