Section 7, put on by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, is objectively one of the most impressive, expansive summer high school tournaments in the country. It was held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, over Father’s Day weekend and Pro Insight was on hand to cover the event. In between games, we caught up with Dusty Stromer, the talented guard out of Notre Dame (CA), who also plays for team WhyNot (CA) on the Nike EYBL circuit. Throughout the event, Stromer highlighted his offensive prowess, secondary creation upside, and advanced feel for the game in front of hundreds of college coaches.
As part of the Pro Insight Q&A series, Stromer discussed his background, how his game has grown the past year, his recruitment update, and more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2023 prospect Dusty Stromer, from Northridge, California:
Pro Insight: Talk about your background.
Dusty Stromer: I’m from Northridge, California and my mom is from Indianapolis and my dad is from Chicago. I grew up around basketball because my mom’s dad is a co-founder of the Indiana Pacers, so I was always around basketball as a kid.
PI: Any other athletes in the family?
DS: No, I’m the first athlete and basketball player to take this thing seriously. So that’s exciting for the whole family.
PI: What are your current measurements? How much have you grown in the past year?
DS: My freshman year with Notre Dame I was 6’4” and now I’m like 6’6” to 6’7”. I don’t know my wingspan, but I think it’s pretty long.
PI: Where does your height come from?
DS: My mom is 5’11” and my dad is 6’4”. My grandpa was also 6’4”, so we’ve got some pretty tall people in the family. I think I’m the tallest that I know of in the family, so I’m happy about that [smiles].
PI: Describe your game — what are your strengths?
DS: I’m a playmaker that can shoot it really well, I like to get my teammates involved, I’ll surprise you with my athleticism...I’ve been working on it a lot. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
PI: What about areas of improvement?
DS: Just working on getting to the rack, getting to the rim easier, getting stronger, all-around game. Getting my jumper and handles tight...just keeping everything tight.
PI: What are some underrated aspects of your game?
DS: Well I think just now people are starting to realize my athleticism because before I was never really able to jump this high. I took sophomore year off because there was no season so I just worked out and worked out. It just feels really good to finally get back out here. This is the first tournament I’ve really played in a year, so I’m pretty tired out here, but I’m trying my best to get it done.
PI: How much has your game grown in the past year?
DS: I mean all-around, I’d say. I grew a couple inches, which always helps. My jumper...everything is just coming together. With my athleticism and being able to get by people easier it opens up the whole floor for me. All-around I’m maturing more as a basketball player so it feels good.
PI: Who are some players you model your game after?
DS: My favorite player in the league is Devin Booker and I try to model a lot of what I do off of what he does. I think that guy right there is a good person to model my game after.
PI: What’s the update with your recruitment?
DS: From this event alone it’s picked up like crazy. I’ve heard from a lot of different schools, USC, UCLA, New Mexico...it’s been a lot of fun to finally get back out. (Note: since playing a key role for Team WhyNot on their Peach Jam 16U championship run, Stromer has picked up offers from Cal, San Diego State, UNLV, Nevada, Houston, Louisville, Creighton, Illinois, and Rutgers)
PI: What are you looking for in your school of choice?
DS: I don’t care about any high, mid, or low major [ranking]. I’m looking for a school that really fits my playing style, my game, and academically where I can perform well. I want to be a pro so really anywhere that complements my game is where I’m trying to go, regardless of how high-level the school is.
PI: How would you compare your on vs. off court personality?
DS: Off the court I’m a really laid back, chill guy, don’t really do much. Chill and workout. On the court I have no friends, I go at everybody and just try to compete at the highest level I can.