Philly Live 2 Recap: 2027 Gems

Philly Live 2 was loaded with talent for all levels. And the current landscape means many of them are being overlooked. So while all of these guys aren't "hidden" gems, none of them aren't being as recruited to the degree that they should be. Check them out:    He doesn't have the biggest frame, but Carroll played with so much attitude and fight, especially on defense. He regularly picked up opposing guards – who were often bigger and seemingly – fullcourt and scrapped for defensive boards. On the offensive end, Carroll was a star in his role. He spaced the floor with spot-up and movement threes, maintained advantages by attacking closeouts, and occasionally set others up for threes with drive-and-kicks.     No matter the style of play he faced, Golek was always able to put points on the scoreboard. He finished pretty well around the basket, despite not being the best athlete. But Golek really made some money by punishing defenses for giving him space on the perimeter. He nailed one three-pointer after another, from all around the arc. His high release and quick trigger enabled him to get off and make shots in crucial moments.     Gonzalez impressed with his ability to shift between on-ball and off-, and still be ready to spin when the rock came back his way. He gracefully got downhill, sometimes with a ball-screen and others withouts, then gladly kick the ball out for threes or drop it off wherever the help came from. Either way he had mixed up his pace to keep defenders off-balance. Gonzalez also hit from deep too with pull-up jumpers. Off of made baskets and on fastbreaks, he made sure to always push the tempo to help the Pirates steal possessions.     Johnson's blend of playmaking and play-finishing make him an invaluable piece of his team's success. He just made things happen – second-chance points, layups off of sneaky steals, blocked shots on closeouts, etc. And his ability to dribble, pass, and shoot flashed consistently. The 6'4 wing stretched the floor from deep, while also getting to his mid-range spots or the paint off the catch.     There's no sauce or fluff to Lyn's game; he simply gets the job done inside the paint. With a handful of post moves, he efficiently converted touches on the block into two points. Even on offensive rebounds, he kept the ball high, pivoted, then laid it off the glass or slammed it home. And when he walled up and grabbed boards on defense, Lyn hustled down the floor where he was often rewarded with a lob or another putback opportunity.     Even taller players were too small when they went against Taylor. The bully-ball wing created space with his strength for points in the paint and from the mid-range because he could get downhill off the dribble, then just bump defenders out of the way. His physicality overwhelmed players or at least gave him an edge on defense too. Taylor slid his feet in space, absorbed contact through his core, and tore down rebounds.

Philly Live 2 was loaded with talent for all levels. And the current landscape means many of them are being overlooked. So while all of these guys aren't "hidden" gems, none of them aren't being as recruited to the degree that they should be. Check them out: