Richmond: Saturday's Superlatives

The PRO16 Circuit invaded Richmond, VA for the July Live Period over the weekend and on Saturday, I was in attendance to see some of the best prospects in the country while others took advantage of the spotlight to build their stock in front of college coaches.   Below are my superlatives from Saturday's slate.   Best lead guard:    Little surprise here as the premier prospect on the PRO16 Circuit in Alston gets the nod as the top lead guard. The floor is his muse as he brings tremendous command and can establish advantages seemingly whenever he chooses to. How he goes about doing so is all based on how the defense is guarding him. He stands a legit 6'3", so he can take advantage of his size if a smaller guard is checking him, but the burst and pace come into play if opposing teams try to put a wing on him to disrupt his attack. Reese operated effectively in ball screens whether or not he used them or rejected them, got to the rim to finish on difficult angles if needed and was a dependable shooter from outside when he was open. His frequent paint touches allowed for his court vision to take the spotlight as he can process the various levels of the defense off the live bounce and deliver dimes with accuracy. Several P5 staffs were in attendance for Alston as he's one of the country's most coveted point guards.    Best natural scoring guard:    Jean stuck out to me with his confidence in by which he gets to his spots off the bounce. He's wired to score and looks to expose any advantages that present themselves attacking off the catch or off the dribble. His wiry frame mixed with the twitch he has of his backfoot makes him tough to contain without fouling. As he gains an edge and his defender does what they can to recover, Jean possesses great balance stopping on a dime and sticking mid-range jumpers. While the threat of his jumper demands gravity, Jean can use his skinny frame to split defenders in ball screens or get his shoulder by his defenders hip to get downhill where he can finish efficiently and comfortably with either hand. Jean is the type of scorer you see at the playground who can fill up quickly while making it look effortless.    Best two-way wing(s):    Lincoln put forth one of the top overall performances during my time in the gym on Saturday. Despite his team coming up short to As Promised, Lincoln put on a show against an opposing four-star wing/forward as he went for 39PTS that included six three's. His sturdy frame at 6'6", explosive athleticism around the rim and the competitive intensity that he brings makes him the impactful two-way presence that he was in this contest. He holds just two offers to date from Grambling State and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, but that list should grow quickly based off the intangibles that he brings along with the sound positional size.     Willis is one of the top prospects in the 2028 national class and his willingness to be a legitimate two-way hybrid forward is why some of the biggest brands in college basketball are pursuing him. It's only a matter of time before the rest join in the running. He's a fearless, prideful rim protector especially when rotating from the weakside. It doesn't matter if it's a springy wing looking to posterize a defender or a rolling 6'10" big man looking to flush off a ball screen, Willis will rise up and meet them in the air to protect his basket. More times than not, he swats it away with authority. Offensively he brings that same style of ferocity when he heads to the rim. He's effective off the catch where he can attack off shot-fakes and be in the air after 1-to-2 dribbles at most before looking down into the rim. His shooting mechanics are solid and the ball leaves his hands with a soft touch and nice rotation.   Willis has the archetype, playstyle and two-way impact that you see at the highest of levels.    Best defensive stalwart:    Simply put, there aren't too many better defenders in the country than Hawthorne. While he stands around 6'7", his inside presence is felt at a much higher rate than others at his size. Some of that has to do with his mentality combined with the manner in which he gets off the ground swiftly to assert his plus length above the rim. He erased shots and made weakside rotations look easy. On the offensive side, he's hunting to set effective screens where he can roll with dependable mitts before rising up with two and throwing down dunks with emphasis.    Highest ceiling:    A couple weeks removed from announcing his transfer to Prolific Prep, Touray took the floor with TME and was dominant throughout as he flashed his intriguing skillset at 7-foot. He can catch at the top of the key and make plays for himself off the bounce, space the floor as a catch-and-shoot option in pick-and-pop actions or pose as a dominant, lob-catcher as guards touch the paint and throw it up. His presence alone closes down the paint and if he's tested, he shows his fluid athleticism, instinctual timing and body control to swat attempts away without fouling.    2028 on the rise:    A couple of prospects could fit this category, but I'm going with Delves as he put on one of the better floor game performances I saw on Saturday. The 6'2" lead guard was spreading the ball around and finding teammates in their sweet spot, providing a defensive presence on the ball that dictated tempo while causing deflections and showed off his own scoring ability headlined by two dunks that had the gym buzzing. His production and overall impact on the ball earned him immediate offers from Rutgers and Dusquense following their win over Omaha Sports Academy.

The PRO16 Circuit invaded Richmond, VA for the July Live Period over the weekend and on Saturday, I was in attendance to see some of the best prospects in the country while others took advantage of the spotlight to build their stock in front of college coaches.