Kaden Magwood Archives | Swish Theory https://theswishtheory.com/tag/kaden-magwood/ Basketball Analysis & NBA Draft Guides Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:02:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 https://i0.wp.com/theswishtheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Favicon-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Kaden Magwood Archives | Swish Theory https://theswishtheory.com/tag/kaden-magwood/ 32 32 214889137 2024 NBPA Top-100 Scouting Report: Notes, Film, Quotes, and Data Visualizations on 70 Standout Players https://theswishtheory.com/analysis/amateur-basketball/2024/07/2024-nbpa-top-100-scouting-report-notes-film-quotes-and-data-visualizations-on-70-standout-players/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:57:45 +0000 https://theswishtheory.com/?p=12753 featuring Chris Cenac Jr., Meleek Thomas, Jaylen Petty, Davis Fogle, Acaden Lewis, Kaden Magwood, Kiyan Anthony, Dwayne Aristode, Malachi Moreno, Marcus Jackson, Jacob Wilkins, Brayden Burries, Tounde Yessoufou, Dante Allen, King Grace, Nykolas Lewis, Tyler Jackson, Zymicah Wilkins, Winters Grady, Hudson Greer, Deron Rippey Jr., Jamarion Batemon, Shon Abaev, Jaden Toombs, Eric Reibe, Mike Williams, ... Read more

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featuring Chris Cenac Jr., Meleek Thomas, Jaylen Petty, Davis Fogle, Acaden Lewis, Kaden Magwood, Kiyan Anthony, Dwayne Aristode, Malachi Moreno, Marcus Jackson, Jacob Wilkins, Brayden Burries, Tounde Yessoufou, Dante Allen, King Grace, Nykolas Lewis, Tyler Jackson, Zymicah Wilkins, Winters Grady, Hudson Greer, Deron Rippey Jr., Jamarion Batemon, Shon Abaev, Jaden Toombs, Eric Reibe, Mike Williams, Kingston Flemings, Jordan Smith Jr., Sebastian Williams-Adams, Cameron Ward


110 players entered the ESPN Wide World of Sports.

11 walked out champions.

With college coaches, NBA scouts, proud parents, and media members in attendance, this was no opportunity to waste for premier high school talents hoping to take their games to the next level.

I attended and scouted the 2024 NBPA Top-100 as credentialed media representing Swish Theory, taking notes, asking players for quotes, and recording the film in this article.

With too much talent to see everything at once and no public film available other than the championship game, these are the players who stood out by making winning plays and showing the developable skills likeliest to translate to the next level:


Standout Players

Abdul Aziz Olajuwon
Acaden Lewis
Adrien Stevens
Akai Fleming
Alexander Constanza
Alexander Lloyd
Andre Iguodala Jr.
Brayden Burries
Caleb Holt
Calvin Murphy
Cameron Ward
Chris Cenac
Dante Allen
Darius Adams
Davion Hannah
Deron Rippey Jr.
Dorian Hayes
Dwayne Aristode

Elijah Williams
Eric Chatfield
Eric Reibe
Hudson Greer
Jacobe Coleman
Jacob Wilkins
Jaden Toombs
Jalen Montonati
Jamarion Batemon
Jaron McKie
Jason Crowe
Jaylen Cross
Jaylen Petty
Jerry Easter

John Clark
Jordan Smith Jr.
Joshua Lewis
Joshua Lewis
Jovani Ruff
Kaden Magwood
Kareem Stagg
Kayden Mingo
King Grace
Kingston Flemings
Kiyan Anthony
Legend Smiley
London Jemison
Malachi Moreno
Marcus Gillespie
Marcus Jackson
Matthew Able
Matthew Gilhool
Mazi Mosley
Meleek Thomas
Mike Williams
Nyale Robinson
Nykolas Lewis
Oswin Erhunmwunse
Philip Davis Fogle
Qayden Samuels
Sadiq White
Sebastian Wilkins
Sebastian Williams-Adams
Shon Abaev
Tajh Ariza
Tounde Yessoufou
Trent MacLean
Trent Steinour
Tyler Jackson
Winters Grady
Xavion Staton
Zymicah Wilkins


(*note, I was not able to see every play at every moment, with two courts also unavailable to media. This is not a list of the best players from the camp as much as a list of players who made multiple winning plays that I was fortunate enough to see happen)

The Data

Sources: Stats via xsmbasketball.com/top-nbpa-100 and Cerebro Sports
Data Visualizations and Film Breakdowns from @BeyondTheRK

Measuring Overall Two-Way Impact (C-RAM), Defensive Statistical Impact (DSI), and At The Rim Effectiveness (ATR)

Meleek Thomas leads the event in Overall Impact by a mile, posting a +9.3 C-RAM, a full point above the field, while ranking T-10th in Defense with a 90 DSI rating and T-17th at the rim (72 ATR)

Tounde Yessoufou and Malachi Moreno finished T-2nd in Overall Impact with 8.3 C-RAM, rating highly At The Rim (8th and 1st) and Defense (T-19th and T-5th)

Chris Cenac Jr., the tournament’s MVP, rated 5th in ATR, T-13th in Defense, and tied for 6th in Overall Impact alongside Philip Davis Fogle and Jordan Smith Jr. at 7.8 C-RAM.

Fogle made a name for himself at NBPA Top 100. Fogle’s hustle, effort, vision, and energy was noticeable compared to his peers. Fogle finished 2nd in Defensive Statistical Impact via Cerebro Sports.

Jordan Smith Jr. also rated highly defensively (84 DSI, T-20th) and at the rim (76 ATR, 11th)

Jaylen Petty brought a winning team-first playstyle, leading his team to the championship game as an undersized yet explosive point guard, finishing 9th in overall impact with +7.5 C-RAM and rated 23rd in Defense DSI.

Kingston Flemings and Sebastian Williams finished 4th and 5th in Overall Impact (C-RAM) respectively. Sebastian rates T-9th at the rim with 77 ATR & T-17th in Defense with 86 DSI, while Flemings T-33 in Defense with 76 DSI.

Dante Allen brought all-around two-way impact, measuring well across the board, posting the T-10th best overall rating (7.4 C-RAM) and T-5th in Defense. (91 DSI)

King Grace popped out at the camp with his defense, making winning effort play after winning effort play, rating highly in Overall Impact (7.0 C-RAM, T-16th), Defense (83 DSI, 22nd), and At The Rim (74 ATR, T-12th)

Jaden Toombs, Cameron Ward, and Oswin Erhunmwunse rated extremely well in all three of these categories:
Toombs: 84 ATR (T-2nd), 7.4 C-RAM (T-10th), 87 DSI (T-13th)
Ward: 7.4 C-RAM (T-10th), 70 ATR (T-22), 81 DSI (25th)
Erhunmwunse: 7.0 C-RAM (T-16th), 83 ATR (4th), 87 DSI (T-13th)

Specializing on the offensive side of the floor, Kaden Magwood, Darius Adams, Hudson Greer, Acaden Lewis are bunched together bringing similar positive overall impact ranging between 6.5-6.7 C-RAM

Other players rated highly in Overall Impact (6.9+ C-RAM):
Eric Reibe, Brayden Burries, Qayden Samuels, Xzavion Mitchell, Caleb Holt

Other players rated highly on Defense (79+ DSI):
Xavion Staton, Nyale Robinson, Jordan Scott, Derek Dixon, Jamarion Batemon, Bryson Tiller, Xzavion Mitchell, Matthew Able, Jalen Reece, Deron Rippey Jr., Kayden Mingo, Aliou Dioum, Jack McCaffery, Jermaine O’Neal Jr, Davion Hannah, Kareem Stagg, Qayden Samuels, Tajh Ariza

Other players rated highly At The Rim (70+ ATR):
John Clark, Dewayne Brown, Xavion Staton, Eric Reibe, Aliou Dioum, Tee Bartlett, Hudson Greer, Jaylen Harrell, Matt Gilhool, Bryson Tiller, Nykolas Lewis, Sadiq White

Measuring Most Reliable Halfcourt Scoring Creators via Cerebro Sports Pure Scoring Prowess (PSP), Floor General Skills (FGS), and 3PT Effectiveness (3PE)

Meleek Thomas stands out as the most reliable offensive engine scoring creator for good looks for a team, rating 1st in Playmaking (87 FGS); 8th in Scoring (82 PSP); and flashing an outside shot, T-31st in 3PT Effectiveness with 69 3PE.

Jaylen Petty made great reads creating good shots for himself and others consistently, making plays reading defenses forcing turnovers, showing great two-way feel for the game as a natural point guard, ranking highly in every category visualized below: T-2nd in Playmaking FGS, 4th in 3PT Effectiveness, T-18th in Scoring PSP.

Kingston Flemings dominated these offensive shot-creation categories, rating 1st in Scoring (94 PSP) and T-2nd in Playmaking (81 FGS), with a capable outside shot.

Deron Rippey Jr. finished 4th in Playmaking (80 FGS), flashing the outside jumper, off the dribble all-around natural point guard feel, finishing T-36th with 67 3PE and T-39th in PSP.

