Ohio EYBL 17 U Prospect Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The NIKE EYBL came to Atlanta for session I and many of the top players in the country were competing in front of dozens of college coaches at basically every 17 U game. In this article we'll break down how the Ohio prospects at the event fared and a couple of high major prospects that have moved out of Ohio.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1432014"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I've been really impressed with Easter over the past few weekends, he's showing good poise and leadership from the point guard position and making plays for himself and others. Playing up 17 U has been good for his development as he needs to rely on using his pace, change of direction and ability to get low on drives to the basket. Easter did a great job of taking care of the basketball this weekend, finishing with 18 assists to just five turnovers in the four games. As a scorer, Easter shot 16/35 from 2-point range, as he's pretty solid from the mid-range area. The 3-point shot still hasn't really come around, he was just 1/5 this weekend, but there's still time for him to develop confidence in that shot. When you look at his 86% number from the free-throw line, it's likely Easter will improve from downtown over the next few years. Easter has already announced he's looking to leave Ohio for a program in the NIBC to continue to seek out top competition, we'll keep Easter in our Ohio rankings until he announces a specific school he will be attending next season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1222348"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"One of the top shooters in the Midwest, Powell struggled from long range this weekend shooting 8/24. There aren't a lot of easy looks generated by All Ohio's guards for Powell and he took some rushed and contested shots that were low percentage. Not very quick with the ball in his hands, Powell struggles to create his own shot at the EYBL level. I still am a big fan of Powell's game, there were just some weaknesses that were highlighted this weekend that college programs should be aware of when recruiting him. If Powell goes to the right system that will feed him open shots, he can be a big time producer, but asking him to create for himself and hit contested jumpers could lead to similar results as this weekend.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1346654"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Another one of the elite shooters we cover, Washington shot the cover off the ball this weekend to the tune of 8/13 from 3-point range. A quick release and steady mechanics, there are few things prettier than watching Washington fire from long distance. Very limited off the bounce, Washington was just 3/7 from 2-point range all weekend. Washington did a good job getting to the free throw line, shooting 17/19 this weekend. A player who knows what he is and what he isn't, Washington had no turnovers this weekend. A pure specialist, I think mid major programs should look at Washington as there aren't many better 3-point shooters to recruit.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1222346"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Little had some impressive moments this weekend generating rim pressure and speeding up the tempo of the game for All Ohio Red off the bench. A guard who needs to play in as fast of a tempo as possible, Little's on ball defensive activity caused issues for the opposing guards and he was able to drive to the lane and either look to finish or assist teammates. Little finished 5/10 from the field and had 11 assists to just one turnover in the four games this weekend. A prospect with a clear flaw as a shooter, a college program will need to work around this but there's enough Little brings to the table for me to recommend him to low major programs that play at a fast tempo.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1222353"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Buckner had some growing pains in his first 17 U EYBL session, going just 3/13 from the floor. Also finishing with a negative assist to turnover ratio, Buckner will hope to bounce back in the next couple sessions. A guy I really liked what I saw during the high school season with his pace, shooting off the bounce and athletic development, I'll hope to see better numbers from Buckner over the next couple sessions. Currently holding a handful of low to mid major offers, we'll see if he can expand his list during the next few live periods.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["1491436"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Robinson was a pleasant surprise for me this weekend, figuring out ways to produce and help his team win games. Finishing 8/13 from the field with 13 rebounds in 49 minutes, Robinson was active on both ends of the court. A guy who mostly sets screens and looks to crash the offensive glass, Robinson found himself in the right position often enough to find some easy buckets. Defensively he really worked to move his feet on the perimeter and even though he got blown by a few times off the bounce by more athletic forwards, it wasn't due to a lack of effort. I also thought Robinson was an active help-side defender, taking charges and being where he needed to be to help his guards if they got beat off the dribble.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["1426736"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"The guy who played by far the fewest minutes on All Ohio Red 17 U, Njie just got 19 minutes of action over the four games. Njie plays hard, defends, crashes the glass when he's out there and despite not making a field goal, finished 8/8 from the free throw line in his limited sample. I expect scholarship programs to watch Njie at non-EYBL events and with Centerville because his athleticism and production when he's on the floor suggest he should be recruited by scholarship level programs.