Robbie’s Summer Notebook: Players I Saw With The Best Feel

Welcome to Robbie's Summer Notebook, a three-part series where I'll recap some of the best players (in different categories) that I got eyes on this summer. Of course, it's impossible to see every New England prospect, so the bolded part of that sentence is especially important.   Here is a list of the events I attended and scouted this summer: NEPSAC Showcase at Babson, NEPSAC Showcase at Avon Old Farms, All-Academic-Camp at Babson, Hall of Fame National Invitational, Zero Gravity Live Finale, Gold Standard X KB3 Elite Summer Draft League, Tufts Elite Camp, Babson Elite Camp, Brandeis Elite Camp, and Emmanuel Elite Camp.   The first part of the series can be found <a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/09/robbies-summer-notebook-players-i-saw-with-the-highest-ceiling/">here</a>.   Now, let's move on to a category that's near and dear to my heart, the "feel for the game" category. Here are 7 guys that stood out this summer.    Every single basketball player should be begging to play with [player_tooltip player_id='2874981' first='John' last='Spinoso']. As soon as he touches the ball offensively, he darts into the lane with great quickness and effortlessly finds teammates for wide open threes and layups. He's simply one of the best passers I saw this summer; he has amazing vision, and he throws his passes with incredible pace and accuracy. Defensively, Spinoso has a unique understanding of angles and passing lanes and is therefore able to succeed as an undersized, 6-foot-5 center at the prep school level. Can't speak highly enough of Spinoso's feel on both ends – reminds me a lot of Draymond Green, but with absolutely none of the antics.     The basketball looks like it's part of Moesch's hands when he's hooping. He's got an unbelievable pick and roll understanding and can make any pass in the book once he gets into the lane, which he does with ease: one handed with both hands, cross court, no look, touch pass, you name it. He's got a sort of herky-jerky nature to his game that is tough to find and he can finish high off the glass with the best of them. He just understands how to play and always makes the right read. Don't tell me he isn't high D1 — I don't buy it. Underrated.     Wilkins is as smooth with the ball as they come. He's got a great feel for how to use crafty footwork in the lane and he understands how to attack defenders at a high level. The way he uses his body and can ball fake his way to the rim is not something you find with most athletically-gifted 6-foot-5 guards. Even though he can wow you with great elevation, he often opts for the finesse, below-the-rim finish, which is a testament to his mind and basketball IQ. Wilkins also has a great handle and shooting ability – a true all-around offensive game. He only holds offers from mid-majors right now, but I would not be surprised if that changes this year.     Bike controls the entire flow of the game when he's on the court. When he has the ball in his hands, you have a sense of confidence and security, because he's going to make the correct play every time, even if it doesn't earn him an assist or points. He's got special pick and roll chops; he sets up his defender well, and he puts the defender in jail once he uses the screen. The game looks slow for Bike when he's rolling. Once he gets in the lane, Bike uses phenomenal footwork and craft to outsmart taller and more athletic defenders. Bike could play at any NESCAC school he wants, or probably some low level D1's.     I've said it before and I'll say it again: [player_tooltip player_id='1489265' first='Andrew' last='Alekseyenko'] is baby Jokic. He operates so well out of the post, always finding three-point shooters on crosscourt passes and consistently getting to the front of the rim by using exquisite footwork and body control. He plays at his own pace and can succeed as an undersized big (6-foot-8) against both smaller and larger players. Like Spinoso, Alekseyenko uses incredible pace on his passes which gives shooters the extra half-second they need to make a decision against a defender closing out. The Colgate commit will have a field day in an offense that prioritizes passing and three-point shooting.     Hailey is only in the class of 2026 but plays well beyond his years with the ball in his grasp. He's got special ball handling ability and footwork in the lane, often pivoting around and around before scooping in up-and-under layups. The way he operates in the pick and roll is also special; he's great at setting up defenders and even better at keeping them on his back, right where he wants them. Once Hailey's body catches up to his mind, it's going to be dangerous for every opponent he faces. Unsure whether he has offers currently, but they'll be coming soon.     Despite being a 6-foot point guard, Okorie's athleticism, craft, and feel in the lane allow him to be an exceptional finisher. He's ambidextrous and seems equally effective with both hands. He's also quite adept at making the dump down and kick out pass when the defenders flock to him in the paint, which happens very often as a result of his ridiculous quickness and active off-hand. Defensively, Okorie has great instincts and feel for how his opponent wants to get to the rim. He's getting low and mid D1 offers, and more should be coming soon.

Welcome to Robbie's Summer Notebook, a three-part series where I'll recap some of the best players (in different categories) that I got eyes on this summer. Of course, it's impossible to see every New England prospect, so the bolded part of that sentence is especially important.