Post-Portsmouth Player Analysis

Tyrese Martin, UCONN

6’6” 210

SG/SF

Senior

Tyrese Martin has NBA size, strength, and athleticism, and an all-around skill-set that could certainly make him a good role player in the NBA.  He was probably the best pro prospect in Portsmouth, leading the way in points, finishing 3^rd in rebounds, and was likely just a good 2^nd half and a team win away from winning the MVP.  

Martin is a tough defender who can guard three positions, and a great rebounder who snatches up way more than his fair share of boards.  He uses his huge vertical to soar above opponents for uncontested rebounds, and he’s especially dangerous on the offensive glass with easy putbacks around the rim.  He uses his length, strength, and quickness to hound opponents both on the ball and in the passing lanes, and his explosive athleticism results in easy buckets and game-changing dunks in transition.

Martin is a great shooter who is shot ready off the cut, and he finishes well around the basket with put-backs and floaters.  He’s a great 3-point shooter who’s also deadly accurate with tough fadaways in the mid-range, and he moves very well to the open space without the ball.  

Martin is a decent ball-handler who doesn’t dribble very often, but he’s capable of driving to the rim and finishing or dropping off a pass to a teammate.  He could definitely stand to be more aggressive looking for his shot or creating for his teammates, a trait that showed itself in his quiet 2^nd half in the championship game. To be fair his coach took him out for far too long, but Martin doesn’t always impose himself as much as he could, and he just doesn’t have the mentality to dominate his opponents night in and night out.  This trait will limit how good Martin can be at the next level, but he can definitely play an efficient role for an NBA team, and he should be drafted.

 

JD Notae, Arkansas

6’2” 183

PG/SG

Senior

Notae is a great ball-handler who can get wherever he wants to go on the floor.  He changes pace extremely well to get by his defender and weave through traffic, and he uses his sick array of moves and great body control to get to the rim at will.  Notae uses his body and strength very well to seek contact and create space to finish at an elite level around the basket, and he’s not afraid to challenge the bigs or finish over them with a floater.  

He’s a very good play-maker and passer with excellent timing on his passes, and he stays on the attack throughout the game and never gives the defense a break.  He’s constantly creating shots for himself and his teammates, and his deadly scoring prowess combined with his fantastic court vision makes life very difficult on his opponents.

Notae is a tremendous shooter with extremely deep range.  He’s dangerous off the dribble and is able to make difficult step-backs and fadaways from three and in the mid-range.  He never loses confidence and always keeps firing away, and he wants the ball and makes big plays with the game on the line.  While his low release could be a problem at the next level, Notae is a scoring machine and tremendous competitor who will find a way to impact the game.  He’ll likely need to work on getting a little more elevation on his shot, but he has the drive and work ethic to do it.

Notae is extremely good defensively as well. Despite his relatively small size, Notae is tough and strong and plays extremely hard.  He’s relentless on the ball and in the passing lanes, and he blocks way more shots than he should at 6’2”.  He was also the SEC steals leader, and he comes up with more rebounds than he probably should.  Notae has an incredible all-around game, along with the competitive drive to make his mark in the NBA for a long time.  

He played his usual game before hanging it up after just one contest in Portsmouth, and while he didn’t shoot it well, he showed more than enough to confirm what I already thought.  He should be drafted.

Jared Rhoden

6’5” 206

PG/SG/SF

Senior

Jared Rhoden has great size, strength, length, and the ability to do most everything on the floor.  He’s an explosive athlete with a great handle that allows him to get wherever he wants to go, and he’s dangerous on every level at the offensive end.  He’s a strong driver who finishes well in traffic and through contact around the rim.  He knocks down mid-range pull-ups, fadaways, and threes, and he creates his own shot with ease.  

He’s extremely dangerous in transition, capable of rising way above the rim to throw down an alley-oop or simply making the right play for an easy bucket.  It’s tough to stop him in the open floor, but when he’s forced to give it up he’s a great passer who can drop it off to a teammate for a better look.

Rhoden is a problem defensively as well.  His size, strength, and quickness give him the versatility to guard three positions, and he wreaks havoc on the ball, in the passing lanes, and defending the rim.  He’s a leader who talks defensively to keep his teammates organized, and he does a great job grabbing lots of rebounds and coming up with loose balls.  Rhoden is a phenomenal competitor who has a chance to play a substantial role in the NBA, and there’d have to be a lot of mistakes made to let him go undrafted.

 

Jamal Cain, Oakland

6’8” 192

SG/SF

Senior

 

Jamal Cain has great size and length, and he’s shown the ability to do most everything well.  He’s a good shooter from all over the floor when he takes smart shots, both off the catch and the dribble, and he’s capable of making difficult step-backs, fadaways, and floaters.  He’s deadly from 3-point range when he’s on and taking good shots, he creates his own shot off the dribble, and he can finish around the basket through contact.

Cain is very athletic, and he uses this athleticism well in all aspects of the game.  He’s an incredible rebounder and versatile defender capable of guarding at least three positions and maybe even four.  He basically played center at Oakland, so he’s had plenty of experience guarding bigger players.  His physicality, toughness, and quick feet allow him to match-up with most players.  He defends the rim with his length and leaping ability, and also will step in and take a charge.  

Jamal Cain certainly has room to improve his ball-handling, passing, and movement without the ball, as well as his general knowledge of the game, but he’s got a lot of tools to work with.  There was some selfish play on his team that almost certainly resulted in less than optimal play from everyone at some points, and I’d look for a little more efficient play out of Cain under better circumstances.

Cain was very good in limited minutes before sitting out his final game in Portsmouth. He shot the ball very well, played tough and aggressively, and generally performed exactly how I expected him to.  I want to see him continue to improve his court vision and move better without the ball, but Jamal Cain is a guy who should be drafted to carve out a role in the NBA.

Keve Aluma, Virginia Tech

6’8” 235

SF/PF

Senior

 

Keve Aluma is a very skilled player who does most everything well, but he likely won’t be able to play quite the same game at the next level.  He often dominated with jump hooks with both hands in the post in college, and while he was able to do some of that in Portsmouth, those kinds of opportunities will be limited by the size and athleticism in the NBA.  Luckily for him he has a lot of other skills to fall back on.

Aluma has great size, length, and coordination.  He’s got a good face-up game in the mid-range, where he’s able to knock down the jumper or find open teammates with great passes for a better look.  He has a really nice touch around the rim with hooks, layups, and floaters, and he’s a good shooter who can make threes.  He handles it well enough to take a few dribbles to create some room for himself, and he’s shown the ability to make difficult step-backs and fadaways.

Aluma is great off the ball, setting tons of screens and staying in constant movement.  He makes great cuts, and he’s able to catch in mid-air and adjust for alley-oop finishes. He’s also a very good rebounder.

Defensively Aluma plays with a high IQ.  He’s nearly always in the right position, and his length helps him come up with deflections, blocks, and steals.  He’s not gonna wow anyone athletically, but he’s solid in all aspects of the game and definitely has a shot to find a role in the NBA.

Aluma shot the ball extremely well in Portsmouth and finished among the leaders in scoring.  He displayed amazing hands while catching everything in sight, and he scored with floaters, hooks, threes, and finishes at the rim.  He played great defense and was seemingly always in the right spot.  Aluma should be drafted.

 

Quenton Jackson, Texas A&M

6’4” 170

SG/SF/PG

Senior

 

Quenton Jackson has great size, speed, length, and freakish athleticism.  He’s extremely aggressive and explosive on both ends, and it’s hard to find anyone who plays with more intense effort than he does.  

Jackson never seems to tire.  He’s extremely quick, physical, and harassing defensively throughout the game, never giving his opponent a second to breathe.  He’s extremely good both on the ball and in the passing lanes, and he’s capable of changing the entire momentum of the game with a steal and ferocious dunk on the other end.

Jackson has a really nice handle and great vision.  He creates plays for himself and his teammates, and while he can get a little out of control driving the ball at times, I love his passion and aggression and expect him to continue improving year after year.

Jackson is an intriguing case.  He didn’t have a great week shooting overall and struggled to finish around the rim, but he was very good from three-point range.  He led Portsmouth in blocked shots and steals, and he showed glimpses of what he could potentially become.

Right now Jackson turns it over too much and needs to clean up his game, but I love his versatility, his intensity and effort, and his lock-down defense.  He’s extremely dangerous in transition, and his phenomenal work ethic will almost certainly result in continued improvement.  He’s a guy who can make life difficult on any opponent, especially defensively, and with a little seasoning Jackson could be a major contributor for an NBA team.

 

Darius Days, LSU

6’7” 238

SF/PF

Senior

 

Darius Days has great size and strength, and a versatile skill-set that could give him a chance to contribute at the next level.  He did a lot of his damage in the post and on the boards in college, using his strength to bully defenders around the rim.  While his post-up opportunities will likely be much fewer as a professional, he also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter.

