Final weekend had a nostalgic really feel to it as a result of it’s been some time because the business had excessive stage grassroots video games in July in Las Vegas. From The Sportsradar Showdown to the Las Vegas Huge Time, and Elite 64 Summer season Championships, the gyms with filled with school coaches.
Let’s recap what I noticed and hand-out some evals.
Larry Johnson, DeMarco Johnson Shine With The Cali Stars
Premier gamers of their revered class, Larry Johnson (2024) and DeMarco Johnson (2025), suited up with the Cali Stars on the Elite 64. It’s fascinating watching Larry Johnson play. A right-handed guard that closely prefers attacking left. He thrived in transition as a ball handler, passer and finisher. Holds a fast first step and may get to the rim and end. Larry Johnson’s pull-up sport is stable and may join when the defender performs the drive. Like his size, athleticism and rim strain he fingers out. One of many shiftier guards I acquired to judge this weekend was DeMarco Johnson. Can actually break his defender down off the bounce and end across the rim in an array of the way. Vast cross-overs, cut up double groups and may simply generate his personal look. DeMarco Johnson acquired a suggestion from Illinois and Virginia Tech after his performances.
Isaiah Harwell Places On Present
I take pleasure in watching the Utah Prospects group as a result of they play the suitable manner. They transfer the basketball, staff defend, talk and most significantly they make pictures. All have been the substances of their profitable Summer season with a Adidas 3SSB Title and a championship sport look on the SportsRadar Showdown. The principle participant to notice is five-star 2025 guard Isaiah Harwell. His sport retains sharpening up every time I see him. The passing is what caught my eye, as he set-up his teammates to be in preferrred scoring alternatives within the half-court and in transition, advance the ball to get simple and fast buckets. Harwell additionally exhibited his scoring prowess. Coming off a pick-n-roll and join, in isolation, or use top and dimension benefit within the mid-post. I additionally like his offensive versatility and progress in his deal with and choice making.
Sportsradar Showdown Evaluations
Derik Queen, 6’9 2024 PF – Crew Thrill: Was a person amongst boys. Finest participant/performer on the occasion. Led his staff to a championship this weekend. Couldn’t cease him on the block from scoring or when he’s going through up due to his superior footwork, contact, passer imaginative and prescient and I.Q. Not a complete lot that must be stated about him. Was considered one of, if not probably the most, dominant participant I’ve seen this summer time.
V.J. Edgecombe, 6’5 2024 SG – Southeast Elite: There’s an argument that he could also be the perfect 2024 participant within the nation. A legit one. Now that might not be the case proper now, however V.J. is a participant! Athletic guard with highly effective finishes. Can create and rating, embraces taking part in protection and is disruptive as an on-ball and staff defender. He performs with an edge, and has polished up his sport immensely since my first viewing of him final September.
Jamie Vinson, 2024 6’10 PF/C – Southern Assault: Discuss enchancment, Vinson has discovered learn how to persistently be productive on the ground. A stretch massive that’s a dependable shooter as a pop-trail man. He has stable size to his body and that permits him to change pictures on the rim or when he’s closing out on a shooter. He nonetheless might get more durable and get his motor up in bigger spurts, however his presence is exhibiting extra in video games than it has been up to now.
Dillon Battie, 2024 6’6 Tweener – Crew Trae Younger: Can influence video games with out even scoring the ball. Athletic, powerful 4/3 tweener that’s a succesful, switchable defender, above the rim finisher and an improved ball handler that appears to assault and rating on the rim from the wing. Capturing continues to be within the works and desires enchancment, however he’s a extra comfy shooter in comparison with the previous.
Modou Thiam, 2025 6’5 Guard – NBA Academy: I just like the lefty two-guard’s sport. Succesful shooter from the surface, holds high quality size and vertical pop. Confirmed off on-point passes and good reads when driving to the cup. I consider there’s upside with the playmaking down the street.
Khaman Maluach, 2025 7’1 C – NBA Academy: The massive fella was a rim deterrent. Any shot within the paint, he was trying to reject. Cellular, high quality vertical athlete that communicates nicely on protection and is okay guarding ball screens. Offensively has some methods to go, however was efficient as a finisher on the dunker spot and as a lob menace.
Efeosa Oliogu, 6’6 Wing – Canada Elite: Huge time athletic wing that could be a terror when he can get a sniff of the rim. Robust finisher off two toes that embraces contact on drives and attracts fouls as a result of he can maintain a defender on his hip. He can hit the open three or mid-range pull, which permits him to have the ability to get to the rim and rating as a result of the defender can’t give him an excessive amount of area.
Sir Mohammed, 6’6 Wing – Crew Curry: Son of former NBA participant Nazr Mohammed. Sir Mohammed is an enormous, playmaking wing with a powerful body. Makes use of a mixture of drives, drive to post-ups to get to his spots, survey the protection and make a play. Can thread the needle on passes, zips the ball to his teammates and as he improves as a shooter, I feel his sport can open up much more.
Flory Bidunga, 6’9 C – Indiana Elite: Athletic, lefty massive man that’s fast twitched. Appears to be like to dunk the whole lot,can catch the whole lot in his space, block something he might. The general skill-set continues to be a piece in progress, however Flory nonetheless is a hard-working athletic finisher that’s the most effective gamers in 2024.