Acaden Lewis rated highly in all three data points visualized below: T-6th in 3pt Effectiveness (83 3PE); T-11th in Playmaking (70 FGS); T-18th in Scoring (77 PSP)

Kaden Magwood impressed as a tough shotmaking bucket-getter, rating 5th in Scoring (88 PSP), T-17th in 3PT Effectiveness (75 3PE); T-25th in Playmaking (65 FGS)

Brayden Burries brought all-around efficient shot creation for himself and his team, rating highly as a 3pt shooter, passer, and scorer: 74 3PE (T-19th), 75 FGS (7th), 81 PSP (T-10th)

Jordan Smith Jr. continues to rate highly across the board: 74 3PE (T-19th), 68 FGS (20th) , 78 PSP (8th)

Other players rated highly in Playmaking (65+ FGS):
Derek Dixon, Jalen Reece, Courtland Muldrew, Nyale Robinson, Davion Hannah, Jerry Easter, Nykolas Lewis, Davis Fogle, Eric Chatfield, Tyler Jackson, Simon Walker, Jordan Scott, Caleb Holt, Xzavion Mitchell, Dante Allen, Darius Adams, Jaylen Cross, Kayden Mingo, Alex Lloyd

Other players rated highly in Scoring (70+ PSP):
Tounde Yessoufou, Eric Reibe, Sebastian Williams, Qayden Samuels, Malachi Moreno, Cameron Ward, Chris Cenac Jr, King Grace, Kiyan Anthony, Dante Allen, Caleb Holt, Darius Adams, Oswin Erhunmwunse, Jacob Wilkins, Dorian Hayes, Zymicah Wilkins, Hudson Greer, Sadiq White, Eric Chatfield, DeWayne Brown, Aliou Dioum, Tee Bartlett, Jalen Montonati

Other players rated highly in 3PT Shooting (70+ 3PS):
Qayden Samuels, Hakeem Weems, Imahri Wooten, Dorian Jones, Cameron Ward, Dorian Hayes, Jalen Montonati, Jacob Wilkins, Caleb Holt, Treyvon Maddox, Jamarion Batemon, Derek Dixon, London Jemison, Adrien Stevens, Dwayne Aristode, Landon Clark, Jalen Reece, Nyale Robinson, Alex Lloyd, John Clark, Ryder Frost, Winters Grady, Ryan Crotty

High FT% over a large sample can be an indicator of touch for developing future scoring ability. This camp is a small sample of 6gp, but every game is a data point towards the full picture of a longterm prospect.

Leaders in FT% (min. 85% FT%)
Derek Dixon (13/13)
Jaylen Petty (12/12)
King Grace (22/23)
Darius Adams (21/22)
Xzavion Mitchell (32/34)
Jaylen Harrell (14/15)
Mike Williams (20/22)
Chris Cenac (27/30)
Shon Abaev (16/18)
Hudson Greer (15/17)
Nykolas Lewis (14/16)
Jason Crowe (13/15)
Winters Grady (13/15)
Tounde Yessoufou (31/36)
Jalen Montonati (22/26)


The 2024 NBPA Top-100 Scouting Report with Film, Quotes, and Notes

1st Team All-NBPA Top-100 Camp from @BeyondTheRK

Chris Cenac Jr.
Meleek Thomas
Jaylen Petty

Phillip Davis Fogle
Acaden Lewis

Chris Cenac Jr.
6’10” Power Forward
2025


Chris Cenac Jr. won MVP of the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp

Cenac was the #NBPATop100‘s most impressive future pro prospect due to his two-way tenacity, active hands, ball instincts, pull-up shooting touch, tight handles, and clear playmaking vision for a 6’10” forward, sharing similarities to super sized super skilled bigs like Chris Bosh.

Incredible Developable Ball Skills: Excellent Playmaking Feel, Good Ball-Handling, Tough Shotmaking at every level
Vertical Gravity, Bouncy Athleticism, Big Leaper, Powerful Dunker
Explosive Downhill Foul-Drawing Force
Flying North-South Speed, Quick Burst
Strong Rim-Dettering Shot-Blocking Instincts, Big Man Paint Protector
Tough middy pull-up shotmaker over contests, spinning Dirk Fade Post-Up counter
Good finisher at the rim through traffic in transition
Elite Playmaking Vision and Passing ability
Point Forward who can run both ends of Pick-and-Roll as cerebral initator and strong play-finisher

Strong putback rebounder, good timing rim-rolling out of Double Drag
Attacks closeout with dribble, pass, and shot
Anticipation for Steals, grab-and-go, soft touch finisher with with go-to underhand dumpoff shuttle pass in transition


Chris Cenac’s camp averages:
20 PTS – 9 REB – 2 STL – 2 BLK
60% FG% (44/74) 90% FT% (27/30)


Meleek Thomas

6’5″ Point Guard
2025

Meleek Thomas was an unguardable walking bucket at #NBPATop100

The most dominant scorer at the camp

Impossible shot-making off the dribble, reminding one of Jamal Crawford, the ultimate walking bucket.
Scoring Versatility, pull-up midrange and 3pt jumpers, Impressive floater and finishing packages at and near the rim
Swishing everything, tough elbow middy fadeaways, pull-up threes, finger roll and floater finishes
Deep range shooting touch 3pt, Pull-Up, and C&S, contested OTD

Flyby vertical bounce athleticism for dunks
Quick first step burst, shifty decelerating body control to create advantages
Driving downhill to the rack unbothered, Jump stop on a dime sends defender flying
Fakes elbow jumper with quick start-stop body control and quick burst into space for up and under reverse,

postup into spinning floater, 
Eurostep reverse finger roll

Crafty tight Handles, great ball control, effective flare with the rock
Uses “Hostage Dribble” to put defender in jail on hip behind him, misses layup but puts back in off rebound

Active Hands Deflections, Anticipation Jumping Passing Lanes Forcing Steals, coast-to-coast slams
Flashes two-way feel understanding the game on the drive and dumpoff pass after forcing turnover

Decisive actions, attacking closeout by moving before receiving the pass
Good feel decision-making, soft touch bounce pass ahead in transition
Nice vision passing dimes, good reads on drive and kicks
Playmaking assist-hunting vision for cutters, kicking to open shooters, 3pt kickouts, lookahead in transition, impressive read and passing touch on the cross court corner kick
Running P&R variations, Initiates Horns, finds Winters Grady on the pop C&S 3


Filling up the box score with 30pt triple double on good scoring efficiency
Setting up good looks for others by drawing in multiple defenders, racking up 20 PTS 12 AST before the fourth
Coachable moment with teammates, talking and nodding in agreement after forcing too much huting shots/assists and missing open man


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“Not really, I wouldn’t say I take things from NBA players or players that I admire his game. I just see things in the game that every player needs for the game, I work on it ,and I just add everything to my game. I have an incredible imagination so whenever I think of something I just work on it, work on it, and perfect it, and then everything just adds to my game, So I don’t study nobody or have a favorite player that I take things from, I just do things and perfect my game.”



What kind of moves do you spend the most time on during practice?

“The skills I work on the most, I work on a lot of ball screen actions, shooting the ball, I get up so many shots a day. I have a natural feel for the game so the passing comes easy. When I have great players around me it makes the game a lot easier for myself when it comes to passing.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“I’d say like nobody else. I just approach the game like I can do what I want. I can score on you, I can stop you from scoring. I’m leading like there’s nobody else out there. I’m the loudest voice on the court in my opinion. And so with that, that can take you however far you want it to.”





Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“One thing I want to continue to work on that I feel I’m already getting better at is my defense. I know I’m a good leader but just learning to hang off the ball defense”

Averages: 23 PTS – 7 REB – 7 AST – 1.5 STL (3.0 A/TO)

Camp Ranks: 1st AST, 3rd PTS, 7th A/TO, T-8th STL, 15th REB

Meleek dropped a 30pt triple double for good measure, consistently creating good looks for himself and the team, showing great feel for the game, tight handles ball control, drive and kick playmaking chops, and ball denial defense on top of impressive soft touch tough shotmaking off the dribble:

Jaylen Petty
6’0″ Point Guard
2025

Jaylen Petty’s play popped at #NBPATop100 by consistently making winning plays on both ends with incredible two-way feel running offense, anticipating turnovers, splashing C&S threes, flying to and finishing at the rim.

Natural point guard playmaker, timing up lob passes, hitting cutters, finding open man, running P&R plays, looking to set up teammates for their best chance to score
Pickpocket POA Defender Anticipating Steals & Deflections, stripping ball from the man in front of him, jumping passing lanes

Versatile scorer shot-maker off the dribble, knockdown shooter splashing multiple pull-up threes and midrange shots, finishing at the rim through traffic, spacing floor for C&S triples
Insane athleticism, flying up and down the court and exploding to the rim for breakaway slams, tip in boards, chasedown blocks

Next-level feel for the game on both side of the floor, great drive-and-kick vision, impressive understanding of how to run an offense and how to read actions on defense
Individual dominant sequences to build quick leads, often forcing stops and swishing shots to go on one-man runs
In one sequence: hits multiple pull-up threes, drilled a C&S corner three, deflects the ball for a steal, times up a block

(Ranks) 11.0 A/TO (1st) 14.5 PTS (18th) 5.5 AST (3rd) 1.7 STL (T-3rd) 56-43-100 (11th-9th-1st)

Philip Davis Fogle
6’8″ Shooting Guard
2025

Never-ending Motor, grab-and-go pace, good body control movement, running the floor hard, great hustle and energy
Bouncy quick athleticism, flying in for putbacks, getting up for high flying dunks blocks and boards,
Playmaking vision, good reads looking to set up teammates, impressive corner kick skip pass, no-look hook pass over top
Great drive-and-kick feel, looking to create scoring opportunities for others by attacking gaps first himself, constant kickouts
Awareness on both ends, jumping passing lanes for multiple steals and breakaway slams, huge chasedown block
Hitting tough shots, midrange fadeaway, contested pull-up jumper

Few players hustled around the court with the determination of Philip Davis Fogle this week.

Fogle flashed good ball and body control, handling the ball well while maneuvering through the paint with spin moves and counter dribbles, showing off vision as a playmaker looking for teammates near the rim.


