Francisco: Summer Sleepers (Class of 2019)
In this day and age where prospects are getting noticed at a much earlier age than in the past—social media being one of the primary culprits of this movement. However, there are always a host of youngsters that are late bloomers or to put into basketball terms—“Sleepers.”
Below are group of players that showed signs this summer that their best basketball days are definitely ahead of them. During the months of June and July and I was able to put on some serious miles on the old Chevrolet Silverado and take in the emerging talents of the following Southern California prospects who are primed for a big season ahead.
Summer Sleepers (Class of 2019)
Isaiah Pope (Orange, CA/ Orange Lutheran)
2019, PG, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Looking for a rangy point guard prospect who actually can play both guard positions at the next level. He plays the game a good pace, changes speeds well, and his savvy for the position is impressive. He needs to improve his “burst” off the dribble, but he’s a prospect that is worth monitoring in the next couple of seasons.
Giordan Williams (Long Beach, CA/ Poly_
2019, SG, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
Joel’s Take: Williams is a product of one of the most storied high school programs both regionally and nationally. He is an athletic 2-guard with good length and quickness. He can knock down the 3-point shot and is improving his ability to beat opponents off the dribble. Defensively, he slides his feet well and has active hands.
Chris Koon (San Pedro, CA. Rolling Hills Prep)
2019, WF, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: The first adjective that comes to mind when describing Mr. Koon is “basketball player.” The burly left-handed wing-type affects the game with his basketball IQ, assertiveness, and scoring prowess. A typical sequence for Koon would be snatching a rebound, leading the break, and he’ll either drop off a nice dime or convert the basket.
Sedrick Altman (Ontario, CA/ Colony)
2019, CG, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
Joel’s Take: Altman is a chiseled combo-guard who is an exceptional athlete. He has a terrific 1st step and he utilizes it along with his quickness to blow by defenders. His strength is impressive as well as his hang time to finish over length in the paint. The vision and overall savvy are there as well to play the 1, but his jump shot needs seasoning.
Marquise Nelloms (Long Beach, CA/ St. Anthony)
2019, WF, 6-foot-5, 170 pounds
Joel’s Take: In this day and age of position-less basketball, Nelloms’ skill set fits perfectly. He needs to extend the range on his jump shot and smoothen out his ball skills in transition, but his motor is high-level as well as his nose for the ball. Toss in a nice dose of bounce and length and you have yourself an intriguing prospect.