this is the total article..
Since his commitment to Georgetown this past Sunday, the Hoya Nation has been full of discussion regarding Rodney Pryor; who is he, what kind of player he is and the like. The 6’5”, 210 pound, graduate transfer guard/forward, one who joins junior college transfer Jonathan Mulmore and freshman Jagan Mosely form G’Town’s 2016 class have certainly energized those who follow the program.
Just who is Pryor?
For a rundown of Pryor, his history and goals, provided by the Evanston, Illinois native himself visit Premium Court. Safe to say he’s had to persevere.
Want a snapshot of Pryor, the person? His mentor provided it.
“Rodney is a natural leader” shared Rick Goings, founder of the 30 x 30 Exposure Camp and a well-known DMV hoops figure. “He has the leadership skills and poise to be an example for young players. I think Coach Thompson will be able to look to him as an extension of himself on the court”.
Goings certainly knows Pryor the person, who met him “in my first year at Robert Morris”, and “Was there and kept me focused mentally, helped me stay the course”. Additionally, Goings “helped keep my confidence high so I can play at a high level. He really played a part in me being successful”.
The Hoya Nation certainly hopes that success continues next year for Pryor.
PREMIUM COURT ARTICLE
What’s it been like basketball-wise for Rodney Pryor? The journey has been long, trying, yet ultimately satisfying, but not supremely so, as Pryor has goals yet to achieve.
Though hoops has pretty much always been in Pryor’s life, it wasn’t his first athletic love. Another big American sport was.
“I always played in the youth league”, starting around kindergarten or first grade, shared Pryor recently by telephone. “But basketball wasn’t my primary sport”, he continued, as football was his first love. Being so made sense, given his older brother, Robert, “was a stud” who attended Evanston Township and went to junior college, before a neck injury ended his career.
Given the fact Pryor dropped 18 points and eight rebounds for Robert Morris one may assume Robert was always a beast on the court. Don’t.
“I was pretty bad” revealed Pryor. “I was a post player who waited on the block for guards to give him the ball”.
He started taking the game somewhat seriously around the 7th or 8th grade, but it wasn’t until ninth grade that Pryor started to work on his skills; with the help of Todd Paterson, then a freshman coach at Evanston, Rodney began to hone his hoops fundamentals, including those pertinent to perimeter players.
As a sophomore, Pryor was a more improved player, one who demanded playing time. Evanston “had a pretty stacked team, so we did the five in and five out thing”, he recalled. “We had a lot of good players, so nobody stood out”.
Next up for him was Notre Dame Prep, which Pryor transferred to as a junior. The transition was “up and down” per Rodney, as “just making the adjustment, catholic school and all boys…level of discipline” was challenging.
Like he did four years previously, Pryor decided to focus on fundamentals, leading him to recall “I really put in time junior to senior year summer…I didn’t play much AAU, just worked on my skills.
The result was a good final high school campaign with Notre Dame, one in which the squad, led by himself and Hampton’s Quinton Chievous “made a run for the state championship”.
Things might have been good on court for Pryor, not so off the floor – a smart kid, Pryor wasn’t eligible for NCAA Division I basketball. Rodney knew a different path was in store for him.
“When I was at Evanston, I wasn’t that serious as a student and kid…always trying to make people laugh, the class clown” shared Pryor. Upon transferring to Notre Dame, “I was always under par (academically). So I went the junior college route”.
The year was 2011, and next on tap for Pryor was Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA.
“I played there, when I got there I was in the rotation” recalled Pryor. “When I sprained my ankle, got out the rotation”. After the season concluded, a desire “for a more competitive league” led him to enroll at Cloud Community College in Concordia, Kansas.
His first season at there, 2012-2013, never got untracked.
“When I got to Cloud, I broke my left fifth metatarsal” in his foot, he said. “I was out that whole season”.
He immediately put his proverbial hard hat on, “Rehabbed, got back”. According to him help was received in that effort, since “I was pretty down in spirit. My coach there, Chad Eshbaugh just really stayed on me, really encouraged me. My teammates helped me attack the rehab, and I came back a lot stronger”.
The work soon provided benefits for Pryor, as “That summer I was invited to the JUCO Top 250 and played well enough to stay for top 100”.
After a basketball career that sustained spotty minutes, a transfer in high school and two JUCO injuries, Pryor always remained focused to become a Division I basketball player. Going into his second year at Cloud, things were finally looking on track for him, including high majors such as Kansas State sniffing.
