Underrated Playmakers for the 2024 Class
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Playmaking is the most important aspect of a team’s success regardless of talent or skill level. Moving the ball around constantly keeping the defense on their toes, and getting everyone involved will go a long way to a team’s success.…
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Continue ReadingPlaymaking is the most important aspect of a team’s success regardless of talent or skill level. Moving the ball around constantly keeping the defense on their toes, and getting everyone involved will go a long way to a team’s success. Here are my underrated playmakers for the 2024 class.
Averaging 5.1 assists in his Junior year Frauenheim is an excellent pace setter for his team and makes sure his teammates are always on the same page as him. He’s already an elite scorer but pairing that with his playmaking makes him a tough guard every game. His ability to make terrific cross-court passes on the fastbreak accurately makes it nearly impossible to guard him. Frauenheim runs the pick-n-roll well and looks to set up his big man in good positioning for an easy layup almost every time.
Fitzpatrick is an explosive guard who is very quick on his feet and with his vision. He makes excellent and accurate passes to teammates most defenders wouldn’t even think would be open. He likes to use his tight handles to get to anywhere he wants to on the court. Fitzpatrick knows exactly when a teammate is cutting to the rim giving them clean looks at the rim. He can hide behind screens and draw double teams in the process allowing him to kick it out to an open teammate to break down the defense.
Culuko is a player that can control the game in almost every area of a game with playmaking being his most underrated skill. With how much attention he draws from defenses it’s no surprising he gets double-teamed a lot. That allows Culuko to kick it out to open teammates in those situations. He can run the fastbreak as well as anyone making some impressive full-court passes or hitting teammates in stride while on the run to the basket.
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Portnoy can score the basketball with some of the best in his class but when it comes to his playmaking ability that is where he takes his game to another level. He can break down defenses quickly with his handles forcing defenders to have to come over and help allowing him to kick the ball out to open shooters on the perimeter. He will look to run the pick-n-roll or pick-n-pop whenever he can and makes clean-cut passes to cutting teammates.
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Benowitz will look to score first however if he can’t find a way to score playmaking is how he still affects the game. At 6’2″ he will look to expose mismatches in the post allowing him to draw double teams forcing him to kick it out to open teammates. Benowitz will look for his teammates coming off of off-ball screens onto the perimeter. He can control the midrange game well giving him passing or scoring opportunities in that area.