J.P. Estrella

Estrella is a late-bloomer who has grown 8 inches since his freshman year of high school. He has good hands and terrific natural touch. He’s at his best in offensive structure and really shines in the various actions that his Middlesex Magic squad runs for him. He has a definite passing instinct and shows flashes of being a high-level frontcourt facilitator. Physically, he’s still growing into his body a bit, which is to be expected for someone who has grown as rapidly as he has in recent years, and isn’t exceptionally long. He runs fluidly and is solid athletically for his size, but not yet super mobile. He’s also still in the process of building up his body, so there are times when the speed or physicality of the game can get the better of him. Inside, he has good footwork, both before the catch (where he can flip to hips to change the angle of his seal) and with the ball, as well as good dexterity and ability to score with either hand, but needs to be able to hold his spots consistently and simultaneously develop a higher release point on his jump hook (especially over his right shoulder). Estrella is already a shooting threat from behind the arc and is showing better loft on his ball from that distance than he did earlier in the spring, but is not yet a high percentage three-point shooter. Defensively, he rebounds his area effectively due to his size and soft hands, and will likely continue to evolve as he gets stronger. Similarly, he’s a solid shot-blocker, primarily from off the ball, but could also continue to emerge. Overall, Estrella projects as an inside-out big who is skilled, smart, and fundamentally sound, but still needs to keep filling out his frame, getting stronger, and developing along the same trajectory he’s been ascending on in recent years.