The Nike Elite 100 featured top prospects from the 2019 and 2020 classes. With four days of drills, learning from coaches and skills trainers, including Rasheed Wallace showing the up and comers a few things. Some scrimmaging was also played in the event, here are some of the top players.
PJ Fuller 6’2 160, 6’5.5 wingspan SG – 2019
Fuller shot well in the games I saw, including the game winner in one game. He’s very skinny with a slight frame but has good athleticism. He beats his defender and can adjust midair when attacking. He used screens well but ran the point in the camp and needs to move the ball more. He would often bring the ball up and get up a shot before ever making a pass.
Jalen Lecque 6’3 179, 6’7 wingspan PG/SG – 2019
Lecque may have been the best athlete in the gym. With great quickness, he beat the first defender easily and challenged the help defense in the air while attacking the rim. He is fearless as a driver and dunked a share of his baskets. Defenders failed when trying to press against him in the back court. Any time the help defense would come, he would make them pay by finding the open man, which was Mahamadou Diawara most of the time. Watching his jump shot in drills, he shoots from the side of his head and could use more rotation. Despite that, he doesn’t hesitate in games, connecting on a good number of them.
Wendell Moore 6’4.5 206, 6’9.5 wingspan SG/SF – 2019
Moore played more aggressive than when I had seen him the past. He has good court vision in the half court and pushed the ball at every opportunity in transition. He loves to drive the baseline and kick to an open man on the perimeter. He didn’t shoot many from deep but scored from midrange and in the paint. Coming off recently winning a gold medal, Moore is off to an exceptional summer.
Cole Anthony 6’1.5 182, 6’3.5 wingspan PG – 2019
Along with Jalen Lecque, Anthony was clearly one of the best athletes among the point guards in camp. He has very good body control and his body doesn’t break at all, almost like he floats to the basket. His shooting remains his focus for progress but it’s likely to improve as he develops. Although he overdribbled at times, he distributed well drawing the help defense and kicking it to the open man.
Patrick Williams 6’6 198, 6’10.5 wingspan SG/SF – 2019
Williams has the physical make up to be a potential two-way wing prospect with much room to rise on ranking lists. He’s a natural athlete but needs to attack more. His jump shot has good rotation but isn’t a consistent weapon, perhaps muscle memory isn’t there yet. He needs to pick up the intensity and develop an alpha dog mentality to match his physical gifts but of course it’s easier said than done. He was too content passing and letting the game come to him. Hopefully, Williams realizes how good he can be long term.
Juwan Gary 6’5 203, 6’9.5 wingspan SF – 2019
Gary tweaked his ankle early in the camp but was able to back and had a good showing. He’s strong and was reliable finishing at the rim. He shot well with a quick pull up but settled for a jump shot a bit too often. He passed well and has a good feel for the game. Gary was versatile on both ends and showed commitment to defense.
Keion Brooks 6’6 189, 6’11 wingspan SF – 2019
Brooks is a solid prospect with size, length, and athleticism but he didn’t have his best showing. He has skinny legs and his lack of lower body strength allows him to be bumped off his path too easily. It also causes him to take off balanced shots too often. He’s able to get his midrange shot off easily but hasn’t shown shooting consistency, despite his mechanics being solid. He also didn’t finish very well at the rim. Obviously, Brooks has the tools to be a big-time prospect, but has a ways to go before reaching his potential.
Babatunde Akingbola 6’7 222, 7’4.5 wingspan PF – 2019
Akingbola showed good energy and was a disruptive defender. His skillset is raw but he was a reliable finisher thanks to his length. He positioned himself well on both ends and knows his role. He gets off his feet quick and consistently blocked shots.
