Summer’s Best: Play-Makers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New readers: Use code Proia30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our scouts wanted to take the time to reflect back on some standout players outside of the top-60 to show some love to some of the top performers that might not always get the publicity that they deserve with their play. We'll cover top defenders, best playmakers, elite scorers, hottest shooters, and more! Today, let's start with some of the better play-makers in the area. Let's dive in!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2760810"],"_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-689e07e834613"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Steele will likely be one of the biggest risers in our next set of rankings after a productive offseason. Steele is great at getting a step on his matchup to blow past them and into the teeth of the defense to make a play. Love his ability to improvise off the bounce and change the read/direction on the fly based off of defensive rotations. Steele uses his frame well to carve out space on drives to the rim but also has a nice set of pivot finishes around the rim to score around the defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2575606"],"_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-689e07e8346b3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Physical, aggressive downhill driver that always keeps the pressure on the defense to rotate in time and communicate well in the halfcourt to try to stay in front. Brown uses that slashing ability to create well in the halfcourt, fighting to get paint touches that he converts into points on kickouts to perimeter shooters or dropoffs to cutters slicing to the rim. Definitely have seen more consistency in the release point and other shot mechanics to allow the jumper to flow more smoothly-- especially when he is walking into a 3 point attempt on the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2252276"],"_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-689e07e83472e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Fryszer does a great job of controlling pace, keeping the defender on his hip so that he can keep his head up to make plays for others in the halfcourt. You can see the IQ in his communications with teammates, motioning a teammate through just to clear out the help for a PnR possession and change the defensive rotations. He does a great job of capitalizing on his matchup falling or hesitating for a split second on a hesi to blow past them to gain that advantage step and keep them in jail on his back while he forces help defenders to swarm him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1782670"],"_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-689e07e8347a6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Zaid is really, really difficult to stay in front of-- even without a ball screen. His ability to put pressure on the rim--particularly in transition--makes him a really valuable piece for a Landon team that should surprise some people this year. Zaid uses a low center of gravity to reject screens at the last second or simply change directions to get him past his matchup and to the rim. Like the progression that we have seen from him as a decision-maker at the end of games. He's poised, plays with good pace, counts down shot clocks in his head to ensure he gets the right look, can pass with either hand off a live dribble with ease, and can create space on his own jumpshot if that is the best possible look for his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1588140"],"_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-689e07e83481b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-McLaughlin might be the scrappiest player in the area, just an absolute junkyard dog at the point guard position that wins his team a lot of games by handling the tasks that no one wants to do. He'll pick up his matchup 94 feet, generate paint touches for floaters or kickouts to shooters, and is REALLY good operating in chaos. His brain moves a beat faster than everyone on the floor, his processing for loose balls or long rebounds allows him to beat his matchup to the spot. McLaughlin also does a great job of finding opportunities to make plays that swing close games: a tipped inbound pass that he bats to a teammate for a layup, a last-second wrap-around pass to his big in traffic, poking out a steal when his matchup is busy setting up the offense. His ability to read defenses and make the right play before the passing window closes makes him a valuable piece for a Riverdale roster that will be rolling out a ton of new faces with the coaching change. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2883183"],"_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-689e07e834890"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Camps is such a throwback, just an extremely fundamental pure point guard. Camps isn't afraid to take a Steve Nash baseline drive to get his teammates to move off the ball and execute a pass while their defender has their head turned following the ball. Camps has the ball on a string and usually knows what options he has off the ball in the PnR as a high-level passer that does a great job of looking opposite to shift the defense. Camps excels as a fast point guard that effectively races the ball in transition and makes the decision of what he's going to do with the ball before he crosses the 3 point line to effectively suck in the help defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->