AAU Preview: Young Stock Risers
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AAU is the best platform for scouting underclassmen. They play against kids their age, a dynamic that scouts can’t gauge during the school season. Below PHW lists the young guys that are in a position to succeed this summer. Jamariea…
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Continue ReadingAAU is the best platform for scouting underclassmen. They play against kids their age, a dynamic that scouts can’t gauge during the school season. Below PHW lists the young guys that are in a position to succeed this summer.
Jamariea Dalton Jamariea Dalton 6'3" | SG Fond Du Lac | 2023 State WI – Wisconsin Starz Elite – 2023: Dalton is young, only entering his junior season, but he earned second-team honors in the FVA as the youngest player on either the first or second teams. Still a bobbing scorer, Dalton struggled with streakiness, especially early on. In the first half of his sophomore season, he’d hit frequent cold spells. He developed consistency past the half-way point of last season, though, scoring more than 13 points in each of his final thirteen games. Passing foibles is one thing, Dalton is also a guy that reinvented himself from last summer to this winter. Where scouts once bet on flashes of defensive grit and hops, they now saw Dalton became a great shooter with isolation chops. On both ends, he’s a monster athlete, able to defend the rim 30 inches in the air or bound through the lane for athletic finishes. He keeps improving, and this summer, we could see the best version yet. That’s very, very exciting.
Simeon Murchison Simeon Murchison 6'9" | PF Milwaukee Bay View | 2023 State WI – Phenom University – 2023: On the PH Circuit, Murchison was an oak amongst shrubs. He offers a size component that’s been almost rare in the state for the past few years. He’s a hybrid forward, not just block-real estate but also a movable frontcourt piece. He’s nimble and light on his feet, almost matching the speed and lateral movement of small forwards and wings. He’s a lab-made athlete that could easily mutate into something revolutionary at small forward. No one in the class matches his potential in the post. Scouts will notice the physical presence, above-average finishing, and an energizing rebounding ability on the offensive and defensive glass. He’s a matchup nightmare, surely in a position to improve his stock this summer.
Cody Schmitz Cody Schmitz 6'4" | SG Gale Ettrick-Trempeleau | 2024 State WI – Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau – 2024: Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau high school is 30 minutes north of La Crosse Wisconsin, in the back country compared to the typical basketball breeding grounds in Milwaukee and Madison. Still, the 6’4 freshman Cody Schmitz Cody Schmitz 6'4" | SG Gale Ettrick-Trempeleau | 2024 State WI garnered early respect from PHW. He’s already tall, lengthy, and sturdily-built. He’s a year of physical growth away from comfortable dunking — mostly we’ve seen rim-grazers with the occasional clean look. Skills-wise, he oozes scoring savvy. His mid-range pull-ups are sudden, tough to recognize and defend. His three-point shot is natural and effective. My personal favorite, his handle, takes his game from effective to star-caliber.
Amari McCottry Amari McCottry 6'5" | SF St. Thomas More | 2024 State #304 Nation WI – Wisconsin Playground Club – 2024: As Wisconsin’s third-best freshman, McCottry won’t rise much in the rankings. However, this summer will build his profile. The 6’5, well-built freshman has generous length and height for his age. He’s not particularly quick and isn’t a physical finisher, but his potential makes those weaknesses seem like points of future development. As far as strong suits, McCottry’s game-senses are elite, while his advanced handle means positional-freedom. His shooting is solid, especially good in the contested mid-range. However he does it, McCottry is effective, as he had a handful of big scoring games as a freshman (22, 22, 24, 28, 31). WPG will do what they consistently do, fine-tune and craft future studs. McCottry will be another player to flourish in their organization.
Arhman Lewis Arhman Lewis 5'9" | PG Madiosn Laffollette | 2023 State WI – Movement Hoops Elite – 2023: Chalk up Lewis as one of the many players who missed out on a 2020-21 school season. He’s just 5’9, but Lewis already played up successfully last summer for the MHE 17U squad. He’s also young, and as tempting as it is to treat what we see as final products, in Lewis’ case, there’ll be inevitable growth. Ultimately, he’ll be a stock riser because of the undeniable skills and natural gifts. Watching him dribble is nearly disorienting. He’s perhaps the most exciting innovator with the ball in the class. His quickness and shooting are nice compliments, and it all works together in his offensive game.