Indiana Basketball: Anthony Leal brings shooting, playmaking to IU roster

Archie Miller and the Indiana basketball program  received great news on Friday as four star recruit Anthony Leal announced he will be staying in Bloomington to play for his hometown Hoosiers for his college basketball career.

Anthony Leal decided it was time to call himself a Hoosier when he committed to the Indiana basketball program on Friday. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard had offers from schools such as Xavier, Cincinnati and others, but chose IU over his other finalist Stanford.

Leal joins his current Indiana Elite teammate Trey Galloway in the Hoosiers’ 2020 class that already looks to be very strong.

Let’s take a look at what Leal projects to bring to the program in the coming years.

Leal’s value clearly resides on the offensive side of the ball, where he has showcased great versatility as a playmaker. He’s a willing passer, especially in transition and semi-transition opportunities. One of the most appealing attributes about his game is how well he sees the floor and is able to put passes right where they need to be.

While his passing ability is impressive, arguably his biggest strength lies in his scoring prowess. He’s not necessarily going to be the quickest or most athletic player on the court but at 6-foot-5 he has great size for a guard and uses it to get to the rim where he is a crafty finisher with both hands.

His most value probably lies in his ability to stretch the floor with the three ball, though. He has a smooth jumper with a high release that, combined with his length, allows him to get it off with little to no space. This was shown no more than when Leal hit 17 three pointers in his final three games at his last Adidas Gauntlet event this summer.

His skills as a playmaking combo guard should translate very well into Archie Miller’s dribble-handoff driven offensive scheme. Combining his skills as a solid ball handler and plus passer, with the fact that he’s a lights out shooter, he should thrive working a two man game with the likes of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk.

On the defensive side of the ball Leal should be able to compensate for whatever quickness or explosiveness he may be lacking with his length and IQ. He contests shots well and provides consistent physicality, so at the very least he should be a capable defender.

Under Archie Miller and the staff’s direction it would not be surprising at all to see Anthony become a plus defender at the college level.

Indiana fans have to be very excited about Leal, a Bloomington native, staying home for the next four years. Hopefully Archie Miller and company can continue this positive momentum on the recruiting trail.