UnCommon Basketball Exposure Camp (Houston) Top Combo Guards
UnCommon Basketball (UC) is a program created by 20 year college coach Russ Vanlandingham, with the intention of promoting under seen prospects by projecting levels and fits at the next level. With his vast experience of the college game Coach…
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Continue ReadingUnCommon Basketball (UC) is a program created by 20 year college coach Russ Vanlandingham, with the intention of promoting under seen prospects by projecting levels and fits at the next level. With his vast experience of the college game Coach “V” runs a tight camp with no gimmicks. No one cares about your rankings here. You have to out work and beat out the guy next to you. Check out my analysis from some of the top performers from the event!
Dylan Gonzales 2023 5’11 San Antonio- Wagner High School
Dylan is a high level scorer who really stood out through his performance in every aspect of this camp, making high level reads and knocking down shots at a very consistent clip. All of the college coaches in attendance were raving over the high level plays he was making every time down the court. He took good shots only when he was open and had time to step into his shot, and always makes the right decision and found his teammates with the right pass at just the right time. I was very impressed with how well he played even when he was fatigued, his shot still had the same mechanics and result, even when his legs were dead at the end of the five hour camp. Wagner High School just lost two senior guards, so Gonzales will have a chance to step in and produce for his team right away.
Kris Jones 2023 6’3 Port Aransas High School
Kris is a sniper who can score with ease across all three levels of the floor who has won district MVP the last two years running, averaging over eighteen points and nearly five rebounds out of the two guard spot. This was my first time seeing him in live action, and I was very impressed by his calm demeanor with the ball in his hands. He knows how to get a bucket across any level of the floor, and calmly does so off the bounce, mid post or off the catch. He has already unlocked that coveted fourth level of the floor, fearlessly scoring from anywhere on the floor. He is an absolutely deadly shooter, especially with his feet set. He confidently takes jumpers two to three steps beyond the arc, and knocks them down with impressive consistency. A complete sniper off the catch, Jones makes defenses pay for playing relaxed coverage for even a split second. The term hand down man down, definitely applies to this kid!
He is not just a shooter however, he can create offense for himself or his teammates with his handle. He confidently gets coast to coast with a live dribble and fearlessly attacks the rim. I was very impressed by his on court awareness as he attacks a defense, smartly attacking defenders and forcing a second or third defender to step up and make a decision. He has an improving passing ability. He does so with incredible success on the fast break, firing crisp bounce passes that hit his streaking teammates in stride. Jones is an ideal combo guard who really thrives at getting his own shot, and scoring at a very high level.
Rico Hernandez 2024 6’0 San Antonio- Churchill High School
Rico displayed all of the necessary skills to be successful at the next level; toughness, elite on ball defense and an ability to hit open shots and work out of the triple threat. I was very impressed by how willing he was to get up and underneath his opponent’s skin and moved his feet at a very high level to cut off driving angles. About 10 minutes into the event, Hernandez took a nasty shot from an elbow from someone who was tired of his tenacity that split his face! He did not miss a beat after getting it taped up, came back in and hit open shots and was a valuable weapon on the offensive end of things. His intensity that he displayed on the defensive end of things makes me think he has all the tools to become a successful team player at the next level…
Logan Gonzales 2026 6’2 Cibolo Steele High School
Logan was the youngest player in attendance, and did not disappoint during his time on the court. He is a smooth scorer off the catch with a high release point. On his jumper, he has no wasted motion to get his shot up. e showed an ability to play on and off the ball, and scored in bunches off the catch. He is a real threat to score from beyond the arc, and as soon as the defense pressure him on the arc he flies by his defender with a head-fake and a quick crossover and gets to the rim. He is a consistent and confident scoring option, and his team leaned on him whenever they were in a rut scoring. His work on the defensive end really stood out, getting underneath his opponent’s skin with his intense on ball defense.
He is a lanky player who is clearly not done growing, and is probably closer to 6’3 at the moment. He played with intensity and tenacity every time he stepped on the court and got some great experience by playing against some high level juniors and seniors. If he continues to develop his handle and ability to score off the bounce, paired with his great motor and willingness to defend, Steele High School might have an elite weapon on their hands.