A Dive Into The 2028 Watchlist Guards
We have dropped our 2028 watchlist, and here is my initial dive into the plethora of guards we have listed… Camden Cooper (5’11/CG) Team: Tre Mann Elite-Twain Instagram: camcooper01 Twitter: @camdencooper15 Cam has put his game on display this year with…
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Continue ReadingWe have dropped our 2028 watchlist, and here is my initial dive into the plethora of guards we have listed…
Camden Cooper (5’11/CG)
Team: Tre Mann Elite-Twain
Instagram: camcooper01
Twitter: @camdencooper15
Cam has put his game on display this year with his own 2028 class and the 2027 division in certain tourneys. He is a lefty sniper that can score the rock at multiple levels and has a very nice form at a young age. Regardless of the division, he has played in, he has shown confidence in his skills and ability. He has played with swag and a confidence that he was the best on the floor. I mentioned his ability to score at multiple levels, but when you dig deeper into what he brings, you see that he can shoot from deep, finish at the rim and in the paint with high efficiency, and have success attacking out of the pick and roll. He is a young guard emerging into a prospect that scouts and evaluators will have to keep an eye on.
He has played with swag and a confidence that he was the best on the floor.
Terry J. Drake
Karl Mullins, Jr. (5’1/PG)
School: Atlantic Christian Academy
Instagram: themullinsboys
Twitter: N/A
Even though he stands 5’1, Karl is a PG most coaches look for and need. When I saw him, he took care of the ball, limited his turnovers, and distributed it well among his teammates. He is a perfect fit for a team that needs a PG that can push tempo, orchestrate the offense, and keep the team flowing in what the coach wants each possession. He is a creator off the bounce and does a fantastic job knifing through defenses, causing the collapse then finding open shooters. He may be small, but he is electric and reliable with the ball in his hands.
When I saw him, he took care of the ball, limited his turnovers, and distributed it well among his teammates.
Terry J. Drake
Tre Pittman (5’7/CG)
School: Pelham Park Middle
Instagram: Tp3.tre_day
Twitter: N/A
I have seen a lot of Tre lately, and he shows me a little more of his game every time. He continues to impress with his ability to produce at both the lead guard and off-guard spot. He has shown more of his perimeter jumper lately and his ability to lead the break and make the right decisions that lead to easy buckets and open looks for his teammates. He can carry a team with his offensive prowess, but I have to see just as much improvement that he shows offensively on the defensive end of the floor.
He continues to impress with his ability to produce at both the lead guard and off-guard spot.
Terry J. Drake
Keegan Keeton (5’2/CG)
School: Carbon Hill Jr. High
Instagram: keetonkeegan
Twitter: N/A
One of the best shooters on the watchlist is Keegan. He has repeatedly proven, whether in camps or tournaments, that he is lethal from behind the arc and doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot off. He will be playing JV this upcoming season as he had a good off-season running with the JV. He is small in stature, but as I mentioned, he is one of the best in knocking down the trey-ball. He shoots it with consistency from NBA range, so he has to be accounted for as soon as he steps across the half-court. He still has to continue to work on his ball handling and getting his shot off the bounce. He is a kid that will always be a hot commodity with his ability to impact games from deep.
He will be playing JV this upcoming season as he had a good off-season running with the JV.
Terry J. Drake
Ayden Leith (5’10/PG)
School: Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach
Instagram: aydenleith
Twitter: N/A
If there is one player that excites me when I think about his play, it is Ayden. One of the toughest guards off the bounce in the entire watchlist. When he gets going downhill, he has one thing in mind, and that is to get to the cup and get a bucket. Along with his tireless, headstrong, attacking, off-the-dribble mindset, he has good positional size at this age, making it extremely difficult for many guards his age to contain him off the bounce. I have written about his need to be more aggressive off the bounce. If he ever gets in his mind that he will be a dominant force, he will be a tough player to contain because of his playmaking abilities and overall scoring element.
When he gets going downhill, he has one thing in mind, and that is to get to the cup and get a bucket.
Terry J. Drake
Liam Refaeli (5’0/SG)
School: Coral Springs Middle School
Instagram: Liamrefaeli0
Twitter: @Liamrefaeli0
It is approaching a year since I have last seen Liam, but he left a lasting impression as a true floor general. He has a quick first step that kept defenders off balance and was a significant factor in helping him get into the heart of the defense and cause all kinds of problems. Defenders guarding shooters are often put in a quandary because they have to decide to help or stay attached to their man, and Liam does a good job reading the defense and taking what is given. His strength is facilitating, but he can score the rock if the need arises.
It is approaching a year since I have last seen Liam, but he left a lasting impression as a true floor general.
Terry J. Drake
Boston Sheppard (5’6/PG)
School: James Weldon Johnson
Instagram: boss2shifty
Twitter: N/A
Boston is PG, that impacts the game on both ends of the floor. He is a really good initiator of the offense and has good instincts on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, he is a bucket-getter in transition, and he uses his crafty handles to penetrate the lane to either finish or kick it out to an open shot on the perimeter. He sees the floor well and is an unselfish floor general. He has a propensity for playmaking at the lead-guard spot, and the offense rarely stalls when Boston is running the show. As his game continues to evolve, I hope he will remain the willing defender I have seen of him thus far.
Boston is PG, that impacts the game on both ends of the floor.
Terry J. Drake
Deonte Jiles (6’2/G|F)
School: Irondale Middle
Instagram: etdjxo
Twitter: N/A
Deonte is one of the most versatile players in this watchlist and is a scoring threat every time he touches the ball. He has the size that causes a lot of problems for defenders at this age. He uses his length to shoot over smaller defenders in the paint and from behind the arc. He is quick enough to get by bigger defenders who are not as mobile or have the quickness that he possesses. In the Southeast region of the United States, Deonte is talked about in many circles as one of the best players in the region and possibly one of the best in the entire country. He has had some really good camps lately, and he continues to emerge as one of the top playmakers in the country. Still has to work on bringing a higher intensity on D, as he has shown signs of being a willing defender in the past.
Deonte is one of the most versatile players in this watchlist and is a scoring threat every time he touches the ball.
Terry J. Drake