NW Battlegrounds: Top Forwards and Bigs

Chehalis, Washington— Oftentimes in basketball big guys get over-shadowed. Guards always have the ball in their hands so they command your attention. It was hard to overlook the bigs this weekend at the NW Battlegrounds tournament though. They played well and impressed me a lot with how skilled they were. Below are the top bigs and forwards from the NW Battlegrounds tournament.

Winters Grady | Rose City Rebels (OR) | Class of 2025

Winters is a big body inside. He battled inside all weekend and was unbothered by physical play. He has good footwork inside and good hands too. I don’t think he dropped a pass all weekend. He showed some perimeter skills that, if developed correctly, will make him a dangerous big in the future. 

Boston Walker | Team Dynasty (OR) | Class of 2025

Boston is a super athlete. Layup lines were a dunk show for him. He has good upside both offensively and defensively. He is a relentless rebounder on both ends. Not only can he jump, but he is also quick and can move laterally well too. When he is locked in, he defends at a very high level leading to steals, blocks, and deflections. He has raw offensive abilities that will continue to develop as he continues to play. He is definitely a player to keep an eye on in Oregon.

Martin Kaupanger | Team Bradley (WA) | Class of 2025 (featured image)

Martin is long and super skilled. He is playing big right now due to his size, but I doubt he will remain a big as he gets older. His handles were impressive along with his ability to create his own shot off the dribble. He is a good shooter from three too. He made shots off the catch and out of pick and pop situations. He is a good athlete and knows how to use his athleticism on both ends. He finishes well at the rim offensively and defends the rim well defensively. 

Ismeal Gayo | Seattle Select (WA) | Class of 2025

Gayo was one of the best shooters in the tournament. He is more of a forward than an actual big. He has good size though and was one of the tallest players on his squad. Defenses had to always know where he was because if they lost him for one second, the shot was up and most likely going in. In one game he had five threes in one half. His shooting stroke is effortless and he has the range to go along with it. He did a good job battling for rebounds too.

Jackson Rasmussen | Team Dynasty (OR) | Class of 2025

Jackson impressed me all weekend. He was super efficient with his moves and there wasn’t a lot of wasted movement out there for him offensively. He was aggressive to make a play on every catch and made quick reads whether to score or pass. He has a soft touch around the rim and has range out to the three. He hit a buzzer-beater to win the game from NBA-range; the whole gym went crazy! He is a good rebounder and plays with a high motor. His size and skillset make it tough for opposing teams to defend him.