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I like Devin Booker, his offensive skillset. I like Luka a lot, just his pace. And then Anthony Edwards is fun to watch too.”

How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?


“At this camp, obviously everyone’s here is really really good and trying to score, so I’m trying to do other things without the ball to try to stand out, trying to get into passing lanes, get steals, putbacks, making the right play.”





Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“The biggest thing right now is just getting stronger, hitting the weight room, that’s the biggest thing.”





Watch him attack downhill, weave through defenses, and keep an eye up to find the open man.


Acaden Lewis
6’3″ Point Guard
2025

Acaden Lewis flashed tight handles and a sweet lefty stepback as a natural table-setter at #NBPATop100

Unique scoring style, super skilled lefty shooter with elite ball control, stop and pop tall shot release, smooth game
Versatile scoring tough shotmaker with a clean shot release, splashing stepback 3pt shots off the dribble, pulling up for middies, finishing at the rim with AND1 bump-and-finishes, lefty FLOATAs, turnaround fadeaways off driving postup mismatch, pull-up fadeaway over contest
Incredible skills and feel for the game, making great reads, nice touch passes, good decision making
Reliable scoring creator who consistently creates good shots for the team, scoring off the dribble and creating looks for others
Quick burst body control, penetrating the paint, drawing in extra defenders for fouls and kickouts, converting AND1s
Tight, effective handle ball control, splitting defense with behind the back dribble, tough dribble moves
Great vision, playmaking chops, lob pass, good feeds, 3pt kickouts, nice feel drive & dumpoff pass to dunker spot


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I like Shai a lot right now. Shai and Kyrie. And kinda a little throwback, I was a Brandon Jennings fan. The way he moved was just smooth, and I really liked that, and that was before I really even got into basketball, I just got in a little late. I just like the pace, how smooth he moves. Those are 3 that I model after.”

How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

Sometimes I just need to go out, remember it’s a game. Just have fun. Enjoy yourself. This is what you work so hard for with working out. Trust the training. Just go out there and do what you always work on, trust the training, and hoop.”

Brandon Jennings approved this message, sharing Acaden’s quote with a retweet:

Acaden Lewis’ averages through 6 games at #NBPATop100: 14 PPG & 2.0 AST/TO (18 AST/9 TO) shooting 48% 3P% (10/21 3P)


2nd-Team All-NBPA Top 100 Camp from @BeyondTheRK

Kiyan Anthony
Marcus Jackson
Kaden Magwood
Dwayne Aristode
Shon Abaev

Kiyan Anthony
6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

Kiyan Anthony led all #NBPATop100 players at the camp in Points and Free Throws.

Natural scoring creator, walking bucket point guard, High-Volume P&R Maestro, great shot creator
Bump-and-finish AND1 extraordinaire, hunting contact before tossing up tough shots that somehow go in, great finisher at rim
Tight handle ball control, effective dribbler penetrating the paint weaving through traffic, splitting defenders
Tough shot maker at every level, falling left fadeaway middies, stepback triples off the dribble and pull-up three when defender goes under screen, soft touch finger rolls and floater package
Smooth soft touch shooter who gets the “shooter’s bounce” that bounces off the rim straight up and in because the aim and trajectory is in line
Patient decision-maker, moves at his own pace, gets to any spot on the floor he wants with declerating body control allowing for stop and pop jumpers, hunting contact, drawing in defenders for kickouts
Good playmaking vision and decision-making feel, especially in P&R, making smart corner kick reads
High volume paint-and-spray P&R point guard who draws in defenders for AND1s, soft touch rim finishes, 3pt kickouts

Kiyan consistently created good looks for himself and teammates in P&R, showing an uncanny ability to draw “bump and finish” fouls at will while making tough shots at every level Elite scoring creator


On the first day of the camp, Anthony opened the tournament with a 42-point BANG, as Mike Breen would say.



Marcus Jackson
6’8″ Power Forward
2025

Marcus Jackson’s high-flying hops, downhill athleticism, and rim-running motor popped out at #NBPATop100

High-Flying Vertical Gravity Lob Threat, lives above the rim
Powerful Walking Highlight Dunker, Off-ball Play-Finisher from dunker spot, rim-roller, transition
Downhill North-South Two-Way Force
Great Rim-Protecting Instincts Timing Chasedown Blocks and Closing out for 3PT Block
Endless Rim-Running Motor in Transition
Good Hustle diving for loose ball on floor
Willing Team-first Passer
Tough shot finisher at the rim, fadeaway midrange touch
Possibly the most impressive athlete at the camp
3pt range Shooter


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“Giannis. He can get to the basket a lot, he’s a dominant player, he gets the rebound a lot, he keeps the team involved, so I’ll say Giannis.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“I’d say just keep my energy high. That’s it. If I keep my energy high, everybody around me gets it, it’s contagious. It just takes energy.”



Marcus brought vertical gravity as a rim-rolling lob threat, showed good ball instincts in rim-protection and rebounding, and flashed clean shooting touch:


Kaden Magwood
6’3″ Shooting Guard
2025

Kaden Magwood flashed vision, burst, and soft touch, making tough shots at every level with crafty ball-handling and good start-stop body control to create space off the dribble.

Tough shotmaking scoring creator, walking bucket, self-creating advantages to get good open looks for himself and others
Clean jump shot mechanics, money shooter, knockdown deep range 3pt shooter on Pull-Up and C&S, fadeaway middy
P&R playmaker, nice pocket pass to roller, dumpoff pass on drive in transition, swishing FLOATAs
Explosive dunk attacking closeout with dribble, athletic fly-by slams
Crafty handles on drives, getting to his spots with good body and ball control


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I have two: Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard. I try to take the finishing from Kyrie and the shooting from Dame, and how they carry themselves on and off the court.”


What kind of moves do you spend the most time on during practice?

“Working on going off two feet when I get to the paint, like turnaround fades, turnaround finishes, turnaround kicking it out”


How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“I’m bringing that dog mentality. I feel like I’m a dog, and it’s just me showing everybody else that I’m him.”




Magwood exploded for 37 PTS in his final #NBPATop100 game, starting 10/10 from the field!

Dwayne Aristode

6’8″ Power Forward
2025

Aristode jumped off the page with stellar two-way impact as a next-level athlete, defender, scorer, and shooter as a big wing with traditional shooting guard skills

Phenomenal athlete, defensive strength and anticipation for deflections
Downhill explosiveness, strong drives to the rack through contact
Impressive decelerating body control, eurostep driving footwork
Tight handle ball control driving into the paint, finishing through contact
Versatile shot profile, clean finger roll and reverse finishes at the rim, north-south scoring, shoots well from downtown


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“D-Wade. D-Wade’s one of my favorite players. I like watching those players. KD, the way he gets to his shot.”




Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“I have four, two physical. I’d like to improve my core to be able to get to the paint and be able to finish against stronger guys. My hips, I want to improve my hips so I can jump higher and change directions fast. Skill-wise, I like to improve my ball-handling, if I can improve my ball-handling, let the ball be rolling with me , that can be dangerous for sure. My shot creating ability, being able to create space and get to my shots. I think if I improve those things, I’ll be dangerous for sure.



Shon Abaev
6’8″ Small Forward
2025

Elite self-creating tough shotmaker, developable ball skills as an offensive weapon scoring creator
Knockdown perimeter shooter, swishing contested pull-up triples, stepback jumpers, C&S triples, converting 4pt play, tough shot dirk fade middy
Walking bucket who can stop and pop pull-up from any spot on the floor
Soft touch shooter and passer with great playmaking vision, hitting skip pass to opposite corner from the wing
Impressive decision-making feel looking for open shooters when the shot isn’t there, putting effective flare on passes, driving and kicking for 3pt kickouts, hitting the roller in P&R with a nice pass, good touch lookahead pass in transition
Tight handle ball control and decelerating body control, switching hands with impressive dribbling and soft touch finish
Great decelerating body control
Smooth finisher at the rim with a running hook and myriad of finger rolls
Two-way feel, hustling for loose balls, anticipating steals, looking up in transition for outlet passes
Good hustle, saving ball from falling out of bounds by running full sprint under the basket
Vertical downhill athlete with grab-and-go pace going coast-to-coast for high-flying jam


In one game was clearly the most impressive offensive option: scoring, passing, shooting, soft touch, good feel, good decision-making, splashing
 jumper after jumper

3rd-Team All-NBPA Top 100 Camp from @BeyondTheRK

Dante Allen
Tyler Jackson
King Grace
Jamarion Batemon
Tounde Yessoufou


Dante Allen
6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

High two-way winning impact
Connector team-first feel, good drive and kick running Spain P&R
Clean C&S 3pt shooter
Great off-ball movement, timing up cuts to the rim
Good feel decision-maker, nice read for lookup passes in transition, good finds to open shooters, quick take to the rack
Nice finisher at the rim, tough finger roll AND1 over contests, tough layup conversions
Quick burst to the rack, switching hands AND1 finish
Rated highly in multiple Cerebro metrics: Overall Impact, Defense, Scoring, Playmaking
Strong all-around player on both ends, using brute strength, smarts, and skill in a playstyle similar to Desmond Bane.


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I’ve been watching a lot of Ant lately and Jaylen Brown, especially since they’re deep in the playoffs and make a big impact on their team.”


What kind of moves do you spend the most time on during practice?”

“I work a lot on just trying to get downhill, working on different finishes, not just straight layups that may get blocked. And my shooting too, that’s definitely something I want to get better at, and keep improving on that.”



What excites you most about the transfer to Montverde Academy?

“The chance to play against the best high school competition there is to offer.”

