American Rookies in Germany

The German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) is the top professional league in Germany and is home to a plethora of American players. ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla ranked the German BBL as the #5 most competitive international basketball league this past year. I’m sure college basketball fans remember names such as Nick Johnson (Arizona) or Raymar Morgan (Michigan State…and recent BBL MVP), but what type of players are making the jump from college to this foreign league? Let’s take a look at the recent college graduates that made the jump overseas.

Impact Players:

Trey Lewis, Louisville --> Medi Bayreuth

Trey Lewis certainly bounced around during his college career, but the 6’2” guard quickly found a home in Germany. As a senior in college, Lewis started 27 games for Louisville before his career was cut short with the schools self-imposed scandal. As a grad transfer, Lewis averaged 11.3 points per game, while shooting 35% from 3. In Germany, Lewis came out gunning scoring 30 points in his first game and never looked back as he led a top 4 team in scoring at 14.8 points per game finishing 13th in the BBL. Lewis shot 44% from 3 and was named to the BBL Second team for his season long performance (121.6 ORtg). Playing off the ball, Lewis loved the catch-and-shoot 3’s, but he also displayed an ability to get to the rim and finish.

A.J. English, Iona --> Fraport Skyliners

A.J. English was known for his scoring prowess at Iona. As a sophomore, English averaged 17.2 points and he upped that to 20.1 as a junior and 22.6 as a senior. He was also named to the All-MAAC team in three consecutive seasons. English began his post-college career playing in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A league before switching over to the Fraport Skyliners in late December. Despite coming off the bench for the majority of his 17 games, English didn’t waste any time lighting up the scoreboard. He scored a high of 35 points in late March when he went 6-9 from two and 5-12 from three. English was able to get hot in a hurry and averaged 17.6 points per game (#2 in the BBL), while shooting 43% from 3 and adding 4.1 assists per game. English’s quick twitch muscles gave him an advantage on the offensive end with his release from outside or his quick first step that got him into the paint. English sported a 25% usage rate and while the young Fraport team didn’t make the playoffs they were certainly a team that became more competitive when English joined.

Justin Sears, Yale --> Giessen

The 6’8” power forward was a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year while at Yale averaging 15.7 points and 7.5 rebounds a game as a senior. Sears showcased his game during the 2016 NCAA Tournament against Baylor and Duke and his skill-set easily translated immediately in the BBL. At Yale, Sears led the Ivy League in offensive rebounding efficiency two years in a row while finishing #36 overall at a rate of 13.9% per game. In the BBL, Sears came off the bench to start the season, but his athleticism was apparent early on. Sears finished #5 in the league with 2.7 offensive rebounds a game which amounted to a healthy efficiency rate of 14.9% (#5). Sears ended up starting 21 out of 31 games averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 54% from the field. Towards the end of the season, he also turned into match-up problem in iso situations and the pick and roll. Overall, a very productive season for Sears.

Dyshawn Pierre, Dayton --> Braunschweig

The Canadian native averaged double figures for Dayton in his last three seasons while also providing 8 rebounds a game. His size and strength allowed Pierre to contribute immediately in Germany starting throughout the entire BBL season. The 6’7” forward averaged 14.4 points and 7.8 rebounds while finishing #6 in the league in Defensive rebounding % (25.6%). Pierre took advantage of playing the power forward position as he used his quickness on offense and strength on defense. He looked to attack slower players off the dribble and was able to get to the line where the 80% free throw shooter converted those opportunities into points. Pierre also showed off a 15 foot- face up shot and was aggressive attacking the glass.

Role Players:

Geoff Groselle, Creighton --> Braunschweig

Before Justin Patton, there was Geoffrey Groselle. As a senior, the 7’1” center averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 70% from the field. Groselle was a KenPom darling posting a stellar 124.9 ORtg as a senior while finishing in the Top 10 in the Big East in OR%, Blk %, FD/40, and 2PT%. Playing for Braunchsweig, Groselle brought his post moves to Germany and averaged 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds while starting 29 games. The left-hander used his go-to hook over the right shoulder to make an impact in his first season overseas on the offensive end, but he was also a defensive presence ranking #4 in Block percentage at 5.4%.