Days is very active setting screens and moving without the ball, and he’s capable of driving to the basket and finishing through contact.  He displayed good footwork and a nice touch around the rim, and he seeks out the body of his opponent to get himself to the free throw line.  Days has been a very solid three-point shooter throughout his career, and if he continues improving his ball-handling and passing he could certainly find a role in the NBA.

The LSU program has been a disaster in recent times, making it difficult for many players to truly look good on the offensive side of the ball.  Despite this, Days was one of the more efficient players over the course of his time there, and he was a solid team defender as well.

Days looked strong and powerful in Portsmouth.  He put points on the board, rebounded at a high clip, and played with great effort and aggression.  He didn’t shoot it very well, but he’s proven to be a good shooter over several seasons and showed flashes of his versatile skill-set all week.  Days was tough defensively and communicated well on that end, and with a little refinement of his game I think he can find a role in the NBA.

Terrell Brown Jr., Washington

6’2” 179

PG/SG

Senior

 

Terrell Brown Jr is a great ball-handler and scorer who can get his shot off the dribble whenever he wants.  He’s lightning quick and creative with the ball in his hands, and he displays good footwork and crafty moves to get shots off in a wide variety of ways.  He’s really difficult to stop one-on-one, and he’s got a really nice floater and mid-range game.  He shot the ball terribly from 3-point range this season, and while he’ll have to get much better in this area if he wants to play in the NBA, his shot looks good and I think he has a good chance of improving his percentage and carving out a role.

Brown has a slight build and doesn’t seem to love contact, but he’s slippery and continually finds space to operate.  He hasn’t been a great passer, and he hasn’t been great without the ball in his hands, but in Portsmouth he was much better in these areas.  He made great cuts and had some good passes, while showing off his handle and ability to get to the rim and finish.  He led Portsmouth in scoring, relentlessly attacking the defense and finding creative ways to put the ball in the basket.

Although he was the Pac-12 leader in steals, I wasn’t sold on Brown as a great defender coming into Portsmouth.  It’s hard to tell sometimes when a team plays zone, but he seemed to get a large amount of his steals by gambling, which often resulted in him taking himself out of the play and putting his team in a difficult position.

However, his defensive performance in Portsmouth sold me.  Brown was extremely disruptive defensively at the PIT, coming up with many deflections and a few great steals for breakaway layups on the other end.  This guy is a walking bucket and a pest defensively, and with a little more work on his three-ball he could be a dangerous weapon for an NBA team.

Javante McCoy, Boston University

6’5” 173

SG

Senior

 

Javante McCoy was the biggest surprise in Portsmouth this year.  I’d never even heard of the guard out of Boston University before the PIT, but he displayed a fantastic all-around game that could earn him a role in the NBA.

McCoy plays with tremendous effort and stays aggressive on both ends of the floor. Offensively he has a great handle that allows him to get where he wants to go.  He’s able to get all the way to the rim with regularity, where he uses his size, length, and athleticism to finish with accuracy.  He’s got a great floater, and he’s a very good passer who finds the open man when the defense collapses on him.

McCoy is a very good 3-point shooter, and he uses his speed, quickness, handle, and footwork to create good looks in the mid-range.  He’s shown the ability to knock down tough fadaways, and his relentless motor and hustle lead to more than his share of loose balls and rebounds.

McCoy is an extremely tough defender as well.  He’s got the quickness, length, and athleticism to guard the ball, with the quick hands and burst to come up with steals and deflections.  He’s also very dangerous in transition, and he could end up being a steal in the 2^nd round this summer.

 

Charlie Moore, Miami

6’1” 181

PG

Senior

 

Moore’s small stature will likely lead to him being overlooked, but he’s a phenomenal point guard who led his Miami team on a great run to the elite 8.  Moore has a great handle, and he changes speeds really well to get where he wants to go.  He does a great job of breaking down the defense, and he’s an excellent passer who finds the open man when the defense collapses on him.  He has really good timing and pace on his passes, and his quickness and court vision lead to lots of open looks for his teammates.

Despite his height, Moore is able to get to the rim and finish around taller players.  He’s very strong and uses his body well to seek out contact to nullify the shot blockers. Moore is also a great three-point shooter with very deep range, and he can get his own shot off the dribble with the ability to make difficult ones.  He wants the ball in his hands with the game on the lane, and he’s proven to be clutch under pressure on many occasions.

Moore is a tough defender as well, using his quickness and aggression to cause problems for his opponent.  He’s a great competitor who stays on the attack on both ends, and he’s got a ton of experience on the biggest stages in basketball.  

Moore was very good in Portsmouth, easily creating space and keeping his defenders off balance.  He was among the leaders in assists, and he seemingly got to the rim and to his mid-range jumper whenever he wanted.  His quickness and great handle allowed him to consistently create good shots, and while he finished well around the basket with layups, floaters, and mid-range jumpers, Moore really struggled from three-point range.  

While I do think Charlie Moore is a very good shooter, he’s been streaky, and he sometimes struggles with shot selection.  It won’t be easy, but Charlie Moore could certainly carve out a backup role in the NBA if he can hold his own defensively.

 

Taz Sherman, West Virginia

6’4” 175

SG/PG

Senior

 

Taz Sherman is quick, aggressive, physical, and gives tremendous effort on both ends of the floor.  He’s an extremely disruptive defender who stays locked in throughout the game, and he’s stronger and tougher than he looks.  

Offensively he’s a very good shooter with a nice floater.  He’s a decent ball-handler who can create his own shot with a step-back or crossover, but he’s a little undersized as a shooting guard and can struggle against bigger defenders.  He does get great elevation on his shot, and he moves well without the ball and can score from the post or the perimeter, but he’s not a great finisher around the basket, and he’s not a great passer or playmaker.

In Portsmouth Sherman was among the tournament leaders in scoring, making some very difficult step-backs and shooting it well from three.

He also did a decent job making plays for his teammates, but he’ll have to become a much better ball-handler and continue improving as a playmaker to make it in the NBA. Right now he’d be a really solid G-Leaguer.

 

Fatts Russell, Maryland

5’10” 154

PG

Senior

 

Fatts Russell is extremely quick with a great handle, and he’s very aggressive on both ends of the floor.  He moves well without the ball, constantly sprinting around and never giving the defense a second to rest.  Once he’s got the ball he always attacks, and he’s a good finisher around the rim and shooter in the mid-range.  He’s not a great three-point shooter, but he’s good enough to make the defense respect it.  He’s a good shooter off the dribble, and he’s also able to find an open teammate when the shot isn’t there.

Russell fights hard defensively.  His toughness and quickness can give opponents problems, but he’s very small and can struggle to defend bigger players.  

Russell performed very well in Portsmouth and led his team to the championship game. While he didn’t shoot it well, he did a fantastic job getting to the rim and creating for his teammates, using his quickness and great change of pace handle to blow by defenders and break down the defense.  He passed the ball really well and was among the PIT leaders in assists.  He created space with ease and showed off his explosive athleticism.

With his work ethic, Russell has a chance to eventually make an NBA roster.  He could possibly provide a scoring boost off the bench and handle some back-up point guard duties, but he’ll need to keep improving his three-point shot to really make an impact in the NBA.

Devante Jones, Michigan

6’1” 192

PG

Senior

 

Devante Jones has a great handle, and he changes speeds really well to get where he wants to go.  He makes great decisions with the ball in his hands, and he has a tremendous feel for knowing exactly when to drop the ball off to a teammate.  While he’s not very big and can struggle against size and length, he’s strong and tough and doesn’t shy away from contact.  He’s a good finisher around the rim, moves well without the ball, and does everything pretty well offensively.  While he’s not a great three-point shooter, he takes smart shots and plays to his strengths.

Defensively Jones fights hard and plays with a high IQ.  He has quick hands, and he uses his toughness and strength to make life difficult on his opponents.  Jones is a great competitor who always plays with effort and intensity.

In Portsmouth Jones was fantastic, using his great handle and change of speeds to break down the defense and make plays for his teammates.  He was an absolute monster on the boards, finishing 2^nd at the PIT in rebounding at 6’1”.  He moved well without the ball, showed off a nice floater and some good finishing around the basket, and shot the ball pretty well from all over the floor.

Unfortunately his lack of size or elite quickness and athleticism will probably keep him from making it in the NBA, but I wouldn’t totally count him out.  I love his game and think he would make a very solid G-League point guard at the least.

Jamaree Bouyea, San Francisco

6’1” 168

PG/SG

Senior

 

Jamaree Bouyea might have quietly been one of the most efficient players in college basketball, but his lack of aggression at times is very frustrating.  He was likely somewhat overlooked playing for a San Francisco team that isn’t typically mentioned among the nation’s top tier, but he has an incredible impact on his teammates and makes them all better.  The problem is he’s capable of much more.

Bouyea is extremely talented and can seemingly do whatever he wants on the floor. He’s lightning quick with a great handle that allows him to get anywhere he wants to go, and a nearly perfect ability to change speeds to keep the defense off balance.  He uses a deadly hesitation move to lull his defenders to sleep, then quickly accelerates to blow by them.  He plays the game at his own pace, and he can make the game look very easy even against the highest level of competition.

