Nike Hoop Summit Recap

Jamal Murray
photo by Ken Waz / USA Basketball

The Nike Hoop Summit wrapped up Saturday afternoon with a thrilling 103-101 World victory. In a back and forth affair, the World team was able to hold on despite a last second opportunity from Allonzo Trier. Jamal Murray, a Hoop Summit veteran led the way with a game high 30 points and LSU bound Ben Simmons set a Hoop Summit record with nine assists. After a full week of practices there were several players from both the international and U.S. teams that established themselves in the eyes of NBA draft personnel.

Top Tier:

The No. 1 player in the class of 2015 will come down to Ben Simmons and Skal Labissiere. Both players are SEC bound and should challenge for the top draft pick in 2016.

Over the past few weeks, Ben Simmons has hit all parts of the country with the McDonald’s All-American game in Chicago, the Dick’s National Championship in New York, and now the Hoop Summit event in Portland. When Simmons arrived he measured out at 6’10” which was taller than previously expected. In the Friday practice leading up to the game, Simmons turned up the volume and provided a glimpse of how he was going to play in the game on Saturday. In the actual game, Simmons played 30 minutes and finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists on 5-10 shooting. Even before entering college, Simmons already has size, strength, and speed to help him excel at the NBA level. The point forward is a strong ball-handler with either hand and always has his head up looking up to find open teammates. His top play came when he pushed the ball down the court out-racing the smaller U.S. defenders finishing with a two-hand dunk. Right now, the main weakness in his game is his outside shooting. Simmons went 0-1 in the game that was played with the international arc, but was comfortable launching shots from this range. He has good rotation on his shot and is already much improved from last year. The Australian native impacts all areas of the game and plays with an unselfish attitude.

While Simmons touched all areas of the scorebook, Skal Labissiere came off the bench and put his own stamp on the game with 21 points, six rebounds, and six blocks on 9-15 shooting in 27 minutes. Throughout the week, Labissiere was the talk of Hoop Summit with NBA GM’s salivating over the chance to draft him in just over a year. After a quiet first half where he scored just four points, Skal dominated the paint in the second half scoring 17 points with a variety of tip-in’s, dunks, and hook shots. The 7 foot Haitian has a smooth game and soft touch that will allow him to become an effective power forward at Kentucky and the next level. He started the game off with a 19 foot jump shot and will eventually excel in the pick and pop world of the NBA. He will need to continue to work on face-up moves out of the post and quick fade-away’s from the right or left block. Despite a tumultuous high school career that was spent changing schools and AAU programs, Skal has poise beyond his years and a game that is pleasing to the eye.

Stock Riser:

He almost didn’t even play in this game, but thanks to Henry Ellenson’s injury, Brandon Ingram was added to the U.S. roster. After erupting at the McDonald’s All-American game, Ingram continued his stellar play and actually led all players on the U.S. with 26 minutes played. He measured out earlier in the week with a 7’3” wing span which so far has offset his relatively thin frame on the defensive end. After a strong week of practice, Ingram started the game showcasing his almost automatic mid-range baseline jump-shot. After six first half points, Ingram got the start in the second half as the U.S. team looked to go smaller to increase the pace of the game. He finished the game with 12 points on 5-6 shooting and contributed three rebounds and a blocked shot. Ingram played the majority of the fourth quarter over Jaylen Brown, but despite being open for several open jumpers the ball never came his way with various ball dominating teammates controlling the action.

International Quick Hitters:

George de Paula (Brazil) – The No. 29 prospect in the DraftExpress rankings had an extremely quiet game despite getting the start at the point guard spot. The 6’6” de Paula is a powerful guard that excels at getting to the basket. Unfortunately in 13 minutes of action, de Paula only took two three pointers. He made his first one early on in the game, but fell extremely short on his other. De Paula also committed three turnovers and didn’t play to his strengths.

Jamal Murray (Canada) – Where will the 6’5” Murray end up next year? Wherever he does, whether it’s in college, Canada, or another destination, Murray will be lighting it up. Last year, Murray scored 10 points in the Hoop Summit game and this year he topped that off with a whopping 30. The best shooter in the game was not fazed by the deeper three point arc and went 3-7 from deep. He scored from all three levels throughout the course of the game and finished 12-23 with five assists. There has been a lot of talk about Murray ending up at Oregon and a backcourt of Murray and Tyler Dorsey would be one of the most explosive in the NCAA.

