HDWD The League: Week 4 Standouts
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Seven prospects who impressed at Eden Prairie High School during the final week of HDWD’s The League! Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN – The Lehigh commit started off hot during the first game…
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Continue ReadingSeven prospects who impressed at Eden Prairie High School during the final week of HDWD’s The League!
Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN – The Lehigh commit started off hot during the first game of the night, pouring in 24 first half points on his way to 37 in a win for the Gray Team. Nas is so good at getting to his spots before planting on two feet and elevating for a pull-up jumper. Whether it was from three or mid-range, he was hitting his shots at a high percentage even with a hand right in his face. When Whitlock gets into that type of rhythm there’s not much you can do as a defender to stop him. Isn’t afraid to play with some physicality when driving, using his body to pin his defender on his shoulder as he gets to the basket where he can either finish or dish it off to one of his forwards for easy finishes.
Daniel Molhoek Daniel Molhoek 6'8" | C Edina | 2025 State MN – Daniel’s versatility at 6’7 continues to grow. He has a solid frame but isn’t just going to hang around the paint. Offensively he showed he can be a threat as a pick & pop shooter, but also was able to create his own shot in the mid-range off the dribble. Isn’t going to pound the air out of the ball, but if he sees an opening he’s able to take one/two dribbles into space to get off a shot. Daniel looks a lot more comfortable on the ball this year than he did as a freshman, and after Edina lost a ton of talent from last season he looks ready to take on a huge role as a sophomore.
Emmanuel Schmitter Emmanuel Schmitter 6'3" | SG Eagan | 2023 State MN – Emmanuel started off slow, but towards the end of the first game he started to come alive, and began torching opposing defenses from three. He’s a very athletic guard with solid size, and ever since his freshman year he’s been a defensive stopper for whatever team he’s on. He showed that on-ball prowess picking up a handful of steals and then turning the defense into offense the other way. Once he got into a rhythm, any time he got an inch of space he was a threat to put three points on the board. Towards the end of one game he hit a three, full-court pressured to pick up a steal, and immediately drained another three to put six points on the board in a matter of seconds. He’s back healthy and ready for a big senior year at Eagan.
Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center | 2024 State #170 Nation MN – Cash is already one of the most athletic players in the state of Minnesota, and his offensive bag continues to get deeper heading into his junior season. He had his usual handful of transition dunks in the game I saw, including a windmill dunk that he made look effortless. It’s no longer just the highlight dunks and acrobatic finishes around the rim though, his game is expanding to the perimeter where he’s becoming a much more confident shooter. If he has space beyond the arc, he’s not afraid to let it fly both off the catch and dribble. That new ability to stretch the floor should help create more space for him to go at his man 1v1 and create towards the basket. Defensively he showed great timing to jump passing lanes and pick up steals leading to easy buckets.
Pj Pounds Pj Pounds 6'7" | SF Delasalle | 2023 MN – PJ looks ready to take on a bigger role for the Islanders, as he’s an intriguing blend of size, explosiveness, and budding skill. At around 6’6-6’7 he moves very well, can explode off one or two feet, and has the strength to defend against taller players down low. Because he can hit open threes, opposing bigs were forced to step out and defend him on the perimeter where he’s really able to take advantage of his athleticism. PJ was putting the ball on the floor and attacking with straight line drives, but he also showed off a quick spin move to reverse directions in the rare case his man was able to beat him to a spot. Threat to finish above the rim while also having the touch to finish off hook shots with his right hand. Defensively is able to guard down low but can also switch off and defend on the perimeter against smaller players when needed.
Anthony Smith Anthony Smith 6'0" | CG Hopkins | 2025 State MN – Anthony is one of the players that will be taking a big step forward for Hopkins this season, and he’s a shifty guard who can put up points in a hurry. He had some explosive bursts of scoring in the game I watched, getting it done from the perimeter and around the rim. He may not be the tallest player but can cover so much ground in his strides to create space to get off a jumper. Will get defenders leaning one way and then take a long step into space the opposite direction as he steps into a pull-up jumper. He has a tight handle and showed some flashes of playmaking ability as he got into the paint and was able to find open teammates with kickout passes. Has the skillset to play either guard spot.
Sam Hondl Sam Hondl 6'7" | SF Albany | 2025 State MN – Another sophomore who impressed was Sam Hondl Sam Hondl 6'7" | SF Albany | 2025 State MN . He has plenty of length on the wing and moves well at his size. He possesses excellent body control and is a fluid athlete who can maneuver his way through gaps as he drives through the lane to get to the rim. Had success finishing with soft floaters or using his length to extend and finish off the glass around size. Hondl is a very unselfish player and sees the floor like an upperclassmen. He has good passing vision and uses his height on the perimeter to see over the top of the defense and zip in passes to cutting teammates. Sam is one of those players who brings substance over style, as he’s very efficient and has a good grasp on the fundamentals of basketball.