2023 Shooting Guards Primed for a Big Senior Year

Braden Baum Braden Baum 6'6" | SF Boerne-Champion | 2023 State TX 2023 6’6 Boerne – Champion High School

Braden might be one of the best shooting guard prospects in this class with the way he is able to get his own shot off, stretch the floor as a catch and shoot option and lock you up defensively. He is a knock down shooter when given only a glimmer of space. He is deadly off the catch but also can pull up beyond the arc or the mid-range when the defense closes out hard. When his shot did not consistently fall from the outside, he showed an elite ability to put the ball on the floor and could get to the mid range, attack the basket and move off the ball. Baum is of the best scorers I have seen play, and his blend of athleticism, shooting touch, and height will all translate to the next level. His length is a real weapon on the defensive end of the floor and allows him to reject jump shots but also harass ball handlers. Baum’s silky smooth nature to his game is so enjoyable to watch, and he got a chance to really learn from some of the best coaches in Texas this summer with John Lucas’ EYBL team!

Keith Richard Keith Richard 6'2" | PG South Oak Cliff | 2023 State TX  2023 6’2 South Oak Cliff High School

Keith is an elite prospect due to his athleticism but also his on court awareness, with and without the ball. His athleticism instantly pops when you see him on the court, using his incredible foot speed and agility to get into the teeth of the defense and make the right read to his teammates. He is great at using his shiftiness to dominate the game on the offensive side of things. His ability to read the defense and make quick decisions allowed his teammates to get easy looks in the paint, as well as on the perimeter for himself. He calmly and confidently got to his spots in the mid-range and the lane, getting to his floater with real consistency. He always put just the right amount of touch on the ball to get it above the help defender and softly into the basket. I was very impressed with his ability to score from the perimeter, calmly knocking down shots off the catch from beyond the arc, but more importantly confidently attacking his on ball defender.

Will Patton 2023 6’5 Cypress Creek High School

Will is the kind of do it all player that you want on your team, with a special blend of size, athleticism and his feel for the game. He could be labeled a point guard how confident he was with his handle and the ease in which he passes his teammates open. He always has his head up to make the right pass, and always seemed to be fitting a pass through a tight window, both on the fast break and within the half court set. I was very impressed with the ease in which he handled the ball in the court, making him a real weapon to go coast to coast. He will have a real opportunity to take over and dominate as he gets to the rim this year for Cypress Creek, expect him to be heavily involved in his team’s success.

Cooper Gracey 2023 6’4 La Rue La Poynor High School

Cooper is an aggressive guard who can facilitate or be your focal scoring option. He knows how to use his size and how to use it to be a weapon when getting into the paint. He knows how to get free in the paint and is willing to put his head down and go through anyone to do it. I was very impressed with his ability to get to his spots with a live dribble. He showed an ability to initiate offense on the perimeter as well, and made good passes into the post and found cutting teammates with timely passes. On the defensive side of the floor, he was willing to protect the rim when necessary and came up with multiple chase down blocks on the fast break.

Dylon Richardson Dylon Richardson 6'2" | PG Hutto | 2023 TX 2023 6’3 Hutto High School (ASAK 17U Elite)

Dylon is a highly skilled scorer who can affect the game and score at will across all three levels. He is a sniper when he gets an opportunity to set his feet, but also showed off consistency when shooting off the bounce. I really enjoyed watching his off-ball movement and how he always seemed to be ready to catch and shoot quickly. He knocked down shots from all around the arc and forced the defense to contest him hard. He showed an ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. He finished with ease at the rim and showed off some impressive up and under through traffic. He is an explosive leaper who can throw down lobs to change the momentum of the game. Where I have seen the most growth in him since the last time I saw him was his ability to affect the game on the defensive end of the court. He is an incredibly aware trapper who knows how to cut off angles to the passes and really put pressure on ball handlers over every inch of the court.

Randy Bennett Jr 2023 6’2 Braswell High School

Randy is a skilled and athletic slasher who thrives at getting into the paint, but also scores at will off the bounce from the mid-range and beyond the arc. Where he makes is mark is floating towards the rim with his impressive athleticism. His natural finishing ability and strength on the court was very fun to watch, bullying his opponent’s and bouncing off of them on his way to the rim. I was not surprised to find out he is a high level football player as well, using his athleticism and aggressiveness to get wherever he wants on the court is usually a pretty strong indicator of a football background! He has a non stop motor which allows him to relentlessly attack the basket. With the amount of success he had in the paint, the defense began to sag off of him to cut off driving lanes to the rim, which he calmly took and scored at a high clip in the mid-range and beyond the arc.