Cheick Diallo (Mali) – Another high energy performance for Diallo who finished with 12 points and six rebounds after a prior MVP performance at McDonald’s. Diallo chased the ball after misses scoring down low and blocking three shots. College coaches such as Bill Self and Fred Hoiberg are chasing Diallo for next year.

Thon Maker (Canada) – It was a rough Friday for Maker in the scrimmage and a rough game as well. In 14 minutes, Maker scored just two points on free throws and didn’t make a field goal throughout. On the brightside he did add 10 rebounds, five of which were offensive. Right now, Maker’s plans are in flux, but if this game proved anything it’s that he needs time in the weight room and on his offensive skills as he struggled with his shot and on drives to the basket.

Nedim Buza (Bosnia) – The Bosnian sharp-shooter knocked in both of his three point attempts and finished with six points in 13 minutes. Buza was lights out on Friday and if he gets his feet set the outside jumper is probably going in. Buza lacks the necessary foot speed to create his shot and this showed throughout the game.

Frederico Mussini (Italy) – The diminutive Italian guard scored nine points including three clutch free throws at the end. He went 2-5 from the three point line and added in three assists. Mussini is debating about whether to play in college next year, but he could turn into a more than adequate leader for a lucky college team.

Zhou Qi (China) – Qi scored two points and only got one shot attempt, but the intriguing 7’2” center from China showed his assets which include the ability to run the floor and his deficits which include his lack of strength and presence down low on the offensive end. Qi did record two blocks in limited minutes.

Tai Wynyard (New Zealand) – The future Kentucky Wildcat scored his first and only basket on a fundamental post move early on, but wasn’t much of a threat in the other 10 minutes of action. Wynyard could struggle to see the floor when he does land in Lexington given his below the rim style.

Stefan Peno (Serbia) – Peno hit a three in the second half, but usually struggled with the length and athleticism of the opposing players limiting his effectiveness.

U.S. Quick Hitters:

Jaylen Brown – It wasn’t the finest performance for the top rated small forward. Brown struggled with his shot going 2-9 from the floor and was planted on the bench in the deciding minutes. Brown got to the line for six attempts but also committed two turnovers.

Chase Jeter – Jeter got the start and was active around the basket, but finished just 1-5 from the floor. He played 17 minutes and added five rebounds but wasn’t able to utilize his right handed hook shot.

Ivan Rabb – After a strong week of practice, it was a disappointing game for Rabb who played just eight minutes. Rabb went 1-2 from the floor, but he also missed both of his free throws. Earlier in the week, Rabb was hitting jump hooks with both hands but the Oakland native spent the fourth quarter on the bench with Brown.

Malik Newman – Newman went 4-8 from the field and finished with 10 points which was an improvement from his McDonald’s performance, but not the type of game I’m sure he was looking for. Newman scored five points in a row at one stanza which included a three and nice floater. Newman is a streaky scorer and all one has to do is watch his body during a jump shot to determine if it’s going in or not.

Isaiah Briscoe – Nine points and nine assists for Briscoe off the bench, but he also had a costly turnover and missed free throws. Overall, it was an impressive week for the muscular Briscoe and he got to the basket during the course of the game.

Stephen Zimmerman – Zimmerman played up to his potential throughout the game scoring eight points on 4-6 shooting. He put the ball on the floor and finished at the rim and also converted a soft, high arcing deep jump shot. Zimm struggled a bit during the U.S. practices but he shined in his 17 minutes of game action.

Luke Kennard – In a surprising performance, Luke Kennard led the U.S. in scoring with 22 points and shot attempts with 18. Kennard hit 2-5 from three and was all over the court throughout the game scoring at the rim and with pull-up jump shots. He started to hunt for his shot a little bit too much at the end, but was also the most aggressive player on the U.S. team.

Caleb Swanigan – Swanigan received limited minutes and struggled with the length of the World team. The future Michigan State big man went 1-4, but added three rebounds.

Allonzo Trier – Trier provided one of the key highlights with an impressive two hand dunk in the first quarter and was tasked with the last shot for the U.S. team. Trier missed the last shot badly, but that shouldn’t sour the fact that his scoring abilities were on display all week along with his deep range. 

Nike Hoop Summit: Friday Rewind

The Nike Hoop Summit practices concluded on Friday as both the World and U.S. team made their final preparations for their match-up on Saturday afternoon. The U.S. team had both a morning and evening practice while the World team had a single practice in the afternoon.

