Player Profile: Amida Brimah

Looking Back: Heading into the 2013-14 campaign, there was no telling what Amida Brimah would bring to the Huskies. Ollie knew that he had a shot blocking presence which would be vital in the new freedom of movement NCAA, but like all big men it takes longer for them to adjust to the game. With that all said, Brimah exceeded all expectations. He showed both an ability to score on the block with a soft touch and also finish plays strong on the pick and roll. He continued to grow throughout the season developing a much better free throw shot and began defending without fouling which was a major issue earlier in the season for him. On top of all that, he also made one of the biggest plays of the year with a three point play on an offensive rebound that helped pull off the win in the NCAA tournament. At the end of the season it came out that he had been dealing with a shoulder injury that he had been playing through and had to undergo shoulder surgery.

The Good: It starts with shot blocking. Brimah has great instincts and has a knack for blocking the ball and keeping it in play for him to secure. He has great feet that allows him to slide over and help. He also has a soft touch for a big man and should have a much better free throw percentage in the upcoming year. With that soft touch, he should develop a ten to fifteen foot jump shot. He also showed great toughness with dealing with a shoulder injury and playing through it. His upside is tremendous and NBA scouts are probably drooling over his overall potential.

The Bad: With his height Amida needs to rebound much better. He had a hard time holding his ground and was pushed out of position for rebounds time after time. He needs to bulk up to allow him to stop being bullied out of the paint. He also has a hard time of keeping his hands off his opponent and he picks up needless fouls which keeps him from getting into the flow of the game. Another issue is his inability thus far to play through contact. He needs to go right into a move towards the basket and finish strong. It will allow him to draw his opponent to reach and get him numerous opportunities at the charity stripe.

Looking Ahead: The sky is the limit for Brimah. He is already hovering around a late first round draft choice just by size and upside alone, but if he can develop better fundamentals then he could be a top ten pick for sure. He will need to block out better, defend without fouling, and be a legitimate post threat. He has shown flashes of each and needs to continue to improve his game. If he can do that then he should have a fantastic season.