Maodo Lo, Columbia --> Brose Bamburg

German fans were well aware of Maodo Lo when he came back to his homeland after a stellar career with Columbia as the Berlin born Lo previously spent time playing for the German national team. At Columbia, Lo was a high scoring guard netting 14.7 ppg as a sophomore, followed by 18.4 ppg as a junior and finally 16.9 ppg as a senior where he was a 1^st team All-Ivy league selection. In college, Lo ranked highly in eFG% and assist rate, but exceled with a steal rate of 4.2%. Lo’s quickness and shooting ability allowed him to step in from Day 1 for the BBL champs. Lo played just under 20 minutes a game starting 16 out of 31. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 assists per game in a crowded back-court while ultimately bringing a change of pace to the methodical and efficient Bamburg squad (think UVA).

Shaq Goodwin, Memphis --> Science City Jena

After a four-year career at Memphis, Shaq Goodwin ended up playing for Science City Jena, a non-playoff team. He averaged 14.7 points as a senior in Memphis and in 22 games in the BBL he averaged 9 points and 4.9 rebounds coming off the bench. Goodwin shot 57% from the field, but similarly to his time in college, he was not overly efficient on the offensive end (107 ORtg as a senior vs. 99.0 in Germany).

Those That Left Germany Early:

Shavon Shields, Nebraska --> Fraport Sky

Shavon Shields was an impact player for ¾ of the BBL season. The 6’7” forward from Nebraska settled into a stretch 4 position early on for Fraport and was averaging 14 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in a starting role. Shields was able to create his own shots attacking from 15 feet, but managed to shoot over 50% from inside the arc and 37.5% from 3. With Fraport out of the playoff race, Shields bolted out of Germany in April to join the Italian league.

Wes Washpun, Northern Iowa --> Ludwigsburg

After a stellar senior season that saw Wes Washpun average 14 points a game and hit buzzer-beaters on command, the 6’1” guard began his year with Ludwigsburg as the starting point guard. He scored 15 points in his first game and was able to create shots for himself with ease. Washpun experienced some early season high’s and low’s as Ludwigsburg started off 5-1 before a three game losing streak. In mid-November the team signed international veteran Clifford Hammonds who took over the starting point guard role. After one game coming off the bench, Washpun was back to the D-League in the U.S. suiting up for the Iowa Energy where he averaged 6.7 points per game.

Trevor Cooney, Syracuse --> Rasta Vechta

Trevor Cooney was a Bob Sura All-Star in college as he spent a total of five years at Syracuse,  red-shirting his freshman season. Cooney was a 3-point marksman in the ACC and scored double figures his last three years while making 281 3’s in his Cuse career. Cooney bounced around in his first year outside of New York and ended up with Rasta Vechta, a struggling team that was promoted from Pro A this season. Cooney signed with the team in early November and played eight games. He failed to get going averaging just 3.4 points per game having to play both guard spots. Cooney left in January and was picked up with the Long Island Nets in the D-League. 

Chris Hass, Bucknell --> Phoenix Hagan

It was a short lived BBL season for the high scoring guard from Bucknell. After being named All-Patriot league as a junior and senior (17 ppg), Hass signed Hagan, who was a team moving up from Pro A under the promotion / relegation system. In 11 games, Hass started eight averaging 11.2 points while shooting 39% from 3. Hagan had their membership revoked from the BBL for a failure to pay players in a timely manner and Hass finished the rest of the season in the Czech NBL.

Kazembe Abif, Drexel --> Rasta Vechta

Kazembe Abif is a 6’7” forward that had a limited stint in Germany. At Drexel he averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds as a senior and ranked in the top 10 in the CAA in defensive rebounding efficiency. In the BBL, he was limited to just three games as a replacement player seeing just 6 minutes of action per game.  

ACC Conference Preview: Tier 1

ACC play kicked off on December 6 with North Carolina State defeating Wake Forest by a 13 point margin. While both N.C. State and Notre Dame sit atop the conference standings with one win a piece the real conference play begins today with a six game slate. In the past two years, the ACC champion not only struggled during November and December but the two teams were not given any consideration in the pre-season. In 2012, Miami dominated the league going 15-3 and last year Virginia did the same going 16-2. Will a surprise team emerge this year? Probably not, but with the addition of Louisville there will be a plethora of interesting match-ups.

