Shot-Creators That Defend

Shot-creators are much needed and a welcome addition to any team. When you've found one that can defend, pass, and rebound as well, you know you've got a gamechanger. The handful of student-athletes below fall into that category.    Henry is a versatile guard with quick hands that he'll use to swipe the ball from his opponents consistently. He's got great court awareness and makes heads-up plays for his team on a regular basis. Sims is an expert at anticipating where the pass is going when on defense and he uses that to get a jump on the ball, intercept, and head the other direction for an easy deuce. He's a solid shooter from mid-range and behind the arc and he can create his own offense if needed. He's often the first down the floor for his squad on fast breaks and he's constantly creating havoc to defend his own rim - deflections, tips to teammates, reading his man and being one step ahead of them, you name it. I expect Sims to make significant noise in his senior campaign and plenty of heads to turn his way as a result.     Camden is a quick, talented guard that can breeze by you in a flash if you're not on your top defensive game. His passing ability is elite and he's constantly creating opportunities for his teammates. His dishes are like his speed - electric and FAST. His teammates have to ensure they're aware when he has the ball because it's zipping toward them if he sees an easy opportunity. Love utilizes his speed on defense as well - regularly reading plays and intercepting passing lanes for easy steals and buckets on the other end. He's an excellent shooter with impressive range and his handles are enough to make his defenders dizzy. Camden is unselfish and looks at others' opportunities before his own, which I love to see in such a talented player. Love is entering his junior campaign and the eyes on him are only going to increase from here.     Mason is a fast, smart guard that could easily be considered a steal machine on defense. He eats lazy passes for breakfast and uses his quickness the other way to pick up points for his squad. He's got a beautiful floater he utilizes in the lane and he's an excellent shooter from mid-range and beyond the arc. He's able to make reads incredibly quickly which elevates his passing game and opens up opportunities for "oohs" and "ahs" from the crowd on his assists. He's fearless on the hardwood and doesn't shy away from any sort of contact. Additionally, he has the focus to finish through fouls which gets him plenty of and-1 opportunities. He never takes a play off and you can tell he's a pure hustler that simply loves the game. Barnett already has multiple offers coming in and I expect plenty more to roll in throughout his senior campaign.     Malachi is a forward that is absolutely beastly in the lane for his size and he's exploding with talent. Put-back dunks, pretty finishes on the break, jaw-dropping passes in the lane - these are all regular occurrences for Anderson. He's faster than most of his opponents and his ability to read opposing plays often gives him a step in the lane to easily pick off passes consistently. His vertical is almost mystifying - the impressive height he gets while making it look effortless is a rarity and a treat to see. He's a solid mid-range shooter and he has the ability to create in the air and contort his body in whichever manner gives him the best look. He makes the game immensely fun to watch and he made me a fan of his instantly with his hustle and raw talent. I expect Anderson to make a ton of noise this year in his junior season.     Kevin is a long, talented forward that moves incredibly well without the ball. He can get his own shot if needed and he's excellent in the pick and roll with his teammates. He's got a nice Euro step on the drive that he utilizes that's unbelievably challenging for his defenders to keep up with. Tanimowo can also stretch the floor for his squad and knock his shots down consistently from beyond the three-point line. He's taller than the majority of defenders he sees, which gives him an advantage in the lane that he'll use regularly - elevate, SWISH. That part of his game reminds me a bit of KD, an unblock-able jumper. Kelvin has all the ingredients it takes to get himself to the next level, all it comes down to now is maintaining his hustle and love for the game. I don't expect that to be a problem for him at all and I'm looking forward to seeing him turn plenty of heads in his sophomore campaign.

Shot-creators are much needed and a welcome addition to any team. When you've found one that can defend, pass, and rebound as well, you know you've got a gamechanger. The handful of student-athletes below fall into that category.