Isiah Harwell Scouting Report
Despite an ACL injury making for a tumultuous prep career, five-star Houston commit Isiah Harwell cemented himself as one of the best 3&D wings in the nation.
Of all the five-stars/borderline five-stars in the 2025 high school basketball recruiting class, Houston commit Isiah Harwell may be flying the farthest under the radar. The two-way wing with a pro-ready physical profile joins the Cougars following a tumultuous prep career, headlining perhaps the best recruiting class in all of college basketball alongside top ranked center Chris Cenac. Despite his high school pedigree and clear fit within the Houston system, many view him as a multi-year player for head coach Kelvin Sampson. While this may be the case, I believe many have cast him aside too soon, and that he has a very real chance to emerge as a first-round pick following his freshman season. What has to happen for that to be the case, and what does his game project to look like heading into the year? Let’s find out.
Player Profile:
Isiah Harwell is a 6’6” and 200lb small forward/wing who finished his prep career at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah after starting with Century High School in his hometown of Pocatello, Idaho. Following a freshman season with Century where he posted averages of 18 points and 8 rebounds per game, he would transfer to Wasatch, one of the best prep programs in the nation. He had a successful sophomore season with the program as well as with the Utah Prospects, his AAU program. However, an ACL injury at the beginning of his junior campaign would sideline him for a year, forcing him to miss most of his junior season and his final AAU season. He returned for his senior season and posted averages of 17.4 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, leading Wasatch to a 25-4 record.
He finished his career as a borderline consensus five-star recruit, with ESPN, Rivals, and On3 listing him as a five-star in the 2025 class. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Utah, and earned a spot at the McDonald’s All-American game. His prolific high school career and stellar bounce-back senior season saw him earn offers from programs such as Kansas, North Carolina, Baylor, Alabama, and many more. He eventually chose to take his talents to the Houston Cougars and head coach Kelvin Sampson, with his three other finalists being Gonzaga, Cal, and Texas. Now he finds himself a part of one of the best incoming freshmen classes in the country alongside fellow five-star Chris Cenac and high-end four-star Kingston Flemings.
Interior Scoring:
Allow me to preface the rest of this article by saying that I don’t have nearly as many clips of Harwell as I typically do for these articles. His ACL injury wiped out his final AAU season, which basically cut my film for him in half. I also didn’t feel comfortable using tape from two years ago to make up for this. So, while I do feel comfortable coming to conclusions regarding his game, I am slightly less confident about my projections than I typically am after a film dive.
Despite his pro-ready physical profile and tenacious playstyle, Harwell isn’t an incredibly strong at-the-rim scorer. He’s not a particularly special vertical athlete, limiting him to under- and around-the-rim attempts for the most part. When he gets there, usually off of cuts and in transition, he’s solid at converting, but he just doesn’t get there all that often. When it comes to self-created looks, close-range attempts certainly make up the smallest segment of his shot diet. All in all, I hope he can turn into a more willing off-ball slasher during his time with Houston, where I assume he will rarely be asked to create his own looks.
For a guy who has legitimate long-range gravity and a decent handle, he just doesn’t apply much pressure on the rim. He possesses a strong foundation for at-the-rim success, including solid acceleration and deceleration, a strong bag of dribble moves, and soft touch finishing acumen, but he tends to settle for floaters and mid-range jumpers rather than taking the ball all the way to the hoop. Luckily, he’s very good on those shots, but as he moves forward in his career, coaching staffs will prefer him to improve as an at-the-rim finisher rather than maintain his volume on mid-range and in-between attempts.
Like I said, most of his at-the-rim work comes via off-ball movement and a willingness to trail drivers for dump off passes. However, I still wouldn’t consider this a major element of his offensive arsenal. He has the makeup of a serious threat in this department, and I expect him to eventually realize his potential as an off-ball cutter. Most of his at-the-rim scoring volume comes via easy transition opportunities (which I’m not including clips of because I don’t think it offers a ton of insight into his game) and clean-up work on the offensive glass. These are two areas where I’m sure he’ll continue to find success throughout his career, but he should shift his sights primarily toward more impactful forms of rim pressure if he wants to emerge as a legitimate all-around scorer.
Mid-Range Scoring:
As I mentioned, Harwell is a very talented scorer from the mid-range and in-between levels. So talented, in fact, that he’s actually damaged his reputation as an at-the-rim scorer. That said, it’s undeniable that he’s one of the better in-between scoring wings in the nation, consistently knocking down floaters and soft touch push shots throughout his senior season. While I’m sure his traditional mid-range volume will decrease as he integrates into pro-style offensive systems, his in-between game will continue to be held at a premium as he progresses. What’s most interesting about this element of his game is just how comfortable he is creating opportunities off-the-dribble, something that suggests a higher offensive ceiling than many give him credit for.
