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. 

Chicago Elite Classic - 2014 (Day 2)

The third edition of the Chicago Elite Classic took place over a two day span this past weekend at the University of Illinois-Chicago. While the event did not have the star wattage like it did in the past (Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okafor, Stanley Johnson, Cliff Alexander, Tyler Ulis, Stephen Zimmerman, Chase Jeter, etc) there were many high major division one players in attendance. 

Top Player:

Rawle Alkins, 6’5”, G/F, Christ the King (NY), 2016

The next New York superstar? Rawle Alkins certainly played like it on Saturday night. He dominated all parts of the game as he led Christ the King to an 87-56 blowout over the local St. Rita squad. Both Catholic schools battled hard in the first quarter, but Alkins helped turn the game into a blowout with a 28 point, seven assist, six rebound, and five steal performance. The powerful wing scored in a variety of ways. He buried deep three’s (finishing with four on the night), threw down powerful dunks, and finished with contact in the lane. Minus a brief stretch in the second quarter when Alkins got a bit out of control, he was a man amongst boys. He finished 11-16 from the floor and fed teammates on the break and in the half-court set for easy baskets. Built like Lance Stephenson, Alkins had no problem showing off his New York style when matched up with Kentucky bound guard Charles Matthews. Catching the ball on the left wing, Alkins gave Matthews a few moves before ducking his right shoulder and finishing in the lane. Alkins is currently ranked No. 31 in the junior class by Scout.com, but his stock is set to rise.

Top Team:

Simeon (IL)

Simeon, a Chicago public league power lost in sectional play last year after winning four straight Illinois state championships with Jabari Parker. The Wolverines were young last year, but now the team returns in full and looks to reclaim its title as the top team in the state. As one of the two hosts (Whitney Young was the other) of the tournament Simeon played in the Saturday nightcap against big man Elijah Thomas and Lancaster, one of the top teams from Texas. It was a competitive game for three quarters, but the overwhelming depth of Simeon wore Lancaster down and ran away in the fourth quarter with an 87-72 victory. Simeon starts three seniors headed to Big 10 schools in DJ Williams (Illinois), Ed Morrow (Nebraska), and Isaiah Moss (Iowa) in addition to two talented juniors in Zach Norvell and Ben Coupet. Off the bench, Simeon first brought a “platoon” of five younger players in with talented freshman Kezo Brown running the show in a smooth and steady fashion. Simeon will face some tough competition in the future in Morgan Park (IL) and Bishop Gorman (NV), but they passed their first test with ease in the Classic.

Standout Performers:

Ed Morrow, 6’7”, PF, Simeon (IL), 2015, Nebraska

A “no frills” big man, Simeon’s power forward Ed Morrow stole the show despite facing the more highly touted Elijah Thomas. The future Cornhusker finished with 22 points, five rebounds, and five blocks. He showed a solid pair of hands down low and threw down numerous two hand dunks throughout the game. More than just a dunker, Morrow also impressed with his mid-range game. Last year Morrow held future top draft pick Jahlil Okafor in check and this year he did the same with Thomas. Morrow is only rated as a three-star recruit, but he will have an impact at Nebraska as soon as he steps on campus. In a few years, observers will wonder where the respect was for Simeon’s big man.

Zach Norvell, 6’3”, SG, Simeon (IL), 2016

The smooth shooting lefty guard started the game off by hitting a three and stayed hot throughout finishing with 18 points. Norvell did damage last year as a sophomore and is Simeon’s main threat from the perimeter. He never went on his own personal scoring run as Norvell managed to score consistently throughout the game. In addition to his 18 points, he also added six rebounds and four assists. 

Frank Jackson, 6’3”, G, Lone Peak (UT), 2016

The 2014-15 version of Lone Peak looked just a tad different than the last Lone Peak squad that came out to Chicago for the Classic. In 2012, Lone Peak featured three stars in Nick Emery, TJ Haws, and Eric Mika. This year, junior guard Frank Jackson ran the show with some help from sophomore Christian Popoola. In a close overtime loss, Jackson finished with 28 points and seven rebounds. He was able to power his way to the basket with his size and strength and also hit several three’s after a slow start in the first quarter. Jackson de-committed from BYU in November and is a hot prospect due to his size and ball skills. 