Carl Lewis 6’8 258, 7’2.5 wingspan C – 2019
Lewis has great size, strength, and explosive ability. In drills, he finished a variety of dunks with both hands and made them look easy. He also showed solid shooting ability from midrange. In the games, however, he was a bull in a China shop and didn’t show any finesse around the basket. He was also very expressive to his teammates and wore his emotions, although his teammates didn’t do a great job finding him when he was in position. Lewis has some impressive potential if he puts it all together, “if” being the key word.
John Ajak 6’9.5 200, 6’10 wingspan C – 2019
Ajak was another active but raw big man. He consistently ran the floor and always seemed to part of the play, whether it was finishing a play on offense or disrupting/rebounding on defense. He contested and blocked shots without fouling. His skillset and post moves will need further development but Ajak played aggressive and earned his points off energy plays.
Mahamadou Diawara 6’8 220, 7’1 wingspan C – 2019
Diawara played alert and correlated well with Jalen Lecque. He has good hands and kept it simple trying to score. His footwork is raw and his touch is developing, showing hope as an offensive weapon down the road. He played well defensively, blocking and altering shots. Diawara looks to make a much bigger impact at Hamilton Heights next season.
Isaiah Stewart 6’7 233, 7’2.5 wingspan PF – 2019
Stewart has impressive strength and very swift footwork around the basket for his size. He’s light on his feet and maneuvers to the basket better than one would think. It also gives him an edge on offensive rebounds, where he reacts quickly and has the touch to convert into baskets often. Stewart attacked the rim and finished with authority with energy and aggression. Overall, his post-game is raw but he has good potential with his size, footwork, and showed no hesitation to go to his jump hook.
Kofi Cockburn 6’10 289, 7’3 wingspan C – 2019
Cockburn has an impressive combination of strength and mobility. He’s made solid progress since I saw him at the same event a year ago. He’s a very reliable finisher around the basket with his soft touch and surprising athleticism. Cockburn stood out as a rebounder and was best in the half court working in the low post, where he establishes position fairly easily and uses the glass when appropriate. Expanding his offensive game should be the next step in Cockburn’s development.
Addison Patterson 6’4 191, 6’7 wingspan SG/SF – 2020
Patterson didn’t show much shooting but got to the basket and scored in the paint against the big men throughout the camp. He displayed his athleticism as a driver and finished dunks with either hand. Patterson’s a versatile wing who knows how to defend and rebounded well for his position. He showed solid passing ability in the half court and transition.
Jalen Green 6’3 171, 6’6.5 wingspan SG/SF – 2020
Green showed natural athleticism and elevation when attacking the basket, and a jump shot that he can get off with just a little bit of space. In the games I attended, he didn’t get much opportunity to show catch and shoot ability, most of his points came off him creating himself, which could be his identity moving forward. He was active and showed good instincts on both ends. Green looked like the top prospect in the camp.
Kyree Walker 6’4 205, 6’6 wingspan SG – 2020
Walker played on the ball, reading the defense well with good vision and passing both in the half court and transition. He handles the ball well and is shifty off the dribble. He’s a high-level athlete with some one on one scoring ability. His jump shot can improve but he made a share from outside. He’s a bit further developed physically than most 2020’s but is one of the older players in his class.
Hunter Dickinson 6’11 250, 7’2.5 wingspan C – 2020
Dickinson has good size and very skilled at such a young age. He’s good around the basket with touch and passes very well out of the post, with an advanced understanding of reading the defense and where the play should be made. He also isn’t moved out of position by anyone, playing well in both the high and low post. Dickinson’s size, strength, and positioning helped him stand out as a rebounder. However, he’s very stiff as an athlete and slow, which hinders him projecting his value moving forward.
N'Faly Dante 6’7 236, 7’5 wingspan C – 2020
Right now, Dante makes his impact on the defensive end with his tremendous length. He currently lacks technique offensively and most of his points come from running the floor to catch and finish. In the half court, he consistently screens for the ball handler and dives to the basket. Although raw offensively, he does have good fluidity and athleticism. With proper development, Dante can be a high-level player with time on his side.
