Can’t Miss: Early Season Dominators

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The excitement of basketball season is in full swing, and the players below have separated themselves from the pack quickly in multiple ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2645345,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Gavin Johnson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"North Garland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"ProSkills EYBL","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6744bf0e85319"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gavin is a talented, sharp-shooting combo guard that shows his opponents quickly that they don't want to leave him open on the perimeter. He moves incredibly well without the ball and gets to his spots around the arc with ease. Once he sees one go in, it's likely there are going to be multiple made buckets to follow. He pairs his shooting accuracy with a keen eye for playmaking in his passing game - always aware where his teammates are on the court and capitalizing if one of them has prime position for an easy conversion. He's got skills on the defensive side of the ball as well, often disrupting passing lanes and leading the charge on fast breaks in the other direction. He swipes the ball without making contact flawlessly and can rack up steals on his opponents if they're not careful. Johnson is a true two-way guard that makes a huge impact for his squad in several ways. I expect the attention around him to get stronger and stronger as his season progresses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2645420,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ethan Liserio","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Roosevelt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Drive Nation SA","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6744bf0e853c0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ethan is a dangerous combo guard with a beautiful shooting form and impressive range. He's confident and shows no hesitation when he's open - a telling sign that he's putting in the work necessary to perform on the floor at the highest level. He's an absolute disruptor on defense, consistently snatching lazy passes and capitalizing on the other end with ease. He's hungry and persistent - if he gets after the ball, he won't stop until he has it himself or a jump is called to settle the situation. His ballhandling skills are solid with a nice hesitation move and a quick burst off his first step when he accelerates into the lane. Liserio is a dual threat that makes a huge impact on both sides of the floor and his senior campaign is going to be a must-see.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2514252"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6744bf0e8540d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jonathan is an incredibly quick, efficient point guard that makes his opponents pay regularly on the defensive end. He's unbelievably fast off the dribble and he pairs that with an elite ballhandling ability that can make him seemingly unstoppable. He can drive either direction on his opposition with ease and he's an artist in the air - contorting his body every which way and going up and under shot-blockers to get himself clear, high-percentage opportunities. He's fantastic at following through and finishing through contact, consistently racking up extra points for his team. He's not a high flyer, but he doesn't need to be with some of the most impressive horizontal hang time I've seen in recent memory. He'll jump from around the charity stripe and somehow be in the air long enough to go with his second or third option on his shot attempt. His awareness off the dribble is amazing and he elevates his teammates throughout his games - a true floor general. Can't wait to see all the deserved attention Williams gets this season and beyond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2645548,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1778923' first='J'Den' last='Shields']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Prosper","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6744bf0e8548c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">J'Den is a lengthy, smart combo guard with an advanced skill set and solid fundamentals. He comes off to me as the type of guard you build a team around - the whole package - he can create offense, score at will, set his teammates up for easy buckets, and defend effectively. He never appears to be in a hurry - always thinking though his next moves calmly with patience, excellent footwork, and great decision-making. Both the lift and arc he gets on his shots are incredibly impressive and allow him to elevate up and over the peskiest of defenders for clear looks at the rim. He's one of the more effective players I've seen with his pump fakes in the lane, seemingly every attempt he's either faking out his defender for an easy opportunity or creating the contact he needs to get to the line for more automatic points. Shields is going to be a force to reckon with this season and beyond and I don't see him slowing down any time soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2233759"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6744bf0e854d1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Thor is a long, high-IQ shooting guard that can drain threes on one end of the floor and defend the rim effectively on the other. If you leave him open beyond the arc, you might as well chalk it up as a bucket and get in offensive mode to try and get those points back. He's excellent with his hands in the air on defense with a keen ability to target the ball without contact and rack up blocks and deflections incredibly fast. He's an excellent passer and has the ability to fit the ball through the thinnest of lanes to a teammate in transition or a big with solid position on his man. He has a pretty floater off one-foot in the lane that's nearly unstoppable and he knows how to consistently keep his defenders on their toes. I expect Grissom to make his senior campaign one to remember and plenty of folks to be taking notice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->