Tyler Jackson

6’2″ Point Guard
2025

Tyler “Hype” Jackson is a natural table-setter, showing incredible two-way feel at #NBPATop100

Quick north-south burst
Decelerating body control footwork
Explosive downhill force
Steals jumping passing lanes
Deep range pull-up shooting
Creative finishing at the rim, up and unders, using “wrong” hand, drawing AND1 fouls attacking rack
Clear passing vision, drive and kick stopping on a dime
Masterful crafty handles
Great feel decision maker, good reads making and faking passes
Explosive vertical leaper, pushing pace with speedy acceleration, rebounding in traffic
Swishing off-the-dribble pull-up 3pt shooting and all around the midrange, floaters, elbow jumpers, even beating the buzzer with a 3pt FLOATA

Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“Kyrie, Shai.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“Like Isaiah (Thomas) was telling me, get everybody involved… get all my guys involved, get everybody going so they can be playing through me when it’s time, so they want to be with you and play with you. Kicking the ball out, moving the ball, playing with your guys, getting them involved.”





Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“Just being consistent with my shot. Being quick with my handle, stop losing the ball so much, stop turning the ball over. Just be more consistent.”


King Grace
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Explosive downhill athlete who delivers legit two-way impact, a winning player who wills his team on both ends
Elite defensive instincts, great anticipation timing racking up deflections, steals, blocks; even stopping a 3-on-1
Powerful north-south force attacking the rack for highlight slams and decelerating soft touch finishes
Graceful body control eurostep footwork, good movement skills penetrating the paint
Skilled finisher at the rim who can throw down strong slams and maneuver through traffic
Developable ball-skills between Good handle on drives, 3pt range hitting C&S triples, and soft touch finishing
Rated Top-25 in multiple Cerebro Metric: Overall Impact, Defense, At The Rim, and Scoring


Jamarion Batemon
6’3″ Shooting Guard
2025

Walking bucket scorer, 3pt sniper, good feel scoring creator with tight handle, nice north-south force footwork, clean finisher
Tough shot maker, elbow middy pull-up AND1 with defenders draping all over him

Aggressive driver, graceful downhill decelerating footwork, quick burst quick to the rim, good take on drive into stop and pop jump shot
 and finger rolls
Knockdown 3pt shooter, splashing stepback threes off the dribble, with one sequence making 3 triples in a 4play span with a drive-and-kick good read inbetween
Impressive finisher at the rim with a clean reverse
Good feel reading the defense on a drive and kick
, hook pass to popping 3pt man

Nice handle, good ball control, using behind the back dribble for back-to-back layups
Bouncy hops athleticism for alley-top slam




Tounde Yessoufou
6’6″ Small Forward
2025

Impactful versatile scorer, tough shot maker though sometimes forces too much with tunnel vision
Vertical downhill athleticism, good ups at the rim, north-south force with good finishing touch
Nice post-up skills, spinning fadeaway
Pressure defender, steals inbound pass for breakaway slam
Rated Top-20 in multiple Cerebro metrics: Overall Impact, Defense, At The Rim, and Scoring


4th-team All-NBPA Top 100 Camp from @BeyondTheRK

Malachi Moreno
Jacob Wilkins
Nykolas Lewis
Zymicah Wilkins
Deron Rippey Jr.


Malachi Moreno

7’1″ Center
2025

Powerful two-way big man who can protect the rim, crash the glass, and score down low with ease
Fundamental Post-Up Footwork, Backdown Counter Moves, Soft Touch Near The Rim, Deep Paint Positioning
Rim-Running Motor, Graceful Strides on Catch, Eurostepping Downhill Play-Finisher, Mismatch Dominant
Rim-Protector Defensive Instincts, Anticipating blocks in post and help defense, sometimes overpowered down low
Playmaking Feel on kickouts from paint to shooters
Strong Putback Rebounding Timing
Rated Top-5 in Overall Impact, Defense, At The Rim, and T-7th in Scoring


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I would say I like Rudy Gobert, I like his defense a lot. Him being able to use his length, block shots, alter shots, I like that a lot. I’d have to go with Anthony Davis, just for his post work, he’s one of the best post players to touch a basketball, and we both have unibrows, so it’s kinda nice. And then I like Kiyan’s Dad (Carmelo Anthony), I like his faceup game, his middy pull-up. Those are kinda the three players I try to take a piece of their game from and add it for myself.




How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“Just to do me and let the game come to me, not try to force anything. Just to keep my teammates involved, anyone can lose confidence at any time, so just to make sure my teammates head is held high, just to make sure we got more points than the other team, that’s really all I care about.”






Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“Just being able to handle the ball and shoot the three, working on my form, and just my ball-handling, so I can really space out the floor when I get to the next level.”


Jacob Wilkins

6’9″ Power Forward
2025

Developable ball-skills, tight handle, outside shooter, good passer
Knockdown shooter off the dribble, Pull-Up 3s and Midrange jumpers, swishing shot after shot through the net
Connector playmaking, transition playmaker with extra pass, look-ahead pass, even behind the back pass on the run, dumpoff pass off drive, sick one-handed pass
Stellar athlete, quick mobility lateral movement, explosive tomahawk slam, breakaway highlight dunks
Great body control skills, eurostep decelerating footwork
Tough shot maker, spinning dirk fade postup counter after creating advantage, pull-up middies, off-the-dribble threes, soft touch finish finger rolls, layups, FLOATA off wrong foot
Good feel decisionmaker, good reads dishing the rock and scoring self-creation shots, sometimes forces too many tough shots
Rated positively as a scorer and shooter via Cerebro


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I been watching a lot of T-Mac. He’s 6’10 and a guard, he can make tough shots in the post, from the three, his overall skill-set.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“To show people I can do more than dunk. A lot of people know me for dunking the ball and being athletic. I just want to come into this game showing people that I have a skill-set”





Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“I just want to keep working on my ball-handling, being able to shoot off the bounce, and just getting physically stronger; that’s all I’ve been working on.”

Any advice from dad (Atlanta Hawks Legend, Dominique Wilkins)?

“He just tells me to run, so I try to run down the floor as fast as I can because you get more points by just running down the floor so that’s basically what he tells me.”



Nykolas Lewis
6’1″ Point Guard
2025

Nykolas Lewis showed sound body+ball control accelerating past defenders with explosive first step burst at #NBPATop100, cleanly finishing downhill shots at the rim through contact while creating good looks for the team.

Strong downhill force and vertical athleticism, never-ending energetic motor movement, on constant attack to the rack
Incredible hustle, diving for loose balls on the floor, forcing turnovers with steals on ball and jumping passing lanes
Clean finisher at the rim, nice up-and-under finishes, hunting contact for bump-and-finish AND1s
Impacts winning by making the right play
Great handle weaving through traffic, using ball and body control to get to his spots, nice spinning reverse layups
Good feel making smart reads with nice vision on lookup passes and dumpoff passes

Camp Averages (Ranks)
17 PPG (14th) 9 RPG (9th) 5 APG (4th)



Zymicah Wilkins
6’8″ Center
2025

Brute Strength, Graceful Footwork, Shifty Dancing Bear Athlete
Soft Touch on Midrange Shooting and High-Low Passing
Off-Ball Movement Timing, Vertical Gravity Alley-Oop Lob Threat

Transition Awareness, Team-First Feel

Ball Control, Good Handle for Size
North-South Downhill Foul-Drawing Force
Can pull-up for contested shots from off-the-dribble threes above the arc, on wing, midrange, elbow, and attack closeout with pump and go dribble


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“Right now, I watch a lot of Naz Reid. I just see how he moves on the court, shoots the ball well, come off the bench give his team great energy, so I’m really just watching him right now. Growing up, I like LeBron, that’s my favorite player.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“I really just listen to music before the game. Eat the right way before games. That’s really it.”




Do you have any developmental goals for yourself that you want to add to your game over the next few years?

“My shooting and my ball-handling. If I get those two things right, then I’ll be good.”



Zymicah Wilkins racked up 29 PTS & 14 REB on 12/22 FG in the #NBPATop100 Championship

Zymicah scored in and around the paint using brute strength, fundamental footwork, and solid handle as a downhill force with good ball instincts on rebounds and defense




Deron Rippey Jr.
6’2″ Point Guard
2026

Deron Rippey Jr. impressed as a reliable scoring creator at #NBPATop100

Two-Way Feel , Pull-Up Shooting Playmaking Vision Halfcourt Execution Reliable Shot Creation

Natural point guard scoring creator, looking to set up teammates and capable of scoring off the dribble
Nice downhill speed body control to burst towards the rack and decelerate to create advantages
Clean finisher at the rim on layups, finger rolls, reverses, runners
Versatile shot profile at the rim, midrange pull-ups, and spacing the floor from deep on and off the ball
Knockdown 3pt shooter splashing both pull-up and C&S threes, catching fire for back-to-back 3pt sequences
Impressive passer, P&R Maestro hitting the roll man after drawing 2 defenders, kicking to shooters for 3pt AST, finding cutters and dunker spot, soft touch look-ahead passes in transition, smartly uses screen and rescreen until space opens up for pull-up
Good feel decision making reads, knowing when to set up others or fake the pass to score
Two-way feel timing up strip steals, from help defense in the post to guarding point-of-attack, brings pressure to force TOs, jumping passing lanes and going coast-to-coast for grab-and-go breakaway slams and initiating fast breaks
Vertical hops completing alley-oops as both a passer and dunker, rebounding putbacks in traffic


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“Not really, but if I had to choose one, I’d pick Kyrie. All-around great player, deceptive, he can do it all.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“Playing the right way at all times. There’s a lotta dudes that get a little out of control when they don’t touch the rock, or when dudes’ not spinning the ball, but I feel like I just want to play the right way every time because that’s going to stand out to college coaches.”





