Extra attention from opposing defenses began toward the end of Isaac Traudt’s sophomore season, when the Grand Island Senior High School (Grand Island, NE) product averaged 16.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. As a junior on a younger Islanders team that lost seven seniors from the previous year’s squad, the 6’9”, 215-pound Traudt faced double-teams on almost a nightly basis but managed to average 25 points and 9 rebounds per contest, helping Grand Island to a 12-11 campaign in 2020-21.

There was at least one game where the opposition played him straight up. Norfolk High probably won’t make that mistake again, as Traudt poured in a single-game school-record 57 points, displaying the inside and outside offensive prowess that has helped him become one of the most coveted forwards in the class of 2022.

“It was fun. I really got going early,” Traudt said, recalling his 57-point outing, which tied a Nebraska Class A state record. “Our guys knew I was going early. Guys on my team did a really nice job of getting me the ball in good spots. I was able to get in the post and play on the perimeter. The other team was scoring. They were right there with us, but we won by 2.”

Grand Island Senior boys varsity basketball head coach Jeremiah Slough noticed Traudt’s offensive ability at a young age.

“I can remember when he was in fourth or fifth grade at one of our youth camps,” Slough said. “He went elbow to elbow and hit 25 shots in a row, or something like that. I looked at our staff and we knew this was a kid who might help us in the future. We knew at the time he was in fourth or fifth grade that he had a unique skillset for sure.”

Traudt’s passion for basketball and thoughts of a future in the sport beyond high school began in sixth or seventh grade. Those thoughts became more realistic when he sprouted eight inches in his first two years of high school, growing from 6’0” to 6’8”. Traudt has since added another inch or so while also putting on some weight. Committing to the weight room last offseason, he gained 30 pounds.

More weight room work is in Traudt’s plans this offseason, as well as agility training.

“I’d like to put on five or 10 more pounds,” Traudt said. “I think that would be good for me. I want to get a lot quicker laterally. As far as my basketball skills, I’d like to improve everything. I want to be as well rounded as I can. I’m looking forward to AAU season with my teammates. I’ll have a lot of experience around me. It should be fun.”

Traudt saw his recruitment take off last spring and summer, when he claimed scholarship offers from (in order which he announced them on Twitter) Nebraska, Creighton, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Stanford, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Purdue, Oregon, Iowa, Ole Miss and Georgetown. Louisville and Marquette offered last fall. Kansas came through on January 7 and Virginia on January 20.

Cavalier head coach Tony Bennett and Director of Recruiting/Player Development Kyle Getter lead UVA’s pursuit.

“I think really highly of UVA and of Coach Bennett and Coach Getter,” Traudt said. “Coach Getter first reached out in September, just wanting to build a relationship. Starting around October or November they scheduled Zoom meetings. I was introduced to Coach Bennett on one. As my season progressed, they started having more interest. I sent them some games they requested. Coach Bennett saw I could guard guys, and that’s when he took it to another level and offered on Zoom. I can’t wait to see [UVA] in person.”

Traudt meets with the UVA coaches via Zoom approximately once a month, and they are regularly texting and calling. In fact, on Wednesday (March 3) of this week, he received a call from Coach Getter and a text from Coach Bennett. The Cavalier staff has contacted Traudt’s AAU and high school coaches as well.

“The thing I’ve loved about Virginia in this process is they are so deliberate and intentional,” Slough said. “I think they are really recruiting the person. They have had conversations with everybody close to Isaac. Virginia was one of the few high-major school to reach out to me directly. That’s definitely not been the case with every school.”

Virginia is “definitely” one of schools Traudt wants to visit once the NCAA ends a recruiting Dead Period that has been in place since last spring because of the pandemic. As of this writing, the Dead Period is scheduled to run through May 31.

“I’d like to get out there as soon as I can,” Traudt said of Virginia. “Being able to visit the school is important to me.”

How many schools does Traudt want to visit?

“I don’t know. Probably quite a bit,” Traudt answered. “I’d like to probably see 10 other schools pretty fast once I can ... I hope more than that.”

Prior to seeing the school in person, Traudt has favorable impressions of the Virginia program and his potential fit.

