15 PPG. 38% From 3. 4.0 GPA. Now What? | David Popa

David Popa isn’t putting up empty numbers.
15 points per game in conference play.
Top 10 scorer in the WJCAC.
38% from three on real volume (Top 5 in the league).
All-Conference.
4.0 GPA.
That’s production in one of the toughest JUCO conferences in the country.
In this One-Eyed Watchlist / Beyond Borders interview, we break down:


His path from Toronto to New Mexico Military Institute


What it takes to produce in the WJCAC


How he approaches efficiency and shot selection


The role he projects to at the next level


What coaches are really getting with his game


This isn’t about highlights.
This is about what translates.

📍 Player: David Popa
📍 6’3” Shooting Guard | 205 lbs
📍 Sophomore | New Mexico Military Institute
📍 Toronto, Ontario

If you’re a player or parent trying to understand what actually gets recruited — this is the lens.
👉 Don’t guess the process — grab The Parent Recruiting Roadmap: https://a.co/d/0chCXmyQ

#OneEyedScout #JUCOBasketball #WJCAC #BasketballRecruiting #Watchlist #BeyondBorders

https://youtu.be/SjLU5pWokes

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Hello everyone, welcome in. We got David Popa, 6'3 shooting guard from the Mexico military by way of the Toronto Terrorist. Hey man, not often I get to get a top 10 score in the conference on the line, but uh hey uh but no man, tell me, you know, take me back to Toronto, um what shaped your game there early?

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Uh, I mean, just from a young age, um, obviously putting in the reps and different things like that really allowed my game to really take it to the next level. And I think just being from the environment in Toronto of like, it's more of a gritty environment, uh, I would say. Because I mean, Americans kind of look at us as a little bit like soft, you know, just being from Canada. And I would say like just that environment in Canada of like always having the grit and always going hard and being tough, I think really, really helped me like when crossing the border, because I always feel like I got a chip on my shoulder every time I'm playing.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Okay. You know, um, all right, then let's all right. So next choice is why New Mexico military?

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Uh, I mean, my recruitment process was a little bit uh different uh than other guys. I mean, after my high school career finished um in my fifth year, I was pretty set on going to a school in uh Canada. I had a lot of uh U Sports options I could have gone to pretty much almost anywhere. But I mean, just from playing with uh Toronto Terror, my uh last AAU um year, they kind of convinced me that JUCO would be a really good uh option for me that would allow me to even get better and uh develop even better than I already had. And I kind of flipped pretty late in the recruitment process. Um, so I had only a couple of uh JUCO full scholarships, but I just thought uh New Mexico is in the best conference in the country for JUCO, um region five. And I thought that playing in the best conference in the country, especially for me, would give me the most eyes um on me. So I was like, you know what, even if it's military, like I don't really care. Like, I'm just trying to play basketball, and yeah, that's why I kind of chose New Mexico military over other schools.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

What's cool is uh I'm glad you said that it's a top conference in the country because I myself was a Howard College alum. Wow. So uh yeah, they were good this year, they were really good this year, man. We weren't as good, but uh yeah, you know, uh it's um it's it's a tough deal. I mean, it's a tough deal, man. And uh much respect, you know. But um, you know, what's been what was the biggest adjustment? Because Juco is not easy, yeah. Was there a big adjustment for you, and where did that happen?

SPEAKER_00 3:21

I mean, I would say just like the pace of the game, I think coming from high school, less athletic guys, less as fast guys. And I think even the strength level, like they were definitely bigger guys, older guys for sure. I mean, coming out of high school, like our coach always talked about it's different when you're playing older guys, like they're bigger, stronger, faster. And I think just coming in right away, like I could see that right away. So, I mean, I had to really adjust my game a little bit, um, get a little bit stronger, hit the weights a little bit harder. And I think just from you know, being here a couple of months, like my game had already adjusted, like just in the mid-range, like some of the shots I could get off in high school were different at the JUCO level. So, I mean, yeah, that's what I would say the biggest adjustment was on top of that, too. Um, my defense also, like just from guarding guys um in the conference, we got some really good guard play, really athletic guys. So you definitely gotta you definitely gotta move your feet. You're not guarding uh high school guys anymore.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

So yeah, that's cool, man. Because we're we're big about we're big about defense here, um, playing the right way. And uh, you know, in saying that, um, how did you balance being aggressive without forcing bad shots? I mean, you average 15 points a game at conference play.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Uh, I mean, honestly, for me, it's always looking to usually score first and it's reading the defense. So, like if the defense is coming early, then it's an easy decision to look on the other side. So, I mean, it's kind of like you bring two guys, you know, you gotta get it, give up the ball. So that's what I would say really um helped my playmaking a lot. I mean, for sure, sometimes you know, there's gonna be some ill-advised shots, but I mean, you know, when you're hot sometimes, you gotta you gotta you gotta take them, man, because sometimes they go in too.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

You gotta have that heat check, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

All right, so uh what areas of scoring do you feel are most underrated? I mean, you talked about developing mid-range game. Um, is it you think some people overlook?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Yeah, 100%. I would say a lot of schools recruit me for my uh three-point shooting, which is obviously great. Like, I am definitely a great shooter. Um, but I think my mid-range, like if you really sit down and you watch the tape, you you could see the sum of the percentages that I shoot my uh mid-range at. They're really, really, really high. Like, I think honestly, it might be like 70% in the mid-range, which for sure, for the mid-range these days, like, you know, coach college coaches talk about one of the worst shots or whatever, either either three or layups. But I mean, I would say it just depends on the guy. At I would say at the rate that I'm shooting it at, I would say it's a great shot for me.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

But yeah, I mean, for those that don't know, uh, you 38% in conference play on volume, you add that with you know basically 40% and the 70% in the mid-range, that's pretty that's pretty pretty good. Um when a coach turns on your film, what role do they see?

