What we learned about Texas prospects at the Jr. NBA World Championship

<p>After winning their regional division, Drive Nation 2023 represented the south at the global tournament in Orlando, Florida. The loaded Texas team had a fair amount of close games and showed off their talented roster. Here are seven players that stood out against elite competition in their age group.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892132" first="Ja’Kobe" last="Walter"]</strong></p> <div>Walters is incredibly gifted. At 6’4 you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more complete scorer in Texas’ 2023 class. He stands out on the court and is clearly ready for high level high school basketball.</div> <div> </div> <div>He’s an aggressive scorer with a deep tool bag on the perimeter. A decent spot up shooter that uses his shot to keep the defense on its toes. Once the defense keys in on his shot he uses his athleticism to blow by defenders where he finishes over taller defenders.</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892133" first="Payton" last="Chism"] </strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Chism is a smart lead guard ready to take on the challenge of high school ball. He plays with his head up looking for teammates and directing traffic. </div> <div> </div> <div>He’s shifty thanks to his ability to change speed and direction at the drop of a dime. He finishes well at the basket embracing contact whenever available. Chism has a consistent off the dribble mid range jump shot and floater that he’s not afraid to use off pick and rolls and on fast breaks.</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Robert [player_tooltip player_id="787344" first="R.J." last="Jones"]</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>RJ proved his potential to be one of the best three-point shooters in the class of 2023. Though streaky he shot better than the field’s average even with several games missing all of his attempts. He showed the ability to take over a game scoring 23 point shooting 5-9 from three when his teammates faltered.</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1125966" first="Jaxson" last="Ford"]</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Ford is an agile 4/5 that’s ready to compete. His bright spot is the energy he exerts on the defensive end. One of the stronger kids on the team he can hold his own in the post and blocked several of 6’8” Amari Hansberry’s shots. </div> <div> </div> <div>For a 2024 his functional athleticism and raw talent are intriguing. For him to hold his own against more physically mature prospects speaks to what’s to come in his future. </div> <div> </div> <div><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787336" first="Ronald" last="Holland"]</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Few players in Orlando could match Holland length, athleticism, and intensity. He’s the most competitive player on the roster and willed his team to several wins against stiff competition.</div> <div> </div> <div>His game is driven by his immense athleticism barely scratching surface of what it could be. He’s best going downhill and occasionally shows coordination to change directions. He lead the south team in scoring and rebounding resulting in a near double-double.</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1332715" first="Ty" last="Cox"]</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>Cox earns a spot on this list for his leadership and enthusiasm. When teammates came to the bench during timeouts, he was a calming presence. Even more incredible he became an extension of the coach pointing out missed opportunities and correcting mistakes from the sidelines.</div> <div> </div> <div> <div><b>Marlon Linton Jr.</b></div> </div> <div> </div> <div>Played a 3-and-D role for the south team. He’s a strong athlete standing around 6’ 3” with long arms. His frame allowed him to guard 1-3 against the classes, elite guards. As a 2024 prospect, he held his own against older competition.</div> <div> </div> <div>Linton scores most of his points from behind the arc. He has a quick release and smart shot selection. He finished 12 percentage points higher than the average, shooting 42.3 percent from three making at least one in 4 of his 5 games.</div>