World Team:

Skal - Ken Nowaczyk/USA Basketball

NBA scouts and General Managers were out in full force to watch the World team Saturday afternoon. The long and talented team wasted no time in picking up the energy in the practice as they started with full-court shooting drills to get warmed up. It only took a few jump shots from Kentucky bound Skal Labissiere to see his immense potential and to understand why he might finish as the No. 1 ranked player in his class. Standing around 7 feet, Labissiere moves well and stays square to the basket on his jumpers. He gets good elevation and has a high release point allowing his shots to fall softly through the net. After getting warmed up, the World team went right to scrimmaging.

To start the game, the team was divided up with Jamal Murray, Stefan Peno, Ben Simmons, Thon Maker, and Zhou Qi on one team and Federico Mussini, George de Paula, Nedim Buza, Skal Labissiere, and Cheick Diallo on another. 2016 Kentucky bound forward Tai Wynyard came off the bench.

Team 1:

Right away, small forward Ben Simmons made his presence known. Without a true point guard on the team, Simmons handled the ball a fair amount and initiated the fast break after grabbing his own defensive rebounds. He knocked in a NBA three-pointer from the right corner to kick things off and then scored on two strong drives to the basket. He had a quickness advantage on Nedim Buza and used just one or two dribbles to get Buza off balance before accelerating down the left lane and finishing short runners with both his left and right hand. Throughout the game, Simmons was blazing in transition and also converted a nice finger roll after a drive down the middle of the lane.

Along with Simmons, Canadian shooting guard Jamal Murray showed off his deep range hitting multiple three’s proving that the deeper three point line did not make a difference. 7 foot forward Thon Maker struggled throughout the scrimmages before throwing down a rim rattling one hand dunk towards the end. Maker prefers to play outside the paint; however on Friday his shot was not falling and he struggled driving to the basket. While Maker has range on his shot, his misses were all over the side of the rim rather than falling short or long. 7’2” center Zhou Qi from China made a return appearance after missing numerous practices due to an ankle injury suffered on the first day of practice. Qi showed his ability to get up and down the floor well for a player his size and held his own on the defensive boards. Given his lack of upper body strength and 209 pound frame, Qi was not banging around down low on the offensive end. Qi prefers to hover around the foul line area looking for short jump shots which he can knock down given his shooting touch.

Team 2:

I came to see Skal. Both the media and NBA personnel have fallen in love with the power forward from Haiti and while it was a quite performance from the future star you could see why basketball minds are enamored with him. Skal waited until the last stanza to score a basket and did so with a right handed hook shot in the lane and he followed that up with a left-handed tip dunk in the middle of the lane where his whole forearm was above the rim. One area where he could have been more aggressive was when he caught the ball at the free throw line against a zone defense. He had several opportunities to turn and shoot from 10-12 feet but instead he passed on those open looks.

6’1”, 154 pound Federico Mussini and the 6’6” George de Paula ran the team’s offense with their contrasting styles. Mussini is short and quick and can knock in three’s from deep and get by his man off the dribble. Once past his defender, Mussini’s physical deficiencies come into play and he is often driving looking for an open teammate to kick the ball to. On the other hand, de Paula is strong and athletic and will try to use his almost 7 foot wing span to dunk on a defender’s head (which he tried). De Paula was aggressive in the scrimmages, but sometimes to the detriment of his teammates who often became upset with his lack of passing. In the first two scrimmages, de Paula took several forced jump shots and shooting is definitely not his forte. When he is driving and attacking he is a tough cover but not when shooting long and contested jump shots.

6’8” wing Nedim Buza put together a thrilling shooting display during the scrimmages knocking down deep three’s whenever his feet were set and he had some space. Buza has good lift on his outside shot and his attempts were always straight on-line with the basket. While he proved to be a knock down shooter, it was also clear that creating his own shot was not his forte. Lacking foot speed, Buza needed high picks to free him of a defender before launching a jumper.

Throughout the scrimmages the world team looked crisp. They worked on attacking the full-court press and zone defenses that the U.S. will most likely throw at them on Saturday. The U.S. will put pressure on the guards and look to speed the game up. Look for Ben Simmons to have a huge role in helping the World team combat the aggressiveness of the U.S.

