LeBryan Nash and His Giant Orange Hat Commit to OK State

Even though elite level, high school baller LeBryan Nash (#2 ranked player by Rivals, #10 by ESPN) is new to the national spotlight, there’s no doubting that after his press conference to announce his college choice, that the rising HS senior in addition to dominating on the basketball court, has a flair for the dramatic and likes to have a little fun in life. After being slightly upstaged by fellow 2011 Class recruits Quincy Miller and Deuce Bello, who recently gave their commitments to Baylor, Nash eventually stole the show on ESPNU’s Recruiting Insider by shockingly donning a giant orange foam cowboy hat to signify that the Top 10 recruit will be playing for Oklahoma State in 2011.

Nash’s flamboyant, outgoing nature, as well as his physical presence and penchant for playing outstanding defense have many people drawing comparisons to current NBA superstar Ron Artest. The 6’8, 230 lb forward is arguably the most physically gifted player in the entire 2011 class. He is a given to finish off a 3 point play with his already chiseled physique and has the potential to make an immediate impact on the national level as a freshman.

He averaged 17.8 ppg and 10.2 rebounds as a junior last season for the fabled Lincoln HS in Dallas Texas. He has an amazing combination of power and athleticism as well as being one of the country’s most powerful dunkers. He has worked hard on his perimeter skills which stretch out to the 3 point line but is at his best in the open floor. At 230 pounds, Nash is also a load to defend in the post since his is much bigger and stronger than opposing small forwards. He could also develop into an explosive scoring threat by the time he gets on campus because of his ever developing skill-set.

Unfortunately, just like his NBA counterpart Artest, Nash does come with some baggage. He has reportedly matured and helped to get his emotions under control, but in the past he has been known to have blow-ups and throw tantrums towards referees, coaches, and teammates. Many scouts have also questioned his poor body language when things haven’t gone so well. But with age and maturity comes more composure as Nash has developed into a team leader and even role model as an incoming senior. Although it’s a cliche, the only thing standing in the way of Nash making an instant impact and moving on to the NBA is Nash himself. The good news for Cowboys fans is that at least he’s not shaving Japanese words into his head or dyeing his hair blonde just yet.

Check out the uber-athletic LeBryan Nash’s 2010 Summer Mixtape:

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You can check out Nash’s full commitment on ESPNU right here.

Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.  Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.