Deron “Ron Ron” Rippey averaged 13 PPG — 5 APG — 1.5 STL with a 3.6 A/TO ratio over 6 games

Rippey ripped off 5 steals in a single game at #NBPATop100 camp!

Camp Ranks: 5th in Assists (4.8 APG) – 4th in AST/TO (3.6 A/TO) – T-8th in Steals (1.5 STL)



5th-team All-NBPA Top 100 Camp from @BeyondTheRK

Brayden Burries
Mike Williams
Jerry Easter
Tajh Ariza
Winters Grady

Brayden Burries
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Natural scoring creator creating good looks for himself and teammates consistently
Explosive downhill force, hard to contain, coast-to-coast slam, puts back own FTA with dunk, powerful flyby jams
Nice body and ball control with hesitation to ignore screen and draw foul on drive, decelerating footwork on drive for AND1 finish through contact
Nice handles, high crossover, effective dribble moves
Developable feel for the game, good mindset and approach talking with teammates, making good reads for theteam
Clean finisher at the rim, converting layups and tough decelerating FLOATA, soft touch AND1 FLOATA
Good shooter hitting C&S triples
Rated Top-20 in multiple Cerebro Metrics, especially creating good looks: Overall Impact, Scoring, Passing, 3pt Shooting



Mike Williams

6’2″ Point Guard
2025

Natural point guard scoring creator
Walking bucket, tough shotmaker, soft touch finisher at the rim
Clean handles, effective dribble moves, tight ball control
Great feel decisionmaker, soft touch passes on alley-oop lobs
Good POA defense deterring drives, nice footwork
Attacks rack at will using decelerating body control




Jerry Easter
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Impressive two-way feel for the game
Dropping dimes, good passing reads, running P&R
Anticipation timing up deflections for steals
Nice scorer, potential shot-creating scoring creator


Did any current or former players inspire your game, or are there any players you try to model your game after? What kind of moves do you try to pick up from these players?


“I like Kyrie, Kyrie’s always been my favorite player. I just like how he’s a leader on the floor and can do all the little things, he can finish at the rim, he has a lot of tricks, he can just do it all. Other than Kyrie, I’ve been watching a lot of Ant, I just like how he just been bringing that mentality, just been a dog on the floor, talking about how he just a killer going at anybody. I’ve just been trying to get my mentality like his, and go at anybody. I just been liking those two.”



How would you describe your approach, your mindset, preparing for the game? What mentality are you bringing?

“Go out there and got to play to have fun. If you’re not having fun, there’s no point in playing. Just gotta think it’s basketball. Right now, we’re just getting better, trying to prepare ourselves to get to the next level. Right now we got to work on our craft because next year we’ll be seniors and we’re going to be in college real soon, so we just got to prepare for that, and just work on our game for the rest of the time this high school season.”



Tajh Ariza

6’8″ Small Forward
2026

Impressive two-way feel for the game
Great energy from the tip
Strong driver, good finisher at the rim, mean dunks
Tough shotmaker on the middy pull-up
Nice handle with the behind-the-back dribble creating advantage


Winters Grady

6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Grady is a legit floor-spacer with shooting gravity to disrupt the defense. Winters uses that gravity to attack closeouts with the pumpfake and drive when the three is contested, or fire up a feathery jumper when left open.

C&S 3pt threat, as a screener in Horns P&R, Grady pops out for C&S triple, sequences hitting back-to-back corner threes
Running Horns as ball handler, attacks rack and converts
 driving finger roll through bump and finish
 contact
Attacks closeouts with dribble and pass when three isn’t there
Good transition footwork and coast-to-coast spinning layup finish
Good connector read 3pt kick out
Solid speed body control for decelerating finishes, strong bump and finish lay-up AND1



Davion Hannah

6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Impressive scorer with tight handle ball control, clean dribble moves, powerful athleticism, monster rim-rocker slams, pull-up shooting sniper from downtown, clean pocket pass as P&R playmaker

Trent Steinour

6’10 Power Forward
2025

Nice footwork and soft touch on the eurostep fallaway fading FLOATA
Great off-ball movement instincts to cut, rim-roll, relocate, wait in dunker spot
Strong finisher at the rim with 
powerful mean dunks
Moved better on the second day, more focused energy effort



3pt range with the C&S corner 3

Gets up vertically with good hops for alley oop


Jaden Toombs
6’10” Center
2025

Soft touch finisher at the rim with the tough finger roll
Good feel reading the defense to make a good pass
Rated incredibly well (Top-13) in two-way impact, defense, and at the rim via Cerebro


Eric Reibe
7’0″ Center
2025

Strong Post-Up threat with finesse finishing inside, lot of skills for size,
Sound footwork on drives and post-ups, deep positioning in paint, powerful backdown moves, scoring off high-low action
Rim-deterrent blocking and contesting shots
Strong putback rebound
Nice handle for a center, driving and P&R rim-rolling through traffic


Dorian Hayes
6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

Tough shot maker, versatile scorer
Good outside shooter, off-the-dribble scoring threat, splashing clean stepback 3pt jumpers, pull-up middies
Vertical hops for AND1 putback
Soft touch FLOATA finisher near the rim
Patient decision-maker
Strong putback in traffic




Oswin Erhunmwunse
6’10” Center
2025

Strong finisher on the block, clean soft finish at the rim, strong rim-roller and AND1 drive through traffic
Powerful vertical hops athleticism for mean tip slam, athletic bounce dunk, powerful tip slam
Strong rim-protecting block meeting dunkeer at the apex

Jalen Montonati
6’7″ Power Forward
2026

Smooth C&S 3pt shooter, hitting c&s corner three, sequences of multiple triples in a row

Nice footwork on the jump stop in the paint
Tough shotmaker with the elbow pullup, middy pull-up fadeaway over contest

Great read with the high low PnR pass leading to AND1 layup

Defensive instincts for deflection
s, sound postup defense

Sadiq White
6’8″ Small Forward
2025

Vertical hops athleticism for tip-slam, give-and-go alley-oop, attacking closeout with drive and jam
Good feel decisionmaking playmaker, good reads for passes, dumpoff pass in paint to cutter, transition passing
Strong driver, nice attacks to the rack, one through contact for bump and finish AND1 finger roll, clean finishes at the rim
Good handle, tight ball control in transiton, on drives, and closeout attacks

Tough bucket-getter, hitting pull-up middy, drilling back-to-back shots, tall shot release


Jaron McKie

6’3″ Shooting Guard
2025

Off-ball 3pt threat knocking down multiple C&S threes, some in a row
Good defensive instinct anticipating the block timing
Team-first connector making smart reads as a passer and relocating 3pt threat



Jason Crowe
Jr.
6’3″ Point Guard
2026

Versatile scorer, 3pt shooter, clean driving finisher at the rim
Tough shot maker, finger roll finish at the rim through traffic, pull-up fadeaway middy, pull-up 3, corner 3, splitting defenders for a contested finger roll


Good handle, tight ball control


Cameron Ward
6’8″ Power Forward
2025

Legit two-way impact making winning plays on both ends
Impressive tough shot maker with a stepback jumper
Rated Top-25 in nearly every Cerebro Metric: Overall Impact, Defense, At The Rim, Scoring, 3pt Shooting

Calvin Murphy III
6’1″ Point Guard
2025

Versatile scorer, especially below the arc, with elbow middy pull-ups and a deluxe finishing package between the layups, FLOATA, tough AND1 hook shot, and finger rolls
Attacks downhill with purpose, good decision to keep and score in 2-on-1
Impressive handle, crafty setups on dribble drive and dumpoff passes, effective flare
Stellar playmaking vision, looking to create shots for himself and teammates
Quick trigger jump shot, killer ball control and pull-up jumper combo
Anticipates steals jumping passing lanes


Hudson Greer

6’7″ Small Forward
2025

Good outside shooter with 3pt range hitting the C&S triples in the corner and wing
Attacks closeout with dribble drive and slam when outside shot is contested
Great off-ball relocation movement to create open 3s for himself and space the floor, baseline backdoor cut timing with vertical hops for alley-oop slam and throwing down jams
Crashes boards for rebounds, putback his own miss with a reverse layup

Connector playmaking with nice vision, making the extra touch pass
, hitting a bounce pass leading his teammate to the rack
Tough finisher at the rim, converting AND1 bump-and-finish through contact


Matthew Gilhool
6’11” Center
2025



Two-way feel ball instincts anticipating the steal with grab-and-go pace-pushing handle as a big
Tough shot maker with 3pt range, splashing a few jumpers and hitting the pick-and-pop three and C&S corner three

Showed good post-moves and spinning footwork despite missing the open corner three


Powerful dunker throwing down monster slam


Jaylen Cross
6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

Good two-way feel, anticipates steals, grab-and-go pushes pace off turnover, drives and kicks with the good decision pass, comes up with loose ball steal, contests shots, converts layups and finding teammates for assists in transition
Tough shot maker, impressive finisher at the rim, vertical hops hanging in the air for an AND1

London Jemison
6’8″ Power Forward
2025

Off-ball 3pt range stretch-four drilling C&S triples, back-to-back swish sequences
Smooth driving footwork and finishing in the paint
Nice handle body and ball control on the crossover decelerating finger roll in transition through traffic

Tough shots in the midrange and at the rim



Andre Iguodala
 Jr.

