Pre-Season Junior Hybrid Forwards to Know (1/2)

[player_tooltip player_id='1352537' first='Robert' last='Miller'] 2024 6'9 Pasadena Memorial High School   Simply put, Robert is one of the best prospects in his class. He has the perfect blend of size and athleticism, paired perfectly with a tight handle, great feel for the game and ferocity to finish in traffic! I have been very impressed with how well his handle has improved over the last year, allowing him to get up and down the court with ease, snatching rebounds off the rim and then running the other way to finish down the defense's throat! His handle does not allow him to simply turn the corner on his opponent, oh no they wish it were that easy. Miller has a consistent and smooth jumper from the outside, and enough skill to get his own shot off whenever he wants. He is a real three level threat when the ball is in his hands. Defensively he is a nightmare, coming over from the weak side to smack shots into the stands, but also playing intense defense on the perimeter when necessary. His size and athleticism makes his opponent's aware every time they put their head down to get into the paint, an extra eye is trained on where Robert is at. He takes pride in attacking you or going at big time players in these match-ups, wanting to prove to everyone just how good he has become in such a short amount of time. He has all the tools to be an incredibly effective prospect who looks like he can be molded into any kind of basketball player imaginable with his size.   [player_tooltip player_id='1221856' first='Kuol' last='Atak']  6'8 2024 Haltom High School   Kuol has been quickly rising in the ranks after his dominant summer this year. He effortlessly handles the ball in transition and gets up and down the court. He was comfortable with his handle, even in traffic and spinning out out of post moves. I was very impressed with his overall confidence with his back to the basket, he showed an ability to not only back his defender down and finish over the top, but spin away on his left shoulder and score. He was very comfortable operating at the mid post and displayed an ability to pass over the top of the defense. I would like to see continued development with his shot off the bounce and out of the triple threat, and more skill with a live dribble in transition. He does well to get to his spots already, I cannot imagine the kind of force he will become on the fast break if he truly tightens up his handle.   Alantheon Winn 2024 6'5 Little Cypress Mauriceville High School   Alantheon has been gaining a lot of traction from his production over the summer and the ease in which he is able to attack the rim and do all of the little things to help his team find success. He is great at using his size and athleticism to make his opponents uncomfortable. He can bruise you with his back to the basket or take you off the bounce from the perimeter as well. He is an incredibly strong finisher in the paint, and has all of the athleticism to get him into the teeth of the defense every time down the court. The consistency that he showed in the paint was elite, as he displayed impressive layups with either hand and contorted his body in the air to avoid contact. He is a capable scorer from the perimeter, when playing with a ball dominant point guard he showed an ability to cut backdoor and catch and shoot with the best of them. The attention that he draws allows him to be a smart play maker, and make all of the right reads. I was most impressed by his overall on court intelligence he displayed on both ends of the floor. You can tell he is really thinking the game at a very high level, and mistakes he makes once normally do not happen again. He has a very impressive leaping ability that allows him to play down low whenever is necessary on the defensive end, and is a good help side defender. His ability to do all of the little things right is going to be key for his team to find success this season, be sure to keep your eye on them!   [player_tooltip player_id='1203719' first='Sam' last='McKinney'] 2024 6'6 Johnson (Buda) High School   Sam is a gritty and skilled forward who attacks the glass hard, but has enough skill on the offensive end to score across all three levels of the floor. I was very impressed by how well he was able to dance around bigger opponents on his way to the rim. He has good athleticism to finish over the top of defenders and get easy tip in opportunities. McKinney is always actively boxing out his opponents, clearing the way for him to grab uncontested rebounds. He displayed great consistency at the rim, and finished well on either side of the basket. As he continues to knock down the three ball from the outside with more consistency, allowing him to blow by the defense and be a true 3 and D threat. I was impressed by his handle out of the triple threat, he was great at getting into the teeth of the defense with an explosive and purposeful two-three dribbles. Defensively, he has really improved over the summer, and is now a force protecting the rim and playing the passing lanes. Do not be surprised when you see this kid garnering some real attention this season!   [player_tooltip player_id='1540429' first='Christian' last='Umana'] 2024 6'5 Clear Creek High School   Christian is a smart player who can create separation with his handle, move without the ball and anchors his team defensively. He is looking to manipulate the defense with his eyes and willingness to cut and attack the basket.I was very impressed with how well he handled the ball, breaking down his opponent time and time again to create space and drive to the rim. He showed an ability to consistently finish through contact down low, and really was a reliable option every time he found space in the paint. He has good athleticism which allows him to go up strong and finish above defenders as well. I expect Umana to make some noise this season, and Clear Creek has some shooters on the perimeter as well!

Robert Miller Robert Miller 6'11" | C Pasadena Memorial | 2024 State #64 Nation TX 2024 6'9 Pasadena Memorial High School