He’s a true maestro on traditional mid-range jumpers, creating these shots in a myriad of ways while maintaining a level of simplicity and ease that you typically only see from professionals. He’s comfortable backing down opponents for turnarounds, can stop on a dime to send defenders coasting for just enough space to get his jumper off, and has a lightning quick step-back which creates a ton of separation. I’d argue the most important element of his mid-range jumper is the height he gets on his release, as he gets a ton of lift off the ground and keeps the ball well above his head at the point of release. He achieves this with impressive speed and fluidity as well, making it incredibly difficult to block these shots. In fact, defenders often jump through his body in an effort to contest these looks, giving him plenty of extra opportunities at the charity stripe.
Harwell’s in-between game is probably my favorite element of his playstyle, and I’m a huge fan of how he utilizes other strengths to maximize his effectiveness from this level. His gravity from beyond the arc, which increased during a senior year when he saw major improvements as a long-range marksman, allows him to consistently create opportunities to put up floaters and push shots. He’s fantastic at attacking closeouts for these looks, and he’s even better at weaving through defenders on his drives to put himself in the best possible position to get these shots off. I found that he’s particularly comfortable putting high arches on these looks to ensure they’re unblockable, something that didn’t seem to lessen his efficiency in the slightest. If he ever does become a full-time ball handling wing, something that is probably near the peak of his long-term ceiling, this skill will likely be the foundation for that development.
Outside Shooting:
Harwell’s most important trait from a professional perspective is probably his outside shooting, an area where he grew tremendously during his senior season. Today, he’s one of the most dangerous catch-and-shoot operatives heading into college basketball, and he’ll offer a ton of connective offense via this skill once he steps on the court for Houston. He doesn’t worry himself too much about off-the-dribble creation from this level, but it is something he’s capable of doing from time to time. Overall, his 3-&-D abilities are what make him a perfect fit in Kelvin Sampson’s system, and why I think he’ll flourish during his time with the Cougars.
Most of the things that make him a very dangerous shooter from the mid-range are also present in his long-range shots. His shot motion is incredibly quick and he gets significant lift on his shots. His mechanics are consistent and correct, and it often feels like every shot he takes in rhythm is going to go in. Something that he possesses that I doubt we’ll see much of during his freshman campaign is incredible range. He consistently attempted and knocked down shots from well beyond the arc, which, in my opinion, makes him an infinitely more interesting NBA prospect.
Off-the-dribble threes aren’t a major part of his scoring arsenal, but he’ll occasionally put the ball on the floor and create his own looks. For the most part, his on-ball threes come via handoffs where he only has to put the ball on the floor a handful of times before attempting his shot. However, he did show some legitimate self-creation flashes throughout his senior season. As he builds confidence in his long-range shot after multiple seasons of being an elite shooter, I think there’s a very real world where he becomes a serious shot creator from deep. However, I doubt this will be asked of him much early on in his Houston career, and I’m not overly worried about his lack of major volume in this department during his prep career.
Passing & Playmaking:
Much like his in-between scoring game, I don’t think Harwell got the recognition he deserved as a passer during his high school career. Most agree that he’s an above average passing wing, but I’d argue that his passing ceiling is far higher than he’s typically given credit for. He has excellent vision and is a solid quick decision maker, something that I think will only become more evident once he’s surrounded by better talent within a better system. As he develops and hopefully adds stronger ball handling skills to his game, I think he could become a real point-wing at the college level and a secondary ball handler at the professional level.
I think what makes him such an intriguing passer is his ability to play both as a connective piece and as the occasional primary advantage creator. His downhill gravity, as interior defenders prepare for his floater, allowed him to find a ton of success hitting teammates at the dunker spot. His vision is probably most evident when he’s delivering passes to cutting teammates from the perimeter. These skills will surely present themselves on occasion during his freshman season, but I don’t expect them to truly emerge as advanced traits until he’s given more on-ball responsibilities. For the time being, his connective and kickout passing will probably be his strongest immediate traits.
He did a great job of finding open teammates along the perimeter during his senior season at Wasatch, but I actually expect this skill to naturally improve as soon as he gets to Houston. College spacing within a system as advanced as Houston’s will make it far easier for him to consistently find shooters on his drives. If he’s ever given the green light to work from the mid-range how he did in high school, not only will this spacing improve his scoring output, but he should immediately make a positive difference via his passing.