“I think it would be a pretty good fit for me,” Traudt said of UVA. “I like how they play offensively, how they utilize their wings like Sam Hauser, and even big guys like Jay Huff on the perimeter too. [Coach Bennett] showed me film of Sam coming off screens and shooting 3s, but also initiating actions. I definitely like their priority on defense with the Pack Line. We run something similar at our school. I think I could potentially go in and pick it up pretty fast. Off the court, I’m a big fan of Coach Bennett. I like how he is open about his faith because that’s how I am and I think it’s cool.”

When decision-time comes, Traudt says his final choice will be a blend of gut feeling and checking off certain boxes.

“I’m looking at the style of play and the relationship with the coaches and how I feel I fit in,” Traudt said.

Asked if location would be a factor, Traudt said: “I don’t think location a factor. My family wants me to go where I fit best.”

In addition to making college visits, Traudt hopes he will be suiting up for the Nebraska Supreme on the Under Armour Association AAU circuit this spring and summer. No schedule has been released, but Traudt believes Under Armour is definitely planning on doing something and he is “looking forward to that.”

Traudt is looking forward to his final season at Grand Island Senior as well.

“I thought as a team we made a stride in the right direction,” Traudt said. “We improved game by game. Going into next year I think we will have a really solid team. Given how other teams look and what we will have coming back, I think we have a really good shot to make the state championship.”

(Highlights below are of Traudt's final junior season game and are courtesy of Hudl.com)

More with Isaac Traudt

More notes on Traudt’s recruitment, beginning with the Hoos ...

- Before UVA began its recruitment, the skilled forward had watched Coach Bennett’s program in action.

“I watched them quite a bit, especially during the tournament run when they won the championship,” Traudt said. “I’m a big March Madness junkie. I saw the year before when they lost to UMBC, but I knew they would come back strong.”

- Virginia has one verbal commitment in the class of 2022, from West Virginia shooting guard Isaac McKneely. Traudt and McKneely have become friends, and the latter told TheSabre.com he was going to try and convince the former to join him in Charlottesville.

“We followed each other on Instagram and kept in touch, even before he committed,” Traudt said. “I’ve seen ‘Isaac squared’.”

What does Traudt think of “Isaac squared”?

“That was funny,” Traudt said. “I think one day it had over 300 tweets or something. That was pretty cool.”

- Coach Slough further detailed UVA’s pursuit of Traudt from his vantage point.

“Isaac’s AAU team does a fantastic job of getting film out,” Slough said. “Virginia took a look. As they started recruiting him in the infant stages of the process, they saw Isaac fits the character they are looking for. The Five Pillars of their program, I think Isaac fits all of those. As those conversations intensified, they decided to offer.”

- Traudt was able to visit Creighton unofficially last March before the COVID-19 lockdown. He took in the Creighton/Villanova basketball game.

“I thought the atmosphere was pretty cool in there,” he said. “They have a fun style of play.”

He has not visited Nebraska, which he says began recruiting him during the pandemic.

- What are Traudt’s thoughts on the Kansas offer?

“Kansas meant a lot for sure,” Traudt said. “I’ve been talking to Coach Self. That is one school I’d like to get out and visit.”

Basketball Notes

- Traudt’s favorite player is LeBron James, and he says he followed Trae Young in college and the NBA. Asked if there is a college or pro player he feels his game resembles, Traudt said Jayson Tatum.

“[Tatum] is more of a 2 or 3 than I am but as far as the midrange game and some moves I do, there are similarities,” Traudt said.

- How is Traudt’s post game?

“I think I’ve gotten better with my strength and playing with toughness,” Traudt said. “I’ve become really good at sealing the defender.”

“Ironically, when he was growing up he was already much taller than other players on his level, so he developed some back-to-the-basket-type things. At least a love for being inside, which worked out real nice,” Slough said. “He has a nice complementary inside and outside game.”

- Coach Slough admired how Traudt handled being the clear focus of opposing defenses this past season.

“It is a difficult situation for him and us with the way he gets guarded, especially with him being 6’9” and he’s a straightline kid,” Slough said. “The thing that has impressed me is he is so solid in his character and he doesn’t let [how teams are defending him] bother him. He takes what the defense gives him. He doesn’t waiver. He can impact the game in other ways than scoring. He leads our state in rebounding. He has turned himself into a really good defender. He’s a talented scorer, but he has ability in other areas.”