Butler Basketball: Analyzing the newest Bulldogs heading into 2018-19

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach LaVall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 16: The Butler Bulldogs mascot performs. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

FR Markeese Hastings

Forward | 6-foot-7 | 190 lbs | No. 447 recruit

Although barely ranked within the top-500 of the 2018 recruiting class, Markeese Hastings is a project with budding potential. With excellent size and athleticism, Hastings already possesses the right physical tools to be a multipositional player. As of now, it seems unlikely that Hastings will play a significant role as a freshman but it is reasonable to expect that, with quality player development, he could emerge as a solid wing option in the future.

However, if he is thrust into a role as a first-year player, Hastings brings a few high-quality traits to the table. For starters, he has an outstanding motor. Despite playing against relatively low competition for the majority of his high school career, Hastings never seemed to take a break and was always eager to make the right plays on both ends of the floor in order for his team to succeed. In addition, he is a tremendously hard worker, has superb rebounding instincts, and his leaping ability is also well above average.

He may be a bit of a wildcard at this point in terms of his development but that just makes his potential all the more intriguing. A lot of underrated recruits have emerged as excellent starters as members of the Butler program and Hastings could just be the next in that list. Of all players on this list, Hastings might be the most captivating considering what Coach Jordan and his staff might be able to turn him into.