Grassroots Showcase 2029 Standouts Part 1

Ohio Basketball and Hoop Seen's Grassroots Showcase is one the biggest annual events in Louisville year after year. It brought talent from all over the country to the Kentucky Expo Center this past weekend, including several high-level 15U teams. Here's a few freshman that stood out amongst the pack:    Abdriel looked every bit of 6'7" this past weekend and had the highest upside of any player that I laid eyes on. His combination of size, athleticism and skill positions him nicely as a modern-day unicorn prototype that college programs covet. He did a little bit of everything for Jay Academy 3SSB in their Saturday afternoon matchup, beginning with using his reach to control the boards. He ran the floor well throughout the contest which led to many fast break opportunities where he finished strong at the rim. Abdriel's 2nd half takeover, however, was the final nail in the coffin and showcased his shooting and defensive upside as a stretch 4. He racked up a few blocks and notably knocked down three 3PT field goals to finish with a game-high 16PTS.     It's been a while since I've seen Derez hoop in person, but he did not disappoint. The two-way combo guard showcased the most complete game of anyone on a KY Ambition 15U team that features several future college players. He has a profound understanding of angles when finishing around the rim. He kissed the ball sky high off the glass on several occasions at a level of comfortability that's beyond his years. He also showcased his court vision and made several tough passes to find open teammates, including a full court dime that led to a corner 3PT field goal. Derez's contributions on the other side of the ball, however, set him apart. At one point he made up for a turnover with a full out sprint to stop the fast break followed by a block on the shot attempt. He also used intense ball pressure to rack up steals at the top of the key which led to easy one-man fast break opportunities.     Eli is one of Kentucky's top 2029 guards and he showed why this past weekend at the Grassroots Showcase. His bag off the dribble continues to evolve as does his confidence. He used a crafty package of spin moves and hesitations to get to his spots consistently. His speed and decisiveness with the ball in his hands stood out as well as his ability to finish around the rim. Eli's shooting, however, is one of the more underrated areas of his game. He's more than comfortable using a hard dribble or two to get to a sweet spot in the midrange, especially when going right. His athleticism comes in handy when doing so as he tends elevate just a fraction of a second longer than his defenders to give himself just enough space to knock down shots.     This past weekend was my first time getting eyes on Dehaas and I was thoroughly impressed by his production. He has good size at his position already and appears to be growing still. With recently evolved athleticism, he's able to score from anywhere on the court, including above the rim. His accuracy from long distance, however, and his ability to get to the rim off the dribble might've been his most useful weapons this past weekend. Dehaas's shooting mechanics are smooth and will only get better as he matures. He's also a confident playmaker with the ball in his hands who's capable of changing pace and direction to get past defenders. As [program_tooltip program_id='2414167' first='502' last='Elite'] 15U's leading scorer, he notably dropped 27 PTS versus a really good KY PRO16 team in a one-possession overtime loss on Sunday morning. Definitely a high-upside kid to keep an eye on.     In terms of shifty guards, Dante was probably the quickest with the ball in his hands that I was able to catch this past weekend. His smooth handle and twitchy tendencies kept his defender off balance which gave him the upper hand more often than not. Whether he was scoring the ball himself or setting up teammates, Dante had more responsibilities than anyone on the court, but he carried them well. He showcased his ability to finish with both hands around the rim and knocked down some outside shots off the dribble that showed promise. He also threaded the needle through traffic on several occasions to create opportunities for his teammates. It's also worth noting that Dante got into a scuffle early on in the game and made a point to make peace afterwards. Great kid and a talented prospect.

Ohio Basketball and Hoop Seen's Grassroots Showcase is one the biggest annual events in Louisville year after year. It brought talent from all over the country to the Kentucky Expo Center this past weekend, including several high-level 15U teams. Here's a few freshman that stood out amongst the pack: