NBPA Top 100: Six From Friday Morning

Standout Players:

Doral Moore, 7’0”, C, Luella (GA), 2015

Moore went 4-4 on Friday

The 7 foot center was relatively quiet at the Top 100 Camp going into Friday morning and was still fairly quiet in the first quarter of his morning game. A lucky bank shot from 15 feet out got the big man going though. After seeing the ball go through the basket, Moore got a bounce to his step. Next thing you know he was making a one dribble spin move by a defender in traffic and finishing with authority at the rim. The two hand dunk livened the spectators up and had everyone shaking their head in disbelief. Moore finished the game with nine points going 4-4 from the floor. He also added five rebounds. 

Ben Simmons, 6’8”, PF, Montverde Academy (FL), 2015

Another game and another solid / effective outing for one of the top players in the country. Simmons finished with 17 points and seven rebounds while going 8-15 from the floor. On the defensive side Simmons held Edrice Adebayo to five points. The versatility of the future LSU Tiger was on display when Simmons took the ball coast to coast for a right handed lay-up. As of right now, Simmons is the clear cut choice for MVP and it’s going to be hard for anyone to surpass him. 

Terrance Ferguson, 6’5”, G, Prime Prep Academy (TX), 2016

Ferguson displayed a few areas of his offensive prowess in the auxiliary gym Friday morning. Early on he caught a pinpoint alley-oop from Jawun Evans and later added in two three’s. In a two point loss, Ferguson finished with 10 points and three assists.

Bryant Crawford, 6’2”, PG, Gonzaga (DC), 2015

On Thursday night Crawford struggled finishing with 0 assists and seven turnovers. On Saturday morning he finished with three assists and three turnovers, but also shot 6-12 from the floor. In addition he might have put down the dunk of the camp when he went flying down the lane in traffic. Crawford has had an up and down camp, but is trending up at the moment. 

Luke Maye, 6’7”, F, Hough (NC), 2015

Over the past two years, Maye has always put up strong stats but his size and athleticism have held him back. Maye put up 15 points and eight rebounds on 7-12 shooting this morning against longer and more athletic defenders. Sporting one of the quickest releases in camp, Maye was able to step outside of the paint to get open looks. In the second half he had several shots go in and out, but also converted a driving left hand lay-up.

Kobi-Jordan Simmons, 6’4”, PG, St. Francis High School (GA), 2016

In a game that featured three of the top point guards in the 2016 class (Smith and Thonton), Kobi-Jordan had the best game. He finished with 13 points and four rebounds on 6-9 shooting and was constantly in the lane in a double digit win. He used his size advantage at will and put together the most impressive performance of the 2016 point guards.

NBPA Top 100: Thursday Morning Recap

Day Two is underway at the NBPA Top 100 camp at John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA. With over three hours of action to kick off the morning session there were numerous standout performances and highlight real plays as he participant played around 24 minutes per game.

Impressive Performers:

Tyler Dorsey, 6’4” G, St. John Bosco (CA)

This past spring Tyler Dorsey de-committed from Arizona while also seeing his ranking plummet. Despite this, the athletic guard was impressive in his morning game showcasing his quick first step. In a close loss, Dorsey utilized a quick cross-over to pull up just outside the paint for a soft jump shot. He attacked the basket off the dribble and constantly put pressure on his defender, no matter the size. Not only was his quickness on display, but so was his hustle. It’s fair to say that Dorsey put out a maximum effort which resulted in an offensive rebound and easy put-back under the basket. Dorsey might have stumbled in the spring, but now with a chip on his shoulder he should be just fine going into July.

Edrice Adebayo, 6’8”, PF, Northside (NC)

In the EYBL, Adebayo was known for his rebounding prowess and second jump ability. Both of these were on display this morning, along with a more aggressive offensive outlook. Going against 7 foot Doral Moore, Adebayo looked for his shot throughout the game. While he was a force on the glass he also hit an eight foot jump shot and connected on several free throws. Feeling a little confident after, Adebayo stepped a bit outside his range and launched a 17 foot jump shot which didn’t connect. Minus this deep jumper, Adebayo was a force to be reckoned with down on the block with his newfound offensive mindset. He ended the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds on 7-10 shooting. 

Jalen Coleman, 6’4”, SG, La Lumiere (IN)

In this day and age most 6’4” scoring guards want to be known as point guards or combo guards. Jalen Coleman is refreshing as he knows he is a true shooting guard. In the EYBL, Coleman shot 50% from three connecting on 46-92 attempts. His textbook jump shot was on display today as he knocked in numerous outside shots. He started with a feathery 15 footer from the right corner and then started knocking in three’s from a variety of areas. Coleman is a pure scorer, but one that is more than just a standstill outside shooter. While his points came from outside the paint, Coleman has the athletic ability to get by his defender.

