The League Week One: Top Prospects
There’s no better fall hoops destination than “The League” presented by Compton Magic.
The League regularly draws many of Southern California’s top high school teams, which, in turn, also brings out many of the area’s top prospects.
Among the top programs at Westminster high school for Week One of The League action were Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, Corona Centennial, Temecula Rancho Christian and Vista from down in the San Diego area.
We take a look at which players separated themselves as top prospects in the gym Sunday, including two newcomers to the area.
D.J. Davis, 2020, Corona Centennial
The sharpshooting combo guard was lights out on the day, first in a big win over Mayfair and second in a close loss to Sierra Canyon. Davis has innate shot making ability. He fills it up from behind-the-arc with near-unlimited range. A couple of Davis’ most intriguing traits are his ability to use screens of any kind to get himself open and the quick release on his jumper. Davis area of improvement is in the playmaking department. He has the feel and ball handling ability to get to his spots and create his own looks, but finding teammates off those dribble-drives will open up even more offensive opportunities for him.
Jordan Hilstock, 2019, Vista
Hilstock burst onto the scene due to his ideal size, length, athleticism and finishing ability for a wing. The 6-foot-3 junior is a high-level and versatile perimeter defender and strong finisher in transition. The biggest question mark surrounding Hilstock’s game has been his 3-point and mid-range shooting. He’s beginning to answer some of those questions as he’s become much more consistent as a catch-and-shoot 3-point guy. The next step for Hilstock is getting more comfortable with the one or two-dribble pull-up as defenders will begin to over-pursue on closeouts to his 3-pointer.
Evan Mobley, 2020, Rancho Christian
At 6-feet-10 with touch inside and out, the younger Mobley is one of the most captivating sophomores in Southern California, if not all of the state. Mobley has a soft set of hands which allows him to catch and finish around the basket, but he can also step out and knock down shots from 3-point range. Where Mobley needs to continue to improve is with his strength, especially with his base. He tends to get knocked off balance easily when bumped in the paint, which throws off his ability to finish easy buckets.
Rancho Christian’s Evan Mobley is one of the highest upside prospects in Southern California.Isaiah Mobley, 2019, Rancho Christian
We’ve covered the older Mobley at length, but he did something Sunday that we haven’t seen much of to date and it had to do with his passing out of the post. The 6-foot-9 junior has a nightly mismatch with his size, and when he gets down onto the block, he can pick apart a defense with his vision and unselfishness. We all know that Mobley is a super skilled player who can handle and operate on the perimeter, but more aggressiveness with his back to the basket will open up a world of opportunity for both him and his teammates.
Scotty Pippen, Jr., 2019, Sierra Canyon
If the name seems familiar, it is. The son of Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen made his way to Chatsworth from Florida and is quite the interesting player. The 6-foot-2 guard plays with a huge motor and it’s especially effective on the defensive end. Pippen has lightning quick hands, a quick first step and impressive lateral speed which all make opposing guards cringe. Pippen uses that burst in both transition and half-court settings to get into the paint and create for himself or others. The junior needs to continue to work on his 3-point shooting so that rival defenses can’t pack it in and dare him to shoot over.
Duane Washington, Jr., 2018, Sierra Canyon
The Ohio State-commit was the most impressive player on both ends Sunday. Washington arrived at Sierra Canyon by way of Detroit and immediately established himself as one of the top guards in all of Southern California. Washington was hitting from 3-point range and using his speed, strength and athleticism to get to the rack, absorb contact and finish through it. His physicality and speed also came through on the defensive end as he showed the ability to guard multiple positions. If there’s an area Washington can work on, it’s picking his spots. There were times where he forced actions that resulted in difficult shots or turnovers.