NBPA Top 100 Scouting West Coast/International Standouts
The NBPA Top 100 camp took place last week from Wednesday through Saturday at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. The goal of the camp is to take some of the best talent around the country and have them compete in a controlled environment, all while learning from current and former NBA players what it takes to make it to the NBA and what it’s like once you make it there. The atmosphere was great, as there was tons of talent throughout the gym, national scouts everywhere and competitive games from the beginning to the end. It was a great place to evaluate, and over the next few days I will be giving my take and breaking down the game of some of the top performers I saw (there was no way I could see everyone). Here’s a look at five of the best prospects from the west coast and international areas.
Cassius Stanley | 6’5” WG | Harvard-Westlake 2019 (CA)
One of the best non seniors at the event, Stanley left scouts and coaches shaking their heads with his mix of athleticism and skill set, all while making it look so effortless. The wing out of Hollywood made the All Star team by averaging 11.3 points on just over 50% shooting from the field, and his competitiveness and ability to make plays in transition will translate seamlessly to the next level. He was unstoppable when attacking downhill, where he was able to show his natural ability scoring at the rim and his strength from his college ready frame. As just a rising junior, expect Stanley to be touted by almost every high major college program moving forward.
Leandro Bolmaro | 6’7” WG | Argentina (Int)
If he was from the US, Bolmaro would have been one of the most talked about prospects at the camp with his big frame and playmaking ability. Across the board he checks everything we look for in a collegiate prospect. He has a great frame for a wing with good length, made winning plays and was always in control, especially in transition where he dropped a number of point guard like no-look dimes to get his teammates easy shots. He shot it well from all three levels, and his overall feel for the game was something that was fun to watch. Since he wasn’t a big name or well known coming into the event it was almost like he was froze out, never getting more than five shots and only playing more than 25 minutes in one game, and while he likely won’t choose to play collegiate basketball he’ll have a good shot at being a pro whether it’s in the NBA or overseas somewhere.
Matt Van-Komen | 7’2” C | Pleasant Grove 2019 (UT)
Many were saying that he was only at the camp because he was 7’3”, but after watching him extensively I was sold that this kid has a bright future as a rim protector and presence on both ends in the paint. He was second in the camp in blocks at 1.5 per game, and he was fearless as everyone targeted him as a possible highlight if they could catch a body on him. In one game, there were three straight possessions in which someone tried to catch him coming help side or in transition, and he stood tall and sent it back on all three plays. Even more impressive was how active he was. Things that didn’t show up in the stat sheet, like fighting for a 50-50 ball or tapping a rebound to keep it alive for a teammate were things that he did regularly, and whether others noticed or not it was big for his team to help them make runs. He also showed decent touch in the paint with both hands, and with continued development he will likely see many more offers than the single one he has from Baylor right now.
Matt Bradley | 6’4” WG | Wasatch Academy 2018 (CA)
The Cal commit went from relatively unknown to a household name when he hung 30 on the Compton Magic and showed he wasn’t intimidated by them, and while he didn’t put up huge scoring numbers like that at the camp he showed that he’s a two way impact player that can be a key cog on a winning team in many ways. The first thing you see in Bradley is that he’s cut up like a prize winning fighter, and he plays with the same toughness. He was one of the best defenders at the event, and showed that he can guard multiple positions and provides that Tony Allen type of in your face, physical presence on the other team’s best player. He’s also a tough finisher in traffic, and whether he was getting a lot of looks or not he found ways to make an impact whether it was on the defensive end, the glass or just bringing energy as a whole. If he can continue to improve his jump shot, he’ll be a really good four year player in the Pac 12.
Jules Bernard | 6’5” WG | Windward 2018 (CA)
An effortless scorer that came in with the reputation as a sharp shooter, Bernard showed that he can fill it up in a number of ways and from anywhere on the floor. He opened the camp with a big 21 point outing, and he scored in double figures in eight of his nine games in the event. He didn’t shoot it particularly well from deep, finishing 9-for-29, however he did attack the basket well and got to the line and converted extremely well, finishing the camp 36-for-41 from the stripe. He also showed that he was a good rebounder for a guard, finishing with just over 4 rebounds per game. He has to work on valuing every possession, but he’s a naturally gifted scorer that wakes up and gets a bucket, meaning he should be an immediate impact whenever he steps on a college campus.