Cheick Diallo, 6’9”, PF, Our Savior (NY)

Underclassmen tend to struggle at the NBPA Top 100 camp, but last year Diallo took home the MVP despite several standout players in the class of 2014 in attendance. It didn’t take long for Diallo to make his mark in the first game of the morning. Blocking shots, sprinting the floor on both offense and defense, and finishing in the paint led to 18 points and eight rebounds. All of these skills make Diallo one of the most intimidating players in the country.

Other Notes:

·         Class of 2016 point guard Derryck Thornton dropped seven dimes in a two point loss and only committed one turnover. He also added 10 points and was the most impressive true point guard in the morning session. 

·         5’8” sparkplug Demontrae Jefferson is back in C-Ville and he was right back to his high scoring ways. The leading scorer in the Adidas Uprising scored throughout the game while frustrating his opponent, Bryant Crawford on the defensive end. Jefferson scored 23 points on 9-15 shooting. He is always the shortest player on the court, but can get by his defenders with ease and finish against much taller opponents with his ridiculous leaping ability.

·         Five-star Carlton Bragg has a tendency to float outside of the paint at times, but today he was fairly dominant down low. With long arms and a quick first jump, Bragg was able to finish in the post early and often.

·         Brevin Pritzl, the future Wisconsin Badger had the tough task of guarding Tyler Dorsey, but he was able to match Dorsey offensively in the second half. He started the third quarter with a steal and a pull-up three and then nailed another three off a set inbounds play.

·         Georgetown bound Noah Dickerson was a load to handle down low. He used his size to back down defenders in the paint which resulted in both right handed and left handed hook shots. He also operated extremely effectively in the pick and roll. He set good, strong screens that punished the smaller guards and also rolled to the basket for easy buckets. Dickerson finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. 

·         YouTube sensation Seventh Woods was quiet offensively in the second half (besides a blow by) but put on a defensive clinic. He hounded the opposing point in the half-court set with his quick feet, fought around screens, and also kept the taller Malachi Richardson from getting to his sweet spot at the three point line. 

·         Thon Maker was fairly quiet in his game until the last few minutes. After making the block of the morning by volleyball spiking an opponents shot, Maker hit a five foot shot in the post and then finished with a strong two hand dunk. The versatile big man exerted more energy at the end of the game and his performance rapidly improved. Earlier in the game, Maker showed a propensity to force a foul on contested jump shots. 

Dunk of the Day:

On a fastbreak Gonzaga High point guard Bryant Crawford passed up an easy two points by bouncing the ball off the floor for a strong one handed finish by Carlton Bragg.

Bonus:

During the breaks at the NBPA camp, another showcase is going on right across the street at UVA’s UHall arena. Put on by ScoutsFocus, the camp features a fair amount of players in the 2016 and 2017 classes. One who stuck out early, was Curtis Jones a 6’3” shooting guard out of Paul VI High School in Virginia. Jones hit a three from the top of the key and finished a fast break with a monster tomahawk jam. With his size and ball-handling ability, Jones was the best player in his game.

Summer Shootout Recap

The Riverside-Brookfield High School Summer Shootout took place this past weekend providing an initial look at numerous Chicago area high school teams and players for the upcoming 2014-15 season. While the Chicago glory days are gone with the graduations of Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, and Tyler Ulis there is still plenty of talent in and around the Windy City.

Defending Champs: 

Whitney Young

It’s fair to say that this upcoming season will be a “down year” for Whitney Young. The Dolphins just graduated Jahlil Okafor, the No. 1 player in the class of 2014 along with the Georgetown bound Paul White and SLU bound Myles Reynolds. Those three started a lot of games over the past years and how the Dolphins perform next year is up in the air. While they probably won’t contend for a state title next year, Whitney Young did go 3-0 in their Saturday afternoon pool play winning by almost 13 points a game.

Rodney Herenton, 6’0, PG, 2016

After a sophomore season getting meaningful minutes for the state champs and a spring on the EYBL circuit, the tough 6’0” point guard looks ready to lead the way for Whitney Young next year. In his second game Herenton was cooking from deep hitting multiple deep three’s in each half. In his third game of the afternoon he displayed an ability to get deep in the lane off the dribble and used his strong upper body to finish in the paint. Herenton averaged around 13 minutes a game playing for the Meanstreets AAU program and while he only scored 3.7 points a game he did register two double digit scoring performances in the last EYBL session. Rodney Herenton is definitely primed for a breakout junior season.

Future Champs: 

Simeon 

Simeon failed to win their fifth straight state championship this past year; however they did lay the ground work for a possible run this year. Despite missing several of their key players in forward Ed Morrow and guard Zach Norvell the Wolverines took home the crown with a 6-0 record. 6’5” Isaiah Moss took home the MVP for the Wolverines while showing that the cupboard is fully stocked for Simeon once again.