Bouyea can create his own shot whenever he wants, and he’s a very good shooter capable of making shots from all over the floor.  He’s also a great passer with tremendous court vision, and understands the right pace to put on each pass to give his teammates the best opportunity to do something with it.  

He typically starts the game looking to get his teammates involved, but he’s shown the ability to take over when he wants.  He just doesn’t do it nearly as much as he could. He’s an incredibly smart and under control player who takes care of the ball, and he manipulates the defense with ease with his pace and subtle use of head and shoulder fakes.  He sets great screens for his teammates, is a tremendous finisher around the basket, and makes difficult shots in the mid-range look easy.  His deep range on his 3-ball makes him nearly impossible to guard, and he’s proven to be clutch with the game on the line.

Defensively Bouyea is tremendous as well.  He uses his length and anticipation to wreak havoc both on the ball and in the passing lanes, and he’s even capable of defending the rim with well-timed blocked shots.  While he’s not the tallest guard, he’s still a very good rebounder with his timing and length.  

Bouyea left a lot on the table in Portsmouth.  He showed glimpses of his ability to be the best player on the floor at any point, but too often he was content to sit back and pass the ball around.  When he made up his mind to get to the rim and score he could do it whenever he wanted with a variety of floaters and creative finishes, but apparently he wasn’t that interested most of the time.

I love Bouyea’s skill-set and truly believe he was one of the most gifted players in Portsmouth, but his tentativeness was incredibly disappointing.  He could certainly handle some backup point guard duties in the NBA, but his failure to impose his will in Portsmouth concerns me.

 

Payton Willis, Minnesota

6’4” 188

SG/PG

Senior

 

I expected Payton Willis to be one of the standout surprise players in Portsmouth this year, but he definitely fell short of that.  He knew going into every game this season that he needed to be the star, but in Portsmouth he began the week coming off the bench, and it seemed to affect his aggressiveness and confidence.  He broke out with a big performance in his 3^rd game after a quiet first two, but he did show glimpses of all the skills I saw from him this season.  

He’s a phenomenal three-point shooter with extremely deep range, but he’s also deadly accurate with floaters and mid-range jumpers.  He didn’t have much help on a poor Minnesota team, but he did a great job of carrying them and giving them a chance to compete.

Willis is a great ball-handler who can get wherever he wants to go and create shots for himself and his teammates.  He changes speeds effectively to easily get by his man, and he doesn’t need much room to get his shot off.  He gets great elevation on his jumper, and he shows really good footwork while maneuvering his way around the basket and in the mid-range.  Willis is absolutely deadly off the dribble, and he often makes difficult and guarded shots look incredibly easy.

Willis has the size, speed, and quick release to score against anyone, and his accuracy from all over the floor is really impressive.  In a situation where there weren’t a whole lot of other offensive options, Willis consistently found ways to create space and score without taking terrible shots.  He always plays under control at his own pace, and he’s great at keeping defenders off balance and far enough away where they can’t significantly alter his shots.  He also moves really well without the ball, and he makes good decisions and finds the open man when the defense over-helps on him.

Defensively Willis is solid.  He doesn’t shy away from contact, and he uses his quick hands and feet to create problems for his opponent.  He fought hard despite his team’s struggles on this end, and he rebounds really well at the guard position.  

In Portsmouth Willis struggled from the outset and didn’t shoot it well, but he did take care of the ball and did a good job distributing to his teammates.  It was a little concerning that he didn’t make more of an impact, but his breakout in the 3^rd game showed a little more of what he’s capable of.  He’ll likely now go undrafted, but I still believe he has a chance to find his way to the NBA at some point, and I’d be thrilled to have him on my G-League roster to start his career.

 

Jordan Usher, Georgia Tech

6’7” 214

SF

Senior

 

Jordan Usher is probably under the radar due to the lack of success of his Georgia Tech team, but he quietly showed a high-level game at times without a whole lot of help this season.  Usher has NBA size and athleticism and plays with great energy, activity, and effort.  He’s strong, physical, and is capable of doing everything well on both ends of the floor.

Offensively Usher is a playmaker who doesn’t need any plays called for him to make a big impact.  He’s a decent ball-handler and great passer who does a nice job creating shots for his teammates.  He understands when to deliver a pass and how much pace to put on it, and he sees the court incredibly well.

Usher has great elevation on his shot and is a good shooter capable of making difficult shots from all over the floor.  He moves really well without the ball and often finds himself open for threes, which he’s more than capable of knocking down.  His shot looks more accurate than his percentages would suggest, and I think on a better team his accuracy would increase.  He’s got a good mid-range game and has shown an ability to make tough fadaways, step-backs, and floaters both off the catch and the dribble.  He also uses his body and strength well to finish through contact around the basket.

Usher fights hard defensively and is very disruptive both on the ball and in the passing lanes.  His length and activity results in lots of deflections and steals, and he also does a good job boxing out and grabbing rebounds.  

Usher didn’t shoot it well in Portsmouth, but he was quick, athletic, and and aggressive, and showed flashes of all the skills I’d seen from him this season.  He fit in well as a versatile piece for his team, and he has the kind of game where he should be able to make a positive impact most anywhere he goes.  I’d like to see him shoot it a little better before spending a draft pick on him, but it won’t shock me to see him eventually carve out a role in the NBA.

Jeenathan Williams, Buffalo

6’6” 207

SG/SF

Senior

 

Jeenathan Williams has great size, strength, length, and athleticism.  He’s a good ball-handler who can create his own shot, and while he’s probably at his best driving and looking to finish strong around the basket, he’s got a sweet lefty jump-shot that’s accurate from three-point range.  He’s capable of making tough step-backs and fadaways, and displays a great touch on floaters and scoops around the rim.  

Williams is also extremely dangerous in transition, where he uses his size, speed, strength, and athleticism to go coast-to-coast and finish at the basket, and his good passing and court vision to find teammates when the defense forces him to give it up.  He’s very skilled and smart offensively with a nice euro-step and a variety of ways to hurt his opponent.

Williams is also a tough rebounder and defender who uses his quickness , length, and athleticism to guard multiple positions, disrupt the passing lanes, and defend the rim.  I had some questions about his physicality and toughness coming into Portsmouth, as there were times where he seemed to shy away from contact and didn’t always impose his will during the regular season, but he played extremely hard during the PIT and made a big impact on every game he played.  He was certainly one of the best players in Portsmouth last week, and while he may not get drafted, he definitely has a chance to carve out a role in the NBA someday.

 

Jeriah Horne, Tulsa

6’6” 218

SG/SF

Senior

 

Jeriah Horne put on a show with his three-point shooting in Portsmouth.  It seemed like Horne was open all week long, and he made defenses pay over and over again.  He was absolutely deadly from the outside, showing off his extremely deep range to help get his team to the championship game.  Horne has great size and length that allows him to get his shot off, and while he’s not particularly great in the other aspects of the game, his exceptional shooting could earn him an opportunity at the next level.

Horne uses his size and strength to grab his fair share of rebounds, and he’s able to back down smaller defenders and finish with a nice touch around the rim.  He showed the ability to make difficult step-backs in the mid-range, along with the ability to find open teammates when the defense overplayed on him.

Horne isn’t a great defender, but he’s got quick hands and uses his length and strength to keep opponents in check.  Improved conditioning could probably take his game up another level, and if he’s able to put in a lot of work in this area he could definitely find a small role in the NBA.

 

Cole Swider, Syracuse

6’9” 218

SF/PF

Senior

 

Cole Swider is a really good shooter with size who gets great elevation on his shot.  He’s got a quick release and has shown the ability to get extremely hot, but unfortunately he didn’t shoot it well in his first game in Portsmouth before sustaining an injury and missing the majority of his team’s final two games.

Despite missing all seven of his three-point attempts in his only full game in Portsmouth, Swider still found ways to help his team.  He’s a very good rebounder who gets himself in the right place a lot.  He has a knack for finding the open space, and he’s able to score from anywhere on the floor.  He’s got a nice floater and makes difficult fadaways in the mid-range look easy.  He doesn’t handle the ball a whole lot, but he’s more than capable of pump-faking and taking a dribble or two to get himself an open look.  Swider can take it all the way to the rim and finish through contact, but he’s more likely to step-back or side-dribble into a three.

Swider isn’t a great defender, but he understands where he needs to be.  His size and length make him serviceable on this end, but his three-point shooting is the reason why he could get an opportunity in the NBA.  He’s also shown the ability to finish above the rim in transition and make the simple play when needed, so there’s definitely tools to work with here.

 

Michael Devoe, Georgia Tech

6’5” 183

SG

Senior

 

Michael Devoe has always been a very good scorer, but he had a dream week in Portsmouth that culminated with a championship and the MVP award.  While I don’t think he was the best player in Portsmouth, his impact was hard to deny.  Devoe came up huge in the biggest game of the week, getting to the rim at will on his way to scoring 25 points to help seal the championship for his team.

