Passion Region Kick-Off 2024 Players To Watch

<p>These are players that showed sparks of talent, and that I’ve seen produce. Prospects that I expect big things from this travel season on the Prep Hoops Circuit.<br /> <br /> <strong>2024 <span style="font-size: 1rem;">6’6</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Derrick King Wing</span></strong></p> <p>I’ve personally watched King play for almost 3 years. This player displays flashes of everything a college coach would want in a wing. He has a great spot up shot from the corner and midrange. He also displayed great touch around rim, and showed this weekend he could dunk with contact on what might have been the dunk of the weekend.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/derrick-rotated.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1423928" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/derrick-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p> <p>Derrick King’s potential is huge, he needs to get more physical when playing and shake the gentle giant label. He can really make a name for himself this season if he chooses to play physical and do all the intangibles.  This prospect is on the verge of something big. It’s up to him to make a name for himself.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>2024 6’6 [player_tooltip player_id="1163362" first="Ralph" last="Blanc"] Wing/Forward</strong></p> <p>Miami’s [player_tooltip player_id="1163362" first="Ralph" last="Blanc"] has a gift most Hoopers pray for and coaches drool over. Not just physical height but a super athletic frame and wingspan.  Blanc was a rebounding machine, his massive wingspan had him grabbing rebounds and finishing off put-backs with such simplicity.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG_8271-e1649134110756.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1420804" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG_8271-e1649134110756-300x293.jpg" alt="[player_tooltip player_id="1163362" first="Ralph" last="Blanc"] | The Traveling Hoopers" width="300" height="293" /></a></p> <p>Another prospect with some refinement, effort and a consistent jump shot would easily fill the roster spots for low to mid-major College programs. Coaches surrounding this prospect need to keep him in the gym and get him hitting the 3 ball consistently.<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1306129" first="Jaden" last="Baker"] 6’0 Guard</strong><br /> <br /> The Bradenton Christian guard didn’t disappoint this past weekend. After coming off a noteworthy sophomore varsity campaign big things were expected from this guard and he delivered.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Jaden-Baker7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1249111" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Jaden-Baker7-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></p> <p>Baker has a solid frame and plays like an absolute dog. Every time I watched the rising junior step on the floor he emptied his tank not only on offense, but giving a great defensive effort, boxing out, rebounding, talking on defense  pretty much all the intangibles coaches love. He got to the basket well, shot the 3 ball at a high percentage, and did a lot of great things to help his team go 3-1 this weekend.<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>2025 Aaron Clark 6’0 Guard</strong><br /> <br /> The lone 2025 prospect playing up showed the highest ceiling of anyone on the deep Spartans roster. He was tough on both ends of the floor. Used his physical frame to charge into the paint finishing at the rim.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Aaron-Clark6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1247501" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Aaron-Clark6-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></p> <p>He was comfortable with the ball in his hands, shot the 3 effectively and with confidence. Clark could be the breakout player the Spartans need to make a deep run on the Prep Hoops circuit. He’s one player ill be keeping a close eye on.</p>