Counselors (College Players)
Maybe the only guy of the group that is a lock 1st rounder this year. He is by no means ready, but his athleticism and physicality surely make him intriguing enough for someone to gamble on his potential. The thing that most impressed about Favors this week is that his scoring touch from mid range and around the basket has improved dramatically. Shooting spot ups with confidence and little turnarounds in the lane, he showed that he has more than just leaping ability in his repertoire. To become a top level prospect he will definitely need to work on using his left hand around the basket, his back to the basket skill-set as well as some moves from the mid post, because right now he depends heavily on teammates and broken plays to get his scoring opportunities.
Had the best showing of anyone, and proved that his game and confidence are ready to make a splash at UCLA. He is extremely quick, and his ball handling is smooth enough to let him dribble comfortably through high traffic. He is very impressive turning the corner and exploding to the basket where he can finish with his length and athleticism, a combination that puts him in a rare breed of point guards. His stroke is fairly decent, but he struggles with some inconsistency because he tends to hang and shoot on the way down, leaving his trajectory a bit flat. He has range well out to the NBA 3, but to become a serious threat, he will need to make some adjustments. Lee looks poised to live up to the promise he showed in high school, and with a solid season or two in college, he could be making a solid impact at the next level.
He does not have a position, but he is definitely a player that can get the job done. He has a very strong build and his athleticism allows him to get by people and finish strong. Scoring is his forte and he can do it effectively in a variety of ways, whether it is slashing, from long distance or even posting people up. He is very active and plays with a lot of energy which puts him in the thick of the action at all times. Handling the ball he is solid and he is also a very good passer, so sliding to the 1 part time is definitely not out of the question. At this point, Jones looks like a 4 year college player, and even though he is undersized, he is the type of guy who’s scoring skills will always draw attention (See Marcus Thorton or Jermaine Taylor from this years draft)
He has a good mix of size, length, athleticism and mobility. Even though his actual skill set isn’t close to his physical package, he has a lot to work with. He showed the ability to score around the basket, where he can use his body to create space and finish. Facing up, he looked confident putting the ball on the floor (even though the results were mixed) and even shooting a 10-15 foot jumper. He lacks a natural feel for the game and he needs to develop some go to moves with his back to the basket, but overall Jennings showed some promise.
Scotty Hopson
He didn’t play too much because he had problems with injuries, but in the short time that he did play he was able to display his leaping ability as well as his scoring touch. He looks good using his quick first step to get to the hoop where his athleticism allows him to finish over much bigger defenders. His outside shot may not be picture perfect, but he has a fairly consistent stroke and can convert at a good clip. He has some serious work to do with his body, needing to add major bulk before being ready for the rigors of the NBA, but Hopson looks like he is ready to step his game up this season.
Did not have a stand out performance, but showed some very intriguing things. He is a decent athlete with a very soft touch, from outside and around the basket. His body looks like it can use some work, but he has a very good frame and adding bulk should not be a problem. He has good footwork in the post, and has a good mix of moves to keep the defense guessing. Facing up he can put it on the floor a little and he is also has a nice looking jumpshot. He is still a few years from being ready, but has some good things to show.
Lacks the size and skill level to be an effective scorer, but his athleticism and aggressive approach will give him opportunities to compete and make an impact. When he is in the game he is on a mission to attack and try to dunk every chance he gets. His body is very strong allowing him to clear space where can operate and clean the glass. Was able to knock down a few outside shots; continuing to expand his range will pay a huge role in his future.
Americans
Playing at home, Nash looked comfortable and poised to show that he is the top prospect at the camp. Standing about 6’7, he played mostly on the perimeter, but has the potential and frame to be an inside/outside player. He is comfortable handling the ball on the wing, and has a good mix of moves that he uses to get into the lane. For a player his size he is very impressive at making counter moves at the secondary defender, making him very difficult to stop. He is a very long player with good athleticism whose scoring touch and ability to create allow him to get his team points at end of clock situations. He has decent shooting mechanics, but will need to work on his jumper as his shot is very flat and inconsistent. He also tends to get carried away by over dribbling and killing any type of movement in the offense. His demeanor and attitude are borderline negative, and he tends to take plays off, but with two years of high school he has plenty of time to mature.
Combining speed, quickness and athleticism, Teague is an absolute matchup nightmare. He is a one man fast break at times and can also get by virtually anyone on the perimeter. Finishing at the basket, he can use both his leaping ability and creativity to finish over and around defenders. His repertoire off the dribble is very effective because he can incorporate change of direction and pace to keep defenders on their heels. His jumpshot is solid, but a little slow as it looks a bit like a set shot. He seems to lack confidence from deep, and would rather attack into traffic instead of taking the outside shoot. At this point he is more of a scoring guard, but shows enough ability to create for others where he could become a pure 1.
