Prospect Profile: Makenna Shaffer, SF, Northridge 2022
Makenna Shaffer admits her freshman and sophomore seasons weren’t the greatest. It’s not that she was a bad player or caused problems for her Northridge squad. It’s more that Shaffer feels as though she never really came close to her…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingMakenna Shaffer admits her freshman and sophomore seasons weren’t the greatest.
It’s not that she was a bad player or caused problems for her Northridge squad. It’s more that Shaffer feels as though she never really came close to her high ceiling as a young player.
But a lot has changed in Shaffer since then, including her mentality and a newfound desire to be the best player she can be. That showed up in earnest this summer. To hear her tell it, Shaffer thinks she’s finally ready to reach her potential and chase the dream of playing basketball in college.
“I’ve been grinding really hard this summer,” Shaffer said. “I just don’t think I wanted it as badly as I do now and I wasn’t working as hard as I am now. My coaches have kind of changed my view on basketball in general and how important it is, and the way that it can connect to other things.
“My love for the game has gone way up.”
At 5-foot-10 and capable of playing multiple positions, Shaffer has been lighting it up as a forward for Give Greeley during the club season this summer. Prior to joining Give Greeley, she played for BC Denver in more of a shooting guard role.
Her height and length often force her into the paint for several of the teams she plays for, including Northridge, because she’s the team’s tallest player. But being able to play in the post and be a threat on the perimeter is a combination Shaffer hopes can earn her an opportunity to play at the next level.
“Out here in Greeley, our girls aren’t really that tall,” Shaffer said. “So when I play for my high school team and for Give Greeley, I usually play down in the post. When I played for BC Denver, I played a completely different position. So my goal for my game is to be a really solid player all around and be able to play in college. I know that in college, I’d probably be one of the smaller players on the team so I’ve really been focused on developing an all-around skill set to give myself the best chance I can.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Shaffer averaged 6.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 36 percent (61 for 171) from the field. A solid passer with good vision who also moves well off the ball, Shaffer said she has focused much of her effort this summer on developing as a mid-range and 3-point shooter to make her even more of an inside-out threat offensively to match her rebounding ability and defense.
Shaffer finding a new devotion to the game of basketball, as well as her own personal improvement, is excellent news for Northridge. As much as she has improved, she will be a boon and another top weapon for a Grizzlies squad that returns its entire roster after going 15-10 in 2019-20.
“I think we have a lot of talent and it could be a good team if we all stay focused,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer currently carries a 3.8 cumulative GPA.
2022 Makenna Shaffer is one of the most underrated players in her class. She's a solid wing that keeps getting better. pic.twitter.com/DrWvCvmhIw
— GIVE Greeley (@GiveGreeley) August 31, 2020