With The First Pick...

Watching the NBA Draft last Thursday had me thinking. What South Florida prospects have the best chance of being selected with one of the 60 picks? Obviously, anyone I highlight has a long way to go to reach the professional level. They still have years of experience to gain before we talk Giannis Antetokoumpo or even the last guy on the bench. Plus, you have this thing called college and newly minted NIL opportunities. However, I think we can all agree it was cool to see [player_tooltip player_id="827873" first="Scottie" last="Barnes"] get drafted by the Toronto Raptors. Barnes was a tremendous high school player and hard worker. Let’s forecast possible draftees... Matthew Bewley - Overtime Elite I realize 2023 Matthew Bewley and his brother have signed professional deals with Overtime Elite. However, the 6-foot-8 power forward is from Fort Lauderdale and played his freshman season at Northeast High School. Back with the Hurricanes, I saw him against Fort Lauderdale High School and he passed the eye test. Bewley’s athleticism at his size against the Flying L’s was incredible. He was basically a point-forward and scored 28 points and had 18 rebounds. Fast forward and Bewley only got better playing for West Oaks Academy last season. Quite frankly, OTE would not have invested in him if he couldn't play. Bewley’s ball skills are elite compared to everyday forwards. He was already a five-star prospect before committing to OTE. His brother, 2023 Ryan Bewley, also has a chance as well. However, I think Matt is much more advanced on both ends of the floor at this moment. I think the start-up league needs to hit and the twins are strong cornerstones. Amen Thompson/Ausar Thompson - Overtime Elite It looks like OTE knows how to pick its players. The former Pine Crest twins were two of the best guards I have seen since doing this. Specifically, their ball skills were just on a different plain. Add in the fact they are 6-foot-6 and they become unstoppable. Once they saw an opening in the lane it was goodnight. In addition, both could split a defense and finish with either hand. The Thompson twins only lost one game last year and won the Class 4A state championship. I believe both players were 4-star prospects before signing with OTE. However, they were trending upward on ranking systems. I think shooting is one area of improvement that could take them to the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="818738" first="Josh" last="Minott"] - St. Andrew’s Finally a player that is going to college. 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="818738" first="Josh" last="Minott"] functioned like a guard last season while playing the forward position. The 6-foot-8 Memphis Tiger can run the floor and move as if he was half that size. Minott has an incredible handle and long arms to finish at the rim. His final game against Calvary Christian Academy (31 points) was one of the best individual performances I saw last season. I thought Minott and the Thompson Twins were the three best players in the South Florida region. Learning under former NBA player Penny Hardaway at Memphis should help his development. [player_tooltip player_id="709227" first="Jaylen" last="Carey"] - Westminster Academy Now we get to a player who is just a rising junior. Carey is a big power forward at 6-foot-8, 235 pounds. There is not a player that I think can matchup with him at his peak. His strength and mass is just different compared to prospects of equal height. Furthermore, Carey could get bigger by the time he is a senior. His brother, Vernon Carey Jr., is a shade under 6-foot-10. What I like about Jaylen is his athleticism and footwork continues to get better. Factor that with his size and you have a problem in the paint. Carey can also step out and knock down shots from the outside. He is going to be really difficult to defend with so much to throw at you. I think free-throw shooting is one area Carey could improve in. [player_tooltip player_id="814897" first="Jett" last="Howard"] - IMG Academy 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="814897" first="Jett" last="Howard"] is a Miami native playing for IMG Academy in Bradenton. I mostly saw the 6-foot-6,180-pound shooting guard when he was with University School. As many of you know, Howard played with Carey Jr. and Barnes on those Shark teams. At that time, I thought Howard’s athleticism was very good. He also hit some big shots for U-School as a young player. Howard certainly has the swagger and edge to play at the highest level. Obviously, I think the 4-star prospect will play in college (Michigan?) before thinking about the NBA. While I think his talent alone is eventually good enough to get him there, it helps Juwan Howard knows the intricacies of the game on and off the court. [player_tooltip player_id="709215" first="Marvel" last="Allen"] - Calvary Christian Academy 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="709215" first="Marvel" last="Allen"] is another prospect that could make the NBA long-term. Allen and his teammates are sure-fire D-1 prospects and boast the best lineup in South Florida. I like his 6-foot-4, 190-pound size to play either guard spot. Overall, his frame translates to the college level. Allen is very compact and aggressive when attacking the rim. He can use his size and athleticism to create separation and finish. I think his overall shooting will take a big jump this season. For any South Florida Prep Hoops news or information...please contact Michael Costeines @Steins_23 on Instagram or follow him on Twitter @Mungertown_Mike23.