Bakari LaStrap
Some things are just mysteries and unexplainable… UFOs, big-foot, who shot JFK?
The recruitment of The Woodlands Christian Academy's Bakari LaStrap ranks right up there.
What does this kid have to do? The 6-foot guard led his team to its third straight TAPPS title appearance – winning two of them.
He is an exemplary student, he's improved on his three-point game and he has the hops.
LaStrap had a dunk go viral in the state semis that showed off his athleticism.
"When it happened, I thought, that's a nice highlight. I liked the dunk," he laughed. "Overtime retweeted it and my phone blew up. I'd refresh my phone and it was more and more follows."
OKAY GET LOOSE ONE TIME 🤮 @Mr_Lastrap (via @TWCAbasketball) pic.twitter.com/8OvYJA2umg
— Overtime (@overtime) February 29, 2020
College coaches across the country have passed on Bakari LaStrap… except Scott Schumacher.
The Blinn AD and men's hoop coach who has over 550 wins in 29 years as a junior college coach.
He's delivered over 80 players to the DI ranks. His brother Tim Schumacher was the head coach of the Houston Hoops, leading some of the recent McDonald's All-Americans to come through H-Town. This is a family that know college recruiting like no other. Blinn has been heavily courting LaStrap along with Ranger and Tyler Junior College.
"Most people are afraid of his size," TWCA coach Tanner Field said. "If he's 6-foot-2, he a high-major recruit. He is the total package. He shoots the three at 39-percent, he gets everyone involved, he's great in the classroom and he has one focus – to play DI basketball. Coaches are missing out. Wherever he lands, his team is going to fall in love with him."
TWCA assistant Jason Tocabens, who coaches AAU teams and is also in touch with the recruiting process, weighed in.
"If he played at a public school and could do whatever he wanted, he'd be signed," he said. "If you let him take 30 shots and average over 25 points per game, things would be different. We reward those guys that take 30 shots a game in Houston. Why? Guys at Kentucky don't get 30 shots. What can you do when you take 10 shots and run a team. Our style hinders him in the recruiting game because we teach him what it's going to be like to play in college."
That's simply not LaStrap's game. He can score, but he's a true point guard.
"My sophomore and junior seasons, I was more of a playmaker," he said. "This year I took a bigger scoring role. Here's my mindset. I can go score 30 points, but my teammates might not be satisfied. You have to sacrifice yourself like making the extra pass. You have to hand it off to the bigs so they can get a dunk so they will play harder. That's what comes with being a point guard. You have to care for others other than yourself. That's how you win championships."
While the recruiting process has been a roller-coaster for LaStrap, he's taking it in stride.
"I've really researched the junior college route," he said. "You have to go where you are wanted and I can't worry about it – there's always a plan.
"I won't decide until April and my door and ears are open," he said. "The juco route would be me betting on myself to play well and get re-recruited. That's what's will likely happen."
Don't thing he's not playing with a HUGE chip on his shoulder to prove all of those college assistants wrong.
