Emerging Guards Make Their Mark at Midwest Best Showcase

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The Midwest Best Showcase Camp brought together a talented collection of young backcourt prospects who displayed a variety of translatable skills. This group featured guards who could control the pace, generate paint touches, create opportunities for teammates, stretch the floor with perimeter shooting, and apply pressure on the rim. Several players also showed the defensive activity, physical tools, and rebounding ability needed to impact the game beyond the scoring column. [player_tooltip player_id='3665325' first='Brighton' last='Trent'], Kai Watson, Jr., [player_tooltip player_id='2777940' first='Josh' last='Howard'], Patrick Freelon, Brayden Holland, and Ezra Thomas each brought a different skill set to the floor while providing plenty of promising qualities to track moving forward...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3665325"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763245,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73b40"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Brighton is a lead gaurd who can apply pressure with his speed and vision. His end-to-end speed allows him to advance the ball quickly, get downhill and force the defense to react before it is set. He sees the floor well enough to turn that pressure into playmaking opportunities, and his defensive activity gives him a chance to create the transition situations where he is most dangerous. The development priority is controlling speed rather than playing fast on every possession. He should continue improving change of pace, finishing through contact, and half-court reads when transition lanes disappear. A dependable perimeter shot and disciplined point-of-attack defense would complete the profile of a tempo-controlling guard who can create advantages for others. All things which he showed in spurts, which shows that the work in the lab is translating.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2881312"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763250,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73c02"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Kai is a combo guard with a simple but valuable three-part impact: he can make the three, slash to the rim, and rebound his position using his positional size. The perimeter shot helps create driving space, while his ability to attack gaps keeps him from being only a spot-up threat. His work on the glass gives him a chance to finish defensive possessions and start transition offense himself, which he did throughout the camp, and hurt the defense numerous times by doing so. The next step is continuing to develop the playmaking layer of his game, which will raise the level of play when reading help, making the extra pass, and controlling pace when the initial attack is cut off. Defensively, he showed that he can use his size and rebounding mindset to take on physical guard assignments. He is on the trajectory to become a versatile two-way backcourt piece as his handle, decision-making, and defensive discipline continue to improve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2777940"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763252,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73c7d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Josh is a skilled PG with a balanced offensive foundation. He can handle the ball, play with pace, and see the floor, which allows him to create for himself without losing sight of teammates. His long-range shooting and shot-making give him gravity, which he turns into playmaking opportunities for his teammates, while his vision allows him to punish defenders when they over-commit to help. The key is continuing to blend those tools into efficient lead-guard play whch will enhance knowing when to probe, when to move the ball, and when to take responsibility for the shot. Improving strength, finishing through contact, and defensive consistency will help him hold up against bigger guards. He has the ingredients of a scoring playmaker who can control tempo and make the defense guard multiple actions. He may be small, but his budding floor game was impressive and when he gets it going is lethal from deep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3587621"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763256,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73cd5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Patrick shows lead-guard flashes, range from behind the arc, and shiftiness with the ball. He can create space off the dribble and threaten the defense from inside the arc, giving him a scoring profile that can bend coverage. Although listed as a shooting guard, the lead-guard traits are worth tracking because they could expand his role if the passing and decision-making continue to develop. His next step for the next level is proving he can control pace, make the simple read, and stay efficient when defenders pressure his handle. Improving his strength will help with finishing and his point-of-attack defense, which will be key as he eyes life at the next level in another year. There is a lot of promise and versatility in his game as he has the tools to become a scoring guard who can initiate offense in stretches and play effectively beside another creator.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3735474"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763258,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73d2a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Brayden is a physically strong perimeter creator who can attack downhill and make shots. The combination of three-point shooting and toughness attacking the rim gives him an inside-out scoring base and forces defenders to make difficult choices. His physical profile helps him absorb contact and create space, while the shot-making gives him value when the offense breaks down, and his team needs a bucket. The next step is determining how consistently he creates quality offense for his teammates by reading help, making the extra pass, and defending with the same physical edge. Improving his handle to get it tighter, shot selection, and off-ball engagement are keys to expanding his game as he eyes life at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2899329"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3763263,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aa0551e73d81"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700","fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="text-gray-700 has-medium-font-size">Ezra has a strong foundation for a PG when it comes to balancing scoring and facilitating. His arsenal includes the trey-ball and a soft floater that helps him to attack different levels of the defense. With his size, as he showed, the floater is an important answer against length when a clean finish at the rim is not available, while the perimeter shot forces defenders to respect him before the drive. He also brings active hands defensively and can disrupt ball-handlers and passing lanes. As he continues to connect his tools, he will continue to make strides to becoming a complete overall floor general who can effectively change pace, read help, make the extra pass, and defend without taking himself out of position. Adding strength and finishing variety will help him convert against contact. Honing his shot preparation and defensive discipline, spells signs of a young guard who will be known for his two-way impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->