The Rise of Devin Robinson

Just six months ago on an early Sunday morning in the Pittsburgh suburbs, Devin Robinson and five-star small forward Dwayne Morgan went head to head in a small auxiliary gym at the Pitt Jam Fest. Assistant coaches from VCU, Virginia Tech, Drexel, Boston University and many other mid-major schools were in attendance. What they witnessed was the beginning of the Devin Robinson rise which today included a commitment to Billy Donovan and the University of Florida.

Devin Robinson

Back in the Pitt Jam Fest, Devin Robinson was a fringe top 100 prospect that had just led his Christchurch School from Richmond, VA to the Virginia Independent School Division II championship. VCU and Virginia Tech were the primary schools in his recruitment but all that changed during the first live recruiting weekend of the year. Playing with the Adidas sponsored Richmond Squires AAU team; the 6’8” small forward began his ascension up the recruiting rankings. Playing in the main gym against Trayvon Reed and the Atlanta Xpress, Robinson scored 18 points with a few three pointers mixed with various drives to the basket and pull-up jumpers. The next morning, Robinson outplayed the higher ranked Morgan despite having a significant strength disadvantage. Leading his team to victory, Robinson scored 19 points on 8-11 shooting. He showed off his three point shot from outside the top of the key going 3-5 from the three point line and scored on drives and even a floater. Robinson used this tournament as a spring board for an impressive spring and summer.

Strong AAU and camp vaulted Robinson up to the number 24 player in the country and provided Robinson with a lot more college options than just VCU and Virginia Tech. After many new suitors joined the race, Robinson eventually narrowed his wish list down to Florida, Indiana, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma State. After taking official visits, which included an official visit to Florida on October 12^th, Robinson made the decision this afternoon to spend the next part of his basketball journey in Gainesville. When he arrives he will join forces with shooting guard Michael Frazier and small-forward Dorian Finney-Smith on the wing to go along with point guard Kasey Hill and power forward Chris Walker (if they aren’t in the NBA). 

While Robinson has moved his way up from a fringe top 100 prospect, he still has a long ways to go in order to reach his full potential. At 6’8”, Robinson possesses a great shot with solid mechanics and plenty of rotation. He can also put the ball on the floor when driving to the basket and can score down low with contact. While he is already a strong offensive player, he is lacking physical strength. In April it looked as though Robinson was just becoming comfortable with his body which should improve with time and a college strength program. Six months after his rise began; Robinson is set to continue his journey in Gainesville where he has the potential to become one of the top wings from the class of 2014.

USA Camp: 2015 Big Men

Yesterday the focus was on the players from the class of 2014 that attended the USA Developmental Camp. Today we take a look at the big men that are competing for a spot on the 17U FIBA World Championship team in Dubai next summer. 

The Cream of the Crop:

Diamond Stone, C, 6’10”, Dominican H.S. (WI), #3

There are a plethora of good big men in the class of 2015 and Diamond Stone staked his claim as the best of the bunch in Colorado Springs. The big man was adept at finishing with both hands in the post and probably had the strongest off-hand (left) of any big man in camp. Stone also showed that he could sprint the floor which resulted in some easy baskets for the big fella. On occasion he stepped out of the paint and displayed a nice touch on his jump shot. During the AAU season Stone proved that he could step out to the three point line but in Colorado he kept his jump shots to within 15 feet. On the defensive side, Stone used his size to keep defenders away from the basket and forced them into tough fade-aways. While not exactly a “springy” center Stone did block the occasional shot and showed why most of the big name college programs have made him a priority in the class of 2015.

Thomas Bryant, PF, 6’9”, Huntington Prep (WV), #13

Bryant (Bart Young / USA)

Bryant put on quite the performance over the weekend and made the biggest impression regardless of class. There was no one that came even close to playing with Bryant’s intensity and aggression. He went hard at all times and was a force down low. Whether it was drills or scrimmages Bryant attacked the rim. He punished the rim with forceful two hand dunks every session and usually let out a primal scream afterwards. When he caught the ball in the post, Bryant went straight at his defender’s chest. If he didn’t score initially, he attacked the offensive glass until he saw the ball go in the basket. On the defensive side of the ball Bryant blocked shots and made life miserable for any defender that ventured into the lane. The USA coaches positioned him at the front of their full-court zone trap and let Bryant cause havoc on the opposing guards. The one downside for Bryant was that he didn’t score much outside of the paint but he didn’t need to as hard as he was attacking the rim. 

