Check out my analysis on some of the top 2023 wing prospects from the Austin/ Round Rock GASO! These guys really showed off their versatility on the offensive end, look for them to really be turning some heads as we go into July!
Keyshawn Napoleon 2023 6’6 (Irving) Tribulation Preparatory (THP Elite)
Keyshawn is an athletic force who can truly do it all, and thrives at finishing through contact in the paint. His ability to consistently use his strength to bounce off of his opponents on his way to the rim was very impressive. I was blown away with how well he dominated in the paint, on both ends of the court. I loved watching him manipulate the defense without the ball, cutting hard to the rim and keeping his defender on their toes. He is a solid rebounder as well, who is good at fighting for positioning and keeping his defender on his back. On the defensive side of things, he is a natural rim protector who is good at coming over at the right time and staying vertical to consistently affect shots in the paint. I was blown away with how well he moved his feet to defend the perimeter as well as protecting the paint. His versatility on the defensive side of things will make him a coveted asset at the next level.
David Alexander 2023 6’5 (Pflugerville) Hendrickson High School (ProSkills ATX Brown)
David is a natural slasher who is great at using his frame to bounce off defenders on his way to the rim. He never gets bumped off his path to the rim and is great at turning the corner on his opponents. His ability to explode out of the triple threat and get around his opponent was very impressive for his size. When he has his head set on finishing, he explodes in the paint finishing dunk after dunk within the half court and on the break. I was very impressed with how well he went coast to coast and the confidence he displayed with a live dribble. He is a strong wing prospect who has the ability to move laterally and should be able to naturally defend multiple positions. I would like to see him work on timing up steals and being a more disruptive force on the defensive end of the court. He has all the tools to become an effective two way player at the next level.
KJ Holmes 2023 6’6 Rudder High School (ADV4NCED Hoops 17U)
KJ is an impressive athlete who is dominant on the football field as well as the basketball court. The lanky and athletic finisher showed a real ability to use his handle to get into the paint. I was very impressed with how well he attacked the glass, and used all of his length to his advantage, stretching around his defender to score in the paint. He is patient when he is underneath the basket, routinely using head fakes to manipulate his opponent, and open space for him to duck through to score an up and under. On the fast break, he made good decisions and showed to be unselfish even as he has a bit of daylight ahead of him, if a teammate had a better lane, he gave it up. Defensively, he is a natural rim protector, who smartly comes over as a help defender to reject shot opportunities in the paint. I would like to see him tighten up his ability to space the floor, as well as working on staying in control with a live dribble every time he is driving toward the rim.
Kaden Judie 2023 6’5 Alpha Omega Academy (RL9 Honor Armor Lions)
Kaden is a high level wing with the ability to play the small ball forward role with his consistency in the paint on both ends of the floor. He showed an ability to routinely finish out of the pick and roll and on the fast break. His athleticism was on full display, but not only to finish dunks. He made timely leaps to reject shots at the rim and snatch rebounds. I was very impressed with his ability to do all of the little things on the defensive end, anchoring his team’s defense and snatching rebounds. He is a confident defender on the perimeter with his ability to move his feet but also use his active hands to poke the ball free. He made blocks and steals just as his opponent was about to make a move, perfectly timing up his hands. He made great decisions when he had the ball in his hands in the open court and showed an ability to go coast to coast and finish on the fast break. He moved without the ball and dove to the basket and sealed off his opponents for easy looks down low.
Will Cole 2023 6’5 Rouse High School (ATX Wolves)
Will is an intriguing wing prospect with his ability to affect the game on the interior, while also handling the ball and initiating offense for his team. He has natural point guard instincts with his ability to pass the ball, but also control the tempo of the game. He never seems to be sped up, even despite intense defensive pressure. He can easily dictate what happens whenever he has the ball and wants to create out of the pick and roll. His versatility always kept the defense on its heels, even when he did not have the basketball. His natural ability to rebound and fight in the paint allowed him to get up easy second chance points, as well as easy looks down low off of quick post spins. I would like to see him work on his ability to move without the ball, and use backdoor cuts to free himself up. I would also like to see him focus on his defensive awareness, and sliding over quicker to protect the paint. He has a great motor and works hard to defend on the ball already, so it should not be a big ask!