Devoe showed off a very good handle and was able to continually drive to the basket and finish through contact.  He did a great job finding the open man when the defense collapsed on him, and displayed great court vision while distributing the ball to cutting teammates in the half court.  Time and time again he drove by his man and made plays for his team, and it was really kind of baffling how easy he was able to do it.

Devoe didn’t shoot it very well from three-point range in Portsmouth, but he’s proven to be a good shooter during his time at Georgia Tech.  He’s got great size and rebounds well from the guard position, but I do have several concerns with his game.  

Devoe isn’t great without the ball in his hands, and he often stands around and looks lazy at times.  He’s not a great defender either, although he does always seem to come up with a few steals each game.  Devoe could very well use his performance in Portsmouth as a springboard to an NBA opportunity, but his inconsistent effort and failure to win at Georgia Tech would likely keep me from taking a chance on him.  He could potentially be a solid G-Leaguer.

Stanley Umude, Arkansas

6’7” 204

SG/SF

Senior

 

Umude is an extremely versatile role player who can take on a much bigger scoring load at times.  He’s got great size, strength, and athleticism, and he does everything pretty well on both ends of the floor.

Umude is a tough defender who can guard at least three positions.  He’s strong, quick, athletic, and aggressive, and he can make life difficult for any opponent.  He communicates well to keep his teammates in the right positions defensively, and he gets to more than his fair share of rebounds and loose balls.

Offensively he contributes in all aspects.  He moves extremely well without the ball, often finding himself open for easy layups and alley-oops that he usually finishes.  He’s a good shooter with three-point range and great elevation on his shot, and he’s capable of making difficult step-backs and fadaways, many times off of post-ups.  Umude is a decent ball-handler and good passer who can contribute to winning in a lot of ways.

Umude was awful in his first game in Portsmouth, shooting the ball terribly and not making anywhere near the impact I thought he should.  He turned it around in the 2^nd  game,  coming out motivated and showing all the skills I’d seen during the regular season.  He was aggressive and imposed his will on the game, using his elite athleticism to get to the rim, to the free-throw line, and to his favorite spots to knock down shots. Unfortunately he didn’t do a whole lot again in a blowout loss in his 3^rd game, and while I don’t always put too much on a player’s performance at the PIT, this is probably a great representation of how Umude would be in the NBA.  He’s definitely capable of making a contribution at times, but he’s not a guy you can rely on to consistently make a big impact on the game.

 

Alonzo Verge Jr., Nebraska

6’3” 162

PG/SG

Senior

 

Alonzo Verge Jr is a lightning quick guard with a great handle who can get to the rim at will.  He’s an extremely flashy passer with great court vision, but turnovers have plagued him in a career where his teams haven’t won a whole lot.  That all changed in Portsmouth, where Verge came up huge in the biggest game of the week and played a huge role in leading his team to the championship.

Verge played much more of a facilitator role in his first two games, showing off his ball-handling and passing on his way to leading the PIT in assists.  He had the majority of all the best passes during the tournament, and while he did still turn the ball over a little too much, his ability to break down the defense and find an open teammate was crucial to the success of the most unselfish team in the tournament.  I would have never picked his team to win the title going into the PIT, but they were well coached and played the best team basketball, and Verge was a huge part of it.

Despite his small stature and slender frame, Verge fearlessly attacked the rim and used his quickness and length to finish around bigger defenders.  Time and time again he blew by his defender in the championship game, and he seemingly finished everything around the basket in a wide variety of ways.  He played extremely hard and delivered in the game’s biggest moments, and while he rarely took an outside shot all tournament long, an argument certainly could have been made for him winning the MVP award for his performance in the title game.

Verge was very good defensively as well.  His quickness, length, and aggression led to many deflections and steals, and he came up with more than his share of loose balls and rebounds.  Verge was always talking and leading his teammates, and while I don’t see him as an NBA player, he certainly helped himself a lot at the PIT.

 

Ryan Turell, Yeshiva

6’6” 187

SF

Senior

 

I’d never heard of Ryan Turell before arriving in Portsmouth, but the Divison III player from Yeshiva certainly made his mark at the PIT.  His week started with a quiet performance in the first game, but he exploded with a huge performance in his 2^nd one, finishing with five threes and 21 points, punctuated by a shocking 360 dunk just after the final buzzer that instantly made him a crowd favorite.

Turell has great size and sneaky athleticism, and he plays extremely hard with a joy that rubs off on everyone in the gym.  Despite his slender frame, Turell is a tough and physical defender who doesn’t back down from anyone.  He’s a great shooter with deep range, but he also showed he’s capable of creating his own shot off the dribble, displaying great fakes and footwork to free himself for floaters and tough mid-range jumpers.  He’s a solid ball-handler and very good passer who almost always makes the right play, and he followed his monster 2^nd game with a very good all-around performance in the championship.

Turell certainly has the attitude, work ethic, skill-set, and basketball IQ to play professional basketball.  As long as he continues adding strength and working on his game, this Division III player has a chance to play the game at the highest levels.

 

Gaige Prim, Missouri St.

6’9” 238

PF

Senior

 

Gaige Prim is another player I’d never heard of coming into the PIT, but he did a fantastic job of playing to his strengths and leading his team to the championship.  Prim has great size and strength and is extremely tough and physical, and he did a phenomenal job cleaning up the boards and finishing around the rim.  He was fouled a lot trying to score inside, and he was a perfect 15-15 from the free throw line for the week.

Prim is a great passer who developed some impressive chemistry with fellow big man Josh Carlton.  The two of them continually made great passes to each other for easy buckets, and they both made good decisions and displayed sure hands and a deft touch around the basket.  Prim showed off a nice jump hook and fought extremely hard for position inside.  He also ran the court incredibly well, regularly beating his opponent down the floor for easy layups in transition.  Prim has a knack for finding the open space, and while he didn’t take a lot of shots from the outside, he did show the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers.

Prim’s size, strength, and basketball IQ make him a good defender as well.  He isn’t going to wow you athletically, but he understands where to be and does a good job defending the rim.  He probably isn’t an NBA player, but Prim is certainly a smart basketball player who can be a valuable member of a G-League team.

 

Michael Flowers, Washington St.

6’2” 188

PG/SG

Senior

 

I hadn’t seen much of Michael Flowers before Portsmouth, but he was another impressive contributor on the championship-winning Sales Systems team.  He saved his best for last in a nearly perfect performance in the title game, going 8-9 from the field and 5-5 from three-point range on his way to 23 points, three rebounds, four assists, and no turnovers.  Flowers, along with Devoe and Verge, came up with big shot after big shot down the stretch to help the team pull away in the 2^nd half.  While he wasn’t nearly as productive in his other two games, Flowers displayed a very good all-around skill-set and the ability to make big plays when it mattered most.

Flowers is strong and tough with a great handle.  He uses his quickness to get to the rim and finish with clever scoops and reverses, and when he’s aggressive he’s very difficult to contain.  He’s got a nice mid-range jumper off the dribble and is more than capable of making tough step-backs and fadaways, and he was right up there with the best three-point shooters in Portsmouth despite an off-night in his 2^nd game.  He’s also a good passer who sees the floor well and finds the open man when the shot isn’t there for him.

Flowers makes life difficult on his opponents defensively as well, using a tough and physical style to keep them off balance and out of rhythm.  Flowers is pretty small and unlikely to play in the NBA, but he’s a very smart player who can certainly make winning plays at the G-League level or overseas.

 

Josh Carlton, Houston

6’10” 239

PF/C

Senior

 

Josh Carlton has great size, length, and extremely good hands to make difficult catches. He’s a good passer and rebounder who runs the floor and finishes well around the rim, but he often plays too soft and needs to be more physical and make better use of his size.

Carlton quickly developed great chemistry with Gaige Prim in Portsmouth, and the two of them consistently found each other for easy buckets inside on their way to winning the PIT championship.  Carlton finished well around the basket with a wide assortment of dunks, floaters, jump hooks, and putbacks, and displayed great hand and foot coordination to cause problems for opponents all week.  

He rebounded well and did a good job defending the rim and blocking shots, but he was all too quick to sit out for most of the title game after hurting a finger, and I’d very concerned that I’d have to spend too much time trying to motivate him to play hard and compete.  He certainly has the ability to dominate at times when he feels like it, but the problem is he too often doesn’t seem to want it.

 

Jericole Hellems, NC State

6’6” 204

SG/SF

Senior

 

Jericole Hellems is a good three-point shooter with great size and length.  He’s able to handle well enough to get to the rim and finish, and he’s shown a nice mid-range game with the ability to make tough step-backs and fadaways.  He’s had a harder time finishing around the rim than he has from farther out for most of his career, but he had a pretty solid showing in Portsmouth.

Hellems did a good job scoring and rebounding in two of his three games, but he wasn’t super impactful in any other areas of the game.  His length helps him come up with deflections and steals defensively, but he just doesn’t do anything at an exceptionally high level, and he doesn’t appear to have the drive to put in the work to take his game to where it needs to be.  He can probably have a decent career in the G-League, but I’d probably find someone else when looking to fill an open roster spot.