A Notch Below:

Ivan Rabb, 6’9”, PF, Bishop O’Dowd H.S. (CA), #4

Bothered by ankle and back injuries, the California power forward still managed to show off his versatile skill-set. Rabb worked well in the low post with lefty hook shots and also stepped out to drain jump shots from the foul line extended. Rabb noted, ““I’m real versatile which is my strength, but I still do the dirty work. I get offensive and defensive rebounds and block shots.”  Rabb also excelled in pick and roll situations as he looked comfortable rolling to the basket for a lay-up or popping out for a mid-range jump shot. Rabb’s motor can be questioned at times as he showed a tendency to disappear for long stretches during AAU play, but on Sunday morning he taped up his ankle after having thoughts about sitting out and competed hard. 

The Up and Comer:

Horace Spencer, 6’9”, PF, Findlay Prep (NV), #36

Broad shouldered and full of fast-twitch muscle fibers, Spencer was one of the pleasant surprises of the USA camp. He ran the floor well and was one of the best athletes at camp. Similar to Thomas Bryant, Spencer attacked the rim hard and got most of his baskets near the hoop. On the defensive end, Spencer did well blocking shots, rebounding, and playing solid low post defense. While his motor was always running, Spencer is still working on his offensive game. A year spent practicing at Findlay Prep should help.

Solid Performers:

Daniel Giddens, 6’10”, C, Wheeler H.S. (GA), #34

Giddens averaged 13 minutes a game this past summer on the U16 team along with 6.8 points per game. Always one of the stronger big men in his class, Giddens used his strength in the one on one post drills and scrimmage match-ups. His offensive game looked a bit improved, but developing a go-to post move is a must. He sat out the second day of camp with an injury.

Chase Jeter, 6’8”, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV), #19

This was Jeter’s first appearance at a developmental camp and Jeter was thrown in with the wolves early on. Right off the bat Jeter matched up with Jahlil Okafor in one-on-one post drills and found out what it was like to go against the nation’s top player who also had at least 50 pounds on him. While he got thrown around initially, Jeter slowly improved throughout the event. While he struggled with the size and strength of some of the other post players he did have his moments. He used his long strides to run the floor on the break and was rewarded with easy lay-ups and dunks on Saturday morning. In the post he hit a few face-up bank shots from the right side. Right now, Jeter’s biggest weakness is his physical strength. He noted that he is lifting to get stronger and is seeing steady weight gains. Right now, numerous Pac-12 coaches have stopped by Bishop Gorman to watch him play in addition to Kansas, Duke, UNLV, Vanderbilt, and UNC.

On the Outside Looking In:

Henry Ellenson, 6’9”, PF, Rice Lake H.S. (WI), #53

Overall, Ellenson did not have much luck in the scoring department during the USA camp, but he still put in a solid effort. He possesses good height and a strong build for a power forward but separates himself from others by his outside shooting ability. Unfortunately for Ellenson the few outside shots he did get did not connect. Athletically, Ellenson was a notch below his peers which forced him into the role of a stand still shooter. On the defensive side of the ball, he used his strong frame to contain defenders in the post and force them out of their comfort zone. As of right now, Ellenson mentioned that Creighton is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest along with Iowa State. 

Jessie Govan, 6’9”, PF, St. Mary’s H.S. (NY), #38

Govan did some things well throughout the camp, but overall he struggled to make an impact during the scrimmages. For a big man his size, Govan can rebound, run the floor, and can operate inside and outside of the paint. While Govan’s shooting stroke looked respectable for a power forward he failed to connect on the ones he took. He scored at times off hook shots over his right shoulder but did not have a strong impact overall.

Doral Moore, 6’11”, C, Luella H.S. (GA), #21

After the USA camp, Rick Pitino and Louisville offered Moore a scholarship. Along with this scholarship offer, Moore has generated strong interest from many high major programs and rightfully so given his height and play on the AAU circuit over the summer. While the interest is strong it is obvious that Moore’s expected growth plays a large part. During the USA Camp, Moore started off strong in the first session. He was the biggest player on the court and used that to his advantage while also showing off a soft touch. After his initial showing, things went south for Moore in a hurry and come Sunday it looked as though his confidence had been crushed. Once Moore’s confidence started to wane, his performance deteriorated quickly and he became a non factor on both sides of the ball and struggled in all of the drills. There is no doubting Moore’s potential, but he has a long way to go in order to compete with the other big men invited to the USA Camp.

*Note – All rankings are from Scout.Com. Also, Stone, Bryant, Rabb, and Giddens all played on the 16U team this past summer.