Tier 1 Teams:

Duke:

The Blue Devils enter ACC play undefeated with neutral court victories over Michigan State, Temple, Stanford, and Connecticut to go with a road win over Wisconsin. Last year Jabari Parker led the Blue Devils while finishing runner-up in the ACC POY voting. This year Jahlil Okafor, is the front runner for national player of the year averaging 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds a game.

? Mark: The bench

Duke’s freshmen trio has surpassed expectations, but will their legs get heavy in March? Right now, Coach K only trusts three players off his bench and only junior Rasheed Sulaimon can be counted on consistently.

Toughest Test:

At Louisville (1/17), At Virginia (1/31)

Playing in front of the Cameron Crazies, Duke has gone undefeated at home the past two years. It looks like they could go three in a row with their toughest match-up coming against UNC on Feb. 18.

Virginia:

Top Wins: at Maryland, at VCU

What a year for the Cavaliers. After winning the ACC regular season title (16-2) and the ACC tournament title, the Cavs are sitting pretty with an undefeated record. This time last year they entered ACC play after a 35 point dismantling in Knoxville, but used their home-court and overall experience to capture an unexpected title. Everyone expected Malcolm Brogdon to excel this year, but junior Justin Anderson has captured the headlines with his 60% shooting from behind the arc and junior Anthony Gill might be the least talked about star in the nation considering he sits in 3^rd place for Ken Pomeroy’s player of the year.

? Mark: Daunting 3 game stretch

While Duke’s home court advantage is widely publicized, the Wahoo’s also have not lost a conference game in the past two years at the John Paul Jones arena. This year they face a daunting three game stretch with games against Duke (home), UNC (Away), and Louisville (Home). If they make it through this stretch UVA could be looking at a repeat and another number one seed.

Toughest Test:

Not including the three game stretch above, UVA starts its ACC play with Miami (1/3) and also heads to South Bend on 1/10. Last year, UVA beat the Irish by 15, but this is not last year’s Notre Dame squad.

Louisville:

Top Wins: Indiana (N), Ohio State (H)

The Cardinals basketball team should open up conference play like their football team did, with a win. Rick Pitino’s squad jumps up a level of play from the American conference and gets two games with UNC, but just one with both Duke and UVA. They only lost one game out of conference, but played a relatively weak slate. Point guard Chris Jones has been a source of criticism for fans given his play of late, but Terry Rozier and Wayne Blackshear will need to continue to step up and provide help to Montrezl Harrell.

? Mark: Go-to scorer

Terry Rozier is the team’s leading scorer at 17.1 points per game, but will he be the one to take the place of Russ Smith when it comes time for clutch baskets?

Toughest Test:

At Miami (2/3), At Virginia (2/7)

After welcoming UNC to the Yum! Center on Saturday, January 31, the Cardinals go down to Miami for a weekday road game and then head up to Charlottesville. Could the Miami game be a letdown / sandwich game?

All ACC Team:

Jahlil Okafor (Duke)

Montrezl Harrell (Louisville)

Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)

Marcus Paige (UNC)

Anthony Gill (Virginia)

All Freshmen Team:

Jahlil Okafor (Duke)

Tyus Jones (Duke)

Justise Winslow (Duke)

Donte Grantham (Clemson)

Xavier Rathan-Mayes (FSU)

2014-15 ACC Preview

ACC preview brought to you by Sean Moran and Stephen Kalayil:

Stephen Kalayil's Predictions; 

1. Louisville: In the toughest conference in college hoops, the Louisville Cardinals are my top team by the slimmest of margins. Replacing a player the caliber of Russ Smith is a tall order for most teams, but with budding sophomore star guard Terry Rozier and defensive ace, Chris Jones, the Cards backcourt might be better than last year. Obviously, the leader and preseason ACC POY Montrezl Harrell will be the key to this team. Harrell, known for his rim rocking jams and defensive intensity has added a mid range game to his arsenal. With that addition, I don’t see a big man in the country outside of Jahlil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky that could guard him one on one. Two big keys this season are the production of Wayne Blackshear in his senior season and the development of redshirt sophomore center Mangok Mathiang. If Blackshear and Mathiang pan out, the ACC better watch out. 

    

2. Duke:  Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones were just what Duke needed to become national title contenders. Okafor is projected as the #1 overall pick in the next NBA draft and Tyus Jones along with Quinn Cook will help from one of the best backcourts in the country.  Marshall Plumlee, Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson along with Quinn Cook look to be the sage veterans that can mentor the freshman duo. Watch out for fellow freshman Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen to be solid contributors this year on a deep Duke squad.

