Thanks for clarifying. I just checked his stats and yeah, that is not a pretty number. And he doesn't shoot threes, so my concern is that he is the type of guy who can score close to the basket against high school kids because of his size, but that may not translate when he is playing taller, stronger, more athletic bigs. I just read an On3 report that described him as "not super bursty." Guys like that can still be good players, obviously, but it usually requires good footwork and good touch. Let's hope he has those things and can develop.
FWIW, both evaluations are kind of old, or at least before the latest HS and current UAA seasons...
On3 (5/2023):
"Kai Rogers is a strong and physically impressive post presence. He has good hands and an understanding of how he can best affect the game, and play within himself. While not super bursty, he has good timing around the basket as a rim protector. He is patient on the block and can score with a go-to move over his left shoulder. Rogers has touch on his shot and is developing a catch and shoot jumper. The release is good and the balance and footwork is improving. He is a good area rebounder. He plays tough on traffic. Has recently lost a good bit of weight which has helped him improve his athleticism and conditioning."
247 (8/2024):
"Kai Rogers was one of the most productive big men in the UAA this year, averaging 16 points on 66% shooting from the floor, nearly seven rebounds, and over two blocks. He is a true post with good size, extremely long arms (7-foot-4 wingspan), and a big body. He plays primarily with his back to the basket, but has the soft hands and touch to eventually diversify his attack. What he's best at right now is utilizing his size to attack smaller defenders. He does a good job of working for deep post position prior to the catch, understands high-low angles, and then goes toward the rim once he gets the ball. He'll look to back his defender down off the dribble if he catches in the mid-post and then likes to spin or drop-step, showing good footwork both with and without the ball.
Rogers is somewhat ground bound in traffic, but can make lay-ups with both hands around the rim, and has some very sneaky bounce when he's able to elevate in space. He shows flashes of face-up touch and even some glimpses of passing potential, but isn't yet ready to make those consistent staples of his game yet (he shot 55% from the free-throw line and averaged just 0.7 assists against 2.2 turnovers per game).
Rogers has gotten noticeably stronger over the years, but needs to continue to prioritize his fitness and commit to playing with a consistently high motor. While he doesn't shy away from contact in the lane, he's not always as forceful going through it as he should be and can also seem to struggle with balance in the lane at times. Similarly, he has bursts of running the floor, but can also be content to trot behind the play at times.
Defensively, his big body and hands are assets, and help him to be a solid area rebounder. He's very aggressive looking to make plays on the ball, and has good metrics because of it (2.3 blocks and 0.9 steals per game), but will have to pick his spots much more judiciously at the next level. There are moments when he gets foul-prone by being slightly late to the play or out of position, and again a lot of that comes back to being balanced and proactive.
Overall, Rogers was one of the best true centers in the UAA this year and has clear room for future growth with improved conditioning, development of his face-up tools, and improved balance, timing, and consistent positioning on both ends of the floor."
