Nike EYBL: 1st Team

The 2013 Nike EYBL regular season was the most competitive league throughout the spring bringing pretty much almost all of the top players in the country together. With each team playing 18 games here are the five players most deserving of the 2013 Nike EYBL First Team: 

POS	Name	PPG	RBG	APG	FG%	FT%	3PT%	ORTG
PG	Tyus Jones	22.8	2.6	6.9	57.0%	88.0%	45.6%	121.18
SG	Malik Newman	24.7	5.9	3.0	42.1%	81.8%	37.0%	105.31
SF	Justin Jackson	17.3	5.6	2.7	59.9%	76.3%	48.0%	139.45
PF	Stanley Johnson	18.5	9.8	1.8	43.1%	65.2%	29.9%	104.54
C	Cliff Alexander	16.0	11.4	1.1	58.7%	60.0%	40.0%	135.21

Tyus Jones, 6’2”, 2014, Howard Pulley Panthers

Once Andrew Wiggins re-classified to the class of 2013, both ESPN and Scout.com ranked Tyus Jones as the top player in the country. Playing outside of the national spotlight during the high school year, Jones dropped from the top spot despite leading his Apple Valley high school squad to the 4A state championship in Minnesota. After his 3^rd year on the 17U EYBL circuit, Jones might have done just enough to regain his perch at the top. Through four EYBL sessions, Jones led the league in assists with 5.9 per game (2^nd year in a row) and also finished second in scoring with 22.8 points per game. He did all this while shooting 57% from the field and leading his underdog Howard Pulley Panther squad to the Peach Jam.  During April and May, Jones hit NBA type 3’s, game-winning shots, and highlight reel dunks in addition to having a 2.6:1 assist to turnover ratio to solidify himself as the best point guard in the game.

Malik Newman, 6’4”, 2015, Jackson Tigers

Despite only finishing his sophomore year, combo guard Malik Newman led the EYBL in scoring with 24.7 points per game while tacking on 5.9 rebounds and 3 assists per game. In Dallas, Newman put on the most impressive individual scoring display of the AAU season with 36 points in 22 minutes before succumbing to cramping against Spiece Indy. Although he is always the focus point of the opposing defense, Newman still scored at will and in a variety of ways. Most comfortable with the ball in his hands, Newman excelled in utilizing the pick and roll from just above the NBA three-point line to drive to the basket for lay-ups or pull-up jump shots. He also liked to curl off screens for quick release threes. The most impressive scoring threat over the spring will get to show college coaches that he is the top player in the class of 2015 during the Peach Jam. 

Justin Jackson, 6’7”, 2014, Houston Hoops

Mr. Efficient. After being strictly a perimeter based jump shooter as a 15 year old playing in the EYBL two years ago, Jackson only launched 25 threes in 18 games this year. As a three year veteran, Jackson averaged 17.3 points on 60% shooting using his mid-range floaters and drives to the basket for high quality shots. Jackson had some of his most impressive games against top opponents including 27 points and 7 rebounds against Expressions Elite on 11-17 shooting and 18 points on 7-9 shooting against Team Scan. On the offensive end, Jackson also likes to operate out of the post against smaller defenders and use his shooting touch to knock down 10 foot face-up jumpers. Jackson is not the most flashy or dominant of players, but he certainly was one of the more efficient during the EYBL regular season.

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

While not a power forward per se, Stanley Johnson was the most dominant player, strength wise, in the EYBL. In 18 games, Johnson averaged 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds and physically over-powered his opponents every game. As a sophomore, Johnson frustrated Shabazz Muhammad with his strength and power on the defensive end and now in his last season of AAU he was doing the same to players on the offensive end. One example of his power and skill came against Athlete’s First in the Dallas EYBL. In a tight ball game everyone knew that Johnson was going to attack the basket. Despite knowing this, Athlete’s First could not contain Johnson as he caught the ball from the top of the key on three consecutive positions and finished at the rim each and every time. Last year, Johnson averaged 16 points in the Peach Jam as he teamed with Aaron Gordon to lead the Oakland Soldiers to the championship and now will look to defend his title. 

Cliff Alexander, 6’8”, 2014, Mac Irvin Fire

The rumors started to fly in early April that “Big Cliff” was finally going to play in the EYBL. Sure enough Alexander showed up in L.A. for the Mac Irvin Fire in the first EYBL set and put up a 9 point, 9 rebound performance in his first game. While he was expected to team with fellow top big man Jahlil Okafor, Alexander was left to shoulder the load with Okafor only participating in five games. Alexander took off in the second EYBL set in Hampton, VA and showed off his skills and athleticism to all of the big name coaches in attendance. During these games, Alexander averaged 17 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. Standing at 6’8”, he provides an intimidating persona down low by blocking shots and dunking everything in sight. Alexander is also great at running the floor and showed off an improved post presence during the spring. Throughout the EYBL regular season, Alexander averaged 16 points and 11.4 rebounds on 59% shooting. With Alexander’s emergence and a healthy Jahlil Okafor in July, the Chicago twin towers could lead the Mac Irvin Fire to their first Peach Jam title.