Other Notes:

Massachusetts bound, Luwane Pipkins struggled with his outside shot all game against Lone Peak but still had the confidence to drain the game winning three point shot from the right corner. He scored 14 points on 4-17 shooting and never got in a rhythm, but he did hit the most important shot of the game. 

While Pipkins struggled for Bogan, senior 5’9” guard Tom Johnson picked up the slack scoring 15 points. 

Rawle Alkins was the star for Christ the King, but Tyrone Cohen was also impressive scoring 22 points. The 6’3” junior guard scored from inside and outside the arc and also ran the floor with ease on the fast break. 

Kentucky bound Charles Matthews scored 16 points for St. Rita in a loss, but struggled with his shot shooting below 40% for the game. In the second half he connected on two three’s from the right wing, but missed a handful of others and never really impacted the game as expected. When Matthews is able to step into his jump shot and elevate properly his shot looks good, but more often than not the ball either falls short or is all over the rim.

Elijah Thomas was the attraction for Lancaster, but he struggled to impact the game and was saddled with foul trouble throughout. Point guard Deon Barrett used his speed to get to the basket and kick out to teammates on the wing. 5’7” guard Dominique Fobbs came off the bench and hit 7 out 10 three’s on the game. Also, senior guard Antwon Portley showcased a nice skill-set hitting several three’s and using his length to finish down low.

Vic Law: Fireworks in Evanston

In a surprise 4^th of July commitment, Vic Law, a 6’7” small forward out of St. Rita’s committed to Chris Collins and Northwestern. Not only is Law the first recruit to sign in Collins’ brief tenure but he is also the first Chicago kid that happens to be ranked in the top 100 by all major recruiting services.

Despite playing in the Big 10 it is rare for Northwestern to sign a player of Law’s caliber. As a Chicago kid both Collins and Law hope that this commitment begins a nice pipeline from the city to the northern suburbs. Last year, first year coach John Groce signed guards Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate out of Simeon, the top public school in Chicago. Now it is another first year coach in Chris Collins making the splash by signing a kid from St. Rita’s, one of the top Catholic schools in the area.

As a junior, Law averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game in his third season on the varsity squad. His team was upset early on in Sectional play, but he still teamed with upcoming junior Charles Matthews to form one of the most entertaining teams in the Chicagoland area. 

During the spring AAU season, Law started for the Meanstreets AAU team that went 13-6 in the Nike EYBL regular season and advanced to Peach Jam in July. Law averaged almost six points and four rebounds a game during the spring AAU season. In June, Law played in the NBPA Top 100 camp and while he had to leave early due to an injury he managed to have his best game with 12 points against talented wings such as Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State), Isaac Copeland (Georgetown), and Theo Pinson (UNC). 

While his ranking dropped a bit (ESPN #66, Scout #70, Rivals #80) his defense has stayed strong as Law has the height, length, and athleticism to guard out on the wing and occasionally in the post.

With AAU play about to pick up again, Law can try to spread the word about Northwestern to his current teammates. Right now Collins is also targeting combo forward Paul White out of Whitney Young and point guard Tyler Ulis out of Marian Catholic. White has been on the national stage since he started high school while Ulis is one of the best floor generals in the country. 

While the Wildcat coaching staff is ecstatic with this commitment, coaches from VCU, Dayton, and Georgia Tech have to be disappointed. Shaka Smart and VCU worked hard on Law following him around in LA and Hampton during the first two open recruiting sessions. They recently had him on campus for a visit and the coaching staff hoped that his commitment would open up a Chicago pipeline to Richmond, VA. 

Fireworks will be bright in Evanston, IL tonight as the newly formed coaching staff celebrates their first commitment, while other coaching staffs will regroup to update their July viewing plans.

