Memorial Weekend Roundup: Big Men

McKinley was one of the first studs I saw on the week. He combined power with skill using strong mitts to secure rebounds and catch passes in traffic. He finished around the bucket and proved he was a two way player picking up some demoralizing blocks in the game I saw.

I wasn’t able to grab an exact height on Shitu but he was the tallest player on the floor in the game I watched. The power forward proved to be a fluid runner as he was able to get down the floor and clean the glass at both the offensive and defensive ends.

Every Championship team needs a player like Anderson. A long, high motor big he was able to protect the rim for his team. Anderson’s best skill besides his motor was his rebounding as he was at his best securing defensive boards for his team.

Look for Wood’s stock to continue to rise he was one of the more athletic big men I saw. He flashed some terrific R&J ability getting a steal and going coast to coast for a dunk attempt. He missed the slam but that one play provided a glimpse into the fluid, agile big man’s future.

Wooten proved to be one of the most dominant players at the event. The big man put together a solid performance this weekend using his low post game to create buckets off direct post up opportunities. Loved the way he used his body and physicality to dislodge opponents on the low block. After creating space the big man showed a soft touch, finishing with his strong hand around the rim.

Reid has shown some tremendous improvement over the last couple months. The big man finished around the rim, showing terrific agility catching and finishing in transition.

I didn’t get a height on Simmons but it was his length that excited me. The long armed big man showed good springs, displaying the ability to get off the ground quickly. He passed one of the best second jumps I saw, allowing him to be one of the better glass cleaners at the event.