Polished 2023 Wings from the Spring Kickoff

<p>Wings that bring at least one heavily polished aspect of their game that you can depend on them for. Whether that be pullup shooting, defensive positioning, or at-rim finishing these athletes each bring their own dependable skills that could secure a scholarship offer down the road.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1420177" first="Jasper" last="Padia"] - B&amp;B Academy<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4140-rotated.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-1428926" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4140-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="148" height="197" /></a></p> <p>Padia was on a tear all weekend, seemingly scoring anywhere between 25-30 points per game as a 6’5 three level scorer. Before this season, Padia had made a living making shots off the catch and attacking closeouts. However, this tournament he showed a much more free flowing style of play, taking mid-range jumpers off the dribble and using crafty finishes around the rim to score over size. One thing Padia does not lack is confidence, he knows what he can do and really enjoys testing the limits of his off the dribble shotmaking. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4171-rotated.jpg"><img class="alignleft wp-image-1428924 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4171-rotated-e1649893733224-300x291.jpg" alt="" width="185" height="179" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="1284559" first="Caden" last="Stevens"] - Elevation Flyers</p> <p>Standing at 6’8, Stevens caught the eyes of everyone in the gym thanks to his high level perimeter skills for someone at his height. Against a tough BDH team with lots of size, Stevens had at least five made threes off the catch. The wing brings a unique blend of face up skills and ballhandling prowess, allowing him to create scoring opportunities without screens. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1285212" first="Colin" last="Hayes"] - NoCo Elite<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Colin-Hayes.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1425835 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Colin-Hayes-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="209" height="139" /></a></p> <p>Hayes is Mr. Fundamental, proving to double down on defensive positioning while knowing his spots on offense. On defense, Hayes awareness stands out as he rarely gets beat on backdoor cuts while doing well using his 6’3 frame to stay in front of opponents. On offense, while Hayes played more of complementary role he proved to make his shots around the rim and from distance. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1048510" first="Levi" last="O’Brien"] - Colorado Miners</p> <p>O’Brien was an incredibly dependable two way option for the Miners, working well attacking closeouts and hitting spot up threes. He has a bit more bounce than you would think for such a lean frame, allowing him to finish above other off two feet and maintain balance while hopping from one foot. Moving off-ball is another key strength of O’Brien, while it was clear that the Miners prioritize a team centric offensive flow. Ultimately, O’Brien has potential as a complementary two way option who is growing as a drive and kick threat.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="965779" first="Armon" last="Baker"] - Colorado Miners</p> <p>Baker is someone who understands his strengths and how to maximize them. He is a lengthy 6’2 guard capable of getting downhill with ease thanks to his long strides. Once he gets to the rack, he uses a variety of finishes such as stutter steps, euros, and high arcing layups to finish around length. Although he is skinny, do not underestimate Baker’s strength and subsequent ability to grab a foul.</p> <p>D’Aundre Samuels - Hardwood Elite<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4123-rotated.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-1428930 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4123-rotated-e1649893926180-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="141" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1420173" first="Daundre" last="Samuels"] makes a living scoring in the mid-range, where he maintains balance off of smooth side steps and pull-ups. Hailing from East High School, who went to the final four in Colorado, Samuels has been a dependable primary scoring options for quite some time. Although Samuels is only about 6’2, his style of play and shot selection reminds me of DeMar DeRozan. He truly brings a retro flare to a modern game that heavily incentivizes three point shots.</p>