NBPA Top 100: Session 5

The NBPA Top 100 camp concluded on Saturday evening, which wrapped up an action packed three day affair in Charlottesville, VA. The Celtics camp team were crowned champions and guard Jaquan Newton put forth the best individual performance seen all week in leading his Celtics squad to an upset win. After two long days on Thursday and Friday, many players were road weary and nicked up during Saturday’s play. While some kids were forced to sit out, the players that stepped on the court let their talent shine and played high intensity playoff basketball throughout the final day.

Top Performers:

Jaquan Newton, 6’2”, 2014

Scoring over 20 points in one of the camp games turned out to be fairly rare, yet Newton went for 31 points in the championship game to go along with seven assists and four rebounds. In his semi-final game, Newton put in another solid performance with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. While most teams and point guards relied heavily on the pick and roll, Newton used his ball handling and quickness to penetrate time and time again. After beating his defender off the dribble Newton had no problem finishing at the rim amongst taller defenders. Similar to earlier games Newton had his outside shot working and made teams pay for sagging off in hopes of containing his drives. Newton took advantage of the increased playing time due to an injury to Tyler Ulis and earned himself a championship and a spot on the all-camp team.

Ben Bentil, 6’8”, 2014

Despite playing in the consolation game of the camp to start the final morning, Bentil brought his “A” game scoring in a variety of ways. He started his first half barrage with a coast to coast lay-up primarily using his left hand to make it down the court and then followed that up with a nice looking 15 foot jump shot. Bentil used his muscle for a few baskets down low and also added another coast to coast lay-up. His most impressive basket came on a textbook pic and roll. After setting a hard screen, Bentil popped out for another 15 foot jumper which he calmly drained. Bentil has the size and strength to dominate defenders down low, but also displayed nice touch and form on his jump shots and solid ball handling skills.

Myles Turner, 6’11”, 2014

Myles Turner - Kelly Kline / UA

The most talked about prospect in camp was Myles Turner, and he ended his week on a high note. Matched up against touted 2015 big man Skal Labissiere, Turner went to work on the offensive end while keeping Labissiere away from the basket on the defensive end. To start the game, Turner connected on a right handed hook shot from seven feet out and added in an “and-1” down low off of a nice pass from TJ Haws. Turner also connected on a three-pointer from the wing and a jump shot from just outside the lane. He scored 18 points in his final game and given his height and athleticism is an extremely tough cover for any defender given his ability to score down low and also from the outside. As the competition continues to get tougher for Turner, his game continues to grow stronger.

Anton Beard, 5’10”, 2014

The future Arkansas Razorback lead guard got his 76ers squad off to a strong start Saturday morning as he pushed the tempo and created opportunities for his bigger teammates. In the first quarter Beard matched up with future Florida Gator point guard Chris Chiozza in what will become a regular occurrence in SEC play. Beard began the game with a fast break lay-up and followed that up with a deep jump shot. He scored another lay-up in the half court set after blowing by Chiozza off the dribble and added one more lay-up after running a pick and roll with Turner. While Beard scored early on, he also added in six assists coming in transition and the half court set. The strongly built Beard turned his game up a notch and got a win over Chiozza’s squad to begin their point guard rivalry.

Charles Matthews, 6’5”, 2015

One of the few bright spots in a blowout loss was the play of Matthews who went for 11 points to close out his camp session. His baskets came primarily from 15-17 feet as he used a left to right crossover to create space and his jumping ability to rise over the defense for a shot attempt. With long arms and a top notch vertical, Matthews can get a mid-range jump shot anytime he wants. He did miss-fire on several of these shots and will need to continue fine tuning his release throughout the summer.

