A Year In Review: Some Of The Best

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2023 Calendar year has given us a bunch of high-light and noteworthy moments. The types of moments that you would have to see to believe. In the article below, I am going to detail some of the best players that I have been able to witness first hand as a scout during 2023. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1484016"],"_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 had the chance to see [player_tooltip player_id='1484016' first='Brady' last='Wooley'] compete with his AAU team on the Prep Hoops Circuit to end the travel season and all I can say is wow. Wooley is a next level recruit and maybe the best player that I have seen on road this year while covering the boys side. He stands at 6'9 and moves like a guard. He is agile, has a quick first step, understands his size and when to use that advantage, and most importantly - he can spread the floor to shoot it from anywhere with a fundamental jump-shot. This gives him the advantage to not only dominate inside the paint but he can force his bigger defenders to step out, giving him a mismatch in some form on every possession. Wooley is a future Power 5 basketball player. I'm hoping to see him and his team again in 2024. He wasn't the only one that was killing it during this contest but he definitely stood out above most.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["2021901"],"_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":"If you want to talk about players with bright, bright futures on the hardwood, look no further than [player_tooltip player_id='2021901' first='Derrick' last='Hudson'] of Fayetteville High School. Hudson is 6'7 and the real deal. A competitor that has size, strength, and an intense Will to kill any opponent that lines up across from him. From the weekend that I had a chance to see Hudson, his most impressive ability was the way he could control the paint but at the same time, put the ball on the floor to get all the way to the rim. I didn't see him shoot it from deep specifically but he demonstrated the skill where I wouldn't be surprised if he could. This is another individual that should be a Power-5 talent at the end of the day. He has all the intangibles and smarts, he just needs to keep his head down and continue to work. If he does that, he won't be hard to find for much longer. As of right now, he seems to only have a small handful of D1 offers but I wouldn't expect that to last.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2424607' first='Trentyn' last='Mead']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Augusta","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"Arkansas Ducks / J.A.G Elite","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I am the type of evaluator to notice when someone at the Point Guard position can do their job properly. That means that they set up the teammates around them at a high rate, control the overall pace of play throughout the contest, and they can facilitate with elite vision coming down the floor. All while being able to score when things break down and their team needs a bucket. A player that embodies all of this stuff is [player_tooltip player_id='2424607' first='Trentyn' last='Mead'] of Augusta High School in Arkansas. Mead is a game-changer and a difference maker. He understands how to control a game and is well-seasoned in all aspects of the sport from the small sample size I have seen. If I was a coach on any level, I want a PG like Mead. He is going to listen to the others around him and adapt to all situations, promptly. I've had the chance to see a lot of players over the 2023 calendar year and Mead was one of the best at the guard position.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["2277280"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='2277280' first='Kaden' last='Williams'] is one of the true Center's that I am going to remember from the 2023 travel season. When I saw Williams compete, he was showing off his size and strength inside the lane at a high rate for his Arkansas Ducks AAU team. When I first had the chance to sit down and watch Williams, I wasn't sure if he could move too well coming down the floor but time and time again, he demonstrated that he could catch anywhere in the half court and go to work. I watched him throughout a weekend attack his opponents, near and far from the basket, each time showing off a different skill move he could fundamentally complete. In today's game, there aren't too many true Centers or players that primary stick in the post but I think Williams makes most of his moves work within 15 FT. Something that is truly refreshing to see. I'm not sure if I will see Williams compete in 2024 but if I do, I expect to see him giving it his all, no matter the situation or circumstance.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1288748"],"_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":"When speaking on the combination of size and athleticism, there are a few players that really stood out to me this AAU season on a couple of different levels. Someone that is another D1 caliber player, that I had no idea about prior is [player_tooltip player_id='1288748' first='Tyler' last='Wagner'] of Totino-Grace High School and Howard Pulley EYBL. Wagner is listed at 6'6 and plays effortlessly with the ball in his hands. This is another situation with a guard that can shoot it from deep but also has the ability to put it on the floor and get to any spot he might want. Once he gets to that spot, Wagner does a great job of rising above his defender for a clean look at the basket. On the defensive side I would say that he is just as good, if not better. With his natural size, he has the ability to move from spot to spot on the high school floor, matching up with most. Looking forward, I'm excited to see where Wagner might end up at the end of his high school career. He is going to be a producer at which-ever collegiate program he see's the floor with . He just needs to find the correct system to fit into and everything else will workout for the best.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6591fb2dd2abb"} /-->