New Mexico St. lands elite wing
New Mexico State fans are about to learn that patience is a virtue.
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Eli Chuha, one of the best players to come out of the Class of 2014 won't suit up for the Aggies until next fall. But when that time comes, it'll be worth the wait.
Just 12-months ago, little was known about the SoCal resident.
A student at Redlands East Valley, Chuha didn't even play for his high school team as a sophomore. Then, as a junior, he was forced inside to play center on an undersized R.E.V. squad. This year, however, things came into focus, and the swingman burst on the scene to average better than 26ppg and 12rpg, flashing a brand of athleticism normally reserved for heralded 5-Star prospects. Suddenly, Division-I coaches were coming out of the woodwork, wanting to know where Chuha had come from and what his college intentions were.
But Chuha had more surprises in store. After beginning his junior year around 6'6", the suddenly sought-after prospect grew more than two inches this past season.
Now, "he's tapping on the door of 6'9"" said Chuha's coach, Bryon Samuel. "He's so athletic that when he's engaged on both ends of the floor he's virtually unstoppable."
A number of elite AAU programs have had to learn that the hard way.
In mid-July, Chuha and his Inland teammates rolled to the championship at one of the summer's top events, The Pangos Sweet 16, and since then, the phone hasn't stopped ringing.
Cali kid Eli Chuha (2015) can go! Need more info on this kid. Playing for Inland Empire. 6'8 with guard skills.- N.D. Kendrick (@NDkendrick) April 5, 2014
"New Mexico State got a top-10 kid, right there," said Elvert "Koolaid" Perry, who has coached a pair of McDonald's All-Americans. "He's the steal of the century. I don't know of a wing out there right now that can do more than him. He can walk in and start on any team in the country, and that includes the Dukes, North Carolinas, and such."
The good news for Coach Marvin Mensies is that Chuha has pledged to the Aggies. The talented wing needs to complete some core classes before he can begin playing next fall but is already on campus taking classes.
Once the talented hoopster is cleared to play, Mensies and his staff will have plenty of options. Chuha's rare physical attributes, coupled with strong ball skills, mean that he's capable of playing inside or out, and even has the handle to bring the ball up.
"They want to use him as a wing because he creates so many matchup problems," said Samuel. "He can score on the run and you can his length and post him up, too."
Iowa, CSU Northridge, Arkansas, and the JC-route were all possible landing spots for Chuha, but in the end, the Aggies were the perfect fit, added Samuel.
"I felt like he really needed to go somewhere where he could take classes and also get away from home and stay hungry. Eli, with his upside: sky's the limit. He doesn't really understand how good he can be. But he's starting to."