U.S. Team:

The United States had two practices on Friday. The morning session consisted primarily of shooting drills and other team competitions while the evening practice featured another scrimmage against former college players. This time around the scrimmage consisted of three, 10 minute quarters.

This time around, small forward Jaylen Brown was ready to participate and took over the starting small forward spot from Brandon Ingram. The starters were Jalen Brunson, Malik Newman, Brown, Ivan Rabb, and Stephen Zimmerman. Unlike Thursday where the U.S. basically went five in and five out, substitutions were made in a more liberal manner.

Brown did not waste any time getting started making a driving lay-up, a corner jump shot from the right side of the court, and another lay-up in traffic. Throughout the course of the scrimmage Brown played primarily small forward, but also saw some time at the power forward spot where he was banging around down low with the taller and stronger opponents. In the last stanza, Brown made another driving lay-up and finished a short floater from the left side of the basket after drawing contact.

Shooting guard Malik Newman had an up and done scrimmage despite a variety of shot attempts. He was best in the open court attacking the basket and converted a few jumpers throughout but also miss-fired on several long two’s. It wasn’t an efficient performance for Newman, but it was quite the performance for Luke Kennard. One of the first players off the bench, Kennard scored a quick three baskets with a follow-up off a missed shot, a two dribble jumper from the right corner, and a cutting lay-up off of a nice feed from Briscoe. After his quick burst, Kennard sat out the rest of the scrimmage opting for some rest before the real game on Saturday.

The U.S. team also received some strong bench play with Isaiah Briscoe, Allonzo Trier, and Brandon Ingram all making plays. Briscoe continued his attacking style and even added a three in from the left wing. Trier had his soft, high arcing shot working throughout and Ingram was able to pick his spots with a few mid-range jumpers and a put back after a miss from five feet out. As for the U.S. big men, Ivan Rabb was the most active hitting short shots with both hands and relishing the contact with the former college players.

Match-Up:

The 2015 Nike Hoop Summit tips at 3pm EST on ESPN2. Last year the U.S. team won 84-73 behind the eventual trio that led Duke to the 2015 NCAA championship. Justise Winslow led the way with 16 points and Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones scored 14 and 13, respectively. This year, the U.S. guards will look to set the tempo and pressure the World team into turnovers. The World team has good height and length. Will Ben Simmons and Skal Labissiere lead the World team to a victory or will Malik Newman, Jaylen Brown, or Allonzo Trier step up for the U.S.?

McDonald's All-American Practice Report

It did not take long for the action to heat up inside the Quest Multiplex in Chicago, IL this morning. The McDonald’s All-American festivities began on Sunday, but the practice on Monday served as the first gathering for all team members. With media and NBA personnel on hand, both the East and West teams were going at it from the get go. The two hour practice provided an in-depth look at the top seniors in the country and while all eyes were initially on Ben Simmons and Jaylen Brown they quickly shifted to the surprise performer of the day.

West Team:

The West team is coached by Chicago’s own, Robert Smith from perennial power Simeon. He had the West team in 3 on 2 and 2 on 1 drills right off the bat which quickly led to intense one on one battles. The strength of the West team lies in there abundance of talented big men, but the perimeter players certainly proved their worth as well.

Team A:                                                                       Team B:

Malik Newman (Undecided)                                       Jalen Brunson (Villanova)

Perry Dozier (South Carolina)                                    Allonzo Trier (Arizona)

Brandon Ingram (Undecided)                                     Malachi Richardson (Syracuse)

Ivan Rabb (Undecided)                                              Deyonta Davis (Michigan State)

Caleb Swanigan (Undecided)                                    Stephen Zimmerman (Undecided)

Chase Jeter (Duke)                                                    Carlton Bragg (Kansas)

Standout Performer:

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, SF, Kinston (NC)

The long and lanky Kinston, NC native had his coming out party back in early July in Chicago at the Adidas Unrivaled camp and he certainly did not miss a beat during the Monday practice session. Faced off with sweet shooting Malachi Richardson, Ingram was the one that had his jumper working. Extremely comfortable from 12-15 feet, Ingram’s feathery shot found the net numerous times from mid-range coming off the catch, the dribble, and pick and rolls. Even in drills it was hard for Ingram to miss from this area and given his height and length he got the shot off almost anytime he wanted. His range also extended out to the three point line as he hit several three’s during the half-court and full-court scrimmages. On the defensive side of the ball, Ingram struggled at times staying in front of his opponent whether it was in one-one-one drills or scrimmages, but his length helped negate any ground he gave up. With a long wing-span, Ingram was able to disrupt shots and also created numerous steals by getting his hands in the passing lane. The early eyes were on Jaylen Brown and Ben Simmons, but it was Brandon Ingram that continued his stellar play at the Quest Multiplex.