Trevor Hudgins, NW Missouri St.

6’0” 186

PG

Senior

Hudgins has a great handle and crafty footwork that allows him to get where he wants to go.  He’s a very good passer who sees the floor and usually makes the right play. Hudgins shoots it extremely well from three-point range, and showed the ability to finish at the rim and knock down tough step-backs and fadaways.

In Portsmouth Hudgins was tough defensively as well.  He was very disruptive both on the ball and in the passing lanes and was among the PIT leaders in steals.  He displayed good leadership by setting the tone and controlling the pace for his team, and his intelligent play seemed to rub off on the play of his teammates.  

Hudgins isn’t the quickest, fastest, or most athletic guy, and when combined with his lack of size could limit his impact at the higher levels.  However, Hudgins’ strength and high IQ will give him a chance to carve out a backup role, and while I wouldn’t use a draft pick on him, I’d be happy to have him on my G-League roster next season.  

 

Koby McEwen, Weber St.

6’4” 191

SG/PG

Senior

 

Koby McEwen is strong, physical, intense, and extremely athletic.  He’s a good ball-handler who’s quick off the dribble and aggressive driving to the rim, where he seeks contact and finishes well through it.  He’s also a great shooter with deep range and big elevation on his shot, with accuracy both off the dribble and off the catch.  He’s a great competitor who can sometimes get a little too fired up and emotional and lose his cool a bit, but I’d much rather have someone I need to reel in a little than someone I’m constantly having to motivate to play hard.

McEwen is also very tough defensively.  His strength, quickness, physicality, and aggression make life miserable for his opponent, and he’s dangerous in the passing lanes and can change the momentum of the game with a steal and huge breakaway dunk.  

McEwen shot the ball very poorly in Portsmouth.  He played with great effort and intensity as he usually does, and he had his best moments of the week on defense and in transition.  However, he didn’t face the best competition all year, and he didn’t make the kind of impact in Portsmouth I would have wanted to see to consider drafting him. He can certainly play at the G-League level, and he has some tools that could give him a chance at the NBA one day if he keeps improving.  

 

Anthony Duruji, Florida

6’7” 205

SG/SF

Senior

 

It’s a little head-scratching as to why Duruji wasn’t a more effective offensive player this season.  There are times where Duruji looks like a sure-fire NBA player, putting his elite size, length, and athleticism on display to soar above the defense for an explosive dunk, or looking really comfortable knocking down shots from the perimeter.  His shot looks really good coming off his hands, and he’s shown a nice floater and the ability to make difficult step-backs and fadaways in the mid-range game.  

He’s dangerous in transition and sets a lot of good screens, but he doesn’t impose his will nearly enough, and far too often is a non-factor offensively.  He needs to work on his handle, his passing, and probably add some strength, but his lack of consistent production is concerning.

Duruji has all the tools to be a great defender, and while he’s pretty good on that end, you’d hope someone with his elite physical tools would be more disruptive.  He just doesn’t seem to have the mentality to go out and put his stamp on the game every night, and while he certainly has the potential to contribute in a small role off the bench, chances are you can find someone who will consistently be more aggressive and productive.

Duruji only played one game in Portsmouth, where he didn’t shoot it well but did show off his elite athleticism with a few highlight dunks.  I’m not sure why he didn’t finish out the week, but I just haven’t seen enough from him to merit draft consideration right now.  He certainly has the ability to wow you athletically, and he can definitely play in the G-League, but I’d need to see him have a bigger impact at that level before considering him for the NBA.

 

Justin Bean, Utah St.

6’8” 198

SF

Senior

 

Justin Bean plays extremely hard and stays locked in and focused on both ends.  He moves very well without the ball, sets a lot of screens, and he’s aggressive going after loose balls and rebounds.  He’s a good passer with a decent handle who usually makes the right play, but he doesn’t get a lot of elevation on his shot.  He shot the ball extremely well from three-point range this season, but he’ll likely need to work on a higher release to have a real chance in the NBA.

He didn’t look very athletic when I watched him during the season, but he had the biggest highlight in Portsmouth with a massive one-handed put-back dunk where he soared above everyone and completely shocked the crowd.  He proved to be much more athletic than anyone thought, while also endearing himself to the fans by playing through a nasty head wound.  On multiple occasions Bean had to leave the game with blood gushing out of his head, only to return soon after with stitches, a fresh bandage, and the same aggressive play on the court.

Bean is a tough competitor who fights hard defensively and does all the dirty work.  He was tremendous on the boards just as he was all year, and he did a great job contributing in all aspects on his championship winning team.  He showed off a solid handle with the ability to get to the rim, knock down the mid-range jumper, and drop off a nice pass to a teammate, and he really just did whatever his team needed him to do.  

As of now I wouldn’t use a draft pick on him, but with his work ethic and fearless play I’d love to have him as part of a G-League team.  If he can work on a higher and quicker release on his three and still maintain the 47% he shot from distance during the season, he might just get an opportunity one day in the NBA.

 

Grant Golden, Richmond

6’11” 247

PF/C

Senior

 

Golden is a skilled player and extremely talented passer who understands the game. He’s a solid ball-handler who sees the floor well and uses good footwork and pump fakes to score around the basket.  He doesn’t really get off the ground or defend the rim, but he’s usually in the right position and makes good decisions on the floor.

Golden showed off his tremendous passing in Portsmouth and shot the ball extremely well.  He knocked down a few threes, hit a few floaters and mid-range jumpers, and finished around the rim.  He ran the floor and displayed great hands to make difficult catches in transition.  

Golden often punished smaller defenders in college and was definitely one of the best bigs in Portsmouth, but he’s probably not athletic enough to make it in the NBA.  However, he’s extremely skilled and makes his teammates better, and he can certainly help a G-League or overseas team win games.

 

Darryl Morsell, Marquette

6’5” 210

SG/PG

Senior

 

Morsell is a really tough competitor and well-rounded player who didn’t have a whole lot of help this season.  His versatility allows him to play multiple positions on both ends, but he was mostly asked to run the point for Marquette this season.  

Morsell is a good ball-handler and passer with a good feel for what his team needs from him at a given time.  He was forced to be more of a scorer since the Golden Eagles didn’t have a whole lot of guys who could put the ball in the basket consistently, and while he’s certainly more suited to a complimentary role, he did a great job of keeping his team in games and getting them to the tournament.

Morsell uses his strength well to get to his spots, showing a great ability to finish around the rim through contact or pull-up for a floater or mid-range jumper.  He does a great job finding his teammates when the defense collapses on him, and he’s deadly from the elbows when they don’t.  Morsell is not a great three-point shooter, but he plays to his strengths and doesn’t shoot a lot of them, and he did improve his percentages significantly this season.

Defensively Morsell can guard at least two positions and probably three.  He’s strong and physical, and when he’s not asked to be a primary scorer he can be extremely good on this end.  He’s tough both on the ball and in the passing lanes, and if he’s gonna carve out a role in the NBA it will likely be because of his defense and overall versatility. Morsell was solid in Portsmouth, but he’ll likely need to become a more consistent shooter to make his way onto an NBA roster.

Garrison Brooks, Mississippi St.

6’10” 231

PF

Senior

 

Garrison Brooks was incredible in his final season at UNC while leading the ACC in scoring, but he just didn’t have the supporting cast to make him look as good at Mississippi State.  Brooks has good size, strength, and length, and he gives great effort on both ends of the floor.  

Brooks is a tough defender who moves his feet extremely well and is usually in the right position.  He stays engaged and communicates well to help his teammates, and he does a good job defending the rim and cleaning up the boards.

Offensively Brooks is always moving setting good screens for his teammates.  He’s got a really good mid-range jumper and has shown the ability to hit threes, and he handles the ball well enough to create looks for himself.  He’s shown the ability to make difficult fadaways from the post, and he’s good at finding open space and finishing around the rim.  Brooks is just a really solid big man who has a chance to carve out a small role in the NBA, but I probably wouldn’t spend a draft pick on him.

 

Savion Flagg, Sam Houston St.

6’7” 230

SG/SF

Senior

 

Savion Flagg was very impactful without shooting the ball well in Portsmouth. He used his size and strength to dominate the boards, leading all of Portsmouth in rebounding and scoring off some easy putbacks around the rim.  He displayed good court vision to find open teammates, and he definitely left his imprint on the game.

While Flagg showed the ability to make threes and finish around the rim, he just didn’t do it consistently.  He often tried to do too much and took far too many ill-advised shots, while also making some sloppy, lazy passes.  Flagg will need to improve his shot selection, along with becoming a much better shooter and finisher if he hopes to make it at the next level.  He has to make better decisions and focus more on the things he does well until he becomes a more accurate shooter.

 

Abu Kigab, Boise St.