6’8″ Small Forward
2025

Good defensive feel anticipation, timing up the block on a drive at the rim
3pt range knocking down the C&S triple



Sebastian Wilkins

6’8″ Power Forward
2026

Brings energy right out of the gates
Impressive finisher at the rim

Kareem Stagg
6’8″ Center
2025

Powerful vertical athleticism, throwing down 
strong jams and flying putback slams
Strong downhill force
Good vision passing touch on the alley-oop lob
Outside shooter with 3pt range with the C&S triple and the pull-up middy

Playing football muscling through opponents in the post postup finish


Trent MacLean

6’10” Center
2025

Developable ball skils at 6’10” with the ball control handles, lookahead transition passes, and smooth stroke jump shot
Sound footwork in the post, movement skills, and on defensive rotations
Clean outside shooter on C&S threes
Defensive instincts on the shot contest
Coachable moment on sideline
s learning from mistakes

Nice post moves down low
Good mover off ball




Qayden Samuels

6’6″ Small Forward
2026

Great perimeter shooter, good form, hitting C&S 3s in corner and on the wing, drilling OTD pull-up triples, tough spinning middy
Nice playmaker vision with soft touch pass
Good bounce hanging in the air for a tough falling finish near the rim over contest, a tough nice reverse layup finish
Rated highly in multiple Cerebro metrics: Overall Impact, Defense, Shooting, Scoring



Darius Adams
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Natural point guard feel, hitting lead pass to cutter for layup, finding open shooters and attacking rack


Grab-and-go rebounding pace-pusher
Good vision, nice look-up passing touch, sound passes, smart dumpoff pass for potential 3pt assist in transition
Splashy outside shooter on the pull-up and C&S threes
Good finisher at the rim, scoring in transition
Sound two-man game hitting rim-roll in P&R
Crafty handles on the drive and finish


Sebastian Williams-Adams

6’9″ Power Forward
2025

Sound footwork fundamentals, eurostepping into a decelerating FLOATA in transition
Nice anticipation 
jumping passing lanes to time up steal
Grab and go pace pusher starting fast breaks
Strong driver, attacks closeut with the dribble and extra pass, nice vision on the wraparound pass after cutting through the lane

Nyale Robinson
5’10” Point Guard
2025

Good anticipation, two-way feel with the steal and team-first read pass in transition, pushing pace, looking up for outlets
Clean jump shoot form, good shooter hitting multiple shots with 3pt range on the C&S 3 and pull-up jumpers, hit buzzerbeater deep range threee
Shifty mover with the rock in his hands
Good body control quick burst into decelerating in the paint

Marcus Gillespie


6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Nice vision, soft touch passing setting up teammates in shooting pockets, good read feel on the drive and kick, sweet one-handed leading bounce pocket pass through defenders to the roller in P&R
Versatile shot profile, good shooter, nice pull-up jumper, C&S three contested and open in transition, tough middy pull-up


Alexander Constanza
6’5″ Small Forward
2026

Strong play-finisher
Powerful dunker
AND1 finisher through contact
Defensive instincts on display with standout play, deflecting a pass to stop a 4-on-1

Legend Smiley
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Great defensive instincts and on-ball pressure, forcing strip steals at point of attack, anticipating deflections
Tough shot maker, splashing pull-up jumpers with the stepback 3 off the dribble and midrange elbow fadeaway

Mazi Mosley
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Incredible feel, great vision, sweet look-off dish, good read on the drive-and-kick to open man



Impressive quick burst accelerating speed and decelerating body control
Soft touch finishing at the rim, finger rolls and tough driving finish after initating P&R

Good defensive instincts, anticipation, timing up the block
Big 
vertical leaper throwing down powerful slam

C&S 3PT range




Jordan Smith Jr.

6’3 Shooting Guard
2026

Great all-around talent with legit two-way winning impact
Good timing on soft touch alley-oop lob pass
Strong rebounder in traffic
Powerful finisher at the rim AND1 on a tough take to the rack
Rated Top-5 in Overall Impact and Top-20 in *every* Cerebro metric: defense, passing, scoring, shooting, at the rim


Kingston Flemings
6’4″ Point Guard
2025

Natural scoring creator point guard who consistently creates makeable looks for himself and others
Two-way winning impact
Capable outside 3pt shooter
Developable ball skills between the handle, scoring, and passing
Rated Top-5 in Scoring, Passing, Overall Impact, and 33rd in Defensive Impact at the camp via Cerebro

Adrien Stevens
6’4″ Point Guard
2025

Impressive body control footwork
Attacks closeout with dribble
Soft touch shotmaking


Kayden Mingo

6’3″ Point Guard
2025

Killer decelerating body control, sends defender flying on slowdown for finger roll
Nice 3pt and midrange shooter, hits C&S triple
Impressive ball control, weaving through traffic with a little wiggle on the dribble
Good feel running Double Drag P&R, driving into a pull-up jumper

Abdul Aziz Olajuwon
6’6″ Shooting Guard
2026

Splashy C&S 3pt shooting, clean shooting mechanics, good finishes at the rim

Caleb Holt
6’5″ Point Guard
2026

Impressive finisher at the rim, tough shot over contest
Good vision with the no-look dumpoff pass, nice decision-making feel read on the drive and kick corner 3pt assist





Joshua Lewis
6’7″ Shooting Guard
2025

Good vision making team-first reads, the drive and 3pt kickout to open man
Smooth soft touch FLOATA


Eric Chatfield
5’11” Point Guard
2025

Smooth shooting stroke, clean perimeter shooter, highest rated 3PT shooter by Cerebro in the tournament
Splashing pull-up jumpers from deep, C&S threes, elbow middies


Xavion Staton
7’0″ Center
2025

Good feel, vision, decision-making on drive and kicks, especially for a big
Quick burst on the give-and-go cut to the rack for a strong AND1 layup
Smart mover off the ball, cutting, rolling

Jovani Ruff
6’5″ Shooting Guard
2025

Good footwork with the jumpstop in the paint, finishing the drive to the rack
Nice connector extra pass in transition
Strong north-south drive and finesse finisher at the rim with finger rolls, drawing fouls and converting AND1






Alexander Lloyd

6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

Nice hop step footwork in the paint
3pt range drilling the C&S jumpers
Good driver through traffic and tough shot maker at the rim with the up-and-under referse finish
Solid kickout vision for 3pt ast
Rates highly in playmaking and 3pt efficiency metrics via Cerebro




Matthew Able

6’5″ Small Forward
2025

Tough shotmaking off the dribble with pull-up middy after pull-up middy
Smart hustler defender saving loose balls, contesting shots without fouling
3pt range shooter with the C&S triple
Good vision and soft touch lob pass for alley-oop


Akai Fleming

6’4″ Shooting Guard
2025

Tough shot making perimeter shooter with fadeaway and OTD middies, strong bump-and-finish drive, buzzer-beater pull-up deep-range 3
Nice feel making good reads on the alley-layin pass



Jacobe Coleman

6’3″ Shooting Guard
2025

Good passer finding the big on the rim-roll
Winning hustle plays
Sound 
body control deceleration to stop on a dime for the AND1 layup as defender flies into him





John Clark

6’8″ Power Forward
2025

Explosive strong driver and finesse finisher, converting through traffic
Big man rebounding in traffic, soft touch putback and strong takes to the rack


Elijah Williams
6’6″ Small Forward
2026



Great defensive instincts for deflections and steals
Grab-and-go pace-pusher
Tight body and ball control, stopping on a dime, dropping spin move handles
Vertical athlete throwing down thunderous slam
Off-the-dribble scorer with a pull-up jumper


Honorable mention players who I saw make winning plays like a well-timed block or team-first read pass:

Dorian Jones, Isaiah Denis, Courtland Muldrew, Babatunde Oladotun, Bryce Slay, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., Treeyvon Maddox, Adonis Ratliff, Derek Dixon, Jordan Scott, Terrion Burgess, Nigel Walls, Preston Wade, Simon Walker, Aliou Dioum, Curtis Stinson Jr., Landon Clark, Xzavion Mitchell, Christopher Nwuli, Ryder Frost, Hakeem Weems, Jack McCaffeery, Amare Bynum, Symon Ghai, Shareef Jackson, Jaylen Harrell

The post 2024 NBPA Top-100 Scouting Report: Notes, Film, Quotes, and Data Visualizations on 70 Standout Players appeared first on Swish Theory.

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Midwest High School Academy Standouts https://theswishtheory.com/analysis/amateur-basketball/2023/08/midwest-high-school-academy-standouts/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:53:32 +0000 https://theswishtheory.com/?p=7775 Over this past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to watch Made Hoops’ Midwest High-School Academy showcase. The event was loaded with high level talent from all over the country (not just the Midwest, though with a focus there), and the event coordinators did an amazing job of assembling a strong ... Read more

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Over this past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to watch Made Hoops’ Midwest High-School Academy showcase. The event was loaded with high level talent from all over the country (not just the Midwest, though with a focus there), and the event coordinators did an amazing job of assembling a strong team of coaches for the camp. I went into the camp with limited prior knowledge of most of the prospects in attendance, and I decided to compile a list of players that caught my eye during drills and scrimmages. Special thank you to Travis Graf for planning this event and for allowing me to attend the camp with media access, and shoutout to the Made Hoops team for their excellent coverage of the high school hoops scene. With all of this being said, here are my personal standouts from the Made Hoops Midwest High School academy camp.

2024

Jayden Quaintance

I went into this camp as a strong believer in Quaintance’s skill set, and I left absolutely blown away. Quaintance has consistently been one of the best players in every single setting that he has played in despite being 15 years old during this past high school season. He was one of the best players with Overtime Elite this year, was an All-Star at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, and was an integral part of the USA’s FIBA U16 team this past June.