Top Performers:

Malik Newman, 6’4”, G, Callaway (MS)

While still not a pure point guard, Newman ran the point guard position for his team and faced off against Villanova bound Jalen Brunson. Newman used his speed and athleticism to hit difficult shots in the paint and used the pick and roll to get space for his floater or jump shot. He was also able to attack the basket and was aggressive on the boards as well. He never seemed to catch fire, but anytime he missed from the field it was almost certain that Newman would find a way to knock down his next shot.

Ivan Rabb, 6’10”, PF, Bishop O’ Dowd (CA)

Last year it was Stanley Johnson that led his Mater Dei team to a California state championship and then immediate flew to Chicago for the McDonald’s All-American practices. This year it’s big man Ivan Rabb. On Saturday night, Rabb knocked in the game winning free throw to win a state title and just two days later he was one of the most energetic players on the court. He ripped down rebounds, hit a few soft shots in the paint with both hands, and threw down an emphatic two hand dunk on fellow teammate Stephen Zimmerman. Right now Rabb is healthy and it showed in his play and early effort level.

Top Match-Up:

Caleb Swanigan vs. Stephen Zimmerman

There was a lot to like when it came to the various big men match-ups on the West side, but watching the contrasting styles of Swanigan and Zimmerman was the most entertaining. At 6’8”, Swanigan is a bull in a china shop while the almost 7 foot Zimmerman prefers to use his soft touch outside. Throughout the practice, Swanigan had trouble scoring on his first attempt in the post and was routinely getting his shot blocked. Despite a failed first attempt, he almost always managed to coral the loose ball and go up for a second or third attempt until he finished the play. Zimmerman had his share of blocks, but Swanigan would eventually manage to use his strength to get the basket. On the other side, Zimmerman was playing loose and knocking down outside jump shots. He scored in the post at times, but the four-time state champ was enjoying the open looks he was getting at the top of the key. At the end, this match-up was basically deemed a draw, with Swanigan getting the better of Zimmerman on the inside and vice versa on the outside.

Other Notes:

·         Point guard Jalen Brunson is the lone player from Illinois in the all-star game this year and also the only true point guard on the West side. Throughout the practice, Brunson was a smooth floor general and used quick in-and-out moves to get to the basket. He miss-fired on several lay-ups in the paint early on, but settled down knocking in a few outside shots.

·         Perry Dozier, the 6’6” wing from South Carolina was the sneaky good player of the day. Surrounded by more heralded players, Dozier picked his spots and showed off his smooth and refined game. He utilized the pick and roll well and hit several 15 foot jumpers along with soft floaters in the paint. Dozier did not look as comfortable from the three point line, but his length and ball-handling skills were certainly impressive.

·         Future Michigan State Spartan, Deyonta Davis did not get a lot of half-court action, but the 6’9” power forward did manage to hit two deep jumpers from the top of the key. A bouncy prospect, it looked like Davis had also added some mass to his upper body while going through his senior year.

East Team:

Team A:                                                                               Team B:

Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky)                                             Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State)

Antonio Blakeney (LSU)                                               Luke Kennard (Duke)

Jaylen Brown (Undecided)                                            Dwayne Bacon (Florida State)

Ben Simmons (LSU)                                                     Dedric Lawson (Memphis)

Diamond Stone (Maryland)                                          Cheick Diallo (Undecided)

                                                                                      Thomas Bryant (Undecided)

The East team has the superstar combo of Jaylen Brown and Ben Simmons and early on both were competing in one on one half-court and full-court drills. The smooth nature of Simmons’ game was on display as was the power and brute force from Jaylen Brown. Early on, it was Brown that was looking good knocking in outside shots and corralling rebounds, but then he started to get sloppy with the ball and turned it over several times. He did finish with some rim rattling dunks, but also came up short on several of his contested jump shots. Simmons showed off his passing skills, but didn’t look comfortable shooting from the outside and did not exert his dominance on the game.

