Chicago's Future: Kezo Brown and Chase Adams

The city of Chicago just witnessed a once in a lifetime event with two of the top high school big men in the country playing just miles apart from each other. 6’10” Jahlil Okafor and 6’8” man child Cliff Alexander captivated the Windy City throughout their high school tenures and the talented big men are now set to dominate the college ranks before hearing their name called in next June’s NBA Draft.

It might be awhile before any city sees two top five talents playing in public schools just miles apart, but who’s got next in Chicago? Say hello to two freshmen point guards from the class of 2018 in 6’0” Marquis (Kezo) Brown and 5’3” Chase Adams. Neither player has actually played a high school game but the city is already buzzing about their arrival. 

Adams and Brown after their 1st USA experience

The two Chicago youngsters were previously invited to the prestigious USA Developmental Camp that took place the first weekend in October. There were 37 players in total from the classes of 2017 and 2018 invited to Colorado Springs and both Brown and Adams caught the attention of spectators in attendance.

Kezo Brown drew rave reviews at the Developmental camp and continued his strong play throughout the month at the Pangos Midwest camp in Illinois and the NY2LA Future’s camp in Wisconsin. Brown is set to play varsity for public school powerhouse Simeon that won four straight state championships during the recent Jabari Parker era and is one of the clear cut favorites to cut down the nets in 2015. USA Today has Simeon at No. 12 in their pre-season top 25 and Brown will get to play with a trio of talented seniors in DJ Williams, Ed Morrow, and Isaiah Moss that have already committed to Illinois, Nebraska, and Iowa, respectively.

“We got DJ Williams, Ben Coupet, Isaiah Moss, Zachary Bell and we are ready this year,” said Brown. “I’ve been wanting to go to Simeon since I was five years old. Basically, I was going there right then and there. I was looking at other schools, but not really paying attention. I was going to Simeon.”

The lefty point guard already plays well beyond his years and didn’t back down from anyone at the USA Camp taking it to players such as Jalen Brunson (2014) and Matt Coleman (2016). Brown’s game is smooth and under control, but his best attribute right now comes from his quick feet. Whether it was keeping one of the top guards in the country out of the lane on defense or penetrating into the pain on offense, Brown’s feet were a blur. After beating his man off the dribble, Brown usually dished off a good looking pass to an open teammate or showcased his solid mid-range jump shot.

Brown didn’t rest after his USA performance. Two weeks later he put his talents on display against some of the top freshmen and sophomores in the Midwest at the Pangos All-Midwest camp. Respected west coast scout Frank Burlison noted:

“It’s way too early to proclaim a definitive “No. 1 point guard prospect in the national Class of 2018”. But the left-handed Brown belongs in any serious discussion about candidates for that proclamation. He did pretty much anything he so desired while the ball was in his hands Saturday.”

College coaches have taken notice as well. In early October Brown noted that he had strong interest from a few local schools in DePaul and UIC not to mention Illinois and Kansas. Recently, Tim Miles offered Brown a Nebraska scholarship. The word is out on Brown and the lightning quick freshman will get to make his debut on December 6 in the Chicago Elite Classic.

While Brown made headlines for his play, Chase Adams has gained notoriety from his middle school YouTube clips and slight stature. He initially looked out of place at the USA Camp standing next to a plethora of giants, but the 5’3”, 111 pound Adams is ready to emulate his friend and recent McDonald’s All-American selection Tyler Ulis.

The 5’9” Ulis just finished breaking all types of school records at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights, IL and now his 5’3” protégé looks to do the same.

“I’m real close to Tyler,” said Adams. “He came into Marian and broke all of Cedrick Middleton’s records, now he wants me to come in and break his records.”

While Kezo Brown laces up his sneakers for one of the top teams in the country, Chase Adams will look to make his mark on a young and inexperienced Marian Catholic team. While Marian Catholic lost one of the top players in the country, they also lost the majority of their starting line-up to graduation.

“We are going to be a real young and inexperienced team, but it will be a fun challenge,” said Adams. “We haven’t really been having open gyms and we won’t be in the Chicago Elite Classic, but we will surprise some people.”

Unfortunately for Adams, he did not get a chance to surprise people in Colorado Springs as he was reduced to a spectator role on the first day of camp. He suffered a slight hamstring pull in the days leading up to the event but managed to participate in drills on the second day.

Even with the limited viewing it was easy to see why Adams received an invitation to the camp. His ball-handling skills were superb as he excelled with either hand and Adams also connected on the majority of his mid-range jump shots and floaters during the drills. He even started shooting with his left hand half-way through without a noticeable difference. Obviously, Adams will need to continue to grow for his development to continue but college coaches have already made contact with the diminutive guard. Bradley was the first to offer a scholarship and at the USA Camp Adams noted interest from Detroit, UIC, Illinois, and a letter from Arizona.

It’s certainly rare for a city to have two talents like Okafor and Alexander, but the future is bright in the Windy City. Kezo Brown and Chase Adams give up a combined 28 inches and 250 pounds to the departed duo but their names and games are already well known. 2014 was the year for big men in Chicago; it looks like 2018 is the year for point guards.

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