3. UNC: Marcus Paige is easily the best scoring guard in the nation and will lead UNC to be a title contender. Paige averaged 18.7 PPG and had some of his best performances against high profile teams (Louisville, Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse).   The incoming class of Joel Berry, Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson will make an immediate impact and help ease the loss of James Michael McAdoo and the memories of the mercurial PJ Hairston.  The big keys to UNC’s season are the development of uber athletic forward Brice Johnson and the ultra skilled Kennedy Meeks. Both players had their moments last season, but need to be consistent for the Tar Heels to succeed. Also, if Isaiah Hicks can live up to his potential, UNC will have all the weapons to win it all.  

4. Virginia: The defending ACC champs will be returning the majority of their Sweet Sixteen team and will be able to make a run at the Final Four under Tony Bennett. I think UVA has the experience and great coaching to be considered with Louisville, Duke and UNC, but I do think the losses of Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell are going to hurt much more than most think. Look for Malcolm Brogdon, Justin Anderson and Mike Tobey to step up and lead UVA to a deep tourney run.  

5. Syracuse: The Orange are going to be tough this season with senior big man Rakeem Christmas and sharpshooting Trevor Cooney leading the way.  The big factors are if talented freshman Chris McCullough and Kaleb Joseph are able to step in and contribute immediately. One interesting player to keep an eye on is Indiana transfer Ron Patterson. Patterson has a versatile game and could be able to contribute immediately.      

POY: Montrezl Harrell (UofL)

Freshman of the Year: Jahlil Okafor (Duke)

ALL-ACC:

Montrezl Harrell (UofL) (F)

Marcus Paige (UNC) (G)

Jahlil Okafor (Duke) (C)

Olivier Hanlan (BC) (F)

Jerian Grant (Notre Dame) (G)

Surprise Freshman: Xavier Rathan-Mayes (FSU)

Surprise Player: Angel Rodriguez (Miami)

Most interesting thing you are looking to learn about the conference.  I’m interested to see the slugfest between Louisville, UNC, Duke and UVA. All of those teams have the tools to not just get to the Final Four, but to cut down the nets in March. Okafor vs. Harrell, Rozier vs. Paige, Paige vs. Tyus Jones are all individual matchups that I’m hyped to see.  Also, I’m curious to see who emerges from the middle of the pack of the ACC. Florida State, NC State, Pitt, Notre Dame and Miami are all excellent teams that can cause problems and make the NCAA tourney.  

Sean Moran's Top 5 Questions:

1. Will the ACC as a whole be any good?

Yes, yes, I know the ACC is now the “top” conference in college hoops with prestigious programs such as Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, and Louisville in the mix. Add in a Top 10 UVA squad and have some serious competition. I am talking about the other part of the ACC. The part that was pretty much god awful last year outside of four to six programs. Last year Miami, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, BC, and Virginia Tech were all pushovers. Three of those schools got new coaches and Miami and Notre Dame welcome back returning players (Jerian Grant) or talented transfers. For the ACC to truly be the top conference in the country the pushovers will need to step their game up.

2. Will Virginia lose a home game in conference play?

The Cavaliers have gone two straight years without a loss in conference play while playing in John Paul Jones Arena. That’s 17 straight games which covers last year’s ACC championship winning season and the 2012-13 NIT season. The Cavs last lost in late February and early March of 2012 when they fell to UNC 51-54 and then Florida State 60-63. The first big test will come on Saturday, January 31 with a home game against Duke. The Cavs then head to Chapel Hill before returning home to play Louisville. 

3. How will Louisville cope in the post Russ Smith era?

The last three years were good to Cards fans. A final four, a championship, and a sweet 16 performance with Russ Smith leading the way. Last year he averaged 18.2 points per game and took a team high 481 shots (100+ more than the next closest starter). Sure, the Cardinals have a lot of returning pieces to work with including Montrezl Harrell and projected first round pick in Terry Rozier, but the loss of a three year beast cannot be understated. Add in a move to the ACC and how will the Cards fare in their first year without Russ.