6’7” 220

SF/PF

Senior

 

Abu Kigab has great size, length, and toughness, and possesses winning habits on both ends of the floor.  He stays dialed in and focused at all times, and he’s an extremely smart player who brings great energy and does all the little things that sets a positive tone for his team.

Defensively Kigab is a beast.  While not the fastest or most athletic guy, Kigab always plays extremely hard and physical and fights to make life difficult on his opponent.  He moves his feet extremely well to stay in front of his man, and his length, toughness, and high IQ make him very effective on this end.  He’s fundamentally sound and rarely fails to box out, and he grabs more than his share of loose balls and rebounds.

Offensively Kigab is efficient.  He’s a solid ball-handler and a really good passer with the ability to create for his teammates.  He moves extremely well without the ball with a knack for finding the open space, and he never stops setting screens and balancing the floor for his team.  Kigab never shies away from contact and is very comfortable playing through it.

Kigab plays at his own pace with a crafty ability to get where he wants to go.  His tremendous footwork helps create opportunities to score around the basket.  He’s capable of getting to the rim off the dribble, or finishing with a floater or mid-range jumper or fadaway.  While he’s not a great 3-point shooter and could certainly improve his ball-handling, Kigab plays to his strengths and makes good decisions.

During the season Kigab proved to be a clutch player who loves the big games and wants the big shot.  However, he wasn’t playing against the best competition all year, and in Portsmouth he was solid but wasn’t a major standout.  He did shoot the ball extremely well, including from three, and did a good job defensively as well.  Kigab could certainly find some success in the G-League and has a shot to get an opportunity in the NBA, but I wouldn’t consider using a draft pick on him at this stage in his development.

 

Fabian White Jr, Houston

6’8” 231

PF

Senior

 

Fabian White was fantastic this season in helping his Houston team overcome the losses of two of its best players and make a run to the Elite 8.  White is a strong, tough, and physical defender who is rarely out of position.  He was one of the leaders on one of the best defensive teams in the country, and his defensive IQ led to plenty of steals and blocks.  He fights extremely hard for rebounds and loose balls, and he does all the little things to help his team win.

White took on a much bigger offensive role with the losses of Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark, where he displayed a well-rounded skill-set that could get him a look at the next level.  White shot the ball really well from three-point range, and even showed the ability to put the ball on the floor a little bit.  The threat of his long-distance shot opened up the driving lanes, and he was effective using pump fakes to get by his man.  He developed a nice floater this season, and he finished well through contact around the basket.  However, White struggled late in the season against some of the toughest competition and a few guys with extreme length, and while he was solid in Portsmouth, I think he’s probably a guy more suited to the G-League.

Alex O’Connell, Creighton

6’6” 182

SG/SF

Senior

 

Alex O’Connell is very quick and athletic with a decent handle and a pretty good jump-shot.  He’s capable of knocking down shots with great elevation both off the dribble and the catch, as well as taking it all the way to the basket and finishing above the rim.  He moves well without the ball and isn’t afraid of contact, and when he’s confident and staying on the attack he’s a dangerous player.

O’Connell fights hard defensively and does a good job on the boards.  He’s a good passer and overall can be a really solid contributor in all aspects of the game.  However, his performances were inconsistent all season, and Portsmouth was no different. O’Connell had a really good first game, but didn’t shoot it well the rest of the week and turned the ball over too much.  He can find a role in the G-League, but he’ll have to keep getting stronger and more consistently impact the game if he wants to make it farther than that.

 

Ryan Hawkins, Creighton

6’7” 222

SF/PF

Senior

 

Ryan Hawkins is a very smart and skilled player, but his lack of quickness and jumping ability will limit his professional career.  His basketball intelligence is about as good as it gets, and he always plays extremely hard with toughness and physicality.  He’s locked in and focused throughout every game, and he plays winning basketball everywhere he goes (he won three Division II championships).

Hawkins handles the ball pretty well, and he makes great decisions with the ball in his hands.  He sees the floor and finds the open man, but he’s also capable of driving and finishing with great touch around the basket.  He has tremendous footwork and is an extremely coordinated athlete, skills he surely honed while playing nearly every sport as a kid.

Hawkins moves extremely well without the ball.  He’s always in motion setting screens, and he makes quick sudden movements to create space for himself.  He’s a great 3-point shooter who gets his shot off quickly with accuracy and range, and his size allows him to shoot over smaller defenders.

The problem is going to come on defense.  While Hawkins is a smart team defender in help position, a great communicator and leader, and a tough physical defender, he’s going to struggle guarding the ball one-on-one at the next level.  He simply isn’t quick enough to stay with faster opponents, and unfortunately for him the NBA is filled with incredible athletes.

Hawkins had trouble getting open and didn’t do a whole lot until a huge performance in his final game, where he knocked down five threes on his way to 24 points.  For some reason his opponents decided not to guard him on the perimeter, and he made them pay time and time again.  Hawkins has a game perfectly suited to play overseas, where he should thrive without having to regularly face as much elite athleticism.

 

Alex Morales, Wagner

6’7” 187

PG/SG

Senior

 

Alex Morales has great size and length at the point guard position.  He’s a good ball-handler and passer, and he shows good leadership by constantly talking and directing his teammates.  He’s a high IQ player who put up big numbers in the NEC, but he struggled mightily against Bryant in the conference championship game, going 0-16 from the field in the biggest game of the year.  He didn’t have a lot of help and was certainly ganged up on, but he didn’t respond well and never adapted, his shot wasn’t pretty and often missed badly, and I was concerned how he’d perform against a higher level of competition.  

Morales is a tough defender with his size and length, but he’s not the most physical guy, and again he wasn’t facing college’s best players in his conference.  However, he was very solid in Portsmouth against higher level players, using his size to finish around the rim and create and make open mid-range jumpers.  He’s not a great three-point shooter, but he gets himself in good positions and contributes to winning in a lot of ways. Morales certainly held his own at the PIT, but I wouldn’t consider using a draft pick on him.

 

RJ Cole, Uconn

6’0” 185

PG/SG

Senior

 

RJ Cole is a phenomenal competitor who plays with great toughness and physicality. He’s a really good ball-handler and passer who stays on the attack and has a good feel for what his team needs throughout the game.

Cole plays with relentless aggression and sets the tone defensively for his team.  His strength, quickness, physicality, and constant effort make him difficult to play against.

Offensively Cole does everything pretty well.  He’s a good shooter who wants the big shot with the game on the line, and he’s delivered on plenty of occasions.  He creates good looks for himself and his teammates, and can get to the rim and finish, stop short with a floater, or knock down his sweet lefty jump-shot.  Cole also moves very well without the ball, and is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win.  He’s a good rebounder for his size, and he projects as a capable backup point guard at the next level.

R.J. Cole didn’t shoot it well in Portsmouth and certainly didn’t show his best stuff, but he dished out a lot of assists and took pretty good care of the ball.  He was also solid defensively, and although he didn’t deliver the performances he hoped for, I still think Cole could find his way into a backup point guard role for an NBA team at some point.  I probably wouldn’t use a draft pick on him, but he’s a guy I’d keep an eye on for the future.

 

Brandon Horvath, Utah State

6’11” 200

PF

Senior

 

Brandon Horvath is a smart and efficient role player with great size and length.  He’s a good shooter who can knock down threes, and he finishes with a nice touch around the basket.  Horvath’s size makes him a solid rebounder, and his high IQ results in lots of good passes and decisions.  

He played his usual intelligent game in Portsmouth, and while he’s never going to wow anyone with speed or athleticism, he will make the right plays and contribute to winning in a lot of ways.  His size, length, and knowledge of where he needs to be makes him a solid defender, and while he may not be an NBA player, he can certainly play a role on a G-League or overseas team.

 

Alex Barcello, BYU

6’2” 186

PG

Senior

 

Alex Barcello is a phenomenal competitor who carried his BYU squad for much of the season.  He’s a great shooter with a quick release, but he also has a really good handle that allows him to get where he wants to go.  He’s tough and aggressive and can get to the rim and finish through contact.  He’s got a great floater and a nice mid-range jumper, and he’s shown the ability to create and make difficult shots, as well as manufacture open looks for his teammates.  He’s a great passer who usually makes the right play, and you can always count on him to play with incredible intensity and effort.

Barcello is also a great cutter who moves extremely well without the ball.  He’s a great shooter both off the dribble and off the catch, and he can get really hot from the outside with deep range.  However, he really struggled with his shot in Portsmouth, with the step up in size, speed, length, and athleticism of his opponents causing problems for him on both ends of the floor.  His toughness and physicality make him a solid defender, but he can have difficulties with bigger and more athletic opponents. Barcello is a winner who can certainly help a team succeed, but he’s probably best suited for a career overseas.

 

Tommy Kuhse, St. Mary’s

6’2” 184

PG/SG

Senior

 

Tommy Kuhse ran the show for a very good St. Mary’s squad this season, and he did a great job of playing at his own pace and coming up with big plays for his team in the biggest moments.  He has a very good handle and a deadly floater, and he shoots the ball well from all over the floor.  He shoots a high percentage from three and can make difficult mid-range fadaways, but he doesn’t get much elevation on his jumper and pretty much shoots it flat-footed from long distance.  

