Fall Open Gym Tour Vol 1: Forwards to Follow

Open gyms provide an exciting early look at the players ready to take meaningful steps forward during the upcoming season. Throughout my fall tour across New York and New England, these forwards stood out with their development, versatility and ability to impact games in a number of different ways.    The California native had been at Woodstock for all of 16 hours after stepping off a plane, yet he was arguably the most impressive prospect in the gym during my time there. A springy athlete who protects the rim, plays above it as a lob threat and can put the ball on the floor, Siaisiai possesses an ideal skill set for the modern game. As he gets stronger and East Coast programs become more familiar with him, expect the offers to start coming.     Miller makes the move to CATS Academy following a strong sophomore season at Mount Zion. A versatile 6-foot-7 forward, he can attack off the dribble and either finish at the rim or find an open teammate on the move. That combination makes him a dangerous offensive weapon. Playing for fellow Pennsylvanian Miguel Bocachica, defense will be a point of emphasis and should help Miller become even better prepared for the college level.     Returning from injury, Okafor looked every bit like a scholarship-level prospect. He already possesses a college-ready frame and did an excellent job of moving without the ball to create scoring opportunities in the mid-range and around the basket. At 6-foot-7, Okafor provides real defensive versatility and does not need the offense to run through him to impact a game. His senior season will be an important one to monitor.     Watson has arrived from England and enrolled at St. Andrew's as a member of the 2029 class. Standing every bit of 6-foot-11, he combines soft touch with good footwork and already shows promise as both an interior scorer and rim protector. Watson also has a natural feel for tracking the ball off the glass. As he gets stronger and adjusts to the speed and physicality of the American game, his recruitment should begin to pick up.     The ceiling is extremely high for Higgins, a skilled and tough forward who appears to be taking full advantage of the resources available to him at Newman. There will be stretches when the offense runs directly through the talented sophomore, allowing him to create an advantage off the dribble before scoring or finding an open teammate. Higgins has the size and skill to become one of the most impactful young forwards in New England.     When healthy, Nobles has the size, skill and toughness to compete with anyone in its league. Mullins embodies much of what makes the group dangerous. The 6-foot-7 forward can space the floor as a shooter, make good decisions as a passer and defend opposing big men on the other end. That versatility gives him legitimate mismatch ability. Mullins is also a strong leader who remained vocal throughout the team's open gym.     One of three transfers arriving from Grand River Academy, Bedri gives the Royals a talented shooter with excellent size. At 6-foot-9, he is a legitimate stretch four whose skill set complements the other big men on the roster. His ability to space the floor will give Christ the King a different look from what it has featured at the position over the past few seasons. Bedri could become an important X-factor for a Royals team that appears deeper and more balanced than it was a year ago.

Open gyms provide an exciting early look at the players ready to take meaningful steps forward during the upcoming season. Throughout my fall tour across New York and New England, these forwards stood out with their development, versatility and ability to impact games in a number of different ways.