Team USA Scouting Report: Big Men

The 17U USA team kicks off World Championship play in Dubai beginning August 8. The 12 man team is  loaded with talented big men from the class of 2015 and Harry Giles in the class of 2016.

 

Diamond Stone – 6’10”, C, Dominican High, Milwaukee, WI (#1-Scout, #4-ESPN, #6-Rivals)

Height	Wgt	Wing Span	Birth	Class
6'10"	250	7'3" *	2/10/1997	2015

USA (U16 Stats):

GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
5	5	20	13.6	27	50	54%	0	0	0%	14	23	61%

RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
7.2	0.6	2	2.6	0.6

AAU (Under Armour Stats):

Year	Min	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2014	N/A	22	76	135	56%	11	35	31%	57	81	70%

Year	RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
2014	11.2	1.3	3.5	3.9	0.5

Strengths:

Last year Stone averaged 20 minutes a game to go with 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in USA play. The big man from Milwaukee takes high quality shots and dominated the Under Armour AAU circuit this past spring. Stone has slimmed down a bit over the years and has a solid frame for a future power forward. He is a true-back to the basket big that can step outside when needed. He prefers the jump hook in the post which he shoots with a soft touch. Stone also already sports a nice form and touch on his jump shot which allows him to convert at the free throw line and step out comfortably to 12-15 feet when the paint gets crowded. He also knocked in several three’s in AAU play but most likely won’t be shooting those in Dubai. With his strength and increased agility, Stone is a strong rebounder under the basket and can also run the floor on the break.

Weaknesses:

Explosiveness and a junkyard dog mentality. Stone is strong with a good center of balance, but he lacks the straight up and down explosiveness that will be required of him down the road. Last year during the USA developmental camp he had his struggles converting down low when guarded by bigger defenders such as Jahlil Okafor. As for his mentality, Stone sometimes lacks the toughness to dominate. He routinely put up double-doubles in AAU play but given his size and strength he should be leaving no doubt about his dominance. He got hurt towards the end of the July live period and was forced to sit out the initial part of the USA practices with a groin injury leaving his full health in question for the games in Dubai.

Ivan Rabb – 6’10”, PF, Bishop O’ Dowd, Oakland, CA (#3-Scout, #1-ESPN, #4-Rivals)

Height	Wgt	Wing Span	Birth	Class
6'10"	209	7'1"	2/4/1997	2015

USA (U16 Stats):

GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
5	3	18.4	12	26	42	62%	0	0	0%	8	12	67%

RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
9.8	1.4	2	2.6	1.2

AAU (Nike EYBL Stats):

Year	Min	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2014	26.4	14.6	123	205	60%	0	2	0%	75	108	69%
2013	N/A	11.9	82	157	52%	3	5	60%	47	88	53%

Year	RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
2014	9.2	1.6	2.9	1.4	0.6
2013	10.7	0.7	1.5	2.9	0.3

Strengths:

Using an NBA comparison I would compare Rabb to a younger Chris Bosh, although Rabb is a bit shorter at 6’10” and a 7’1” wing span. Last year Rabb started three games on the U16 team and led it in rebounding at 9.8 per game. Rabb is a lean big man that can often get pushed around down low due to his lack of weight, but on the offensive end he can finish with either hand. A natural righty, it isn’t uncommon to see Rabb hit shots with his left hand outside of the paint. He can handle the ball adequately and likes to sprint the floor on the break. Rabb can also hit a 12-15 foot jump shot, although his consistency remains a question. He grabbed (close) to double digit rebounds the past two years in the EYBL. There is also a strong possibility that he is not 100% healthy while in Dubai.

Weaknesses:

Due to his skinny frame, Rabb can get pushed around down low by stronger defenders. When he has a bigger defender on him, he should be able to use his quickness to his advantage, but is routinely cut off short on his drives. He needs to learn how to start and stay aggressive for an entire game as he sometimes plays more passively than one would like. Rabb also has a soft touch but needs to continue to work on his mid-range and face-up jump shots to make him a consistent scoring threat from outside of the post area.

Henry Ellenson – 6’10”, F, Rice Lake High, Rice Lake, WI (#7-Scout, #5-ESPN, #17-Rivals)

Height	Wgt	Wing Span	Birth	Class
6'10"	231	7'2"	1/13/1997	2015

AAU (Nike EYBL Stats):

Year	Min	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2014	26.5	18	102	254	40%	20	70	29%	64	102	63%

Year	RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
2014	9.3	1.1	2.1	1.6	0.8

Strengths:

