Coach K Combine Immediate Takeaways

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Coach K has done it again, assembling a wide array of talent to compete at the Coach K combine. Here are my immediate takeaways…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2628268,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Patterson-Thacker-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Patterson-Thacker-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2628268" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2363179' first='Patterson' last='Thacker']</strong> (6'3/PF/2028/Stratford Stem Magnet) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: patters_on</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @PattersonT9946</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Patterson is an incoming freshman who is listed as a PF. He is a stout interior presence who clogs up the middle and makes real estate hard to obtain. Driving lanes are not easily identified by potential slashers as they see Patterson in the paint being a wall in the way of their path to the rim. He does not have the length or jumping ability to be a shot blocker, but he does make ball-handlers think about ways to get to the cup. Offensively, Patterson did not show a lot when it came to scoring; however, he did show that he was a really good passer out of the post and from the high post area. His vision and passing skills allow a coach to run their offense through Patterson, giving defenses at the high school level a different look to have to defend.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2628269,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Carter-Goodwin-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Carter-Goodwin-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2628269" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2628283' first='Carter' last='Goodwin']</strong> (5'8/PG/2028/East Hickman HS) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: carter.goodwin11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Carter is a small PG who showed his ability to score the rock at a high level from the perimeter during camp. He is a lefty sniper who was one of the best shooters from range. He is small, but he is a hard-nosed and gritty competitor who impacts both ends of the floor with his play. When he was not showing off his scoring arsenal, he showed his court awareness, court vision, and passing skills. He makes really good reads with the ball in his hands, showing his budding PG IQ. He is preparing for his freshman year on the high school level and has the skill set to make an impact, but his size will be an area that will raise questions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2628270,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-King-Keary-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-King-Keary-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2628270" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259395' first='King' last='Keary']</strong> (6'2/CG/'25/Goodpasture Christian)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: kingkeary1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @kingkeary1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">King's performance showed he is ready to have a stock-rising senior season. I have put a lot of ink on King over the years, and he has done something that coaches and evaluators look for, which is consistently add to his game. He has gotten a lot faster off the bounce, is more aggressive attacking off the bounce, and is shooting the trey ball with greater efficiency. I have seen enough of King to know that he can make it to the next level, but this upcoming season, he must seal the deal with his level of play. I think he is ready because he showed a lot of confidence at camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2628274,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Francis-Nwoye-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-Francis-Nwoye-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2628274" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2955842' first='Francis' last='Nwoye']</strong> (6'2/F/2029/Meigs Magnet MS) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: d1_francis</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Francis was one of the young guys playing with the high school division. He has good size to be an 8th grader and he brought intensity, energy, and effort to the floor. He has good length and was able to utilize it to be active on the glass. His impact was seen with his activity on the boards, but he showed budding tools that hinted at his potential in his overall game. He is a player that I am putting on my notes of players to watch their development in the next couple of years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Johnny Nwoye</strong> (6'5/PF/2027/Hume-Fogg) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Johnnwoye8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Johnny has positional size and really good length, which allowed him to be a highly active glass cleaner on both ends of the floor. He often was the reason offenses were limited to one possession due to his ability to secure the defensive glass, while he was able to pour in easy buckets with put-backs due to his work on the offensive glass. The glass is where he stood out during the day, as he had a distinct advantage because of his length. I look forward to seeing him matched up with players with similar size.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2610397' first='Destin' last='Kellogg']</strong> (6'0/PG/2028/Brentwood Academy) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: destinkellogg2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @DestinKellogg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Destin was one of the top lead guards at camp, regardless of class. He does a good job balancing scoring and facilitating and proved that he can run the show as well as go get a bucket at any moment. He is really good at handling the rock and playing at his own pace. He was never hurried into playing at a pace he did not want to, which resulted in him being in complete control on the offensive end whenever his team had the rock. Destin can realistically play any perimeter position and be effective. He makes others around him better while at the same time making the team much better with his ability to make sure the ball does not stick but is constantly moving. Defensively, he has to get better because he easily got beat off the bounce at times because of a lack of effort or bad technique.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Jaden Thompson</strong> (6'3/SG/2026/Battle Ground Academy) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: _Jaden615</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @Jadenthom615</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Jaden is a solid wing player who was not flashy but very impactful on both ends of the floor. He is the type of player you know is out on the floor because he is constantly around the ball and making plays, but it is not until the end of the game that you check the stat sheet and see his production in the scoring column and on the boards. He was active on the glass from the guard spot and got a lot of put-backs on the offensive end. He scored well in transition and brought energy and effort to his squad. Defensively, he is solid and does a good job containing his man with his on-ball pressure.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->