THE PLATFORM: Stock Risers

Over this past weekend at The Platform in Chicago, Illinois there were many under-the-radar players who made name for themselves. I believe that these five players raised their stock the most over the weekend.    For his age, Kai possesses excellent size and length, and those physical tools immediately stand out. Despite being one of the tallest players on the floor, he handles the ball with confidence and shows impressive shiftiness in the open court. He does a great job creating separation off the dribble and is comfortable generating his own offense. Kai has plenty of confidence in his jumper and never hesitates to take open looks. While he didn't attack the basket often, he was effective when he did. With his combination of size, skill, and versatility, Kai projects as a point-forward with a high ceiling.     Jayden turned in one of the most impressive performances I saw all weekend while competing against the Wisconsin Wolves on the 12U circuit. He dominated the first half and impacted the game in a variety of ways. His size immediately jumps out, as he towers over many players in his age group, and that advantage showed up consistently on the glass. What makes him especially intriguing is that he combines that size with coordination and a strong basketball IQ. He did a great job grabbing rebounds and quickly pushing the pace with accurate outlet passes. Defensively, he controlled the paint, recording multiple blocked shots while altering countless others. Jayden is a polished young prospect with a bright future ahead of him.     Brenden suited up for Playing 4 Greatness on the 17U circuit and looked comfortable despite playing up an age group. His speed was impossible to ignore throughout the weekend. Whether he had the ball in his hands or was making plays defensively, he was consistently one of the quickest players on the floor. He was extremely active in the passing lanes, turning steals into easy transition opportunities. On the offensive end, he attacked downhill aggressively and repeatedly put pressure on the defense. Brenden's combination of quickness and defensive activity makes him a dangerous two-way slasher.     Justin competed for Playing 4 Greatness on the 17U circuit and continued to impress. Having watched him multiple times, his consistency stands out just as much as his production. He embraces the dirty work and impacts winning in ways that don't always show up in the box score. Despite being undersized for a forward, he plays with toughness, effort, and a relentless motor. He also has a soft touch around the basket and does a great job moving without the ball to find scoring opportunities. Justin is the type of glue guy every coach values because of the energy and toughness he brings to the floor.     It didn't take long to see that Andre is a natural scorer. He was effective at all three levels, consistently finding ways to put points on the board. Around the rim, he finished comfortably with either hand, while his ability to get to his spots made him a threat from the mid-range. He also knocked down perimeter shots when defenders gave him space. Andre complements his scoring ability with a tight handle and impressive athleticism, allowing him to create opportunities both for himself and others. He is an explosive three-level scorer with clear next-level potential.

Over this past weekend at The Platform in Chicago, Illinois there were many under-the-radar players who made name for themselves. I believe that these five players raised their stock the most over the weekend.