Ellenson was cut from the 16U USA team and didn’t do much to stand out last October during the developmental training camp. After an upper body transformation, where a bulky Ellenson lost 20 pounds getting leaner and quicker in the process, he is now one of the team’s top players. He has a very intriguing skill-set and is able to do a variety of things that his big men peers can’t do. He has good height (6’10”), great length (7’2” wing span), and with wide shoulders he is strong enough to handle his own in the post. Getting quicker during the spring turned Ellenson into more of a perimeter player than one might like, but he can score effectively in the post with either hand (short left or right jump hooks). During USA tryouts he was great in the pick and pop drills and is a weapon rolling into a 15-17 foot jump shot. He also has three point range and will most likely launch quite a few during his time in Dubai. Ellenson shot a poor percentage in EYBL (28.5%), but knocked down quite a few in North Augusta (his team did not make Peach Jam) and in the USA tryouts. In front of all the big name college coaches, Ellenson calmly drained a step back 3 from the wing as time expired on the shot clock and a hand in his face. Given his length Ellenson can also rebound (9.3 per game), but it is his ball-handling that sets him apart. He can handle the ball with both hands, bring the ball up the court, and break the press. Ellenson is still improving, but established himself as the most consistent big man in camp. He came into the spring ranked in the 50’s and 60’s in his class and came out as a top 10 player.

Weaknesses:

Despite the weight loss, Ellenson still struggles with his vertical jump. A slow first jump and lack of air can often result in a blocked shot under the basket. He has improved over the past year, but still needs to work on his explosiveness. Also, he can fall in love with his perimeter game too much and can float outside of the arc when he could be posting up or battling down low (which he is capable of doing).  

Harry Giles – 6’10”, PF, Wesleyan Christian Academy, Winston Salem, NC (#3-Scout, #5-ESPN, #2-Rivals)

Height	Wgt	Wing Span	Birth	Class
6'10"	209	7'2"*	4/22/1998	2016

USA (U16 Stats):

GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2	2	12	7	6	10	60%	0	0	0%	2	4	50%

RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
5.5	1.5	0.5	2	1.5

AAU (Nike EYBL Stats):

Year	Min	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2014	18.5	10	55	119	46%	2	6	33%	18	32	56%

Year	RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
2014	7.1	0.7	1.3	1.2	0.8

Strengths:

Giles is the best pro prospect on the USA team although he still has a way to go before being fully healthy again. After starting two games last year in the FIBA Americas, Giles tore his ACL and missed his entire sophomore season. He returned to the court in May and the beginning months were rough as he tried to return to the player he was as a freshman. After looking tepid during the first USA tryout, Giles suddenly started flashing the skill-set that made him the No. 1 player in his class. With a 7’2” wing span, Giles started throwing down vicious one and two hand dunks in traffic. Giles noted he is at about 90% right now and he is still lacking that quick first step; however he is able to play in isolation from 15 feet out or in the post. His jump shot is still a work in progress but he can hit off the dribble, from mid-range, and the three point line on occasion. With his length and athleticism, Giles resembles a player in the Chris Webber mode. While not the passer Webber was, his aura on the court is similar. It is going to take time for Giles to fully trust his knee, but when that time comes he could reclaim his top spot in the class of 2016. Oh yeah, he is also the youngest player on the team.

Weaknesses:

Getting healthy and working on the outside shot. Right now, Giles is still gaining confidence in his movements. An ACL tear takes time to come back from, but Giles is getting more confident as the days go by. Once his first step improves and he regains a little bit more of his athleticism Giles will be tough for any opposing big to guard. As noted above, Giles hit several outside jump shots in the tryouts although he miss-fired badly on a few as well. He has the range and touch to stretch the defense but needs to continue to hone his form and release going forward.

Caleb Swanigan – 6’8”, PF, Homestead High, Fort Wayne, IN (#12-Scout, #17-ESPN, #20-Rivals)

Height	Wgt	Wing Span	Birth	Class
6'8"	269	7'1.5"	4/18/1997	2015

AAU (Nike EYBL Stats):

Year	Min	PPG	FG	FGA	FG%	3FG	3FGA	3PT%	FT	FTA	FT%
2014	27.9	17.7	122	259	47%	5	19	26%	123	194	63%

Year	RPG	APG	TPG	BPG	SPG
2014	11.9	2.0	3.4	0.8	0.8

Strengths:

A late addition to the USA tryout roster, Swanigan quickly made a name for himself and earned a coveted spot on the 12 man team. The big man out of Indiana brings a toughness to Team USA and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. In the first four tryouts, Swanigan was often seen man handling taller big men down low. He did his best work on the offensive glass and after grabbing the board, Swanigan usually used his upper body mass to get the defender underneath the rim and effectively out of the play. He knows he is a beast down low and doesn’t stray from his bread and butter after leading the EYBL in rebounds with 11.9 per game. While not an outside scorer, Swanigan did show a nice touch and soft feet throughout the drill work in tryouts.

Weaknesses:

At 6’7” / 6’8”, Swanigan could stand to have another inch or two, although his 7’1.5” inch wing span sometimes makes up for that fact. While he dominated the boards and often scored on put-backs he also got blocked when going straight up a fair amount. When long defenders are in his face he has a hard time scoring without moving them out of the way. While it’s great that Swanigan knows his strengths he will need to improve his face-up ability and propensity to turn the ball over in the post going forward.

 Note * - Wing span taken from 2013.