Stevenson

The back to back 4A runner-up is primed for a state championship this upcoming season. The two superstars of the team return in point guard Jalen Brunson and shooting guard Connor Cashaw and the Patriots should be the favorites to cut down the net this year. Stevenson went 2-1 in pool play, but did so with Brunson on the bench coaching his teammates up. Cashaw struggled in his first game, but came to play in the afternoon. The wiry guard was hitting pull-ups and driving to the basket in a poised manner. After getting used to EYBL play for the Mac Irvin Fire, Cashaw should see his stock rise during the Peach Jam. He finished the spring averaging nine points a game while scoring 15 and 12 in his last two EYBL games.

Favorite Player:

Glynn Watson, 6’1”, PG, 2015, St. Joe’s

Legendary coach Gene Pingatore was not the least bit pleased with the play of St. Joe’s in their second game of pool play. Down double digits early, St. Joe’s finally got rolling before falling in double overtime to Bativia. Despite the lifeless start, Watson certainly showcased his skills. The first word that comes to mind when watching Watson is “smooth.” The senior point guard uses his long arms to control the ball like a yo-yo and can usually beat his man off the dribble with one or two quick moves. Once in the lane, Watson can pull-up or finish with a lay-up. He hit several shots from the outside as well. While Watson is not going to wow anyone with his speed or outside shooting he is above average in both areas. Watson is a Top 100 player and the talented point guard wrapped up a strong spring showing with his play over the weekend. 

Future Star? 

Justin Smith, 6’5”, F, 2017, Stevenson

Don’t jump when you see freshman forward Justin Smith coming at you on the break. A helpless defender for Proviso East learned the hard way when Smith throw down a viscous right handed dunk last Saturday. An athletic forward with long arms you can tell that Smith is just scratching the surface of his potential. Right now he is around 6’5” and sporting an impressive wing span. He is a combo forward that will need to transition to a full time small forward over the years, but right now he can run the floor and finish above the break. He didn’t hit any outside shots in the Proviso East game, but given his form the outside shot should come to him soon.

Smith has plenty of talented teammates around him in Brunson, Cashaw, and senior Matt Johnson and definitely won’t get top billing this year, but he just might be the X-factor that produces a title for Stevenson. 

Other Players That Caught My Eye:

Jarrin Randle, 5’9”, G, 2016, Morgan Park – Wow. Randle has a quick release, a soft touch, and an ability to freeze his defender with an in and out dribble. Despite his size, Randle can play.

Nick Rakocevic, 6’9”, F/C, 2016, St. Joe’s – An agile big man that can run the floor. He worked well with Watson running the pick and roll but could float out to the perimeter a bit much at times. 

Taylor Adway, 6’8”, PF, 2015, Hillcrest – Solid post player, used his size inside to get baskets. Played with the Meanstreets on the Nike EYBL circuit and averaged close to five points a game.

Lamous Brown, 6’10”, 2015, C, Morgan Park - It’s rare that a player his size can run the floor the way Brown does. Very raw, but improving steadily.

Jason Towers, 5’10” G, 2017, St. Joe’s - The young guard didn’t get a lot of early PT for St. Joe’s but was a key kog in their comeback loss. He played bigger than his size and hit some clutch baskets.

Class of 2015: My Top 5

The Spring AAU season is over and soon the future stars of college basketball will be off to various positional and team camps throughout the month of June. While there were not any Anthony Davis or Myles Turner like rises you can certainly expect significant shake-ups when the next batch of recruiting rankings are released by the major media services (as seen in ESPN’s new Top 100). While players will continue to trend in both directions over the next few months it will be hard for anyone to crack the 2015 Top Five (Jaylen Brown, perhaps?). While an argument could be made for the No. 1 spot I am sticking with the high scoring guard from Mississippi. 6’4” Malik Newman might get knocked for how his game is expected to translate at the NBA level, but right now if your team needs a bucket, Newman is your man. 

1. Malik Newman, 6’4”, G, Callaway High (MS)

PPG: 22.5, RPG: 4.7,  APG:1.8,  FG: 41.4%

Newman recently won another Mississippi state championship at Callaway HS; however his team was not allowed to leave the state based on a 2013 ruling. By not playing in some of the major high school tournaments across the U.S., it seems as though some started to take Newman for granted. The premier scorer in America kicked things off in April on the Under Armour circuit. Playing for MWA Elite, Newman averaged 20.5 points per game while shooting 56% from the floor. After the first and only live spring period Newman jumped back to the EYBL circuit where he led the league in scoring in 2013. After a rough start in Dallas, Newman regained his mojo and finished averaging 22.5 points per game. While his shooting numbers slipped, the Jackson Tigers did manage to sneak into the EYBL Peach Jam where Newman put on a show last year despite constant double and triple teams. 

