What to Look for From Jalil Bethea in the Fall

The Philly native and consensus five-star talent takes his talents to South Beach — where he'll suit up for the Miami Hurricanes. What should NBA scouts look for in year one?

Apr 1, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonalds High School All American guard Jalil Bethea (1) poses with the trophy after winning the dunk competition in the 2024 McDonalds High School All American Powerade Jam Fest at Delmar Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

A 2023-24 Gatorade Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American, Naismith Award semifinalist and the seventh-ranked recruit out of the Class of 2024 — Jalil Bethea has accomplished a lot in his young career as an 18-year-old could-be prodigy, and that segways into some high expectations as he enters the collegiate stage of his hoops timeline.

A slight 6-foot-5 guard committed to the Miami Hurricanes, the Philadelphia native has a chance to be a special athlete in the coming years. But primarily, he's a pure scorer. With the length and a touch on the ball as a perimeter shooter and a knack for sinking tough, contested shots emulating a professional at just 18 years old, his outlook is enticing as he enters his first year with the Canes.

Two years removed from a 29-8 season, Bethea bursts onto the South Beach scene to hopefully right a wronged ship, one that saw Miami post a less-than .500 season a year ago — missing the NCAA Tournament and sitting near the bottom of the ACC with six wins and 14 losses in conference play. With the way the Canes' depth chart appears as is, Bethea has a chance to take control of this team in his first year both as a scorer and all-around playmaker offensively.

While he has the initiating capabilities on all three levels as a guy who can put the ball in the cup, enhancing his skills as a facilitator with improved vision and decision-making is going to be massive for his development and overall projection as a pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Looking for that will be imperative to not only his individual projection, but also how Miami will perform under his expertise — which of course is a lot of pressure for an incoming freshman, but he has the tools to do so, he just needs to hone them.

Conveying this skill to NBA scouts will be key to how they perceive his expected role in the league, and while he wouldn't have those freedoms in the professional landscape, portraying that skill set can certainly be a catalyst for a team taking him early as a guard who can provide a shooting threat in the league immediately.

Bethea's rookie season is highly optimistic, he just needs to deliver.

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