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["1222351"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Nichols finished his Junior season as a state champion with some impressive play during their playoff run. For Indy Heat Nichols plays a complimentary role as a starter, looking to attack closeouts off the ball. Nichols was impressive from the mid-range, going 7/10 from 2-point range this weekend. Always been a better shooter from 15-18 feet than 3-point range, Nichols went just 1/10 from beyond the arc. A complimentary off-ball piece, Nichols didn't have the ball in his hands a ton but made good decisions when he got it with four assists to just two turnovers. Defensively is where I think Nichols has taken the biggest leap in the past 12 months, becoming an impact on-ball defender. I like a lot of what Nichols brings to a team from the wing guard position and expect low to mid major programs to continue to monitor him this spring and summer.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["1763809"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Another elite shooter who struggled a bit from the outside, Williams went just 3/11 from downtown this weekend. Williams was another wing who struggled to get many open looks from the outside, taking some contested and deep shots. Williams did take care of the ball but still needs to find ways to impact the game when his shot isn't falling. He created space on the floor due to how closely the defense guarded him, but at times was floating with other guys handling the ball for the majority of the time. I still think Williams is a low to mid major prospect and with a better shooting performance at other sessions should add to his offer list.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["1763811"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"A guy who boosted his stock this weekend, Kuany proved to me that he's a Division I level target for schools looking for a big man. Kuany plays with a high motor and his explosive second jump and long wingspan allow him to get his hands on loose balls and rebounds. His most productive game came against Boo Williams where his activity in the paint was a key factor in Indy Heat's ability to hang around all game. I also thought Kuany flashed a couple ball-handling skills that were new to my eyes when watching him. I think there's a lot of upside in Kuany for a program that's willing to be patient in developing a big. Look for low major programs to start calling about Kuany if he continues this play during the next live periods.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["1222354"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"A recent Michigan State commit, McCulloch locked up where he's playing college basketball just before the first live period. A big-time rim protector, McCulloch blocked seven shots in four games, near the tops of the EYBL 17 U leaderboard. McCulloch scored efficiently around the basket, going 10/18 from inside the arc. Always been a floor spacer from the outside, McCulloch connected on half of his six 3-point attempts during the weekend. McCulloch will likely need some time to become a major contributor in the Big 10 but his rim protection and shooting ability gives him some unique upside.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["1677085"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"The only prospect in the EYCL from Ohio, Alabama Fusion is one of the programs on Nike's new second tier circuit. These programs played their first game at the main Lake Point Sports Center Complex, which allowed me to check Smith out. An athletic forward, Smith had a couple transition dunks in the one game I caught. An aggressive defender, a few times he got steals (five steals in four games) that led to these fast break opportunities but also was out of position at times. Smith went 3/9 from long range over the weekend, showing some outside shooting ability. Smith is a ways away from producing at the college level but his physical tools give him some intriguing upside for a program willing to be patient with him. Should be getting looks from Division II and low major programs.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_12_player":["1426738"],"_player_evaluations_12_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"Soulis played at Western Reserve but has moved out of Ohio to play for a prep school in North Carolina. I was really impressed by the developments that Soulis has made since the last time I watched him almost a year ago. Soulis has developed physically and looks more confident with the ball in his hands. Soulis was 9/17 from the floor on the weekend, finishing well at the rim. I thought Soulis did a good job competing on both ends and protected the rim without fouling. Soulis was second on his team in blocked shots and rebounding.","_player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_13_player":["1125963"],"_player_evaluations_13_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_13_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_13_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_13_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_13_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_13_evaluation":"Ali is one of the more naturally talented players in the 2024 class with a unique combination of athleticism, size and shooting ability. Making 6/16 3-point attempts on the weekend, Ali shoots a pretty ball out of his hands. Ali likes to make flashy passes with no look dishes often. I'd like to see Ali bulk up to more easily defend forwards at the next level. He recently released a top 8 schools that features Kentucky, Texas, Arizona State, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Michigan and