And then they weren’t.
He blew out his right ACL the first day of practice, when a teammate fell on him. Another season was lost.
Pryor again “was down in spirit”. Again Eshbaugh and another coach, shared Rodney, “talked about what it was going to take to get back”, forming a “strong support system”.
Additionally, Pryor returned to his core beliefs, including “digging into my faith with God, which helped me mentally and physically to handle it’.
His role morphed into an interesting one, in which “I was also like a coach”. The experience “helped me a lot”, including improving his skills related to “breaking down the game, analyzing the game, workout preparation and game preparation…nuances helped me as a leader and player”.
After committing to Robert Morris in 2014 - mid majors continued to recruit him despite the knee injury - attaining his Division I dream occurred, yet the work continued.
“Coming into it I had a rigorous rehab training, with a guy who worked with the Steelers” revealed Pryor. “I came back really athletic, had to wear the brace…I really pushed myself to challenge myself to do this”.
Again driving the effort was “staying in my faith, praying, putting in the work” all greatly assisted him, as did “having the team that I had to allow me to showcase my game” in addition to the Colonial coaching staff’s faith in him”.
As a Colonial, Pryor was second team all-league in 2014-15, first team this past season. His offensive work was so complete that during 37 of 38 games played for Robert Morris before this year’s conference tourney, Rodney made double figure scoring.
Having lost such an impactful player must have been bitter for Robert Morris’ staff, even if this upcoming season is predicated on a NCAA waiver for him. If approved, he will be awarded a sixth year based on his JUCO knee injury.
“When I got to Robert Morris I told them my aspirations”, which at that point included the NBA, said Pryor. Apparently head Colonial Andrew Toole “knew Robert Morris wasn’t the level of competition where I could really get measured…going into the year expected I would leave if did well”.
Speaking of aspirations for 2016-17, Pryor has several: “Individually I just want to compete to be first team All-American, Player of the Year”, while from a Hoya perspective “Push the team to compete for a BIG EAST title and the Final Four”.
Those are lofty goals, but if Pryor’s history is any indication, he will give his all to reach them.
Since his commitment to Georgetown this past Sunday, the Hoya Nation has been full of discussion regarding Rodney Pryor; who is he, what kind of player he is and the like. The 6’5”, 210 pound, graduate transfer guard/forward, one who joins junior college transfer Jonathan Mulmore and freshman Jagan Mosely form G’Town’s 2016 class have certainly energized those who follow the program.
Just who is Pryor?
For a rundown of Pryor, his history and goals, provided by the Evanston, Illinois native himself visit Premium Court. Safe to say he’s had to persevere.
Want a snapshot of Pryor, the person? His mentor provided it.
“Rodney is a natural leader” shared Rick Goings, founder of the 30 x 30 Exposure Camp and a well-known DMV hoops figure. “He has the leadership skills and poise to be an example for young players. I think Coach Thompson will be able to look to him as an extension of himself on the court”.
Goings certainly knows Pryor the person, who met him “in my first year at Robert Morris”, and “Was there and kept me focused mentally, helped me stay the course”. Additionally, Goings “helped keep my confidence high so I can play at a high level. He really played a part in me being successful”.
The Hoya Nation certainly hopes that success continues next year for Pryor.
PREMIUM COURT ARTICLE
What’s it been like basketball-wise for Rodney Pryor? The journey has been long, trying, yet ultimately satisfying, but not supremely so, as Pryor has goals yet to achieve.
Though hoops has pretty much always been in Pryor’s life, it wasn’t his first athletic love. Another big American sport was.
“I always played in the youth league”, starting around kindergarten or first grade, shared Pryor recently by telephone. “But basketball wasn’t my primary sport”, he continued, as football was his first love. Being so made sense, given his older brother, Robert, “was a stud” who attended Evanston Township and went to junior college, before a neck injury ended his career.
Given the fact Pryor dropped 18 points and eight rebounds for Robert Morris one may assume Robert was always a beast on the court. Don’t.
“I was pretty bad” revealed Pryor. “I was a post player who waited on the block for guards to give him the ball”.
He started taking the game somewhat seriously around the 7th or 8th grade, but it wasn’t until ninth grade that Pryor started to work on his skills; with the help of Todd Paterson, then a freshman coach at Evanston, Rodney began to hone his hoops fundamentals, including those pertinent to perimeter players.