Top Players:

Thomas Bryant, 6’9”, C, Huntington Prep (WV)

It was a fairly productive morning for the 6’9” Bryant who always has his motor running on high. Looking a little smoother than normal, Bryant was knocking in deep jump shots during the skills portion of the practice which continued into the scrimmages (even though this led to one or two forced shots). Bryant was active on the boards and defended Diamond Stone well towards the end.

Antonio Blakeney, 6’4”, SG, Oak Ridge (FL)

As one of the top scorers on the East team, Blakeney had his outside shot finding the bottom of the net and was also soaring down the lane for two handed dunks on the break. Blakeney minimized the amount of tough shots he normally takes and also put pressure on Luke Kennard when guarding him in the half-court set.

Other Notes:

·         Diamond Stone started the practice off strong hitting a short hook with his left hand and following that up with a longer hook with his right. Stone was confident when going at Bryant and Cheick Diallo in the drills and held his own on the defensive end. About half way through, Stone was still getting open looks but he his jump shots started careening towards the side of the rim and he failed to finish down low.

·         Despite not shining, Brown easily got the better of Dwayne Bacon who was quiet up until the last few minutes. Brown used his first step to get his should ahead of Bacon and then was able to finish with contact in the lane. He also sought out defensive rebounds calling them his out loud before actually wrapping them up.

·         Isaiah Briscoe and Jawun Evans were matched up throughout the practice. Evans used his speed to push the pace and was feisty on defense. On occasion, Evans would slither into the paint and was able to finish with a floater or soft lay-up. Then there was Briscoe who used his grown man strength to attack the basket and finish with contact. He struggled shooting from the outside, but was routinely at the rim converting shots or dishing to open teammates.

Overall:

Both the East and West practices were intense with a lot of action. The talented players went at each other time and time again and while there were several fine performances, it was the lights out shooting of Brandon Ingram that had everyone talking once the final buzzer sounded.

McDonald's All-American Predictions

Last year it was fairly easy to predict the players for the McDonald’s All-American, but this year it’s a different story. The 38^th all-star game will take place at the United Center in Chicago (IL) on April 1. Here’s a look at my 24 predictions:

The Top Tier:

1) Ben Simmons, 6’8”, SF, Montverde Academy (HS)

2) Jaylen Brown, 6’7”, SF, Wheeler (GA)

Simmons and Brown are the top two players in both the Scout and ESPN rankings. Brown had the better game in the one head to head match-up at the City of Palms tournament this year and his team got the win but both players have been on another level this year after showing tremendous improvement beginning last spring. 

The Big Men Locks:

3) Diamond Stone, 6’10”, C, Dominican (WI)

4) Ivan Rabb, 6’10”, PF, Bishop O’ Dowd (CA)

5) Henry Ellenson, 6’10”, F, Rice Lake (WI)

6) Stephen Zimmerman, 6’11”, F/C, Bishop Gorman (NV)

7) Chase Jeter, 6’10”, PF, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV)

There’s no shortage of big men talent in the 2015 class. Stone, Rabb, and Zimmerman are still uncommitted while Ellenson is headed to Marquette and Jeter is off to replace Jahlil Okafor at Duke. All five players played for different variations of the USA basketball teams and will be looking to carry their high school teams to state championships.

The Guards:

8)   Malik Newman, 6’3”, G, Callaway (MS)

9)   Jalen Brunson, 6’2”, PG, Stevenson (IL)

10) Isaiah Briscoe, 6’2”, G, Roselle Catholic (NJ)

11) Allonzo Trier, 6’4”, SG, Findlay Prep (NV)

12) Luke Kennard, 6’5”, SG, Franklin (OH)

The above guards have all been in the top of their class since stepping onto the high school scene. It took Brunson until his sophomore year to get national recognition, but now he will try to follow in his father’s footsteps and take home the MVP honors just like Rick did in 1991.

Highly Probable:

13) Cheick Diallo, 6’9”, C, Our Savior New American School (NY)

14) Carlton Bragg, 6’9”. PF, Villa Angela – St Joseph (OH)

15) Caleb Swanigan, 6’8”, PF, Homestead (IN)

16) Antonio Blakeney, 6’4”, SG, Oak Ridge (FL)

17) Dwayne Bacon, 6’6”, SF, Oak Hill Academy (VA)

18) Jawun Evans, 6’0”, PG, Kimball (TX)

19) Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, SF, Kingston (NC)

Diallo, Bragg, and Swanigan are all five-star big men. Diallo started the year hurt, but is the best shot blocker in the class. Bragg just committed to Kansas and Swanigan is a workhorse downlow. The LSU bound Blakeney is one of the top scorers in high school and Dwayne Bacon has stepped his game up for Oak Hill. Evans will be added for point guard depth and will be the quickest guard in Chicago while Brandon Ingram will get to continue his head to head battles with Jaylen Brown. 