Arkansas.","_player_evaluations_13_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_14_player":["1110114"],"_player_evaluations_14_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_14_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_14_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_14_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_14_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_14_evaluation":"One of the most talented offensive guards in the country, Mobley, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio and will head back to Columbus for college as he committed to Ohio State. I love Mobley's basketball IQ, I think the play that defined his game was when his team was about to get a five second violation inbounding, Mobley pointed his hand up to ask for a lob pass, which was the only option to get the ball inbounds in time. Mobley receives the pass takes one dribble inside the 3-point line then knocks down an and-1 step-back 3-pointer that was filthy. Mobley was 13/28 from 3-point range during the session and might be the best off the dribble shooter in the country with the deepest range. Defensively, Mobley has clear athletic limitations. However, I really liked how Mobley used his hands defensively and forces players to score around him instead of letting them go right through him.","_player_evaluations_14_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_15_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_15_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_15_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_15_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1222345' first='Tyler' last='McKinley']","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_15_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_15_player_details_height":"6'8u0022","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_15_player_details_position":"77245","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_15_player_details_school":"Link Academy","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_15_player_details_club_team":"Mokan Elite","_player_evaluations_15_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_15_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_15_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_15_evaluation":"McKinley was the top prospect in our rankings until he transferred to prep powerhouse Link Academy. A Geico national champion, McKinley was instrumental in the championship game on both ends. His body has transformed a little since the last time I saw him, with McKinley looking slimmer and moving better on the perimeter. The biggest swing skill will be his outside shooting, McKinley was 1/3 from 3-point range and 4/10 from the free throw line. In the one game I caught, McKinley had a steal to a transition slam dunk, finished a lob with a layup and showed off his soft hands. Mokan was running a shuffle-based offense and their passes got jumped on the big-to-big action for steals to lead to fast break chances. McKinley ended with six assists and six turnovers on the weekend.","_player_evaluations_15_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_16_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_16_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_16_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_16_player_details_player_name":"Jayden Quaintance","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_16_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_16_player_details_height":"6'10u0022","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_16_player_details_position":"77243","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_16_player_details_school":"Word of God","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_16_player_details_club_team":"Team Thad","_player_evaluations_16_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_16_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_16_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_16_evaluation":"Quaintance is one of the most naturally talented prospects in the 2025 class and playing up on the 17 U level despite being young for a 2025 prospect. A big-time athlete, Quaintance has good ball skills for a prospect his size and can change speeds quickly. Quaintance struggled a bit from the field during the first session but his experience playing against older competition will pay off in the long run. A five-star talent, I'm buying all the long-term stock on Quaintance.","_player_evaluations_16_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_17_player":["1747653"],"_player_evaluations_17_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_17_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_17_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_17_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_17_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_17_evaluation":"Saving the best performance for last, Owens had the best game any Ohio prospect had with a 33 point outing Vs Team Thad to wrap up my weekend in Atlanta. Owens went 6/6 from 3-point range and was dominant on both ends of the court. This was an unreal performance, but Owens scored over half his points of the whole weekend in that one game and made six of his seven 3-pointers in that game as well. Consistency would be my biggest area of focus for Owens because the game he had to end the weekend was special. Defensively, Owens is elite and had a variety of guards frustrated with his length, quickness and activity defensively. Owens also has the athleticism to play above the rim and caught a put-back dunk that drew a strong reaction from the crowd. While his handle isn't tight yet in half-court spaces, his quickness and size allows him to get where he wants to in transition and can create space in the half-court. I'm very high on Owens long term upside and believe he has the potential to be an all-conference performer at Marquette.","_player_evaluations_17_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":18,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-644838a966867"} /-->