Garrett Tucker:
Future150 Southeast Analyst. Covering high school basketball across the Southeast.
Tavares, FL (Future150) -- Several top players in the country proved their national worth on Sunday in Orlando at the adidas Gauntlet.
With the extended weekend, a hot name continued to boost his stock, an aggressive wing made his case for being the top prospect in the country, and a battle for the top point guard spot in 2016 heated up.
Here are the standouts from Sunday...
Deng Adel, 2015 SF, Florida Elite: Adel capped off an intriguing spring campaign with some great play in Orlando. The 6-foot-7 wing is a rare breed, as he oozes tons of potential but produces and has a nice game. He has shown he can hit shots from three and the mid-range, as well as finish in transition at the rim. The most impressive part about Deng is his motor. During transition, he sprints rim to rim.
Jaylen Brown, 2015 SF, Game Elite: Brown continues his rise to the top of 2015, and he is making his case to be the No. 1 player in the country. The 6-foot-7 wing says that adding strength and getting his body right has helped with his ascension to the top, and I would have to agree. The athleticism and aggression has always been in him, but with Brown’s improving shooting, he has helped sure up the soft spots in his game.
Ray Smith, 2015 SF, Dream Vision: Like Brown, Ray Smith is another explosive scoring athlete that has made some headway in the past few months. The 6-foot-7 wing man has great body control in the air and is dangerous when attacking the rim, but he also can step out and hit shots from the outside. He has cut his list to 10 schools, and whichever school nabs him will have a versatile scorer and athlete.
Dennis Smith, Jr., 2016 PG, Team Loaded (NC): Smith proved a few weeks ago with Team United that he isn’t just an athlete anymore. He has an impressive game, headlined by his speed and quickness. He makes it tough for other point guards to stay in front of him, and at 6-foot-2, he is a tough matchup for others. In Sunday’s action against Game Elite, Smith was 13-15 from the free throw line. His jumpshot has also improved.
Kobi Simmons, 2016 PG, Atlanta Celtics: The other point guard that has been making some noise nationally in Kobi Simmons. The 6-foot-4 point guard continues to prove he can score the ball with some of the best point guards in the country. He excels at getting to the basket, but his 3-point shooting has really improved as of late. His dynamic scoring and skill-set is why the likes of Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky are coming calling.
Austin Conway, 2015 PG, Colorado Hawks: Conway is one of the more talented point guards out West in 2015. The 5-foot-10 guard has great control over the game and chances pace very well. His pass-first instincts are a coach’s dream. He is difficult to slow down with his end-to-end speed, where he sets up his teammates for easy scoring opportunities. He also proved he could knock down some 3-point shots consistently, too.
Kyle Guy, 2016 SG, Indiana Elite: A shooter that is nearly automatic form downtown is Guy. At 6-foot-2 and 155-pounds, Guy is small in stature but brings some loud noise with his shooting. He is very consistent from the perimeter and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. He will have to get stronger to play at a high level, but with his shooting ability, Guy is a high-major prospect.
Thon Maker, 2016 C, Team Loaded (VA): Maker made the most noise over the weekend with his guardian saying that the family was looking at the possibility of reclassing to 2015. However, he made an impact on the court too. In a matchup against De’Ron Davis, both players struggled against the other, but Maker proved he is valuable in all aspects of the game. His length and shot-blocking ability made things difficult for Davis and other players. Combine that with his skills and offensive game, it is easy to see why top-notch programs are currently chasing him.
Julian Miranda, 2016 PG, Urban DFW Elite: Miranda isn’t the best prospect on his team nor is he the best player, but he may be the most valuable. At 5-foot-9, Miranda handles the ball efficiently and controls his team on offense. He has great vision and is able to get his teammates the ball, and he picks his spots as to when he should shoot/score. With a 4.0 GPA, several schools will be looking to picking this pure point guard up in a few years.
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