Quaintance is an absolutely dominant athlete. He possesses an unparalleled blend of movement skills for a 6’10” big and knows how to effectively use them on both ends. His agility for his size is something to marvel, as he is able to jolt side to side on downhill drives and defend well in space on defense. This agility comes together with his strong frame and upper body to give him excellent play strength, as he is able to aggressively bump defenders while moving downhill. Quaintance is able to switch between power and grace on his drives, as he can go to one or the other or a blend of the two depending on who is defending him. All of these miraculous tools are unlocked by his solid handle for a big, as he has consistently shown lots of comfort as a ball handler in big space. At times in this camp he even brought the ball up against full court pressure, and there were moments of him splitting double teams to get the ball across halfcourt. If he can continue to display comfortability with keeping his dribble against ball pressure from many directions, his half-court scoring ceiling would raise even higher, as handling high amounts of gap pressure and double teams can be a major struggle for many of the league’s best centers. 

Another skill that can truly unlock his full potential is his jumpshot, which is currently a work in progress. He only shot 25% from three (2.3 attempts per game) and 60% from the free throw line in Overtime Elite, but it is important to note that Overtime Elite uses an NBA three point line. There were times where Quaintance would set a ball screen and pop into space for jump shots, and it appears that he is truly trying to round out this part of his game. Another part of his game that will continue to be a work in progress is his screening and pick and roll game. Quaintance projects to be an elite roll man going forward, as he is a springy leaper with a big catch radius who already loves playing with downhill momentum. As Quaintance continues to get more and more reps, he will certainly pick up some pieces of screening minutiae, which will make him even more effective as a screener long term.

While Quaintance has immense offensive upside, his defensive upside may be just as high. Quaintance will carry a ton of lineup flexibility in the future, as he has the potential to play all pick and roll coverages and protect the rim in help defense. He is able to hedge with his agility and length, has the potential to be a good drop defender as he continues to learn positioning, he can backpedal when playing at the level of the screen, and he even has the potential to switch onto ball handlers. His movement in space is truly one of a kind for a young big, as he is able to contain drives and recover when he does get beat. Ground coverage is another incredible strong suit of Quaintance, as he is able to play help on drives and still close out to the perimeter without being out of the play. Quaintance blocked at least three separate three point attempts in the games I watched, including one play where he went under a screen and still jumped in time to block a pull-up three. 

The scheme versatility that Quaintance brings to teams is very rare, as he does not handicap lineups from running ideal modern schemes like other bigs often do. Quaintance can be a team’s defensive anchor and will adapt to his supporting cast, though he always will have the baseline of being an incredible primary rim protector. His load time as a leaper is unbelievably quick, allowing him to react quickly and to make it hard to throw his timing off. Speaking of his timing, Quaintance has showcased great jump timing in many settings, as he is able to jump second and still get up in time to erase shots at the basket. His length is certainly another factor here, as he is able to reach up and deflect shots with his very long arms. Finally, Quaintance is comfortable jumping off one foot or two feet, giving him elite potential as a roaming help defender and pick and roll defender. The league’s best help defenders often jump off of one foot while the best pick and roll defenders specialize in two footed leaping, and Quaintance is able to effectively do both.

Sam Springer

Despite Springer being unranked on all major recruiting outlets, he consistently looked like one of the better and more productive players at the camp. Springer is a 6’7” wing who possesses all of the traits that mid-major and even some high-major programs look for. He is an absolutely knockdown spot-up shooter, and had moments knocking down threes while trailing in transition. He can also hit shots from outside while creating from a standstill, though he often does not create much separation off the dribble. Instead, he specializes in off-ball play, whether that be through knocking down open shots, cutting to the middle of the floor for mid-range opportunities, or decisive off catch drives. He has a high set point on his lefty jumper, making this shot hard to contest when fading inside the arc. 

Springer also serves as a stabilizing player on defense, as he consistently executes his assignment while communicating every action. I would project him into a primarily off-ball role, where he can execute smart rotations while sniffing out actions all around the floor. I would not have Springer guard quicker guards, though he is a solid recovery leaper off of one foot in case he does get beat off the bounce. Instead, I would have Springer guard spot-up threats or even wings that prioritize strength, as Springer seems to be able to match contact on drives. His one foot leaping gives him another boost in low rotations, as this leaping style naturally minimizes load time, allowing the player to get in the air much quicker. 

Finally, Springer does lots of the little things that teams look for. He is a solid rebounder on defense and is always looking to throw outlet passes to teammates. His playmaking seems to be fairly anticipatory, though there were moments of him missing a help defender and turning the ball over. He also seems like a great teammate overall, as he was constantly uplifting the players around him and looking to get everyone involved. 

Dayton Williams

For my last eye-catcher of the 2024 high school class, I decided to go with 6’4” guard/wing Dayton Williams. Williams has lots of tools to build on right now, as he is a very lanky and flexible ball handler who can create advantages on a variety of drive angles. He makes wide drive angles work with his off-arm usage and ability to convert on scoop layups with his left, though there are times where I would like for him to take tighter driving angles. He is more than capable of doing this and did at times during this camp, though he seems to be a bit contact averse at times. This is a common issue among young basketball players, and I believe that this is something that will improve with age. Williams’ wide handle allows him to create tons of separation in an instant, and he seems to especially love the super wide left-right crossover. He seems like a very aware interior passer off of his drives, as he had great moments pulling help defenders out of position to free up teammates in the dunkers spot. Overall, Williams seems to have lots of driving tools to build on, though he is also extremely left-hand dominant on these plays. This is another common issue among young players, though it is one that many players have struggled to fix.

As for his outside shooting, he shot fairly well at the camp in the games I viewed, though it seems like results have been inconsistent in other settings. It seems that there is something to build on as he has a fairly high set point and a consistent follow through. His touch at the rim is also pretty solid as well, which is another positive indicator for Williams’ shooting going forward. Finally, his willingness to shoot off the dribble jumpers is another positive indicator for future success, as he has a fairly fluid pull-up when given space. 

On the defensive end, Williams is able to use his length to make plays that others can’t. His frame allows him to effectively play passing lanes while not being thrown too far out of position, and he seems very comfortable playing in rotations. He can occasionally deter shots with his solid one-leg verticality, which is fairly valuable considering he profiles as a wing or guard. Finally, he is an extremely active rebounder on both offense and defense, which is a skill that lots of schools are always searching for.

2025

Jasper Johnson

If you like creative improvisational ball-handlers that have no issues creating their own offense, Jasper Johnson is the player for you. Johnson is one of the more creative on-court prospects I have ever seen, as he is always trying something new to create a bucket. Whether that be an odd pick-up, a new step pattern, or a new way to get into his patented lefty scoop, Johnson is consistently successful with his creative on court style. Jasper is the master of unpredictability at the high school level right now, as he has a seemingly bottomless bag of counter moves and elite change of pace capabilities. Jasper’s touch is also something to behold, as he can be seen making logo threes or even lefty skyhooks. It must be pretty mesmerizing guarding him, as it’s impossible to predict his next move yet he is also so good that there is no way to actually stop whatever he decides on doing.

His shiftiness can be partially attributed to his lanky frame and ball control, as he has an extremely wide handle which allows him to shift defenders further out of the way. His ball control with his left hand is incredible, as he is able to quickly get into soft one hand scoops immediately after his final dribble. This ball control also helps him out on the perimeter, as he is able to execute essentially any move you can think of with ease. This frequently gives him access to driving lanes, but he also generates lots of pull-up shooting windows. Jasper has a smooth lefty jumper with a lower set point which allows him to effectively shoot from deep range. He can get into his pull-up off of a variety of moves, and he is comfortable using it after freezing his defender.

On defense, Jasper is capable of guarding wings and guards due to his long frame. His long wingspan helps him rack up lots of deflections, and he is adept at getting wraparound steals when he gets beat off the dribble. He is also a springy leaper which pairs well with his long wingspan, as he is able to rise up to erase shots at the rim on occasion. Jasper has lots of potential as a havoc creator on defense, though he may have issues with screen navigation going forward due to his frame. However, I believe he will be able to compensate with length and improved technique, which could make him a true impact player on the defensive end.

Azavier Robinson

Azavier Robinson was easily the quickest player at this whole camp. His incredible lower body flexibility allows him to get into explosive positions, and his first few steps allow him to consistently leave defenders in the dust. There are not many players at the high school level who are able to get lower on their drives than Azavier Robinson, which essentially allows him to duck under defenders to access difficult driving lanes. He is also amazing at decelerating, as he can immediately stop his momentum to generate more scoring opportunities. In transition, Robinson can shift his defender one way and blow by them within a blink of an eye. Robinson is a walking paint touch when you combine his quickness with his deep bag, which is extremely valuable as rim pressure automatically generates efficient offense. His drives always open up teammates for easy scoring looks, and Robinson has shown lots of comfortability with making flashy interior passes and kickouts. 

Robinson’s vertical leaping is also incredible, as he is able to fly off of two feet and convert shots at the rim. His hang time and body control allow him to create finishing angles that not many others can, and he is able to convert on these with a myriad of double clutch layups. Robinson tends to jump with a lack of mercy for his opponents; other players shy away from contact, whereas Robinson wants the contact. He wants to put his opponents on a mixtape, and he has been successful with this numerous times.
His jump shot is also something worth betting on, as he has extremely smooth mechanics and is very comfortable creating space for his shot. He has some advanced footwork patterns on his drives that allow him to get into clean stepback looks, and he seems to be comfortable shooting off the catch as well. His off catch drives have the potential to be absolutely lethal as time passes, as he is very comfortable getting into explosive positions with his back leg to attack closeouts.

