Defensive Specialists to Know

When you find a player who talks to you about their defense first, you know you've likely discovered something special. It takes incredible skill to figure someone out and lock them down on the defensive side of the ball. The players below are passionate defenders that never skip an opportunity to improve on how they shut down their opponents.    Gage is a quick, versatile guard that has a keen eye for the basketball at all times throughout his games. He easily recognizes laziness with the ball and strikes at the perfect times, racking up steal after steal and nabbing extra possessions for his squad. He's got a knack for swiping without fouling and he's smart with when he picks his opportunities. He's got a PRETTY floater that he'll go to often in the lane in order to sink shots over taller defenders in the paint. King can also shoot lights out from beyond the arc and he moves excellently without the ball, making him an incredibly well-rounded player. He's fantastic at staying in front of his man and fighting through picks. You can tell he puts in plenty of work on his defensive game. I expect King to have an excellent junior season and to keep garnering more and more attention.     Andon is an incredibly skilled point guard that is lightning quick on his feet and lightning quick with his hands. It's common for him to have a handful of steals per game and when you watch him play, you find out why. His court vision and his anticipation of where his opponent is going next are absolutely off the charts. He'll be sprinting before the pass has left his opponent's hands because he knows where it's headed and he knows he's about to get an easy deuce going the other direction. His elite vision helps him on the offensive side of the ball as well - he squeezes passes through paper thin lanes and always finds his guys on the fast break with ease. He rounds out his game with elite ballhandling and a strong, consistent scoring ability. His fearlessness on the court is a ton of fun to watch. I expect Newton to make boatloads of noise in his senior campaign and to have a ton of eyes on him as he finishes his high school playing career.     Derek is a big, bruising center that you absolutely don't want to see if you're driving down the lane. He swats shots with regularity, using his length and strength to overwhelm and overpower his opponents. He's got an incredibly solid shooting ability for a big man and he's an elite glass cleaner, consistently eating boards on both ends of the floor and creating extra opportunities for his team. He's talented at making contact with the ball on defense without fouling, and that comes in handy for the usual multiple blocks and steals that fill out his stat sheet on a night in, night out basis. I haven't even mentioned his monstrous dunks yet - if he gets the smallest step on you on the drive or in the paint - LOOK OUT - because he's about to posterize. I was extremely impressed with his ability to drive the ball - seeing him start beyond the arc, easily get past his defender, and dunk it with force in the lane. It's not often you get to see big men do that. I expect Hollman Jr. to have a stellar senior season and for the offers to keep flooding in for him.     Toby is a skilled center with an incredibly solid frame that can hold his own against the toughest of opponents. He preys on lazy shots in the lane and is quick to recognize them, racking up multiple blocks per game on a regular basis. He has excellent footwork for a big and he uses it to get to spots his defender simply can't challenge, setting himself up for easy bucket after easy bucket. He's tough and also knows how to finish through contact, gathering extra points for his team with his solid free throw shooting ability. He can take it the length of the floor and dunk it with ferocity and he can sink the mid-range consistently as well as the occasional three ball. He can always fall back on his power, which he'll use in an old school way of backing down his defender and getting himself into an unbeatable position in the key. I expect Pike to keep performing at a high level and to have plenty of eyes on him as he rounds out his high school career.     Kanyon is a fast, lengthy forward that can read a play like no other. He's an absolute beast when protecting his rim in the paint and he has a keen ability to rack up blocks by knowing where his opponent is going to put the ball. If you get a step on him, he'll simply use his length to swat your shot to space from behind. He annihilates the glass on both ends of the floor and regularly racks up second and third-chance opportunities for his squad. Taylor can also knock down the three-ball consistently and he's an incredible passer. He uses his length in all aspects of his game, giving himself extra passing space around his opponents and setting his teammates up for easy drives to the bucket. I'm blown away by how well-rounded Kanyon's game is. I expect Taylor to have an unbelievable junior season and to draw more and more attention as he plays throughout the second half of his high school career.

When you find a player who talks to you about their defense first, you know you've likely discovered something special. It takes incredible skill to figure someone out and lock them down on the defensive side of the ball. The players below are passionate defenders that never skip an opportunity to improve on how they shut down their opponents.