Space City Collision- Under the Radar 17U Prospects

Space City Collision in Houston, TX saw a bunch of talented players & teams showcased. Many of the talented players at the event were players that are still under the radar and just need some extra eyes on them. Below I highlight seven players that should get more attention as they approach their senior season.

Jayden Neff (LA Broncos/Baker HS- 2022) Jayden handled most of the ball-handling responsibilities for the LA Broncos. Neff played unselfishly and proved to be hard to stay in front of this past weekend. Despite being pressured, Neff found ways to get by defenders and get in the lane for good looks at the rim. Off the catch, Neff was a knockdown shooter. If Neff can be efficient as a pull-up shooter and around the rim, he can have an impact senior season.

Connor Miller (Drive Nation Houston (Red)/Atascocita HS- 2022) Connor Miller was one of the more consistent shooters from this past weekend. He has sniper potential and his shot prep & mechanics might’ve been the most advanced of all the shooters at The Collision. He has pretty good size for a two-guard and is comfortable putting the ball on the floor. Miller can fit a role on good teams as evidenced by him playing on an Atascocita team that made it all the way to the state tournament this past season.

Trey Miller Trey Miller 6'2" | PG Concordia Lutheran | 2022 State TX (Drive Nation Houston (Black)/Concordia Lutheran HS- 2022) Trey Miller Trey Miller 6'2" | PG Concordia Lutheran | 2022 State TX played at the top of Drive Nation’s devastating full-court trap and wreaked havoc. Miller plays with a ton of energy and got his hands on deflections that led to easy buckets. Even at his size, Miller can be a lob threat in space. When he has space, he’s also a knockdown shooter. If Miller can prove to be able to knockdown jumpers off the dribble, he can take his game to the next level.

Ryan Moore (Drive Nation Houston (Black)/Cypress Ranch HS- 2022) Ryan Moore is a lefty wing that’s a knockdown shooter. Moore is long and doesn’t need much space to get his shot off. However, he’s more than a shooter as he has creative footwork in transition to avoid charges & swiping defenders. In the half-court, Moore is an unselfish ball mover that can find cutters and open shooters. Moore can be a go-to scorer or a complimentary player depending on who he’s on the court with. Moore has upside as he continues to grow physically as well as his skill set. 

Johnny Salazar (Beast Elite/Northside HS- 2022) Johnny Salazar has deep range with a quick trigger. He can play either guard position. Salazar competes on both ends and has some savvy to his game. In transition, Salazar can pull up or find open teammates for easy buckets. His ability to shoot off the catch makes him valuable next to almost any type of guard he plays with.

Jalen Smith (Texas Tigers/San Antonio MacArthur HS- 2022) Jalen Smith is a big body point guard that has an all-around game. He can play on or off the ball but is most comfortable playing as the lead guard. Smith always has his head up and looks for pitch ahead passes or open shooters. In the half-court, he can be tough to keep out the lane once he gets going downhill. Smith uses his handle to get a step on defenders and his body to keep them from regaining an angle on him.  He’s a plus rebounder for a guard- doing a bit of everything. The next step for Smith is becoming a knockdown shooter off the catch to enhance his ability to play off the ball.

Fred Weary (Drive Nation Houston (Red)/Manvel HS- 2022) Fred Weary is a combo guard that can do a bit of everything. This past weekend, he showed his ability to get by defenders and be a capable shooter off the catch. He can also create pull-ups if need be. He’s a good athlete that can finish above the rim in space & be an aerobatic finisher around the rim. Weary has good feel and makes the right play more times than not. Weary doesn’t need the ball every possession to have a rhythm- making him a good scoring piece to have with elite players.