He can score from all three levels and is effective in one on one situations, the break, and the pick and roll. Newman can shoot off the dribble, the catch, and can finish with either hand at the rim. Add in a step back jumper and Newman is almost impossible to guard right now. Last year I watched him go for 36 points against Spiece Indy. He finished 13-20, but before he started cramping up the guard was 13-15 against JaQuan Lyle and James Blackmon. There are other players who might have more “potential” but right now it will be hard for someone to take Newman’s number one spot. 

2. Ben Simmons, 6’8”, F, Montverde Academy (FL)

PPG: 19.4, RPG, 6.6, APG: 3.0, FG: 65.8%

I finally got to see Ben Simmons live at the City of Palm Classic this past year. I missed his tournament opening 31 point, 14 rebound performance but saw his other three games during Montverde’s championship run. I watched him put up 20 and 12 in an overtime win against Isaiah Whithead’s Lincoln squad and then struggle to a nine point performance on 2-7 shooting the next night. While he looked like a pro and moved like a pro, he struggled to score outside of the paint. Fast forward to the spring AAU season and Simmons shot 66% from the floor and even made 5-14 from behind the arc. Overall, he averaged 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds. 

The Australian and future LSU Tiger exudes a certain grace when on the court and while his offensive game has improved it is also his defensive ability that puts him at No. 2 in the country. At the City of Palms championship, Simmons stymied Marcus Derrickson of Paul VI. The future Georgetown forward could not get by Simmons off the dribble (not surprising), but he also had his favorite shot taken away (a three from the left hand wing). Derrickson could not get a good look from three all game long due to Simmons’ reach and finished just 0-2 from behind the arc. Given his size, strength, and overall athletic ability Simmons can guard both forward positions effectively. With his increased offensive skills and god given athletic ability, the Aussie still has room to grow. 

3. Ivan Rabb, 6’11”, PF, Bishop O’ Dowd (CA)

PPG: 15.2, RPG: 9.9, BPG: 1.2, FG: 61.3%

After leading his high school team to a California state runner-up performance, the 6’11” Rabb put together an impressive EYBL performance despite some new pieces to the puzzle for his Oakland Soldier AAU team. In four tournaments, Rabb came oh-so close to averaging a double-double with 15.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He shot 61.3% from the floor and 72% from the foul line. The multi-faceted Rabb resembles a young Chris Bosh in the sense that he is long, lean, and can score effectively in the post or from 12-15 feet. He is also an unselfish player and a good passer from the free throw line extended. While not much of a shot blocking presence this past AAU season, Rabb is quick off his feet and possesses good timing. 

Last year in the Peach Jam, Rabb watched his teammate and future Arizona Wildcat Stanley Johnson dominate play. While Rabb plays next to two talented big men in Stephen Zimmerman and Chimezie Metu, the young and talented big man will need to continue his upward trajectory and demand the ball more than he did in the regular season.

4. Diamond Stone, 6’10”, Dominican Bay (WI)

PPG: 24.8, RPG: 11.0, BPG: 4.3, FG: 61.3%

In six Under Armour games, Stone put up monstrous numbers. While dominating the paint, Stone also knocked in six out 14 three’s as well. While a strong case for a higher spot could be made for the 6’10” big man, I still want to see him do it against elite competition. Last year Stone was the only top big guy to play on the 16U circuit while his counterparts were all playing up a level. 

Stone has trimmed down over the years, but is still a force down low with his powerful upper body. He has a soft touch and good form on his jump shot to go along with his diverse game down low. Will Stone continue to dominate during July? If so, it might be a Newman / Stone combo at the top of the rankings.

5. Cheick Diallo, 6’9”, Our Savior New American School (NY)

PPG: 18.6, RPG: 10.9, BPG: 2.6 FG: 63.3%

The word “motor” is thrown around a lot these days, but it’s fair to say that Diallo’s motor never stops. Last year he won the NBPA Top 100 MVP despite still being fairly raw on the offensive end. His offensive game is slowly catching up to him and the Mali native averaged 18.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in the EYBL. Diallo is strongest on the defensive end with his long arms and quick jump ability which helped him average 2.6 blocks per game. He runs the floor with a passion which contributes to a fair amount of power dunks on the break, but he also operated well in the high-lo offense when catching the ball on the block. Diallo is a game changer on the defensive end and is on his way to becoming a complete game changer.

Other Notes:

Small forward Jaylen Brown out of Wheeler High School in Georgia could easily have made this top list; however I haven’t seen him play since the City of Palms. Brown’s strength has always given him an advantage against opposing players but he struggled to score when he wasn’t overpowering kids. Now it appears Brown his significantly improved his perimeter game. In the spring, the 6’7” wing made 30-58 three’s and also shot 53.5% from the floor while averaging 23.5 points per game.