Dwayne Morgan, 6’7”, 2014

Morgan’s, a UNLV-bound combo forward, had his offensive arsenal on display in the second half during his team’s loss. He scored nine points in an efficient manner and was very active off the ball by setting screens and constantly staying in motion. Morgan hit a pull-up jump shot to go along with a pull-up three pointer from the left wing and then added in a powerful two hand dunk in the middle of the lane after a basket cut. He also took a seven foot jump shot that he nailed over the outstretched hand of Myles Turner. Over the past year, Morgan’s game has steadily improved and when he looks to be aggressive he shows spurts of being one of the most complete wings in the class of 2014.

Other Tidbits from the Playoffs:

Tar Heel Teammates Face Off: In a quarter final match-up, North Carolina commits Theo Pinson and Justin Jackson went head to head. Pinson won the scoring battle 16 to 11, but did so with one additional quarter. Pinson’s baskets came primarily with the ball in his hand as he used his quickness and a hesitation dribble to get by Jackson several times from the top of the key. He was aggressive attacking the basket which resulted in several trips to the line and also a 10 foot bank shot over Jackson’s out-stretched hand. On the other hand, Jackson as usual got his points from catch and shoot situations or those where he only needs one or two dribbles to free himself for a mid-range floater or pull-up. Jackson hit one three from the corner to go along with a few patented floaters and drop shots. Overall, Jackson did not have his typical efficient performance that earned him a spot on the camp all-star team, but his team did get the win and earned a match-up in the semi-finals with another future Tar Heel in Joel Berry.

Top PG’s go head to head: Joel Berry and Josh Perkins are two of the most highly regarded point guards in the class of 2014 and they got to go head to head for 24 minutes in a semi-final game. Two players with contrasting styles went at each other as best they could but neither one had an overly dominant performance. Perkins has a few inches on Berry to go along with a bit of quickness, while Berry is stronger and a better mid-range jump shooter. Berry went 1-4 in the first 12 minutes as he hit his first shot from the foul line extended (his bread and butter shot) coming off a pick and roll. While Berry’s team primarily ran a pick and roll offense, he did use an in and out dribble move to blow by Perkins once and get into the lane but a lay-up attempt that was blocked by Karl Towns Jr. In the second half Berry added another jumper from just outside the foul line to go along with a three from the wing as he finished with 8 points and 2 assists. On the opposite side, Perkins was fairly quite in the first quarter as he miss-fired on a few outside shots. Known as one of the best ball handlers in the camp, Perkins had trouble getting by Berry in the half court set. In the second stanza, Perkins knocked in two three pointers and a jump shot in a quick two minute span. All of these shots came in transition and Perkins finished with a similar 8 point, 2 assist performance. While this match-up could be deemed a draw, it was Berry’s defensive effort in keeping Perkins out of the lane that was most impressive.

The Road to the Championship: In a semi-final win, Jaquan Newton’s Celtics squad got strong performances from a number of players including Chieck Diallo, Reid Travis, and Perry Dozier. Diallo was his usual force around the basket dunking anything in sight and blocking shots, while Travis was scoring from all over en route to a 26 point, 11 rebound performance. Last but not least, was Perry Dozier who scored nine points. Dozier used his crossover to create space for open jump shots as he was being guarded by the 7 footer in Thon Maker. Dozier had an up and down camp, but when his confidence is brimming and his jump shot is falling it is obvious why so many high major coaches are involved in his recruitment.

Karl Towns - Kelly Kline / UA

Big Man Battle: Two of the top big men in the country, and fellow 7-footers, were on the same court for a semi-final matchup in Kentucky Wildcats commit Karl Towns Jr. and 2015 center Stephen Zimmerman. With a significant size advantage, the monstrous Towns was guarded by Angel Delgado but matched up with Zimmerman on the defensive end. Delgado is not small by any means, but there were a few possessions where he was eaten up down low by Towns. To put Towns size in perspective, he was dominating Jerome Williams aka the Junkyard Dog down low in a one on one match-up during the camp break. On the other side, Zimmerman used his quickness to score on Towns. He has a fast spin move when operating down low and used that several times on Towns while he also got to the line numerous times in scoring 13 points. Towns used his size and strength to score down low, but Zimmerman played to his own strengths in what turned out to be a very entertaining big man battle.