Future Virginia Cav Leon Bond aims for Tosa East to repeat as champs
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (BVM) — It wasn鈥檛 a matter of if Wauwatosa East star basketball player Leon Bond would go Division I, it was where and when. Bond answered those questions July 30 when the Class of 2022 top-100 recruit committed to the University of Virginia led by Wisconsin native Tony Bennett.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 still amazed, I鈥檓 still on my high,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淚 remember when I committed right away you鈥檙e on this high where with anything you鈥檙e so happy. I鈥檓 still there and that鈥檚 why I truly feel like I made the right decision because every day I wake up I鈥檓 happy about my decision, I never regretted it. It feels amazing.鈥�
Great day to be a Cavalier鈿旓笍馃敻馃敼
— Leon Bond III (@leonbx35)
Bond chose the Cavaliers over several other offers including other finalists Cincinnati and Marquette as well as Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
鈥淎ll the other schools that pursued me are all great programs with a bunch of really great people,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淏ut, Virginia really stood out to me with the type of people Coach Bennett recruits and the type of people he makes. One thing about Virginia players you hear is yeah they鈥檙e really good basketball players, even great basketball players, but they鈥檙e even better people which is what really hooked me to Virginia.鈥�
Bond鈥檚 commitment gives the Cavaliers three top-100 recruits in the Class of 2022 joining fellow four-star prospects Isaac Traudt and Isaac McKneely from Grand Island, Nebraska, and Poca, West Virginia. respectively.聽
鈥淚 think our future is very bright,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淚 knew when I was coming in I knew I wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of other great players. I was talking to the other Isaacs, McKneely and Traudt, and we wanted to build something special. McKneely got me hooked early on and I got Traudt hooked early on. It was a little chain so it鈥檚 good.鈥�
The Wisconsin connection between Clintonville, Wisconsin, native Bennett and Milwaukee native Bond was also a huge pull for the senior. Bennett, who had once worked under his father Dick Bennett for the University of Wisconsin men鈥檚 basketball team, had experience with top level athletes from Wauwatosa East, having convinced Red Raiders鈥� legend Devin Harris to commit to the Badgers. This familiarity helped the duo of Bennett and Bond connect on an even deeper level, something that was not lost by Bond.
鈥淚 know I had some hometown love, but to me it felt like since Coach Bennett was from Wisconsin, he knows everything about Wisconsin, his family is from Wisconsin, it still has that hometown feel,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淓ven though I was going to Virginia we still have those Wisconsin ties and connections so it鈥檚 good.鈥�
The decision comes after a memorable run for the Wauwatosa East Red Raiders this past season. During the year, the 6-foot-5, 185-pound small forward averaged 11.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while leading the team to a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I state title. Bond scored 10 points in the title game as the school won its third championship along with titles in 2008 and 1991.
鈥淚t was amazing. You don鈥檛 really ever forget about that,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淓veryday little things remind you of it like seeing a picture or seeing our trophy, it鈥檚 amazing. I was with a great group of guys and I relive it every day in my head.鈥�
Although highlight plays like rim-rattling dunks and alley-oops are what fans usually will see when they search Bond鈥檚 name, closer inspection of his game show that the rising senior鈥檚 best asset is his defense. A high-energy player, Bond鈥檚 incredible wingspan helps him contest shots, close passing windows and get blocks, even at the rim. This defensive ability should pay dividends for a Cavs program that has been known for its defensive prowess under Bennett.
鈥淐oach Bennett told me he thinks in four or five years, no matter how long he has me, that I鈥檒l be the best defender in the nation when he鈥檚 done,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淲ith that, that really motivates me even harder to work on the defensive end. Offense will come but defense is a big effort thing and I think I will grow that way with Coach Bennett.鈥�
Additionally beneficial for the Cavaliers, it appears that Bond is a player rapidly on the rise. Over the summer, Bond had a strong showing for AAU team JH1 Elite which elevated him into 247 Sports top 100 players at No. 39 nationally and No. 1 in Wisconsin. The rising senior also saw a bump up into the Class of 2022 ESPN 100 as he went from unranked to No. 74 before this season.聽
In his recent article on Class of 2022 prospects on the rise, ESPN鈥檚 Paul Biancardi mentioned Bond among the group.
鈥淥ne of the more physical prospects in the Class of 2022, Bond’s lateral foot speed and impressive fast-twitch fibers give his vertical some extra pop. He is 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, and his plus wingspan should factor on the defensive side,鈥� Biancardi . 鈥淥ffensively, he is best at scoring in or near the paint by way of driving, cutting, a quick post-up or a pull-up jumper. He can be physical and effective, even though he is an undersized wing.鈥�
Though Bond does notice some of the outside chatter from basketball pundits and recruiting sites, he tends not to pay them much attention as he usually will hear the news from family and friends. Though flattered, he tries to stay focused on his game.
鈥淵ou try not to focus on rankings because a kid could be ranked top 10 in the nation then come into college and not do anything,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淩ankings truly don鈥檛 matter, it’s really how you work when you get to the next level because anybody can beat anybody on any given day.鈥�
According to Bond, Bennett sees him as a defensive asset and a player who could impact games defensively early in his career.
鈥淩ight now, he said you can鈥檛 tell how people translate to college, but he sees me as a force on defense,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淚f I were to make an impact right away it would be on defense. 鈥� [Fans should expect] a hardworking, defense playing player. I鈥檓 going to come in, I鈥檓 going to bring energy, I鈥檓 going to play defense, I鈥檓 going to do anything I can to win. I think really you鈥檙e getting a winner and that鈥檚 the biggest thing.鈥�
It is clear that Bond will be a player to watch during his senior season this winter. As a player who has only seen growth over the last calendar year, expectations are high for Bond and his Wauwatosa East team. With a player of his caliber, a state title defense is not out of the question. Expect Bond鈥檚 success to continue to grow in 2021 and into the future.
鈥淚 would love to run back a state title. I鈥檇 love to repeat,鈥� Bond said. 鈥淚鈥檇 love to hit [1,000] points, I know I want to hit 1K points, I know I鈥檓 not too far off. I want to make sure I cement my name in Tosa East history as one of the best players to come out of Tosa East.鈥