Rumble in the Rapids: Fantastic Forwards from the Weekend

Over the 3-day showcase in Grand Rapids, we saw some of the most talented forwards that Michigan has to offer in the 2028 class. Here's a rundown, in no particular order, of some of the most talented forwards we saw over the weekend.    Any conversation over the best big men from the Rumble in the Rapids, starts and ends with [program_tooltip program_id='2539820' first='The' last='Academy']'s [player_tooltip player_id='2539710' first='Becker' last='Samaha'].   On defense, Becker's 6'8" size makes him an absolute weapon. He's constantly disrupting shots, and for a man of his age and size-he has really great footwork down low. He doesn't just rely on his height to allow rebounds to come to him; he's fighting around defenders to get to the glass.   And offensively, there just seems to be no stopping Becker. If he has fewer than two dunks in a game, it's an off night. He rarely mishandles the ball, and plays well with his back to the basket. Yes he can play the traditional center role, but he's also comfortable knocking down a turnaround jumper.   Becker is one of Michigan's stars in the class os 2028, and he'll be a lot of fun to watch develop over the next few years.     Kaloni has the perfect combination of speed and footwork to make him a dangerous player.   His length gives him the ability to disrupt shots on defense, and even when he's not grabbing a rebound-he gets a lot of tapouts to start a fast break.   His rebounding and ball control gives him the ability to create a lot of fast break opportunities for his team; and he sees the court so well that he's capable of locating the open man for a transition basket.     David is a tough player who utilizes his strength when he's playing under the hoop. He battles for every rebound and imposes his will in the paint. Even against multiple defenders, he looks so strong when balls are coming off the glass.   Defensively, the kid is all over the floor. He's got great closeout speed and footwork. And he has a great ability to disrupt shots.   David says that his best attribute is an ability to get to the basket.     Another 15U player who was competing this weekend against older competition, Pabegg is large-and he says he might even have some room to grow past his current 6'9" frame!   His size is already a serious problem for opponents. Even when he doesn't appear anywhere near the ball, he can come out of nowhere for a block or pass deflection.   In the paint, he makes it look simple-going over multiple players for a rebound. And for a man of his size, he can surprise you with a solid passing game.     Reed is a tall kid, playing as part of a tall tandem on his [program_tooltip program_id='2075759' first='Oakland' last='Elite'] team. And he and his frontcourt mate have a way of making life difficult for opponents.   At 6'6", Reed is already filling into a sturdy frame, and knows how to use his size to his advantage. He's a ferocious rebounder, and takes up a lot of space in the block with his imposing frame.   He's a big man who can also handle the ball well, and isn't afraid of bringing it up the floor himself.   Reed prides himself on moving the ball around well, and believes people don't give him enough credit for his passing game.     Ben is one half of the enormous frontcourt tandem on the [program_tooltip program_id='2075759' first='Oakland' last='Elite'] squad, and is developing into an outstanding post presence.   In the one game I watched of his, Ben scored 13 points in the first half and 23 for the game. He has tremendous footwork in the lane, and has the capacity to escape heavy pressure through his physicality or evasiveness.   Ben plays on a fast-paced team so he's forced to run the floor, but he plays well in transition. He only had to play roughly half of the game I watched, but he definitely had a double-double, and would have been close to a triple-double. He can get lots of open looks, but doesn't mind giving the ball up to an open teammate.   This is not a kid you want to see standing in the lane if you're an opponent. He's a serious rim protector, and prides himself on getting rebounds and pushing the ball in transition. That's when he says he's at his best.     Drake is a part of one of the best 16U AAU clubs in Michigan. The Storm can go 10 players deep, so no one individual will ever stand out too much, but Drake's game shines when he's on the floor.   Drake is a really talented ball-handler. He has a great sense of control, and is unafraid to dribble into traffic when he's bringing the ball up the floor.   Drake's court vision is evident-I saw him make an impressive full court pass in transition during one of his team's wins.   He's got great personality and is a team-first kid. With his size and his skills, he has a chance to develop into an elite player in Indiana over his final two years of high school.

Over the 3-day showcase in Grand Rapids, we saw some of the most talented forwards that Michigan has to offer in the 2028 class. Here's a rundown, in no particular order, of some of the most talented forwards we saw over the weekend.