Tuesday night marked the beginning of my AAU practice visits and Team Scoot certainly set the bar high. It’s only year one for Team Scoot but they’ve got the Puma deal, backing from future NBA draftee Scoot Henderson, and now…
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SubscribeTuesday night marked the beginning of my AAU practice visits and Team Scoot certainly set the bar high. It’s only year one for Team Scoot but they’ve got the Puma deal, backing from future NBA draftee Scoot Henderson, and now an enticing collection of talent.
A healthy mix of familiar faces and new names, I expect Team Scoot’s 16u squad to make some serious noise in their inaugural season. They’ll suit up together for the first time this weekend at On The Radar’s Birmingham Classic. Here are a few players you can expect to draw attention.
Ruffin is looking like the leader of this Team Scoot and has a ton of momentum coming off a great year at Wilson Academy. He’s a long, muscular combo guard that knows how to generate offense and can score in bunches. Old Dominion, Murray St, and Clayton St have already offered.
While we’ve got him ranked #33, I think
Cedric Taylor
Cedric
Taylor
6'9″ | PF
Creekside Christian | 2025
State
GA
is still very much a hidden gem in this 2025 class. Taylor is a skilled 6’9 forward that operates well in the pick and roll but can also step out and shoot it. Taylor should have the opportunity to get his name out there this spring and it wouldn’t surprise me if some D1s come knocking early.
I think Nikolas Avaliani is gonna surprise a lot of people this spring. He probably had the best workout of anyone on Tuesday night, making his presence felt on both ends during the scrimmage portion. He’s a three and D guy that’s going to excel in his role both for Team Scoot and also for Walton next year.
Bilal Osman is a new name to most right now but it won’t be that way for long. Osman’s long, athletic, 6’7 body immediately stands out and I couldn’t ignore some glaring physical similarities to
Derrion Reid
Derrion
Reid
6'7″ | SF
Grovetown | 2024
#68
Nation
CA-N
, a consensus top 100 player. Recently arrived from Sweden, Osman’s got intriguing skills which include shot creation ability and deep three-point range. I can already picture Osman a serious stock riser this spring.
Travell Anderson
Travell
Anderson
6'5″ | SF
Wilson Academy | 2025
State
GA
is another Wilson Academy guy that plays with energy and toughness. He’s got a solid 6’5 build, sneaky athleticism and isn’t afraid to bang inside. His outside shot has grown more and more consistent and he can really play the 3 or the 4. Alabama St offered him back in January.