Rounding Out the Team:

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

21) Tyler Dorsey, 6’4”, SG, Marantha (CA)

Coleman-Lands and Dorsey are both explosive scorers. Coleman-Lands is one of the top shooters in the country and Dorsey has put together multiple 40 point games in California.

The Longshots:

22) Daniel Giddens, 6’10”, C, Oak Hill (VA)

23) Derrick Jones, 6’6”, Archbishop Carroll (PA)

24) Charles Matthews, 6’5”, SG, St. Rita (IL)

Two years ago Kennedy Meeks was a surprise selection to the McDonald’s All-American game and last year 7’0” center Thomas Welsh got the nod. This year the surprise will go to Charles Matthews. At one point he was the top ranked shooting guard in his class but has struggled in marquee events over the past two years. As a senior, Matthews has put together a strong season in Chicago and should get the local nod in addition to the Kentucky bump to get him in the All-Star game. 

Others:

There are numerous top players that could easily slide into the McDonald's game including Louisville's trio of recruits in Ray Spalding, Donovan Mitchell, and Deng Adel. Other possible names include Brewster teammates Justin Simon and Jalen Adams and a few Texas natives in Tyler Davis, Elijah Thomas, and Austin Grandstaff. 

City of Palms - Finals

In the 42^nd City of Palms, the teams and players put on a show throughout the six day event. Future NBA players were in almost every game and the championship game was a reflection on the competitiveness of the games throughout the week. It can’t get much better than a close championship game featuring the top two seniors in the country.

Wheeler (GA) 72 Montverde Academy (FL) 65

In a close and hard fought championship game featuring the two top players in the senior class, Wheeler won their first City of Palms championship and prevented Montverde from winning their third in a row. In a game billed for its star power, Ben Simmons and Jaylen Brown definitely lived up to the billing. Despite fouling out, Brown finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds. With the game tied with 2:25 to go, Brown made a ridiculous steal of an attempted entry pass to Simmons and got fouled going coast to coast. He made both free throws to give Wheeler a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. On the next possession Simmons had a lay-up go in and out and that was all she wrote for Montverde. Ben Simmons finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds and both players combined to miss only 10 shots total. 

While Brown and Simmons were the lead actors, senior guard Shembari Phillips won the best supporting actor. He came up with big plays time and time again and ended the night with 20 points while going 9-13 from the floor. Phillips scored crucial baskets in the fourth quarter and was one of the most under-rated performers of the tournament. 

Top Performers:

Jaylen Brown, 6’7”, SF, 2015, Wheeler (GA)

The Stanley Johnson clone was in attack mode from the get go and began the game with three and-one’s. The first came as he posted up a smaller defender and the other two were the result of powerful drives to the hoop. In the first half, Brown put together a 17 point, seven rebound performance. He wasn’t as dominant in the second half, but came up with key plays that sealed the win. As noted above, Brown forced a turnover and turned it into two points from the free throw line. After that Brown dished out an assist to put his team up five before fouling out. With the win, Brown was named tournament MVP after averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds.

1st Half: 5-8 FG's, 2-2 3PT, 5-7 FT's - 17 points, 7 rebounds 

2nd Half: 1-2 FG's, 6-6 FT's - 8 points, 5 rebounds plus key steal with tie game

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

Simmons did not start out as aggressive as Brown, but he caught up in the 3^rd quarter where he scored nine points on 4-5 shooting. For the game, Simmons was 11-17 and used his versatility to finish around the hoop. With Montverde down two, Simmons had a lay-up go in and out which effectively sealed the game for Wheeler. He continuously attacked the defense with his strong ball-handling skills and despite the loss he put together a tremendous performance.

Harry Giles, 6’10”, PF, 2016, Wesleyan Christian (NC)

A man amongst boys, even when one of them is a year older and committed to Louisville. Yesterday, Giles had a dominant first quarter, but hung around the perimeter too much. Today he took just three shots outside of the paint including a 12 foot left handed hook that he used to begin his dominant night. Throughout the game, Giles was throwing down monster dunks down low and over powering any defender in his way. He also added a right hand hook and a short jumper in the lane in addition to a vicious one hand tip dunk. For the game, Giles finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds on 12-20 shooting while staking his claim as the top player in the junior class.