Kuhse is efficient offensively and usually makes the right play.  He has very good court vision and does a good job finding open teammates.  Kuhse struggled a bit with the speed and athleticism of his opponents in Portsmouth and turned the ball over a little more than he usually did during the regular season, but overall he was very solid for a team that made it to the championship game.  Kuhse is likely not an NBA player, but he’d be a good role player at the G-League level or overseas.

 

Nate Watson, Providence

6’10” 262

PF/C

Senior

 

At his best Watson is a physical force inside with great size and strength.  He’s a good on-ball defender with quick hands and feet, as well as a good help defender constantly communicating with his teammates and defending the rim.  He boxes out and cleans up the glass, and uses his strength and athleticism to get easy buckets around the basket.  

Unfortunately Watson isn’t always focused and engaged, and he can completely disappear at times.  He’s very effective when he’s locked in and aggressive, but he doesn’t always impose himself and too often is just a big body out there.  Watson isn’t a threat to make shots outside of about five feet, so I’d want to see a much improved jumper and a lot more consistent effort before I’d take a chance on him.

Watson played nearly the fewest minutes in Portsmouth, but when he was on the floor he was very good finishing around the basket.  He displayed some good footwork, a nice jumphook, and was dominant at times throwing down powerful dunks inside.  His mid-range jumper was pretty bad as usual, and although he looked like one of the best big men in Portsmouth for periods of time, I still wouldn’t consider using a draft pick on him.  At the very least Watson will have to become a threat to make a jump-shot, but I’d like to see him be much more consistent in all areas of the game before I’d seriously consider adding him to my team.

 

Malik Williams, Louisville

6’11” 252

PF/C

Senior

 

Malik Williams has great size and length that he uses to grab rebounds and cause problems defensively.  He moves his feet well and defends the rim, but he needs to add strength to his slender build to truly be able to bang with NBA post players.  

Offensively Williams still has a long ways to go.  He’s capable of finishing with the jump hook from the post or finding the open man, but he doesn’t have great touch around the basket and often misses from point blank range.  He’s shown the ability to make threes, but it’s not really the shot you want him taking.  He’s active setting screens but often doesn’t set good ones.  He was also suspended late this season for “not meeting the standards of the team,” so there’s a lot of question marks with this particular player.

Malik Williams shot the ball poorly in Portsmouth, and he spent way too much time on the perimeter looking to jack up threes.  He did rebound well, but he wasn’t much of a factor in any other areas of the game, and with a few other red flags already he’s not a guy I’d be looking to add at any level right now.

Paul Atkinson Jr., Notre Dame

6’9” 227

PF

Senior

 

Paul Atkinson Jr is a smart player and good passer with great size.  He’s active setting screens and grabbing rebounds, and he’s got good footwork and a nice touch in the post.  However, he doesn’t elevate much, and he struggles with turnovers and rushed shots against quicker, more athletic players.

Atkinson fights hard defensively, and he’s a good communicator who talks a lot on this end, but he looked slow this season while sporting a brace on his leg for much of it.  He showed up in Portsmouth without the brace and looked much quicker than he did all season, so maybe there was a lingering injury I didn’t know about, but he still didn’t have a huge impact on the games.  He played with good energy, physicality, and displayed good footwork and finishing around the basket, but I just haven’t seen enough out of Atkinson to have any interest in adding him to my roster.

 

D’Shawn Schwartz, George Mason

6’7” 231

SG/SF

Senior

 

D’Shawn Schwartz is a great-shooting lefty who can make tough shots from all over the floor, but his lack of speed and athleticism will make it hard to get open at the next level.  Schwartz is a decent ball-handler and good passer, but he’s not a great defender, and he’ll need to get much quicker, tougher, and be much more active if he hopes to have a career in the NBA.  

He seemed to box out more and give better effort earlier this season than he did later on, and in Portsmouth he played hard but shot the ball terribly.  Schwartz rebounded pretty well, showed the ability to make tough shots from the post and in the mid-range, and facilitated the offense by finding his teammates for open looks, but he just wasn’t good enough to warrant serious consideration at the NBA level at this point.

 

Jimmy Boeheim, Syracuse

6’9” 221

PG/SG

Senior

 

Jimmy Boeheim is a very good shooter with great size.  He’s good at finding the open space, and his height and quick release allows him to get his shot off.  He’s a good ball-handler capable of getting to the rim or finishing with a floater, and he’s able to post-up smaller defenders and score with a nice touch around the basket.  He’s also a solid rebounder who’s dangerous scoring on the offensive glass.

The problem for Jimmy is going to be on the defensive end.  He lacks quickness or explosive athleticism, and his slow lateral movement will make it tough for him to defend the ball.  He doesn’t make much of an impact on this end of the floor, and it will make him too big a liability to have out there at the NBA level.

Boeheim had trouble getting open and missed a lot of tough shots in Portsmouth, but he rebounded extremely well and did a decent job facilitating for his team.  He was pretty poor on the defensive end as expected, and he’s likely just not athletic enough to keep up with the high level of athleticism here in the United States.  His game is much more suited for the overseas game, and I’m sure he can carve out a nice career somewhere in the world.

 

Jacob Gilyard, Richmond

5’9” 156

PG

Senior

 

Jacob Gilyard is extremely quick with a great-handle, and he can put points on the board in bunches.  He’s a smart player who moves well without the ball, finds open teammates, and plays very hard on both ends, but his lack of size can lead to problems against bigger, stronger, and more athletic opponents.

Gilyard can take advantage when he’s up against slower defenders, but unfortunately he won’t run into a whole lot of those at the next level.  He’s a tough defender with quick hands and feet who comes up with a lot of steals, but his opponents at the pro ranks will be bigger, stronger, longer, and often just as quick, so he’ll likely struggle to defend and get open against most players.

Gilyard shot the ball incredibly poorly in Portsmouth, but his extreme quickness, tight handle, and great court vision and passing were definitely on display.  Being 5’8” myself I hate having to say that a player is too small to make it at the next level, but unfortunately that’s likely the case with Gilyard.

 

Tyson Jolly, Iona

6’4” 201

PG/SG

Senior

 

Tyson Jolly is a strong, athletic guard who can do a little bit of everything on the court. He’s a decent three-point shooter who can also use his strength to post-up smaller defenders, but he shot the ball terribly in Portsmouth.  He was very consistent with his scoring contributions despite his poor shooting, but he failed to make much of an impact in the other areas of the game.  I’d likely be looking elsewhere to fill my roster spots.

Lucas Williamson, Loyola Chicago

6’4” 202

PG/SG

Senior

 

Lucas Williamson is a great defender and intelligent team player who has been a winner throughout his college career.  He’s a solid ball-handler who can get to the rim and finish or drop it off to a teammate, and while he didn’t shoot it very well in Portsmouth, he’s been a pretty good shooter over the course of his career.  Williamson struggled at the PIT and didn’t really stand out, but he can certainly be a good role player at the G-League level or overseas.

Tyrn Flowers, Long Island 

6’9” 204

SF/PF

Senior

 

Tyrn flowers has great size and length and can do a little bit of everything on the floor. He’s got a nice touch around the rim and can shoot it pretty well from the outside as well.  

He’s disruptive defensively with his size and length, but he needs to add strength to be able to hold his own inside at the higher levels of the game.  I’d like to see him rebound a little better, but again he’d probably need to get stronger and add some weight to really do that.  Flowers is a smart player capable of contributing in a lot of different ways, and while he had a decent showing in Portsmouth, he has some work to do to make a big impact at the G-League level or overseas.

 

Trent Frazier, Illinois

6’2” 173

PG/SG

Senior

 

I’ve seen Trent Frazier at his best.  When he’s on and has his really confident handle, he’s capable of creating shots for himself and his teammates.  He can change speeds quickly and blow by his man, get all the way to the rim or pull-up for a mid-range jumper.  He can make difficult shots look easy, and he wants the ball with the game on the line.

The problem is he’s streaky and inconsistent, and when he’s off he’s REALLY off. Unfortunately he shot the ball very poorly in Portsmouth, which was really just an extension of what he’d done for large chunks of the season.  He was in a shooting slump coming into the PIT, and it continued throughout the week.  He had a few games where he rebounded well and found teammates for open looks, but overall he just wasn’t very impactful for a team that lost every game.  I’d want to see his shooting percentages rise significantly before taking another look.

 

Dallas Walton, Wake Forest

7’0” 222

PF/C

Senior

 

Dallas Walton has tremendous size and length, and if you catch him in the right small window of time you might think he’s a potential starter in the NBA.  He’s shown the ability to knock down the three, pump fake and drive, and finish high above the rim with huge dunks.  He can dominate the boards, knock down the mid-range jumper, and deter opponents at the rim.  The problem is he’s maddeningly inconsistent.

