#TheStage – Minnesota Wing Standouts
In this article:
The Stage took place this past weekend in Indianapolis, with some of Minnesota’s top programs competing. I was in the gym all weekend, and these were some of the wing prospects who stood out! Jonathan Mekonnen Jonathan Mekonnen 6'8" |…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Stage took place this past weekend in Indianapolis, with some of Minnesota’s top programs competing. I was in the gym all weekend, and these were some of the wing prospects who stood out!
Jonathan Mekonnen Jonathan Mekonnen 6'8" | PF Eastview | 2024 State #201 Nation MN (6’7 2024 SF, Minnesota Heat PBJ)- The sky is the limit for Jonathan as his combination of length, explosiveness, and all-around skills are hard to find. He impressed early in one of his Saturday games, scoring twice off of spin moves in the lane. Now listed at 6’7, Mekonnen has plenty of length that allows him to go to work on the block, but he’s more than capable of playing on the wing because of his ability to attack the basket off the dribble and knock down perimeter jumpers when given too much space. Defensively he effects the game as a shot blocker and is a dominant rebounder who can high point the ball off the rim.
Charlie Theis Charlie Theis 6'5" | PF East Ridge | 2024 State MN (6’4 2024 SF, Minnesota Fury Zurn)- When Charlie gets into the lane, there’s not much you can do to make him miss his shot. He finishes at such a high percentage inside, and his ability to get to the rim in a variety of ways makes him so dangerous. Charlie can sprint the floor in transition, attack from the wing, post smaller wings up, and is so smart with his backdoor cuts that open up scoring opportunities for himself inside. Theis has a stronger frame than most players his age, which allows him to absorb contact with ease, and he’s a good enough athlete to hang in the air to finish in traffic. Defensively he spent time guarding in the post while also moving his feet with smaller players on the perimeter.
Hudson Vaith Hudson Vaith 6'4" | SG Lakeville North | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 W, Minnesota Heat MacDonald)- Really liked the way that Hudson finished off the game against Coulee Country on Saturday. He was aggressive getting to the basket, and made some great cuts without the ball to open up good opportunities for himself. Hudson is used to handling the ball a lot more during the high school season, but played a lot more of a slasher role in the game I saw. Showed excellent touch and body control around the rim to go along with his poised style of play on the floor.
Myles Adams Myles Adams 6'5" | SF Eastview | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 SF, Minnesota Select)- Myles found a lot of success playing off two feet around the rim, as he’s an explosive athlete with the ability to elevate and throw down dunks with ease. One play that stood out saw him catch at the elbow, fake a handoff, then turn and attack the basket before throwing down a powerful dunk. Myles continues to show the ability to make those types of plays out of the high post, and is also a scrapper around the basket. He fought for rebounds and second chance points all weekend long, and was also successful running the floor for transition buckets. With his athleticism he provides another shot blocking threat defensively.
Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 SF, Minnesota Chill)- Khalif is an extremely dangerous player in the open floor. He’s capable of handling the ball and weaving in and out of defenders on his way to the basket where he has a soft touch to extend and finish. Bettis has great instincts to jump passing lanes and get out into the open floor, but he’s also able to sit and defend on the ball against smaller guards. Didn’t have to carry the load as much as he does during the high school season, which allowed him to pick and choose his spots more, leading to more efficient scoring production.
Owen Waldoch Owen Waldoch 6'7" | PF Forest Lake | 2024 State MN (6’6 2024 SF, Minnesota Heat PBJ)- There weren’t too many sophomores in the state who were more productive last winter than Owen. At 6’6 he has a long and athletic frame, and is so under control even with smaller players swarming around him. He was posting up smaller wings, handling the ball in the open floor, and pulling in offensive rebounds in the game I saw. Is a mismatch nightmare because of how mobile he is at his size, but also because of his patience and ability to take smaller wings onto the block and score with his back to the basket.
Spencer Hall Spencer Hall 6'3" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN (6’3 2023 W, Minnesota Fury Antl)- Spencer does whatever he needs to do to help his team win games, and his role can vary every time he steps on the floor. Some games he was defending bigger players in the paint, using his strength and athleticism to front in the post, fight over ball screens, and switch on just about every spot. Other games he was cutting backdoor to finish at the rim, and even putting the ball on the floor and attacking off of straight line drives. He rebounds the ball extremely well for his size, is an unselfish passer, and is a versatile defender.