USA Camp: Class of 2014 Review

The USA Developmental Camp held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs will probably be the best event all year in terms of the amount of talent in one place and the competitive structure of the two day event. With each kid playing for a purpose the intensity level was high throughout. On Day 1, one of the drills involved half court and full court scrimmages where both the passer and shooter had to acknowledge each other immediately after a made basket or the point didn’t count. The kids learned very quickly to recognize their teammates. Each session involved individual drills, group drills, one on one play, controlled scrimmages, and 10 minute scrimmages.

Tyus Jones, PG, Apple Valley H.S. (MN), #4

Tyus Jones

Jones has been listed at the top of the 2014 rankings from the time his high school career began. He showed why at the USA camp as he excelled in all of the camp drills and controlled the pace during the scrimmages. While he is not a physical specimen, it wasn’t hard for Jones to get by his defender on the offensive end. He was a wizard in all the dribbling and passing drills and didn’t break a sweat. On the defensive end, Jones he struggled a bit, especially during the one one drills and when isolated with Rashad Vaughn in game situations. 

Rashad Vaughn, SG, Findlay Prep (NV), #13

Bad Rashad came out Saturday morning, but this persona was replaced by good Rashad on Saturday evening. In the morning session, Vaughn displayed his sweet stroke during shooting drills, but struggled during the scrimmage portion. He did not look to attack the basket and instead settled for difficult fade-away jump shots and deep three’s which weren’t connecting. He also forced a few too many shots despite all of the talented players around him. 

Saturday night was a different story. His intensity picked up from the get-go and harassed the hell out of his opponents on the defensive side of the ball in one on one and pick and roll drills. His intensity level stayed high throughout the session and he put together an incredible night session. In the scrimmages he blew by Tyus Jones several times for lay-ups and he also took the ball coast to coast for a floater. When given an open look he drained shots from the wing. Vaughn did not take any bad shots in the night session and was on the lookout for open teammates as he racked up assists on several possessions in a row. Vaughn’s team also won both games.

Stanley Johnson, SF, Mater Dei (CA), #6

Johnson did not dominate the action like he did during the EYBL and Peach Jam; however he did have a solid performance. He handled the ball at times and also used his strength and size to attack the basket especially during 3 on 3 or 4 on 4 drills. The main weakness in Johnson’s game relates to his outside shooting. In the two day session Johnson did not attempt many of these shots and it was hard to gauge whether any improvement had occurred.

Kevon Looney, PF, Hamilton H.S. (WI), #14

Looney used his long arms and agility to put together a solid defensive performance at camp. He has the quickness to guard small forwards and the length to handle big men in the post. Looney was a bit quiet on the offensive end as he decided to operate from 15 feet and in. At times he got by his defender and finished with rim-rattling two hand dunks, but for the most part did not dominate the action.

James Blackmon, Jr., SG, Marian H.S. (IN)

Fresh off cutting his college list to a final five, Blackmon put together an impressive performance at the USA camp. Known as a knock down shooter, Blackmon did that and more. He got all the way to the basket at times during the scrimmages and also put down some dunks during the drills and games. On the defensive side of the ball he used his quickness to frustrate Vaughn on Saturday morning and put together a strong performance every time he stepped on the court.

Myles Turner, C, Trinity H.S. (TX), #2

Turner had his dad and high school coaching staff in to watch him compete in his first USA event and he did not disappoint. Turner started off the camp battling hard in the one on one drills with his fellow big men. Turner was aggressive in establishing a post position and easy entry for the passer. Once he got the ball it was either one dribble for a right hook or one dribble for a lay-up. On the defensive side he used his wing span and quick jumping ability to block shots or force his opponent into a difficult attempt. Turner played with a high energy level throughout the camp and also displayed his outside game which has college coaches and NBA scouts drooling. It was also apparent that a recipe of 500 push-ups a day improved his strength from AAU season. On Day 2, Turner struggled a bit during the defensive agility drills, but that area will most likely improve as Turner continues to get more comfortable in his body. 

Jahlil Okafor, C, Whitney Young H.S. (IL), #1

The consensus top player in his class put a hurting on the young fellas early Saturday morning during post drills. He first matched up with Chase Jeter and used his 50 pound advantage to basically move Jeter under the basket for easy lay-ups. He also got the better of 2015 big man Diamond Stone by using his size and quickness for baskets in the paint. His dominance did not last long as Okafor suffered a right ankle injury towards the end of one on one drills and was done for the rest of camp. Okafor is a dominant presence in the post, but needs substantial work on his outside game. He currently shoots a set shot with a slow release which was evident in the full court drills performed by the players. This is not a concern for Okafor on the high school level but could be in the next few years.

