Grassroots Recap: Top 17U Forwards

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The grassroots season has come and gone. While everything about the experience was different, there were still standout players and exciting moments throughout every weekend. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some of the top 17U forwards from the summer:</span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="567044" first="Francis" last="Nwaokorie"], MN Fury Zurn</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simply put, Nwaokorie is a force in the paint. He’s not the tallest or most explosive guy, but he’s built like a truck, and he combines exquisite footwork with a feathery touch around the rim. He’s got a motor that runs hot, which allows him to dominate games on the offensive glass and produce even without a high volume of touches. But he’s a throwback big who can produce his own points on the block and few guys are capable of keeping him from getting a shot when he wants to get a look. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774941" first="Riley" last="Ashburn"], SW MN Stars</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The SW Stars had a strong group and Ashburn’s ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor was oftentimes a catalyst for the team’s success. The 6-foot-4 Renville County West forward does a little bit of everything. He can guard wings or bigs, rebounds in and out of his area and has some grab-and-go to his game that ignites transition scoring opportunities. He’s rangy and athletic and plays spring-loaded with his ability to get to the paint and finish at the rim. </span></p> <p><strong>Josh Streit, D1 Minnesota</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Streit spent the grassroots season with D1 Minnesota and showed he can impact the game in a cog kind of role without being a featured offensive player. He’s terrific in a rim-running, screening and finishing role because of his mobility and explosiveness. His jump shot continues to improve - he’s always shot it with good efficiency, now he’s speeding it up - but it hasn’t come at the cost of his impact on the interior. He’s always been a capable anchor on the defensive end of the floor, and he showed he could still do that against enhanced competition. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774858" first="Shane" last="Stevenson"], MN Rise</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stevenson had a terrific run in the abbreviated summer with MN Rise, showcasing his wide-ranging skillset. He’s 6-foot-6 and scores efficiently inside and out. He’s good on the offensive glass. He’s an effective rim-runner. And he can finish on drives or as a roll man. He’s also a deadly long-range shooter in trails, pops and spot-ups. He’s active on the defensive glass and has the athleticism to defend smaller guys in doses while also defending wings and bigs alike. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957133" first="Sam" last="Privet"], Playmakers Showcase Shaw</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Privet was a big breakout guy last summer playing with Caledonia but then never got it all going during his junior season due to illness right as the season started. The Warriors are going to be a top-three team in the state next year and he’s a big reason why. He’s 6-foot-8 with excellent mobility, skill and smarts. He’s got great touch in the mid-range, he’s a good passer and his post game is advanced. On the defensive end of the floor, he’s got the range to help and recover from the perimeter back to the rim and does a great job altering shots inside without fouling. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774755" first="Noah" last="Paulson"], Wisconsin Playmakers Deadrick</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paulson is an absolute hoss inside. He’s 6-foot-9, built like an ox and when he gets the ball in the post, he’s nearly impossible to keep from his spot without a double team. He’s got excellent patience to go along with a soft touch. Paulson rebounds everything in his area and does a great job controlling the paint on the defensive end of the floor. </span></p>