Summer Awards: Part 1

Most Dominant Player:

Stanley Johnson, 6’7”, 2014, F, Oakland Soldiers

Stanley Johnson - Adidas / Kelly Kline

A well-known name on the circuit for many years, Stanley Johnson was the most dominant player from beginning to end this past spring and summer. He averaged 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game during the EYBL regular season while leading his Oakland AAU team to the Peach Jam. In 18 regular season games, Johnson scored in double figures the first 17 games before playing limited minutes in the final game. 

During the Peach Jam, Johnson stepped his game up even more in front of a group of college coaches that included John Calipari, Sean Miller, Steve Alford, and Andy Enfeld. He was pretty much un-guardable in his five games averaging 25.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In a 33 point game, Johnson was hitting from the outside and driving to the basket at will. In his next game he went for 24 points against the EYBL runner-up in CP3 which also included a game winning floater. 

While his AAU team didn’t repeat at the Peach Jam, Johnson did lead his USA West team to the Nike Global Challenge title one week later when he scored a team high 23 points and added in 11 rebounds. To cap off his stellar summer play he averaged 11.5 points and 2.5 assists per game at the Adidas Nations where he played a key part in helping his team advance to the televised finals. 

Johnson made his name as a freshman at Mater Dei, but increased his skill set year over year. As a sophomore he gave Shabazz Muhammed fits on the defensive end by using his strength and power. A year and a half later, Johnson now knows how to use his strength on the offensive end as well. By combining his strength and quickness with an improved ability to handle the ball, Johnson played a fair amount of point-forward over the past few months. 

The main weakness and criticism of Johnson pertains to his outside shooting. Never known as a strong shooter, Johnson made strides over the past few months and shot 30% from the three point line throughout EYBL play. 

Despite his inconsistencies on the perimeters, Johnson was still the toughest player to guard on the AAU scene. He used his quickness to beat defenders off the dribble and his strength to finish at the rim time and time again.  He attended events all over the country and never shied away from the competition while dominating any defender that tried to slow him down.

Stock Riser:

Myles Turner, 6’11, C, 2014, Texas Select

This one comes as no surprise as Myles Turner burst onto the scene in April and quickly made his way into a top 10 player nationally. In a class lacking dominant big men, Turner’s ability to run the floor, shoot from the outside, and block shots certainly stood out. He began his ascent at several of the Under Armour events in the spring and he solidified his reputation at the NBPA camp in June. Turner tested his skills against Cliff Alexander and Jahlil Okafor in July and August and more than held his own. After having a lengthy list of suitors in July, Turner cut his list down to a manageable eight schools:  Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Texas. 

Myles Turner - Adidas / Kelly Kline

Standing close to 7 feet, Turner sports a nice touch from outside of the paint and with his long arms has a jump shot that can’t be blocked. He can hit mid-range shots and three’s from all areas of the floor. He runs the court well and establishes a nice post presence in the block where he can finish in the paint or shoot a quick turnaround shot off the glass. On the defensive side of the ball, Turner patrols the paint and blocks shots while keeping the majority in play. In his first match-up with Alexander, Turner bothered him with his length and forced him into a 5-15 performance.

While Turner improved dramatically in such a short time span, he still has weaknesses that need addressing. The first one is his actual strength. While Turner bothered Alexander with his length, he also struggled when it came time to bang bodies down low. Alexander muscled up Turner for several of his baskets. Also, Turner can tend to float around the perimeter for long stretches on the offensive end. 

Despite these areas of improvement, Turner’s stock was scorching hot during the spring and summer.

Mr. Turnaround:

D’Angelo Russell, 6’4” G, 2014, Each 1 Teach 1

A Louisville native, Russell is fresh off a stellar month July and August and was recently featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” for his play. While the summer ended on a high note for Russell, the last five months were definitely a roller coaster ride. 

He started the AAU season just after helping Montverde Academy win the prestigious National High School Invitational championship where he played in the same backcourt as top ranked point guard Kasey Hill. Last year, Russell teamed up with Quentin Snider on the Louisville Magic 16U team that ran a version of “40 minutes from hell.” While Russell could have gone for a 3-peat at the Adidas Invitational, he decided to switch allegiances and joined up with a new AAU program in the Florida based Each 1 Teach 1. High expectations were created as Russell teamed up with future UNC point guard Joel Berry to form a dynamic backcourt.  

Russell - Adidas / Kelly Kline

A seamless transition to new surroundings was expected; however that was far from reality as Russell struggled mightily in his first few Nike tournaments. In the two April live periods, Russell struggled to adapt to his role on a new AAU team. In a total of eight games that took place in L.A. and Hampton, Russell averaged a solid 12.6 points per game which came from shooting just 35% from the field and 20% from the three point line (8-40).

A few weeks later in May, Russell began to round himself into form and averaged 15.8 points per game on 57% shooting as his team went 4-0 in Dallas. His play improved and he decided to end his recruitment early by choosing to play for Thad Matta and the Ohio State Buckeyes. With the pressure off of him to pick a school, his play was expected to continue to improve. This was not the case when he attended the NBPA Camp in late June. At this camp, Russell averaged five points per game over a three game stint. While this performance was nothing to write home about, it was also the last time Russell would struggle on the court.

In July, Russell’s play took off and he showed why he was considered one of the top shooting guards in his class. During the Peach Jam, he was one of the main pieces of a championship team that went 8-0 in playoff and pool play. Over this four day stretch, he averaged 14.1 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from three. While his scoring noticeably picked up, he also led with his all around skill set by averaging 5.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists. In the semi-finals he recorded the lone triple double in the EYBL season with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. 

A few days later at the Nike Global Challenge, Russell averaged a team high 19.8 points per game on 54% shooting and won co-MVP of the tournament as his team lost by three points in the finals. After a stellar July, Russell finished off his summer in L.A. at Adidas Nations. He took charge of his senior laden USA team and became the teams’ alpha dog on the offensive end early on. He played with a confidence and aggressiveness not seen in April and was one of the main reasons his team won the championship. Throughout the event he averaged 13.6 points per game and knocked in three’s from the wings and mid-range jump shots to go along with his athletic drives to the basket. 

After years of playing with a different AAU team, it took Russell awhile to get going. He finished off his summer in the exact same gym as where he started four months earlier. It’s safe to say that once he settled into his new surroundings his confidence soared and as did his play.

Scouting Report