Miami signee Paul Djobet draws Jimmy Butler comparison from his high school coach: “Paul is one of the better wings I’ve had in my 23 years”
While recent Miami basketball signee Paul Djobet perhaps went unnoticed by recruiting services and other major college programs, his head coach at West Oaks Academy, Kenny Gillion, believes that will soon change.
Over the years, Gillion has seen plenty of talented athletes come through his powerhouse West Oaks Academy program, but he believes Djobet may be one of the best to date.
“I’ve been coaching for 23 years, and Paul is one of the better wings I’ve had in my 23 years of coaching,” Gillion said. “What makes him really special is that at 6-foot-7, he can really score the basketball. He has about a 6-foot-10 wingspan, which allows him to rebound the ball really well, and he averaged 10 rebounds per game for us this year. What really makes him special is his competitiveness. He’s one of those guys who refuses to lose. He can guard multiple guys, so when you bring that all together, he’s a really good player.”
Gillion, who is originally from South Florida, is no stranger to sending prospects to Miami after having three former athletes play for the Hurricanes: Eddie Rios, Adrian Thomas, and Tonye Jekiri.
With Djobet next in line, Gillion believes he will find just as much or even more success at Miami than some of his players have had in the past.
“One of the reasons he came to West Oaks Academy was to get prepared for college,” Gillion said. “I think he will have immediate success or impact because freshmen have to understand how to play defense and how to play without the ball in their hands, which he does pretty well.”
When asked who he would compare Djobet to, Gillion pointed to fellow South Florida hooper and Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler as someone who springs to mind when thinking of a solid comparison.
“He kind of reminds me of Jimmy Butler,” Gillion said. “In terms of his game, you look at it and it’s not the prettiest, but he’s highly effective and he plays really hard. He’s that guy that can rebound, get to the paint to score, and with the game on the line, no matter how many shots he misses, he’s confident in his game.”
Gillion talks Djobet’s senior season
After transferring to West Oaks Academy for his senior year, Gillion says the 6-foot-7 Hurricane signee’s biggest area of improvement was on the defensive side of the ball.
“Definitely on the defensive end,” Gillion said. “He came in averaging 33 points per game because he was relied on to score. What I told him was that some of the best players to ever play got it done on both ends of the court. The second thing was his rebounding. He averaged four rebounds a game as a junior, and he averaged 10 a game this year, playing really competitive guys.”
Away from the hardwood, Gillion teaches the Lille, France, native in the classroom and adds that his fierce competitive nature is still present while hitting the books, which he believes will help Djobet in the long run.
“I actually teach him in US Government, so in class he wants to get the highest grade and he sits in the front,” Gillion said. “Everything he does, he’s really competitive in. Overall he’s a really good kid. Very friendly and watches a lot of basketball too. Even off the court, he just has a real competitive spirit.”
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