An extremely strong and athletic forward, he stepped his game up when it mattered the most and led his team to a 1st place finish. His wide body creates problems inside because he clears space and can also finish very effectively with both hands. He enjoys battling inside and can take contact extremely well while still maintaining good body control. He is very unselfish, and makes good reads and passes in transition as well as in the half court. He is carrying some extra weight and his body is lacking definition, but with all that said he still moves very well and is active as a rebounder and shot blocker.
Much has been written about Wroten previously, but the fact is that this week was a big disappointment for him and it exposed some of his glaring weaknesses. He is stuck between positions, and cannot be called a combo guard because he lacks the scoring mentality or outside shooting touch. He likes to have ball in his hands, but he takes too long to attack and almost always likes to dish when in the paint. He is a very good passer and reads the action well, but he becomes too predictable because he cannot shoot pull ups nor does he like finishing at the basket, leaving him just to pass to his big men. In terms of athleticism and quickness, Wroten has them both, but not to the extent that puts him at the top tier. He did show his ability to put pressure on ball handlers, and he has active hands and good anticipation, but did not show great lateral foot speed especially when matched up against Cory Joseph, who got by him at will off the dribble. There is a chance that he was slightly injured or just fatigued from a long summer, but there is no denying that Wroten’s stock has fallen as of late.
He is a long, athletic and active bigman, who is currently evaluated based on
potential rather than his actual game. He was not very productive this week and
didn’t get too many touches, but that is because he does not have much to offer
when he catches the ball. Even when in scoring positions he looks to get rid of
it, and his passive approach made him disappear in the guard dominated games.
With that said, at around 6’9 he moves like a guard and can do a lot of things
just based on his athleticism. He is a very good rebounder and is active on the
O glass where he gets numerous put backs. There is not doubt that Christmas has
a lot to work on, but he also has a lot to work with, which will make him a guy
that people should watch for
International
Cory had a very good week and he certainly helped his stock. His quickness and scoring ability were the primary reasons the Canadians came within a shot of winning the entire thing. He has a tremendous amount of confidence in his game and he doesn’t seem to tire at all, playing the last quarter of the game at full speed and continuously attacking. He is a bit streaky, but when he has it going he can make difficult shots off the dribble and from deep. He has a knack for getting in the lane and even though he doesn’t posses great leaping ability, he knows how to finish or draw fouls. In transition is where he does a lot of damage because he can change pace and angles without losing control of the ball. Defensively he is also very good because he has superb lateral quickness, but he is also very disciplined, staying in front of his man rather than gambling. The biggest question mark around his game is his natural position at the next level. Time and time again, he opts to take a contested shot or drive into traffic rather than setting up an open teammate. He lacks the natural playmaking ability and court vision that will make him a pure one, but his quickness and handles will allow him to operate at the position.
He did not end up playing in the last game, but had still shown enough where he could easily be called one of the top performers in the tournament. His offensive game is the most complete of any of the players here, and he showed that even with less than superb athleticism and strength, his skill level allows him to be very dangerous. He can shoot it from deep, off the dribble, finish in the paint with floaters or get to the basket and play the angles on finishes. He is deceptively quick, and there were not many people that could stay infront of him through out the week. He is only 1992 born player which means that he has plenty of time to work on his body, but he showed a lot of intrigue and could be a player that makes noise down the road.
Daniele Sandri
A nice athlete with good slashing skills and a reliable outside shoot. He has a lot of nice tools and he played well throughout the week, but he seems to take plays off and coasts through portions of the game. He is a bit undersized for an NBA 2, and his game speaks Europe, but with a couple good seasons overseas, he could become a name that sneaks into draft talks.
Plays as a hybrid forward, but has enough perimeter skills and an outside shot where he could play on the wing full time eventually. Maybe not as skilled or as good of a shooter, but his game and body resemble Austin Daye’s very much. Powell needs to add substantial weight to his frame because he gets bodied out of position, but with his size and athleticism he will stay on the radar.
Remi Dibo
Has good size and athleticism and can do a little bit of everything. His outside shot looks good and he can work off the dribble, but he can also back down smaller defenders and use his size. He is one of the only players on the African team that actually plays like an American and is not afraid of going at contact. With that said, he might be the most selfish player at the camp, and only looks to pass as the absolutely last option. He needs to work out some kinks, but also shows a nice amount of potential.
Joseph
I haven’t seen Joseph play in person for a few years, but it sounds like he has become an even better prospect than his big brother Devoe.
Jeff Fox
http://www.hoopsmanifesto.blogspot.com
I went to elementary school
I went to elementary school with both Joeseph brothers, its good to see these guys doing amazing at the next level