Defense:
If I had to guess, Houston likely heavily prioritized Harwell because of his defense. He was one of the best off-ball defenders in all of high school basketball this past season, and I don’t think it will take long for him to adapt to collegiate competition. He’s not a great on-ball defender, but what he lacks in on-ball instincts he makes up for in an elite motor and fierce tenacity. If he can develop into a better point of attack defender (which I think is very likely considering the program he’s joining) he could emerge as one of the more well-rounded defenders in all of college basketball.
Almost all of his steals are generated via the passing lane, but I think what separates him from similar off-ball defensive playmakers is his ability to interrupt a passing lane without risking much. Instead of throwing his entire body into the lane, he often gets a hand on the ball while remaining behind his man. I do worry that this could cause some foul trouble at the college level, but he mostly avoided the whistle during his prep tenure. Beyond steals, he’s maintains his focus and remains aware at all times, very rarely letting his man slip behind him or get loose in the flow of the offense.
He’ll occasionally come up with a block at the rim, but for the most part, his blocks mostly come on jump shots. Because he’s so good at staying with his man, he often finds himself in strong position to block jump shots in the mid-range and from beyond the arc. He’s an excellent screen navigator and rarely misses a switch. While I’m sure he was taught some of these skills while at Wasatch, I assume that most of his success on this end of the floor is natural. That being the case, I’m excited to see what the Houston coaching staff, the best defense-oriented staff in the country, will be able to get out of him after a season or two. Don’t be surprised if he emerges as one of the better defenders in the NBA a few years from now.
Summary:
Before I fully summarize Harwell’s game, allow me to list out any and all of his weaknesses and flaws in order to garner a better understanding of his game in its entirety. I must say, there’s nothing wrong with a player having weaknesses, especially an incoming freshman. What makes the great players great is their ability to not only maintain their strengths but also improve upon their weaknesses. With that said, here they are:
His weakest scoring level is undeniably at the rim, where he struggles to finish above the rim and where he’s not able to consistently absorb contact. I do worry that his injury has left him unwilling to attack the rim with full force, and I hope that this changes as he moves farther away from said injury.
He shies away from contact at every level, once again possibly because of his injury concerns. This does limit his trips to the free-throw line, an area where you’d expect him to find success considering his jump shooting acumen.
He can settle for mid-range and in-between looks in situations where at-the-rim looks are probably more efficient. I noticed he regularly opts to attempt shots from these levels even when the rim is poorly defended.
He has room to grow as a self-creator from basically every level besides his in-between looks. I’d like to see significant off-the-dribble growth from beyond the arc, as that will probably be his most important scoring level once he turns pro.
A lot of his flaws could be attributed to his subpar handle. I’d argue his handle is strong enough for him to operate as an off-ball wing, but if he wants to emerge as something more than that, he’ll have to make major improvements.
For a wing, he’s a very good passer, but obviously has room to grow if he wants to be a secondary playmaker at the professional level. I think he doubts his passing ability at times, missing easy looks for fear of turning it over. I think improving as a ball handler and interior scorer would allow him to fully flex his passing muscle.
Defensively, his only real weakness is point of attack defense, where he often struggles to stick with quicker ball handlers on the perimeter. He’s also not strong enough to defend real frontcourt players and probably needs to add quite a bit of weight before he’s ready to defend professional wings.
To summarize Isiah Harwell, I think you should look at how Houston basketball has operated during the Kelvin Sampson era. Why? Because he’s the perfect high level recruit for that program and illustrates what they’re looking for in players on both ends of the court. On offense, he’s a player with a safe floor who will offer immediate contributions through strong connective skills such as his catch-and-shoot abilities from beyond the arc and high feel passing on the wing. Defensively, he will bring high level off-ball defense to the table from day one, with hopes of eventually becoming a more well-rounded defensive stopper. I expect him to spend more than one year with the Cougars, but that’s not to say he won’t be a very real NBA prospect from day one.
His professional appeal is clear. All of the skills mentioned in the last paragraph make for an incredibly strong foundation and lofty floor. His ceiling will only be reached if he improves upon a handful of the things listed as weaknesses, namely his at-the-rim scoring and ball handling abilities. He has the physical profile of a ball handling small forward in the league, but some of his skills are lacking. Will he be able to develop those skills in a college-focused system at Houston? We shall see, but I’m fairly confident projecting him to be a safe bet at the professional level even if he doesn’t reach his full potential.
What does safe bet look like? Is it Matisse thybulle? Is it Marcus smart?