UCLA Basketball Recruiting: 3-Star SF Noah Allen Commits To UCLA

As UCLA hoops is set to take the court on Friday, the Bruins earned a commitment from three-star wingman Noah Allen out of Oakland, CA, according to Scout.

Noah Allen joins combo guard Zach LaVine and forward Allerick Freeman in UCLA’s 2013 recruiting class.

Allen has flown under the radar in his recruitment, but his popularity has surged relatively well. What’s significant about Allen, though, is that he’s a local athlete out of Salinas, CA, the first California commit to UCLA in the past two years.

This is significant since there was grumbling from the UCLA fan-base that Ben Howland wasn’t recruiting home-grown talent, a valid criticism since Howland’s recruiting has been off the past couple of seasons (save for 2012).

Let’s go ahead and scout the kid, yeah? First, a highlight video:

This one is quick and dirty but you can still get a feel as to what Allen’s strengths and weaknesses are, more or less. First, he’s super lengthy, which is always a plus for a wingman at any level, namely at the defensive end. He doesn’t look terrifyingly athletic but instead, seems to be above average in that regard. More so than anything, his handles look a tad more than competent, giving him the ability to take opponents off the dribble. He also seems to have a solid three-point shot, although his form looks a bit off.

Do the scouting reports agree? Sort of.

The scouting reports mention quite often his lengthy frame, and they also like his ability to score in a myriad of ways, namely his ability to slash (a must for any wing, given the nature of their position). They also note that his three-point shot is pretty damn flat, which could be a problem. They love his motor though, and for that reason, the scouting reports seem to think his popularity is on the rise.

Overall, Allen would seem like that prototypical “Ben Ball” guy given the fact that he’s under the radar, has a good amount of talent, and plays with some passion.

Not a bad get, we’re pretty sure.