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Uh, they see different roles. I mean, definitely have a knack for scoring the ball. So I would say getting the ball in the basket is what I would bring first, but I'm also a very good shooter. So if they need me to stretch the floor, if there's if they have a primary ball handler already or a scorer, like I could definitely do that. So whether I play on the ball or off the ball, I think I'm very versatile in that fashion. Like I wouldn't need the ball in my hands um at all.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

You know, it's always important, man, to impact the game without the ball. You know, uh, what do you think separates you from other guards that put up numbers like yours?

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Uh honestly, I would say my playmaking. Um, I think I'm also an underrated uh playmaker, and there's a lot of guards that can definitely score it out there, but I wouldn't say there's a lot of guards that make the right decision every time, whether it be drop down to the big, kick it out to another shooter, and different things like that. So, I mean, there's definitely a lot of selfish scoring guards too that will just take a bunch of shots and whatever. But I would say that really separates me from other guys. I'm just looking to make the right play, whether it's me scoring or me giving up the ball.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Yeah, making the right play, decision, IQ. You know, that's all big translatable traits. Uh so what did what did the I call it nimmy out of habit, but what did New Mexico Military Institute structure, how did that structure shape your discipline on the floor?

SPEAKER_00 8:00

Man, it it helped a lot. Like it it really helped a lot. I mean, the school, like with how disciplined it is, making you wake up every single morning. Um, it just makes you do things that you don't want to do. And like when you're on the court, it reflects, like you play harder, you're going harder, like you understand the environment that you're in. It really like pushes you to be the best version um of yourself. I mean, just from the discipline. Yeah, for sure, there's things that I don't like in the environment. Um, but like that's that's how life is. Like, you're not gonna get everything you want, you know? So yeah, that's what I would say.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

All right, so man, at 205 pounds, how do you use your physicality to your advantage?

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Uh, I mean, just from yeah, being 205 pounds, it's you know, obviously, there's a lot a lot bigger guards now in JUCO than high school, but for sure, I'd definitely say I'm one of the bigger guards out there. So, I mean, whether it's me getting to my mid-range, creating that separation on my bumps, or even getting to the rim, it really allows me to really get downhill and be physical with guys when I'm going downhill. Also defensively, too, because you know, I'm not really getting posted up in the game or anything like that, or even switching on to bigger front court players like maybe 6'8 guys, they try to back me down, but they can't they can't really back me down, man.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Ah, dig it a dig it, man. Um, so we kind of talked about the switching on the bigs if you have to. Um, you know, in a in a day and age of um positionless basketball, um, how has that helped you thrive?

SPEAKER_00 9:40

Uh, I mean, it's it's just helped me a lot, like just from the different options that it creates, from being able to play different lineups. Um, obviously, now there's the stretch five that you could play with, so that gives me a lot more room to operate when I'm going downhill or kicking out and different things like that. So, I mean, that's how I would say it really, really helped me. Just spacing wise, it's just better.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

All right, so coming from Toronto, what does your journey say to players back home?

SPEAKER_00 10:12

I mean, my journey says like if you work hard, you stay disciplined, you put in the work, like anything is possible. Like, sky is the limit. So, I mean, it's all about the work, I would say. That's like the most important thing. What allowed me uh to get here? Because I mean, obviously, I don't look like a elite scorer, but if you put in the work and the hours, like it'll translate always.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Yeah, you got to film the back, you know. Hey, so let's talk about man. You got a 4.0 GPA. Yeah, how important has that been for you in this process?

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Uh, I mean, it's been really important just having a 4.0, even when talking about the recruitment process, like it allows a lot of schools to recruit me, even the high academic ones. Where other guys, maybe they might be more talented, but maybe if they have a a three out of four on the GPA scale, like they they can't go to like yeah, 25-30% of schools. So, I mean, I'm trying to give myself the best opportunity to go somewhere where the school, the school is good, it's a high academic. That's kind of what I'm looking for. So, I mean, obviously, I have to keep my GPA at its highest to get into those types of schools.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Well, I mean, I'm I'm gonna toot your horn for you, man. I mean, whenever you get in Ivy League schools contacts and you're out of out of junior college, come on, man.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

Yeah, you know, 100%. You got to keep it high, man. It's hard to get into those schools.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Oh, what kind of system do you think is gonna fit your game best?

SPEAKER_00 11:40

I think a fast-paced system, getting up a lot of threes, playing fast, whether it's like you know, early, early offense, um, looking for the best shot. Um, I think I think that kind of fits me best. Playing in a more fast-paced offense. I mean, this year in uh junior college, we played a little bit slower because we had some more uh bigger guys and stuff. We like to run through our stuff, but honestly, like I love playing fast. Like whether it's on the break, I'm open for three, like just let it fly. I think it's the best.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

All right, man. David Popper, you you've produced in one of the toughest junior college leagues in the country. What's that taught about you, taught you about yourself as we get out of here?

SPEAKER_00 12:24

I mean, that anything is really possible, man. Like, even just looking at some of the guys in this conference, just to look back at it, some of my production, like it just shows me that the work, again, it just shows. It shows. So, I mean, yeah, that's what I would uh that's what I would say it's taught me. But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Man, I can't tell you how appreciative I am. Were you getting up at you know eight o'clock your time on a Saturday morning, of course, and uh sharing your time with me? Shout out to the Toronto Terrorist as they keep putting out great product. Hey, and thanks everyone joining in. It's one ice scout, and we're out.