Robinson is also an absolute pest on defense, as his elite core strength and lateral quickness allow him to stonewall drives from even the quickest guards you can find. He has extremely active hands on defense, and he is always looking to make a play on the ball. If he ever takes a gamble, he has the tools to effectively recover on this end to still make a huge impact. Robinson has incredible moments getting up off two to make plays on the ball, as he is prone to get a highlight block every once in a while. Robinson projects to be an immensely impactful point of attack defender at any level he plays at, as he has the frame and quickness to get around screens while having the lateral quickness and footwork to stay in front of drives.

Kaden Magwood

In one of the first drill segments I watched, Kaden Magwood’s confidence and energy immediately stood out. He was confidently going at everybody in this drill, as he would confidently take pull-up jumper after pull-up jumper. There was a point where he missed a tomahawk dunk in transition, dropped down and did pushups on his own volition, then in the very next rep he converted on that same tomahawk dunk attempt. Magwood didn’t look like he just wanted to be there, he looked like he wanted to dominate every matchup he played against.

Magwood is an amazing scorer from all three levels who can also make plays for his teammates off of his own creation. His creativity can be seen in all aspects of his game, as he is an extremely shifty ball handler with a super deep bag of moves to beat his defender. He has a very wide dribble style and loves using wide crossovers, which allows him to get to the rim or into his pull-up. He has a very high set point on his jumper, and he consistently gets lots of elevation in the mid-range. His jumper mechanics are very good for fadeaway jumpers, as the elevation and high release point allow him to shoot over defenders that play up on him. He is also a deadly accurate outside shooter, whether that be off the catch or off of the dribble.

Magwood is also a competitive defender who tries on that end, and he has the lateral movement to stay in front of his matchups. He could be seen consistently walling off drives and making a play on the ball. His lateral movements, hand-eye coordination, and tenacity should make him a strong point of attack defender at any level he plays at. He was also active in rotations and always making the right help defense play, though there were moments of spacing out a little bit. Regardless, Magwood should be a successful off-guard defender who can slide onto tough matchups when asked to do so, and I certainly trust him on this end especially when you consider his offensive output.

Trent Sisley

Sisley is another player who I was a bit familiar with going into this camp, and he certainly stood out in this setting. Sisley could be seen consistently making net-positive plays on both ends of the floor as a versatile forward, which is an archetype that I am a massive fan of. Sisley has an extremely adaptable offensive game as he can play a myriad of roles depending on his supporting cast. He has a great baseline of solid fluidity and touch, and he is a great player off the catch. He always has moments as an outside shooter, and he can hit easier looks off the catch or more difficult ones off movement. Sisley typically keeps the ball moving as well, and he can even hunt mismatches when given one.

His offensive game may have stood out to me first, but he is no slouch on the defensive end. At 6’8”, Sisley is a solid mover on defense and always makes the right rotations. He may not be the most explosive leaper, but he times his rotations well to deter easy shots at the basket. Sisley can effectively guard forwards, though I may not have him guard traditional centers just yet. He has the potential to execute soft switches in late clock situations or make all necessary low rotations, and I believe that coaches will be pleased with his skillset on this end.

Moving forward, I am a big believer in Sisley’s potential to run DHOs with pull-up shooting threats. He will likely be covered by forwards at the next level, and I can see a world where he can easily generate scoring opportunities by faking DHOs and driving by slower forwards. These looks can also lead to him getting open threes, as he can pop off the screen into open space. Overall, Sisley’s well-rounded game can fit on any team that he will play with and I would bet on him to have a long successful career in professional basketball.

Nicholas Randall

Coincidentally, Nicholas Randall profiles into a similar role as Trent Sisley as a versatile forward. Randall was probably Jayden Quaintance’s best matchup at the camp, as there were times that Randall could mimic Quaintance’s physicality to prevent him from getting easy scoring looks. Stopping Quaintance is no easy job, but Randall did about as good as anybody could. He is an impressive lateral mover for a forward, and he excelled in help rotations when playing as the low man. Randall is a good leaper with versatile takeoffs and can time up shots around the basket very well, allowing him to be a good strong deterrent. Whatever role a certain lineup may lack, Randall has the capabilities to step into most roles that he may be asked to play. 

On offense, Randall has a very scalable ancillary game. He does not need the ball to be effective, as he is able to shoot it from outside and cut to the basket for layups or dunks. When he is asked to handle on ball reps, he has the ability to put his shoulder into defenders on drives and can make shots with his soft touch. He is not the most flexible player in the world, but his straight line drives are effective and he can even pull-up from mid-range if given space. Finally, Randall is an improving outside shooter off the catch with clean and consistent mechanics.

Randall profiles into a role that has him setting screens, rolling to the basket, and occasionally making plays off the short roll. It remains to be seen how he will make plays in this area, though I think he has lots of potential to successfully execute winning plays in these situations. His touch should also unlock some scoring opportunities in floater range, and he also has the potential to pop into open space depending on the pick and roll coverage he is facing. I also expect him to be setting many off-ball screens, where he can easily slip to the basket for scoring opportunities or free up teammates for clean looks. Randall has a skill set that every team in the country covets, and I am fascinated to see which path his recruiting ends up taking. 

Austin Sperry

Like some of the other guards I have talked about throughout this piece, Austin Sperry exhibits incredible on-court creativity. Sperry is always using small nuanced movements to free up those around him, and he has many passing deliveries mastered. Behind the back passes in transition or over-head backwards passes to players roaming in the dunkers spot, Sperry is always making a play that leaves many fans in the stands speechless. This creativity translates very well over to his ball-handling, as he has many out of the box dribble combos to free up looks for himself at all levels. Ball control is certainly a marquee skill for Sperry, which shows up in his ball-handling and also his crafty finishing around the rim.

Sperry is also an amazing pull-up shooter who can get hot in an instant. He generates so much lift on his jumper, which lets him free up windows that may not otherwise be possible to shoot from. His shot is mechanically pure and he is able to get it off from range, and he has lots of potential as a movement shooter from outside. Another clear standout trait of Sperry’s is his great feel for the game which he always showcases on both ends of the floor. He has great scoring feel as he effectively gets to his spots, and his court mapping is truly incredible. His constant awareness and understanding of where the other nine players on the floor are at all times is a rare skill, and it helps him become a true master of offensive manipulation and unpredictability.

His feel also shows up on the defensive end, as he plays with a great anticipatory style and can make plays in a variety of different situations. His athleticism also stands out on both ends, as he is an explosive leaper and can cover ground effectively. This ground coverage helps him a lot on closeouts, where he also showcases his solid decelerative tools. Sperry’s combination of feel and physical tools gives him a solid foundation to build off of, and I am fairly confident in Sperry’s overall defensive development moving forward.

2026

DeZhon Hall

Despite being one or two grades below many of his counterparts, DeZhon Hall was a constant standout at this camp. Slashing guards have been a bit of a theme on this list, and Hall is a player who certainly fits into this criteria. Hall is an impressive downhill player in the halfcourt, as he has excellent stride length and overall burst. Deceleration is another strong suit for Hall, as he is able to hit the brakes on the end of his drives to throw off defensive timing. This deceleration carries over to his change of pace play, allowing him to reset drives and pull out some of the counter moves he has in his bag.

However, what truly unlocks Hall’s driving game is his ability to convert pull-up jumpers. Combining elite rim pressure and budding pull-up shooting gives the defense an ultimatum, where they essentially have to pick their poison when defending Hall. His shooting seems to be more streaky than consistent, as he constantly flipped between cold and hot shooting stretches. There were multiple times where Hall was dropping pull-up after pull-up which made him absolutely unstoppable, as when that shot is going you essentially are conceding free points either way. Shooting off forward-moving momentum is a struggle for lots of players, but this is something that DeZhon Hall seems very comfortable with. He is able to organize himself to get clean looks off the dribble, where he is extremely confident as a mid-range and outside shooter.

Defensively, Hall has the potential to be a positive player as a versatile guard defender and defensive playmaker. Hall had lots of moments at this camp applying high amounts of ball pressure, and his overall quickness allows him to do this. There are times where he will get beat off the dribble, but this ball pressure also naturally generates turnovers on less confident ball handlers. Transition defense is another strength of Hall’s, as he is able to make recovery plays on open breaks using his speed and explosive vertical leaping. 

Gabe Weis

Movement shooters with a combination of solid height and fluidity provide latent value in modern basketball, and every team is trying to get their hands on as many of them as possible. These players are typically selected high in the NBA draft due to their lineup versatility, as they often work to ease up the difficulties from other roles. In comes Gabe Weis, who seems to be one of the better players in this mold in the 2026 class. Weis’ combination of touch and self-organization off of movement is fairly rare, and this combination makes him an absolutely lethal movement shooter. When you also consider that Weis is fluid and coordinated enough to attack closeouts off the catch, it becomes easy to see his long term offensive potential. 

Adding onto his impressive offensive arsenal, Weis is a legitimately skilled shotmaker inside the arc, as he is comfortable hitting fading jumpers or floaters. These shots help open up easier drives for Weis, where his impressive stride length and touch finishing allow him to get all the way to the rim. There are moments of improvisational counters from Weis, which is another sign of incredible upside on the offensive end. Playing in a fast paced system could help unlock Weis’ full offensive skill set, as more transition play will help him get more open looks from outside but also easier drives against crossmatches.

Weis is kind of a jack of all trades type of player on defense, as he combines solid length and athleticism with good feel. Teams that covet tertiary rim protection and length will appreciate Weis’ skill set on defense, though I could see a world where he is miscasted into other roles on other teams. I would not have Weis on a player that comes off many screens, as many players with Weis’ frame often struggle to get around screens and effectively lock and trail moving players. Weis should prioritize help defense at the nail, low rotations, tagging roles, and occasionally stopping dribble drives from primarily spot up wings or forwards. 

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