Minnesota Future Stars Classic: Top Wings
Young wings aren’t the tallest players on the court and aren’t the primary ball handlers which means they can get lost in the shuffle of the game. Therefore, wings that can be successful at a young age are often the…
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Continue ReadingYoung wings aren’t the tallest players on the court and aren’t the primary ball handlers which means they can get lost in the shuffle of the game. Therefore, wings that can be successful at a young age are often the most impressive players on the court. A number of young wings made great impressions this weekend in the Minnesota Future Stars Classic. Here is a list of the most impressive wings on the court last weekend.
Most impressive wings:
Tommy Pluemer
Check out this beautifully controlled spin move by Tommy Pluemer to get his shot away. #RayAllenSelect #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/e0vI8eVlAQ
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 28, 2019
Playing for Ray Allen Select, a 12U team out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tommy Pluemer was one of the best wings on the floor this weekend. He was one of the most talented players in every game he played. The number of dribble moves and skills he possessed made him a nightmare for opposing defenses. This allowed him to bail the team out at times when their sets broke down. The clip above is a great example of this. With nowhere to go with the ball, Pluemer took the initiative and drove into the lane. He then used a tight spin move to get to his left hand and make the jump shot.
Oscar Khazon
Oscar Khazon just went coast-to-coast after a defensive rebound with a beautiful dribble move in the open court to get to the rim. #PhFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/sA6mWsmvB8
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
It seemed like every time Oscar Khazon entered a game, he was showing everyone why he was the best on the floor. Khazon was the proud owner of one of the purest jump shots on display. He has a unique ability to create shots for both himself and teammates which allowed him to play a lot of point-forward for Top Flight East 2023. He also did a great job of high pointing the ball when going for rebounds and got up the floor quickly in transition. His great rebounding and transition abilities were on full display in the featured clip.
Nick Brandner
Nick Brandner is making great cuts to the basket and making himself available for teammates. #FalconHoops #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/7GxAlr1nIs
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
One of the best cutting wings this weekend was Nick Brandner. In a game that is increasingly focuses on star players more, it is hard to find selfless basketball players that are willing to do the little things. Brandner embodied what makes a great selfless player. His willingness to cut off the ball opened things up for his teammates. The clip above feature one of Brandner’s cuts that rewarded him with a bucket.
Zach Nelson
Zach Nelson uses the dribble to create space for open-shooter Jeremy Kolb to knock down the 3! #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball #MinnesotaHeat-Pratt pic.twitter.com/M59oGofrbv
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
Not all young wings have the ability to create off the dribble, but Zach Nelson can. Nelson had a unique ability to recognize how his defender was playing him and used the dribble to get him out of position. He then was able to get his shot off or distribute to others. In the clip above, Nelson moved to his left and used a crossover dribble to create space. He then drove to the corner and laid the ball off for the open three.
Tate McDonald
Brueggemeier and McDonald connect for 3! #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball #MinnesotaSwish pic.twitter.com/NvuYAs9WHs
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
One of the best shooters this weekend was Tate McDonald. Throughout the tournament, McDonald showed that he had the ability to score in a variety of ways. He could get to the rim if he had to, shoot the mid-range and was a good three-point shooter. His ability to find space when the defense was sagging or caught sleeping allowed him to get his shot off frequently. The clip above is a great example of McDonald finding space and knocking down a three.
Raymond Brown
Checkout Raymond Brown hit a sweet little floater in the lane for ECI 14U Barta. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/jfUK1mjETX
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
The most athletic wing on the floor this weekend was Raymond Brown, and with the way he played, he wasn’t going to let anyone forget it. Brown continued to use his athleticism to put defenses in tough positions. He was a good rebounder and extremely explosive. In the featured clip, Brown used his athleticism to blow by the defender, get in the lane and make a nice floater over the center’s help defense.