As a sophomore, Pryor was a more improved player, one who demanded playing time. Evanston “had a pretty stacked team, so we did the five in and five out thing”, he recalled. “We had a lot of good players, so nobody stood out”.
Next up for him was Notre Dame Prep, which Pryor transferred to as a junior. The transition was “up and down” per Rodney, as “just making the adjustment, catholic school and all boys…level of discipline” was challenging.
Like he did four years previously, Pryor decided to focus on fundamentals, leading him to recall “I really put in time junior to senior year summer…I didn’t play much AAU, just worked on my skills.
The result was a good final high school campaign with Notre Dame, one in which the squad, led by himself and Hampton’s Quinton Chievous “made a run for the state championship”.
Things might have been good on court for Pryor, not so off the floor – a smart kid, Pryor wasn’t eligible for NCAA Division I basketball. Rodney knew a different path was in store for him.
“When I was at Evanston, I wasn’t that serious as a student and kid…always trying to make people laugh, the class clown” shared Pryor. Upon transferring to Notre Dame, “I was always under par (academically). So I went the junior college route”.
The year was 2011, and next on tap for Pryor was Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA.
“I played there, when I got there I was in the rotation” recalled Pryor. “When I sprained my ankle, got out the rotation”. After the season concluded, a desire “for a more competitive league” led him to enroll at Cloud Community College in Concordia, Kansas.
His first season at there, 2012-2013, never got untracked.
“When I got to Cloud, I broke my left fifth metatarsal” in his foot, he said. “I was out that whole season”.
He immediately put his proverbial hard hat on, “Rehabbed, got back”. According to him help was received in that effort, since “I was pretty down in spirit. My coach there, Chad Eshbaugh just really stayed on me, really encouraged me. My teammates helped me attack the rehab, and I came back a lot stronger”.
The work soon provided benefits for Pryor, as “That summer I was invited to the JUCO Top 250 and played well enough to stay for top 100”.
After a basketball career that sustained spotty minutes, a transfer in high school and two JUCO injuries, Pryor always remained focused to become a Division I basketball player. Going into his second year at Cloud, things were finally looking on track for him, including high majors such as Kansas State sniffing.
And then they weren’t.
He blew out his right ACL the first day of practice, when a teammate fell on him. Another season was lost.
Pryor again “was down in spirit”. Again Eshbaugh and another coach, shared Rodney, “talked about what it was going to take to get back”, forming a “strong support system”.
Additionally, Pryor returned to his core beliefs, including “digging into my faith with God, which helped me mentally and physically to handle it’.
His role morphed into an interesting one, in which “I was also like a coach”. The experience “helped me a lot”, including improving his skills related to “breaking down the game, analyzing the game, workout preparation and game preparation…nuances helped me as a leader and player”.
After committing to Robert Morris in 2014 - mid majors continued to recruit him despite the knee injury - attaining his Division I dream occurred, yet the work continued.
“Coming into it I had a rigorous rehab training, with a guy who worked with the Steelers” revealed Pryor. “I came back really athletic, had to wear the brace…I really pushed myself to challenge myself to do this”.
Again driving the effort was “staying in my faith, praying, putting in the work” all greatly assisted him, as did “having the team that I had to allow me to showcase my game” in addition to the Colonial coaching staff’s faith in him”.
As a Colonial, Pryor was second team all-league in 2014-15, first team this past season. His offensive work was so complete that during 37 of 38 games played for Robert Morris before this year’s conference tourney, Rodney made double figure scoring.
Having lost such an impactful player must have been bitter for Robert Morris’ staff, even if this upcoming season is predicated on a NCAA waiver for him. If approved, he will be awarded a sixth year based on his JUCO knee injury.
“When I got to Robert Morris I told them my aspirations”, which at that point included the NBA, said Pryor. Apparently head Colonial Andrew Toole “knew Robert Morris wasn’t the level of competition where I could really get measured…going into the year expected I would leave if did well”.
Speaking of aspirations for 2016-17, Pryor has several: “Individually I just want to compete to be first team All-American, Player of the Year”, while from a Hoya perspective “Push the team to compete for a BIG EAST title and the Final Four”.
Those are lofty goals, but if Pryor’s history is any indication, he will give his all to reach them.