Theo Pinson, SF, Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC), #27

Pinson was one of the leaders throughout camp. He started the first session off causing havoc on the defensive end in one on one drills and carried that intensity over to the scrimmages. On the offensive side he brought the ball up the court at times and fed the big men in the post. He also attacked the rim off the dribble and hunted for tip-backs on the offensive glass. Pinson struggled early with his outside shot which has been fairly normal for him; however when he went straight up and down on his shot, whether off the catch or the dribble, the result was usually pretty favorable. Overall, it was a solid two day showing for Pinson.

Justin Jackson, SF, Homeschool Christian Youth (TX)

Jackson had his moments but similar to Johnson he blended in more so than during previous AAU or camp games. Per usual, Jackson had his mid-range game and patented floater working early and often. He also was one of the best players in camp in terms of cutting off the ball for easy lay-ups and dunks. In the controlled scrimmages he was effective running the pick and roll with Ivan Rabb and other big men on his team. He didn’t shoot much from the outside, but during the shooting drills his shot still looked relatively flat with a lack of rotation which is one thing for him to work on before arriving in Chapel Hill. 

Chris McCullough, PF, Brewster Academy (NH), #15

McCullough was injured and did not participate.

Reid Travis, PF, De La Salle H.S. (MN), #39

Travis was injured and did not participate.

*All rankings from Scout.com

Riley LaChance - Headed to Vanderbilt

Despite coming off a 16-17 season, Kevin Stallings and the Vanderbilt Commodores were on fire in the month of September as they picked up commitments from three top notch, class of 2014 guards. The Commodores first received a commitment from Wade Baldwin, a 6’3” four-star guard out of New Jersey on September 1^st. They followed that up on September 15^th when Matthew Fisher-Davis, a 6’5” four-star guard out of Charlotte ended his recruitment early. This past Monday night, Riley LaChance, a 6’3” sharp-shooter out of Brookfield, WI pledged his commitment to Vanderbilt and helped the Commodores end the month on an extremely high note.

 Background:

LaChance, the newest member of Vandy’s recruiting class recently debuted in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings for the class of 2014 as four-star guard; however he is no stranger to the spotlight. During the high school season, LaChance led his Brookfield Central team to a 20-4 record while scoring 20.9 points per game. One of their victories came against nationally ranked Chester (PA) in the Brandon Jennings Invitational in which LaChance scored 17 second half points to spur a furious come from behind victory.

This past spring, LaChance began his AAU season as an unknown commodity playing for Ray Allen Select on the Under Armour AAU circuit. While Big 10 schools such as Wisconsin and Iowa certainly knew LaChance’s name, it was schools such as Drake, UC Irvine, and South Dakota that had offered scholarships. 

This all changed in July as LaChance boosted his stock tremendously over the three final live recruiting sessions. During the prestigious UA Summer Jam, in Milwaukee, WI he led his team to the championship game and put on one of the top performances of the summer. LaChance went 15-25 from the field including 7 of 11 from three en route to a 39 point performance against D.C. Assault in the championship game. While his team fell short, LaChance’s reputation only grew.  

Missouri was one of the first major schools to offer and the high major offers really started to pour in once AAU play wrapped up at the end of July. It didn’t take long for LaChance to trim his list and select which schools he wanted to visit. His official visit list included Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Creighton, and Iowa with all schools receiving visits in August and September.

Fran Mcaffery and Iowa received LaChance’s last official visit which occurred on September 28^th; however it was really his September 6^th visit to Vanderbilt that stood out. While he originally wanted to commit after his Vanderbilt visit he waited to take all of his visits and declared his intentions over twitter just two days after his final visit.

“Just made the best decision of my life officially committed to Vanderbilt University!!”

Strengths:

LaChance has proven himself as one of the best pure shooters in his class. He has outstanding range on his shot to go along with a quick release. He is most comfortable in a catch and shoot position but can also hit pull-up jump shots and get into the lane for floaters and the occasional lay-up. LaChance is comfortable playing both on and off the ball. He possesses solid ball-handling and passing abilities and is a strong floor general.

Weaknesses:

A lack of strength is the biggest area of concern that LaChance will need to work on and the main reason that high majors were slow to offer. He tips the scales at only 170 pounds and can struggle defending more physical guards. He is also not considered a high riser, but combats this weakness with his quickness and shot making abilities.

Overall:

For a team that is expected to struggle for the second year in a row there is certainly a bright spot looming in the near future for the Commodores with their current guard trio in the class of 2014. All three September commitments bring different strengths to the table and will look to bring the winning tradition back to Vanderbilt.