As he prepares for the next step on his basketball journey, Aundre Hyatt has stuck around his alma mater for a few months after graduation.
The former Rutgers captain is still in New Brunswick, still making regular trips to the practice facility he called home for four seasons, still putting up shots and working out to stay in shape ahead of moving to Europe later this summer. As part of this routine, Hyatt partakes in regular pick up games against the many new Scarlet Knights who joined the program this offseason.
Each time, he is struck by two things: their youth — “they all look like babies!” — and their size.
“They’re a lot taller than we were last year,” Hyatt told NJ Advance Media. “I’m excited to see how that goes, because we lacked rebounding. Hopefully they can clean that up this year.”
Combine their physical tools with the skill Hyatt has witnessed from the group — both when he plays them in pickup games and when he attends summer workouts as a spectator — and the Bronx native has high hopes for Rutgers this coming winter.
“They’re going to be really, really good, especially when (five-star freshman) Dylan (Harper) comes back (from his knee injury),” Hyatt said. “They have all the talent to match the defensive system that Pike has. I think that’s what we were lacking last year — we just needed a little bit more talent — but they definitely have all the pieces this year. I just think it’s going to take time for them to mesh.”
In one recent edition of their weekly pickup games, fellow alums Ron Harper Jr. and Caleb McConnell tagged along. The trio of former Scarlet Knights teamed up with freshmen forward Dylan Grant and Bryce Dortch, and they faced off against a mish-mash of newcomers like Zach Martini and Jordan Derkack and former teammates like Jeremiah Williams and Jamichael Davis.
Hyatt was impressed with the two New Jersey natives.
“I think Derkack and Martini are going to do really, really well,” he said. “I feel like they are Pike players: they do the right things, shoot the ball when they need to, play defense, rebound, go hard on goth ends.”
Grant also stood out.
“I think DG is going to be really good,” Hyatt said. “He moves really well off the ball.”
And, of course, Hyatt has liked what he’s seen from five-star freshman Ace Bailey.
“Ace is a freak. That’s the best way to describe him,” Hyatt said. “He’s 6-foot-10 and he moves like a guard, he can defend multiple positions. He’s going to be really good.”
Along with facing off against the group in pickup games in Piscataway, Hyatt could potentially face off against Martini, Derkack and two of his former teammates at the Jersey Shore Basketball League this summer, which began this week at Manasquan High School.
Hyatt played in the first game of the competition, scoring 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for Larson Ford in a 115-107 loss. He will look to play in as many games as he can over the next couple of months, using the competition to stay in shape ahead of his big move to Belgium.
Hyatt signed his first professional contract in the country recently, agreeing to play for Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen of the BNXT League. In Europe, he will achieve a lifelong dream.
“It’s definitely surreal,” Hyatt said. “I know it’s not the NBA yet, but I’ve been working towards being a pro my whole life. Being able to wake up every day and say I’m doing what I love and I’m getting paid for it is a surreal feeling.”
As he pursues his own ambitions, Hyatt will keep a close eye on the highly-anticipated season unfolding back in New Jersey.
For that, he’ll need an assist from his former program.
“They’ll have to give me the Big Ten Network password,” he said.
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.