AAU Workout Visit: AC Georgia 17U Part 1

<p>We covered some of the mixed 15U/16U talent in the outstanding AC Georgia program from this past weekend, their cast of 2022’s (and unsigned 2021s) is even deeper as they’ll field two teams both rich with size, skill and versatility. Here’s a look some standouts from the first half of players we saw work out:</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1011331" first="Deandre" last="Smart"], SF, New Hampstead (2021)</strong></em></p> <p>A big part of last summer’s 2021 team that made a splash around town and was the lone team to take down the fabled ATL Celtics bunch. Smart does a lot of damage near the rim for someone just 6-5, but it’s his understanding of how to score creatively and his ability to use a good frame to power his way through contact that makes him one of the state’s true unsigned gems. D2 and D3 programs looking for a versatile athlete at the forward spot need to pay closer attention to this one.</p> <p><strong><em>Josh Fulton, CG, Greater Atlanta Christian</em></strong></p> <p>Perhaps didn’t have his best stuff on this night, but the skillset is apparent, and he’s coming off a season where he opened a ton of eyes for a Spartan team that won 17 games against a really competitive schedule. He’s got great size for either guard spot at 6-5 and a college-ready body, reminds me a little of Jalen Suggs at Gonzaga (though not there just yet), he’ll be among the centerpieces for what this team accomplishes and will get a lot of chances to shine with the ball in his hands.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1011348" first="Mitchell" last="Taylor"], PG, Carver (pictured above)</strong></em></p> <p>Speaking of having the ball in his hands, Taylor joins AC Georgia this year and will be nothing short of the focal point of the offense. He was terrific Saturday both with and without the ball, he made a big splash last summer playing alongside fellow riser [player_tooltip player_id="1050039" first="Gaddis" last="Heath"] of Westlake and didn’t slow down for Carver this past regular season. He can get by you off the bounce with a flick of his wrist, has plenty of lift at 6-2 to get to the cup after weaving through traffic, and he can really guard the ball. And when the defense loosens, he’ll make you pay from out past the arc. Truly one of the state’s skyrocketing talents.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870195" first="Eddie" last="Page"], C, Greater Atlanta Christian</strong></em></p> <p>The versatility part of this roster comes with the size they’ll have available and Page will be a key cog in that frontcourt, tremendous length at nearly 6-9 he can erase shots at one end and be a terror on the O-glass at the other, does have some shooting range out to 15 feet and that will add to the difficulty in matching him up.</p> <p><em><strong>Delva Chedlet, C, Arlington Christian</strong></em></p> <p>The GAPPS division produces plenty of talent here in GA and it speaks to the overall depth of talent in the ATL-Metro outside just the GHSA, and that a player at 6-9 with the skills of Chedlet would find his way to Arlington and not end up at a Grayson or McEachern speaks to his and his family’s priorities. A streamlined athlete who can really move, he has a great work rate and I expect he’ll excel at the defensive end and on the glass and surprise a lot of folks with his offensive repertoire. </p> <p><em><strong>OTHERS TO WATCH: [player_tooltip player_id="677695" first="Josh" last="Reed"] (Pace Academy, not present), [player_tooltip player_id="869584" first="Isaac" last="Abidde"] (Westover, 2021, not present), Eli Chol (Forsyth Central, not present), Devin Story (Evans, not present), RJ Simmons (Whitefield Academy)</strong></em></p>