Sunday Evening At Huge Time Was One To Bear in mind
Kiyan Anthony/Bryce James Eval
Bishop Gorman Excessive College was the place to be on Sunday night time because the fitness center was packed to see 2025 Bryce James (LeBron James’ son) and Kiyan Anthony (Carmelo Anthony’s son) staff up with Attempt for Greatness to play JSizzle (Jalen Sugg’s program). Each time I’ve seen both Bryce or Kiyan play, I financial institution on them attracting a big crowd on the court docket and this sport was no totally different. I wish to take a dive on their efficiency and general sport so let’s get to it.
Bryce, who’s actually 6’4 (possibly 6’5) however has a physique of a child that’s nonetheless rising so the present exaggeration of the 6’6 billing, I do consider he might attain or surpass as he will get older. Anyhow, he began out scorching, pushing the ball in transition and attending to the rim and finishing with finesse finishes. He splashed his mid-range sport and spot up taking pictures. When his toes and steadiness and proper, he can join on pull-ups and catch-n-shoot threes. Within the second half he wasn’t as productive offensively, because the ball strain utilized acquired tighter. His deal with at the moment isn’t nice versus strain, translatable size and physicality, so it limits his means to generate his personal look however I really feel that’s nice as a result of he’s higher as an off-ball cutter and spot-up man plus he has an understanding of attempting to do different issues when he’s not scoring.
Kiyan was extra assertive with the ball and excels as an outdoor shooter. Utilized dimension benefit when he might, as he used his size and improved vertical bounce to complete over smaller defenders. The surface taking pictures is actual as he can join from past the 3-point line and his deal with, albeit nonetheless has some methods to go with regard to being a major ball handler and be extra environment friendly attending to spots, has improved and he appeared extra comfy on Sunday being the principle ball handler and initiating offense. Total, an enchancment from what I noticed within the Atlanta and Dallas EYBL Classes.
With the legacies of their father’s, the limelight will all the time be on this duo, particularly after they get on the court docket. They’re each Division 1 prospects, the place their sport will get to on the finish, time will inform. I do consider it’s not clever to closely critique their video games, because it’s not sensible to herald them as future bonafide execs. They acquired some methods to go like a variety of rising juniors do, some are simply additional alongside than others, plus the 2025 is a loaded crop and there’s a sturdy depth of men that may actually play and have a variety of upside, too. So let’s simply wait and see the way it pans out for them like we do for almost all of prospects.
Now To The Recreation
I talked in regards to the scorching begin Kiyan and Bryce had within the sport because the SFG leas was prolonged to 18 factors. 2025 Brayden Burries performed an enormous position for SFG as he’s an enormous guard that rebounds very nicely for dimension and place. He’s assertive with the ball in his fingers and will get paint contact after paint contact. His motor combined along with his ball-skills, rebounding instincts, ending prowess and passer imaginative and prescient was on show.
JSizzle didn’t hand over although and this sport was determined by just one level on the finish. 2026 Jayden Moore performed a big-part in his staff’s comeback as he constructed an outstanding efficiency. A speedy guard that scored it in a number of methods. Has a big-time first step, sturdy floater and runner sport, succesful to streaky 3-point shooter and general, he is unselfish. Is aware of when to let his teammate function and rating, as he communicates and offers them the arrogance to consider the following shot goes in. Simply me nit-picking, I did need him to take over extra along with his scoring within the final 4-5 minutes of the sport, however I like how poised he was for a rising sophomore in a packed fitness center and his understanding of time and possessions is superior for a participant his age.
One participant I did wish to be aware that I assumed was very stable on this matchup was 2025 Bryce Cofield. A bodily wing prospect at 6’6 that completed by means of contact. He had well timed makes contained in the arc, offensive rebounds that allowed his staff to get second and third likelihood alternatives when the opposition was making a run. Little issues he did impacted the result for my part.
NightRydas 16U vs Phenom United 16U
I usually wouldn’t be on the fitness center at 8:50pm on a Sunday, but when Cam and Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Jalen Haralson are going to be on the court docket at the moment, I’m sitting on the bleachers. NightRydas had management of the sport for probably the most half with Phenom making runs to maintain themselves in placing distance. Cam Boozer is considered one of, if not probably the most environment friendly and full participant in highschool basketball no matter class. Rebounding, handles it nicely for dimension, shoots it, posts up and scores, a helluva outlet passer and general passer interval. Oh, and he simply turned 16. It appears like the sport comes simple for final season’s Mr. Basketball USA. His brother Cayden performed nicely, too. He’s a powerful guard that makes use of contact as a bonus to create area and rating across the rim. He’s additionally a guard that may make defenses pay when going underneath on ball screens, as Cayden has made a reputation for himself along with his play. Alexander Lloyd I used to be very impressed by. NightRydas play quick and in transition, Lloyd is a standard goal of Cam’s outlet passes that result in finishes. Runs the ground, performs with size on each ends, could make open shoots from deep and is aware of learn how to play off the ball. Excels in his position and performs to his strengths.
On the opposite facet, I assumed Peterson was very spectacular. An enormous guard at about 6’5 that may rating and play-make. Operates comfortably as the first ball-handler and will get to his spots effortlessly to realize a shot he needs. He enjoys making performs for others, however understands his passing will result in simpler scoring alternatives for himself later within the contest. High level guard within the class of 2025 and one of many prime tier of prospects within the nation. There’s a lot to love with Haralson’s sport as he has good dimension, lengthy arms, and a powerful body. A play-maker on the wing. Good choice maker coming off ball-screens, can get to the rim in isolation and general a tricky cowl with dimension, superior deal with and really feel for the sport.