Texas Freshman Showcase: Lockdown Defenders

I'm a huge fan of defense and it's wonderful to see players that work on that part of their game just as hard or sometimes even harder than the others. The student athletes below were on another level defensively and it was a ton of fun to watch.    Gus is a physical, tough combo guard that can put the clamps on his opponent and make their day plenty difficult. He's skilled at staying in front of his man and seems to enjoy defense as much as the offensive side of the ball. He's not afraid to bang bodies in order to protect his rim and he's always in the mix when a rebound is up for grabs. He's talented on the offensive end of the floor as well, displaying an impressive ability to knock down the three-ball consistently and make plays on the drive with regularity. He's graceful in the air and he's an elite finisher at the rim. He's got solid hang time and the ability to adjust in flight if need be for a better look. Mills is going to garner plenty of attention in high school as long as he keeps putting in the work.     Sameer is a strong, fierce guard that may have been the best defender I saw at the showcase. I noticed him immediately with the way he refused to give his opponent even an inch of space. He spends the majority of his games making and keeping his opponents uncomfortable and it's a beautiful thing to watch. He's confident and seemingly unafraid of anyone, which only helps him be more effective. On the offensive end, he's got a wicked spin move on the drive that's nearly unstoppable and he's an excellent finisher at the rim. I expect Washington to become known as one of the elite defenders not just at his high school, but throughout the state of Texas during his high school career.     Jaylen is a long, quick player that can make jaw-dropping blocks on his opponents. His anticipation is incredible - he never seems to jump at pump fakes and always tends to know the exact moment to elevate in order to put himself in position for a THUNDEROUS swat. He recognizes opportunities for teammates quickly and has a solid passing ability that allows him to capitalize for his team. He's got a pretty floater he likes to put up on his opponents in the lane and he's graceful when he's airborne - a reverse layup he finished with ease was one of the more beautiful plays I saw on the day. Folds is going to be a force for his new squad and I imagine he'll garner plenty of attention throughout his high school campaign.     Shawn is a speedy, skilled guard that can fill up the stat sheet in a plethora of ways. His defense is special to watch - stays in front of his man, never falls asleep or has a lazy moment, and is constantly swatting or stealing the ball to make his opponents incredibly frustrated. He seems to be involved on every play on both ends of the court and he's a monster on the glass - regularly grabbing second and sometimes third opportunities for his team. If you put up a lazy shot, he'll send it to the rafters and then score on the other end. Hall comes across to me as an incredibly hungry player that makes the most of his opportunities. That mentality will serve him well as he gains more and more attention throughout his high school career.     D'Anthoni is a skilled combo guard with a solid frame that can frustrate his opponents defensively in several ways. He's got a knack for reaching without drawing contact and creating steals and additional opportunities for his squad consistently. Once he gets the steal, he then has the ability to look up the court and heave it to a streaking teammate with pinpoint accuracy. On the offensive side of the ball, North can heat up from beyond the arc in a hurry. He can swish it on the step-back, spotting up, even on the run in some cases. He was the best bounce passer I saw all day, delivering his dishes with force and accuracy. He's a beast on the defensive boards, using his solid stature to fend off opponents. North will be a force to reckon with in high school as long as he keeps putting hard work in.

I'm a huge fan of defense and it's wonderful to see players that work on that part of their game just as hard or sometimes even harder than the others. The student athletes below were on another level defensively and it was a ton of fun to watch.