                                12/22 (6-12) played outside                 12/23 (12-20) dominated inside

Kobi Simmons, 6’5”, PG, 2016, St. Francis (GA)

St. Francis ran way with the game in the fourth quarter primarily due to a four possession stretch from Simmons (who might have had the best overall performance of the tournament). With the ball at the top of the key, Simmons nailed a deep three well behind the line. Next up was a three from the right corner before a behind the back pass on the break for a Malik Beasley dunk. To cap it off, Simmons hit a three from the left wing. The uber-athletic point, finished with 26 points and seven assists (only two turnovers) on 8-14 field goals and 4-7 from three. In the first half, Simmons caught a highlight reel one hand put-back dunk that drew loud applause from the crowd. During the tournament, Simmons might have established himself as the top point guard in the 2016 class.

Kaiser Gates, 6’7”, F, 2015, St. Francis (GA)

While Simmons helped St. Francis pull away in the fourth, it was the senior Kaiser Gates that gave the Knights a 14 point lead. In the first half, Gates went 6-10 from the field including 3-6 from three. The combo forward finished the game with 22 points and eight rebounds on 9-17 shooting and also added five assists. With his size and versatility, Gates was a match-up problem for Paul VI throughout the game.

Renathan Ona Embo, 6’4”, G, 2017, Balboa City (CA)

With the defense focused on sophomore Deandre Ayton, Ona Embo was the main offensive threat for Balboa City throughout the game. He ran the point, but Ona-Embo was looking to score which he did to the tune of 22 points on 9-17 from the floor. Sporting high major athleticism Ona Embo got to the basket in both the half-court offense and on the break. He finished in the post and also put together some impressive forays to the basket. While the fans came to see Ayton, they all left impressed by Ona-Embo and his scoring ability.

V.J. King, 6’7”, SF, 2016, Paul VI (VA)

It was a forgettable individual performance against Mater Dei, but King bounced back nicely in the tournament’s fifth place game. In an up-tempo game suited to King’s skill-set the athletic junior was able to attack the paint which he did early and often. His drives to the basket opened up his perimeter game where he hit one three in the second half in addition to a few pull-up jump shots. Overall, King scored 27 points to go with 11 rebounds on 11-22 shooting. Despite the loss, King bounced back and ended the tournament on a high note.

Other Notes:

After a slew of transfers in the off-season, Paul VI employed a youth movement and in addition to gaining the services of junior V.J. King, the Panthers also play three freshmen. 6’5” wing Vincent Lee got the start, while 6’4” Brandon Slater scored five points in 19 minutes, and 6’2” Devon Sims played 11 minutes. The Panthers also have sophomore point guard Aaron Thompson who sat out the tournament due to injury.

It was a rude awakening for the Danube City Timberwolves who traveled 5,230 miles to face one of the top teams in the country in La Lumiere. In their first half of the tournament they face a 30-14 deficit, but then played almost even in the second half. In their second game against Balboa City, the Timberwolves built on their second half performance against La Lumiere and came away with a 57-50 victory. Three players scored in double figures including Georg Beychlag who took just two shots from the field (10-13 FT’s), Marvin Ogunsipe, and Dejan Kovacevic. At 6’9”, Kovacevic noted that he was a “European forward” and had an inside-outside game. He hit all three of his outside attempts and also added four rebounds. Against La Lumiere it was athletic 6’5” wing, Karim Jallow who led the way with 15 points. Danube City is the home of Utah freshman Jakob Poeltl who is currently generating lots of NBA noise amongst scouts.

Freshman EJ Montgomery showed his vast talent in the first half. The Tayshaun Prince look alike went 3-5 with a fade-away, three, and hook shot. He struggled a bit in the second half before fouling out, but he certainly showcased his skill-set on a big time stage.

While Shembari Phillips was the best supporting actor for Wheeler, sophomore guard Darius Phillips also showed confidence down the stretch finishing with 15 points. He didn’t shoot that well from the field, but Phillips hit seven free throws and wanted the ball in his hands. He’s a quick guard with strong handles and poise.

Point guard Howard Washington went 4-10 from the three point line and answered Wheeler’s shots with big ones of his own in the final stanza.