Freshmen You Want to See

New school year, new class of incoming student-athletes and a flood of fresh talent to evaluate. The skills being shown at younger and younger ages are exciting and bode well for the future of the game in Texas and beyond. Below are a group of talented newcomers that you'll want to get to know quickly and keep on your radar.      Entwaun is a speedy and talented two-way guard that can already compete against players a couple years his senior. His ballhandling is incredibly advanced for his age and he can shake his defenders with an arsenal of moves to choose from on his drives to the hoop. Mack can also shoot lights out from mid-range and downtown and his elite quickness ensures that no opponent gets past him when he's busy locking them down. He's got a good eye and can anticipate passes before they happen, allowing him to disrupt the lane and streak the other direction for an easy deuce. He's incredibly active on the floor and never takes a play off. I expect Mack to make a name quickly for himself next season and the legitimate hype around him to only grow from there.     Jordan is a versatile, confident point guard that can beat his opponents in a plethora of ways. You want to eliminate his space and lock him down? He'll blow by you with his elite speed and ballhandling ability. You want to play it safe and give him a few steps? He'll sink jumpers on you all day with his range that extends well beyond the three. You want to double him? He'll Magic Johnson you with a show-stopping pass. You want to rise up and block his shot into oblivion? He'll get the ball up and over you with his graceful floater for two. You want to sneak a pass by? He'll snatch it before you know it and be on his way to the other end for a bucket as you realize what happened. My point is: Hopkins is an incredibly talented, well-rounded player. His skills remind me a bit of an early James Harden. He can't help but smile when he plays the game and I love to see that - shows he loves the game and loves the work.     Jamal is an excellent two-way forward that can play guard if needed as well. He has an advanced ballhandling ability and uses that to get out of any jams he encounters stress-free and with a clear lane to the hoop. He's a fantastic shooter with an incredibly quick release and he specializes in three point buckets. Jones is no slouch on defense either. He's long for his age and takes advantage of that by constantly disrupting his opponents and throwing them off their game-plan. Blocks, altering shots, swiping without fouling - Jones can get it done as a defender. I'm excited to see what Jamal does next season and I expect him to turn plenty of heads throughout his entire high school campaign.     Gus is a patient, versatile guard that can get the spectators out of their seats with his incredible passes. He will outhustle his opponent every single time down the floor and somehow maintains his pace and energy throughout. He's a solid rebounding guard - consistently racking up second and third-chance opportunities for his team. He can drive either way and lay it in right or left, so he's hard to stop in the lane. He has active hands on defense every time and that leads to steals with regularity. His patience is impressive and he has the ballhandling ability to allow it, it often seems as if he's quickly looking at his options and going with his third or fourth choice. I expect Mills to have a big impression on his squad next season and for the attention on him to get larger and larger.     Hudson is a fast, energetic guard that can do a myriad of things to elevate his squad throughout the game. He's an ace shooter from the three-point line and knows how to get to his spots with enough space to release and swish. He's excellent on the fast break and he's great at making the best decision based on the opportunity before him - whether that be scoring or assisting. He's a lock-down disruptor on defense and is skilled at intercepting opposing passing lanes and heading the other way for an easy bucket. Hacker is also an incredible passer - his variety of skills keeps you on edge throughout the game for a jaw-dropping play any second. His elite ballhandling ability can easily get him out of jams and his basketball IQ is advanced. I expect Hacker to have a great upcoming season and garner plenty of attention moving forward.

New school year, new class of incoming student-athletes and a flood of fresh talent to evaluate. The skills being shown at younger and younger ages are exciting and bode well for the future of the game in Texas and beyond. Below are a group of talented newcomers that you'll want to get to know quickly and keep on your radar.