4. Which player will surprise?

Last year Malcolm Brogdon was the conference surprise. He was UVA’s most consistent scorer and finished on the second team all-conference list. Who could surprise this year? Let’s stay with the Cavs for a minute. I think Anthony Gill has a legit shot at making first team all-ACC. The athletic power forward really came on at the end of the year scoring in double figures for six straight games before a sweet 16 loss to Michigan State. If he didn’t get hurt in that game, the Cavs might have won. With more playing time, the former Top 100 recruit will certainly surprise some people. Other possibilities include Isaiah Hicks of UNC and Michael Young of Pittsburgh.

5. Can N.C. State replace the POY?

Last year N.C. State went 9-9 in conference play and snuck into the NCAA tourney. TJ Warren led the way as he pretty much carried the Wolfpack with 24.9 points per game on 52.5% shooting. This year some of the younger players will need to step up. Cat Barber has the keys to the car with the transfer of Tyler Lewis and Trevor Lacey is a key transfer. Can Kyle Washington, Beejay Anya, and Abdul-Malik Abu handle things down low?

Surprise predictions:

Anthony Gill makes first team All-ACC and Justin Jackson gives Okafor a run for his money in freshman of the year voting. 

Adidas Unrivaled - Wrap Up

With the first July live period in the books, it’s time to take a look back at the first Adidas Unrivaled camp that took place in Chicago, IL. Adidas invited approximately 120 players, many of whom play on the Adidas AAU circuit to compete in a camp style atmosphere similar to Nike’s LeBron James Skills Academy. In its camp kickoff at the Quest Multiplex gym in the city’s west side (which also plays host to the McDonald’s All-American practices) the Adidas team definitely brought together a talented group that ended with two all-star games on Sunday. College coaches from all of the major conferences packed the sidelines to watch the drills and games each day.

Bad News:

On the first day of camp, 6’6” small forward Ray Smith fell to the floor in agony. It later turned out that the five-star wing tore his ACL ending any future AAU or high school play. Before he hurt his knee, Smith was riding high with a strong showing during the spring and June camp play establishing himself as one of the best slashers in the country. On Day 1 of the Adidas Unrivaled camp, Smith stood out with his play during the first drill session and also put together an impressive first game going 7-9 from the field. 

Almost immediately after the camp ended, Smith committed to the Arizona Wildcats. While the selection did not come as a surprise for the Vegas native, the timing might have caught some off guard. Given the lengthy recovery for a torn ACL, Smith will most likely begin to start testing his knee out next spring before heading to Tucson. Before his injury, Smith was strongest attacking the basket and finishing at the rim. With a smoothness to his game, Smith always seemed under control and his jump shot was getting more consistent at every showing. It might be hard for Smith to be 100% come the start of his freshman year due to the injury, but Arizona landed a top notch player for the future.

MVP:

 

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, SF, Kingston (NC), 2015

Ingram - Growing Up In Chicago

Did the light finally come on for Brandon Ingram? Judging from his play in Chicago, the answer is a resounding yes. Just several weeks ago, Ingram looked lethargic and lacked aggressiveness during the NBPA Top 100 camp. That changed quickly on Thursday when he took his defender off the dribble for a left hand lay-up to kick things off. Soon the long armed Ingram was hitting three’s, attacking off the pick and roll, and posting up smaller defenders. He had a great Thursday before coming back to earth on Friday, but then scored 26 points on 10-16 shooting against Jaylen Brown and then ended the camp with 22 points on 10-13 shooting in the all-star game. During the week Ingram averaged 14.3 points while shooting 9-18 from the three point line. Once primarily a top recruit for the schools in North Carolina, Ingram now has the attention of Louisville, Kansas, and Kentucky.

Top Nine: 

Chase Jeter, 6’10”, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV), 2015

Chase Jeter has slowly risen up the rankings over the past year and he is not done yet. The five-star power forward got off to a rough start on Thursday, but started to dominate in front of Coach K and the Duke coaching staff on Friday and Saturday. Jeter put together several double-doubles and multiple 20 point games while outplaying Carlton Bragg in their head to head match-up. With his increased strength, Jeter was able to bang down low while also using his footwork in the post for short shots over his right shoulder. Jeter also ran the floor and blocked shots on the defensive end. He averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Given the amount of attention paid to him from the Duke staff, it’s hard to see him heading anywhere other than Durham.

