Familiar faces in new places: PA/NJ 17U forwards

While the transfer portal has recently become all the rage in the college basketball universe, those who are accustomed to following the AAU landscape know it's fully normal for a player to be on a different team from year-to-year (if not weekend-to-weekend). With the grassroots season kicking off in full force this weekend across the Northeast, see below for profiles on a number of forwards looking to make a splash in a new uniform for their 17U campaigns.    After a couple of successful summers with [program_tooltip program_id='2078697' first='Philly' last='Pride'], Warren will remain on the UAA circuit but with a new outfit as he suits up with NJ Shoreshots. A rugged and athletic forward, he shines with his versatility as he's able to operate both inside and out on either end of the floor based on what his team needs in a given game. Warren is a difficult matchup for opposing forwards as he can space the floor with a reliable jumper and also put it on the deck for strong and explosive finishes near the rim. With his powerful frame and extremely quick feet, he's as versatile a 1-on-1 defender as there is in the state, able to bang inside with bigger forwards and also corral opposing guards on the perimeter. His game may not be the prettiest, but Warren's versatility, athleticism, and blue-collar approach should earn him solid D1 interest in the coming months.     Moving up from his native Delaware to test himself in the vaunted Philly Catholic League, N'Diaye made a name for himself this winter with an All-PCL campaign in which he cemented himself as one of the most productive junior forwards in the state. Having played on the UAA circuit last summer, he'll now take his talents to the HGSL where his versatile, tough-nosed attack is sure to make further waves. Somewhat of a throwback '4'-man but certainly with modern elements, N'Diaye brings a consistent physicality to the floor as he zealously does the dirty work and racks up production efficiently within the flow of the game. With soft hands and touch from all over the floor, plus the instincts to routinely find himself in the soft spots of the defense, he's a consistently effective release valve for his guards. N'Diaye should reel in scholarship-level interest and offers in the months to come with a chance to work his way onto D1 radars, particularly if he can continue to expand as a ballhandler.     With eligibility rules forcing him to sit out the year after a preseason transfer, Adams will rely on a big AAU season to reignite his buzz on the recruiting trail as he suits up with [program_tooltip program_id='2428018' first='Sideline' last='Cancer'] on the MHC. A bruising frontcourt presence with a healthy mean streak his game, he shines doing the dirty work as an effective rebounder and interior finisher while setting a hard-nosed tone up front. Adams looks to have stretched out a bit while shedding some baby fat from his frame, looking notably springier around the rim as a result. He won't be a fit for everybody at the next level given his relative lack of offensive skill, but Adams' sheer size and willingness to thrive within his role should draw scholarship-level interest over the course of the spring and summer.     It was a season of quiet growth for Bobb, as Egan took some lumps under first-year coach Sean Tait but the athletic hybrid forward established himself as a consistent varsity contributor. Sliding over within the HGSL to BW Elite, he'll look to continue his progress into the spring and summer while working to expand his game further away from the rim. Still at his best using his size and athleticism as a workhorse up front, Bobb flashes an intriguing long-term upside with his ability to put the ball on the deck from the perimeter and space the floor in spurts. On the young side of his grade and with a transcript fit for most high-academic situations at the next level, Bobb could be an interesting target for any number of programs up to the scholarship level, with the possibility of a post-grad or reclass year potentially in play as well.     One of the surprises of the prep school season across the region was the play of DaCruz, a late-blooming forward from the Garden State who showed flashes of brilliances during his post-grad year on Long Island. A hybrid forward who's a tailor-made fit for the modern game, DaCruz shines with his versatility offensively as a dynamic floor-spacing threat from the frontcourt who can also put the ball on the deck past slower forwards. The southpaw is on an intriguing trajectory, having grown several inches late in high school and more than quintupled his production from his junior to senior year. A strong student with his best basketball clearly still ahead of him, DaCruz certainly looks the part of a scholarship-level prospect at this point and could even make a D1 program look smart if they choose to give him a shot late in the cycle.

While the transfer portal has recently become all the rage in the college basketball universe, those who are accustomed to following the AAU landscape know it's fully normal for a player to be on a different team from year-to-year (if not weekend-to-weekend). With the grassroots season kicking off in full force this weekend across the Northeast, see below for profiles on a number of forwards looking to make a splash in a new uniform for their 17U campaigns.