Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Colorado Springs, CO (Future150) -- Thirty one of the most talented prospects in the classes of 2015 and 2016 are set to do battle over the next few weeks while they fight for roster spots for the 2013-2014 USA Men's Developmental National Team.
The athletes, all of which are 16 years or younger, are headed to Colorado Springs, Colorado where they will train from May 30th-June 6th in preparation for the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Uruguay from June 11-15th.
The competitive trials will whittle the initial roster of 31 down to a final 12 man unit over the next two weeks in prepartion for global competition. Here are five names who could steal headlines starting today...
Josh Jackson, 2016 SG/SF, Consortium College Prep (MI):
The 6'6" wing is a swingman who loves to play physical basketball. He rebounds the basketball at a high rate and can score in a variety of ways. He is also a relentless on-ball defender. Look for him to showcase his improved skills in Colorado.
Derrick Jones, 2015 SF, Archbishop Carroll High School (PA):
The long and athletic 6'6" forward made a huge splash this spring, especially at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest, where he played well enough to add a scholarship offer from Syracuse after the event. The lefty has a big motor and uses his bounce to score everything around the rim, especially put-back layups and dunks.
Malik Monk, 2016 CG, East Poinsett County High School (AR):
The 6-foot-3 combo guard is another prospect who has had a big spring, specifically during EYBL play for his Arkanas Wings 16U team. He is one of the most explosive prospects in the country, but what makes him special is his ability to score the basketball on all three levels. He can beat you off-the-dribble, or he can scorch you from the perimeter.
Harry Giles, 2016 PF, Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC):
Future150's newly anointed #1 prospect in the 2016 class is the 6'9" forward. With Andrew Wiggins headed to college, the hype machine is beginning to take off for the athletic big man, and it's going to be interesting to see just how dominant he can be surrounded by such high-level talent in Colorado Springs. Look for a big training camp for the North Carolina native.
Malik Newman, 2015 CG, Callaway High School (MS):
Nobody has set the EYBL on fire this year as much as the Mississippi guard, who leads the league in scoring at 24.7 points per game. Future150 has had him as our #1 prospect in 2015 for two years now, and everybody else is now following suit. He is a gifted guard who is built for the pro game. After destroying 17U competition all spring, let's see how much damage he can do to this younger crop of prospects.
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