Jaylen Adams, 6’2”, PG, Cushing Academy (MA) 2015

Kevin Ollie should enjoy coaching the uber explosive Jaylen Adams in Storrs. The talented point guard did not put up eye popping scoring numbers, but he did have several games with nine assists. Adams is a sight to see in the open court and can finish with the best of them. He has a good handle and first step which allows him to get in the lane almost at will. Defensively, Adams has great lateral movement and is a shot blocking threat on the break as he perfectly timed several lay-up attempts by opponents throughout the week.

Tony Bradley Jr., 6’9.5”, PF, Barstow (FL), 2016

Used to playing against Nike kids on the EYBL AAU circuit, Bradley Jr. adapted quickly to the new competition. In his first game, Bradley Jr. scored 20 points on 10-15 shooting and eventually earned a starting spot in the underclassmen all-star game. For the camp, the Florida product averaged 14 points per game on 60% shooting. He runs the floor with a purpose which usually led to several lay-ups or dunks during the course of a game and he also possesses a soft touch on his jump shot or his hook shot. Bradley Jr. will need to work on his explosiveness under the basket, but for now his play earned him several looks from schools outside of Florida and the Southeast. He averaged 15.3 points while shooting over 65%.

Maverick Rowan, 6’7”, SF, Lincoln Park (PA), 2016

One of the words often overheard to describe Rowan’s game this past week was smooth. The lanky small forward had a sweet looking jump shot that routinely found the bottom of the net. The future Pitt Panther also showed an ability to finish at the rim on drives and hit the one dribble pull-up. Rowan hit several three’s in the all-star game to finish with 12 points. While most players were dead after the four day event, Rowan immediately went over to the side court to work on his game until the camp came to a close.

Deng Adel, 6’6”, SF, Rock Prep (FL), 2015

Always under the watchful eye of Rick Pitino or a Louisville assistant it came as no surprise that small forward Deng Adel committed quickly after camp. Adel put together an extremely efficient camp performance and played with a high motor throughout with the ability to rattle off six to eight points in a row before the opponent knew what hit it. A blur on the break, Adel also displayed a soft touch on his jump shot inside the arc. He was extremely comfortable from about 15-17 feet out on the right baseline and also routinely beat his man off the dribble. 

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

Brown is the top small forward in the country and while he struggled on Thursday and early on Friday, he used his upper body strength and speed to turn things around. He went for 26 on Friday night in one of the most dominant performances of the week. A high level leaper, Brown averaged 16 ppg during camp and was always a tough cover on the offensive end. 

Kobi Simmons, 6’5”, PG, (GA), 2016

The tall, lanky junior point guard was impossible to keep out of the lane and out of the scoring book. With a strong handle, Simmons constantly beat his defender off the dribble and scored at the rim whether in the half court of fast break setting. He led the camp in scoring at 16.5 points per game but also kept his teammates involved leaving them with pinpoint passes at the basket. Simmons received an offer from Kansas subsequent to camp and will be one of the most sought after point guards going forward. Given his height, he will also be on the NBA radar for the next few years.

TJ Leaf, 6’8”, PF, Foothills Christian (CA), 2016

TJ Leaf lived up to his top 10 ranking this week going 26-39 from the floor over a three day span. The California junior always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and displayed his versatility on the perimeter and in the post. He knocked down three’s when he had the chance and finished at the rim over defenders using his long arms or a crafty reverse lay-up. Leaf is a solid athlete but has room for improvement in his lateral quickness and leaping ability to make the next step. Even so, there were plenty of Pac 12 schools in hot pursuit of Leaf this past week and Louisville offered a scholarship after their viewings.

Kenneth Nwuba, 7’0”, (MS), 2018

One of only two rising freshmen at the camp, Nwuba impressed with his coordination and defensive ability. Nwuba is a lanky athlete that has a quick first jump. His offensive skill in the post is quite raw at this point, but he is seriously advanced on the defensive end which led to the youngster earning a spot in the underclassmen all-star game.

Other Notes:

Junior point guard Peyton Pritchard was impressive in the underclassmen all-star game on Sunday. He shifted speeds constantly keeping his defender off balance and had his jump shot working from all areas of the court. After a strong start, Pritchard’s shot started to slide on Saturday. The 6’0” Oregon point guard spent about an hour on Saturday working on his shot and the hard work paid off with 15 points in the all-star game and 3-4 from the three point line. Pritchard is also a hot commodity in the recruiting world with coaches from the PAC 12, Big 10, and Big 12 after him. Recently Pritchard made unofficial visits to Wisconsin and Indiana.