Walton can run the floor extremely well, and at the heights he can reach there aren’t many who can contest an alley-oop in his direction.  He’s had stretches that wowed me when he was locked in and motivated, but I’ve seen enough to know that he’s typically not assertive.  He can get taken out of the game by physical defense, and his subsequent tentativeness typically leads to easy misses and reduced aggression.  

He shot the ball very poorly in Portsmouth, and although he rebounded fairly well, he missed an opportunity in a situation where he had the ability to use his size to impose his will.  It seems like he just doesn’t have the mentality or the desire to use his skills and physical gifts to dominate basketball games, and that’s okay.  However, I want my center to feel differently.

 

Courtney Ramey, Texas

6’3” 181

PG/SG

Senior

 

I’ve been watching Courtney Ramey for years, and most of what I remember isn’t good. I’ve seen him play super aggressively and catch fire offensively, driving and finishing at the rim and knocking down shots in the mid-range and from three.  I’ve seen him with the ball on a string and the feeling that he’s truly the best player on the floor.  The problem is he usually isn’t.

He’s had a problem with shot selection throughout his career, and also with his attitude and his relationships with coaches and teammates at times.  While he didn’t exhibit a lot of the same issues in Portsmouth that I’d seen from him in the past, he simply wasn’t very impactful.  He did play harder defensively than I’ve ever noticed him playing, and he rebounded well and appeared to be a great teammate over the course of his three games, but I’d need to see him play smarter and shoot better before adding him to a roster.

Nysier Brooks, Ole Miss

7’0” 252

PF/C

Senior

 

Nysier Brooks is extremely long and athletic with great size.  He plays with great energy and effort, rebounds well, and defends the rim.  He seems to be a great teammate who contributes to a positive environment with lots of encouragement, but his offense needs a lot of work.

Brooks played his typical game in Portsmouth as a good rebounder and energy guy who blocks and alters shots at the rim, but he struggled to finish or even catch the ball around the basket.  He had a few nice jump-hooks, but he missed a lot of point blank shots that have to go in if you’re going to be a professional basketball player.  He has to develop a jump-shot and get much better at finishing around the rim before I’d consider him for much of a role, but with some improvement he could be useful in specific situations for short periods of time.

 

Silvio De Sousa, Chattanooga

6’8” 235

PF/C

Senior

 

Silvio De Sousa didn’t play a whole lot of minutes at the PIT, but he sure did pick up a lot of fouls.  De Sousa is very strong, athletic, and plays with great energy and effort.  He’s tough and physical on both ends of the floor, but the problem is he’s not very skilled.

There are times when De Sousa dominates the boards and gets easy buckets at the rim, oftentimes ferocious dunks that can intimidate opponents and change the momentum of a game.  Unfortunately he’s very inconsistent, and often gets himself in early foul trouble that forces him to tone back his physical, aggressive game.  With his greatest asset taken away he’s not very good, so until he develops a jump-shot and finds the balance to avoid too many whistles against him, I’m looking elsewhere.

 

Bryce Hamilton, UNLV

6’4” 201

SG

Senior

 

Bryce Hamilton has a great handle and can easily create his own shot.  He’s an explosive scorer and a really good one-on-one player, but his poor shot selection and decision-making continues to hold him back.

Hamilton can get wherever he wants to go on the floor.  He can get all the way to the rim and finish, stop short with a floater or mid-range jumper, or knock down threes off the dribble.  He can score against anyone with his wide array of crafty moves, but most of the time he needs the ball to be effective offensively.  He needs to move better without the ball, and he has to learn to find open teammates instead of taking low-percentage shots, but throughout college he hasn’t improved much in these areas.

Hamilton has the tools to be a good defender, but he loafs around on that end far too often.  He seems to be constantly waiting to get the ball back so he can score, and while he does that very well, the rest of his game is far behind.  Hamilton has the ability to do everything well, but he’s confident to a fault, and his teams haven’t been very successful.  

Hamilton was a complete non-factor in Portsmouth and shot the ball terribly from all over the floor.  It was a nightmare week for him at the PIT, and at this point I wouldn’t be looking to add him on my team at any level.  

 

Ty Gordon, Nichols

6’1” 200

PG/SG

Senior

 

I’d never seen Ty Gordon before the PIT, but he was tough and strong and played with great energy and effort.  He had a good handle, was a physical defender with quick hands and feet, and did a good job on the boards as a 6’1” guard.  However, he shot the ball poorly, was sloppy with his passing and decision-making, and really struggled overall for a team that lost all three of its games.  I’d need to see him dramatically raise his shooting percentages and take better care of the ball before considering him for a roster spot at any level.

 

John Fulkerson, Tennessee

6’8” 208

PF

Senior

 

If you just seek out clips of Jimmy Dykes gushing about “Fulky” you might think he’s a certain NBA draft pick.  It seems like the man with a catchy moniker might have peaked a couple years ago, and while he’s still capable of inspired performances where he plays so hard that he puts his stamp on the game, he’s more likely to struggle offensively and not be much of a threat to score.  

He typically plays with great energy and effort, which he did in Portsmouth, but he had some terrible point blank misses, bad passes, and generally just never looked comfortable out there on the floor.  Fulkerson rebounded decently and clearly gave great effort, but he just wasn’t very effective on a team that lost all three games. Fulkerson had some magical performances at home in rowdy energetic environments against some of the best teams in college basketball, but without the same kind of frenzied atmosphere, he rarely delivers the same kind of production.

 

Rocky Kreuser, North Dakota St.

6’10” 236

PF/C

Senior

 

Rocky Kreuser only played 16 minutes in Portsmouth before disappearing for the week. Although he looked strong and rebounded extremely well in his short time on the court, he missed a lot of shots, included five threes, and didn’t do a whole lot else.  While it appears he was a pretty good three-point shooter during the season at North Dakota State, he struggled in his few opportunities against higher level competition, especially in a complete stinker in a 50-point blow-out loss to Arizona, and his brief showing at the PIT didn’t do anything to help his cause.

 

Nick Muszynski, Belmont

6’11” 241

PF/C

Senior

 

Nick Muszynski has great size and a nice touch around the rim.  He sets good screens and has shown a nice mid-range jumper with the ability to make threes.  He’s a good passer and a decent rebounder with his size, but he’s often too tentative and doesn’t use his strength well.  He’s just not tough enough, not athletic enough, and seems to shy away from contact for the most part.  He’s a skilled player who dominated at times in a conference without a lot of good big men his size, but at the higher levels he’ll face much bigger and more physical players.  Right now he’s just not assertive enough.

Isaiah Whaley, Uconn

6’8” 213

SF/PF

Senior

 

Isaiah Whaley is a freak athlete who rebounds well and can wow the crowd with highlight reel blocks and dunks.  His length and impressive quickness and jumping ability make him a very good defender, but unfortunately he’s a very poor shooter and ball-handler.  He had an especially difficult time in Portsmouth, airballing a free throw and missing badly on a slew of other shots from the field.  He’s got to develop his hands and become a much better shooter before he can truly find a major role in professional basketball.

 

Others Who Were Originally Announced but Pulled Out or Declined…

 

Kameron McGusty, Miami

6’5” 190

SG/PG

Senior

 

McGusty is one of the most skilled offensive players in the country.  He’s got great size, length, and athleticism, and plays with a smooth fluidity that’s beautiful to watch.  His handle allows him to easily create his own shots, and when he’s dialed in he’s often capable of being the best player on the floor.  He’s very difficult to stop one-on-one, and he’s able to get wherever he wants to go and score from anywhere on the court in a wide variety of ways.

When he’s at his best, McGusty can manipulate the defense and make the right play. When he decides to attack the defense is forced to help on him, and he has the ability to find open teammates when the shot isn’t there for him.  If no help comes he can get to the rim and finish, stop short with a floater or mid-range jumper, or face-up and knock down the three.  He can even score from the post.  There’s nothing he can’t do offensively, but he doesn’t always play as hard as I’d like, and he can sometimes get lazy and careless with the ball.  

Defensively McGusty has all the tools to be great.  His length and athleticism make him a problem both on the ball and in the passing lanes, and when he’s motivated he’s very difficult to play against.  He was great in the NCAA Tournament while leading his Miami squad to the Elite 8, and he can certainly provide a big-time scoring punch for an NBA team, but his effort and attention to detail will be the deciding factors in just how good McGusty can be at the next level.

 

Geo Baker, Rutgers

6’4” 185

PG/SG

Senior

 

Geo Baker has great size and length, and often plays his best in the biggest games.  He’s a clutch player who wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line, and his good handle and ability to change speeds and direction effectively allows him to create shots for himself and his teammates.  

His size gives him the ability to get to the rim and finish among the trees, or pull-up and shoot over the defense.  His size and court vision make him a good passer and playmaker, and his length results in many steals and deflections on the defensive end.  

Baker can be a streaky shooter at times, but we he gets hot he can put up points in a hurry.  He’s a good three-point shooter with deep range, and he’s capable of making difficult step-backs and fadaways.  He’s got a chance at a backup role in the NBA.