Anthony Perez-Cortesia

Jonathan Givony

Although not particularly productive in the two games we saw him play here, Anthony Joseph Perez-Cortesia (Unranked Scout, Rivals, ESPN) (or Anthony Perez-Cortesia or Anthony Cortesia) is still worthy of a mention due to the intriguing skill-set he shows.

A legit 6-8 or 6-9 small forward with nice athleticism, Cortesia is a solid ball-handler with good range on his jumper. He can create his own shot with a nice first step and excellent footwork, and is very effective in transition, showing outstanding fluidity and dexterity for a player his size. When left open on the perimeter, Cortesia has pretty shooting mechanics and the ability to make jumpers with range well past the 3-point line.

Cortesia still seems to be getting his feet wet when it comes to the level of competition he's seeing here in the US, as he only recently arrived from his native country of Venezuela. His toughness, fundamentals and intensity level aren't where they need to be at the moment, as he lacks the strength to finish effectively around the basket and is almost a non-factor defensively and on the glass. He refuses to use his size and athleticism in the paint in post-up situations, and didn't show any interest at all in crashing the glass on either end of the floor. Offensively, he's a bit passive and doesn't seem to know how to use his tools effectively just yet.

Cortesia is rumored to be leaning to committing to Frank Martin at Kansas State, and that might be the best thing possible for him considering the things he needs to work on and the discipline that is demanded of players at that program. Once his effort level and toughness starts to catch up with his talent, Cortesia could be a very interesting prospect.