Summer Breakouts: 2021 Guards

These seniors may not occupy the highest spots in our rankings, but here are a "lucky 7" who had the kind of summer that not only put them on college radars but align them for big final campaigns this winter (in no particular order). [player_tooltip player_id="869629" first="Kristian" last="Ford"], 6-4, SG, NME, East Paulding (pictured above with ball) I first caught Ford’s act early in the summer and it never waned, a smooth, smart mover who finds spots to score from, good size and strength at the 2-spot, deep range well beyond the arc but more than just a spot-up bomber, a solid, heady defender who like most of his lunch-pail NME teammates also isn’t afraid to do some dirty work off the glass, epitomizes what the summer is all about in his rise through both our rankings and onto college radars. [player_tooltip player_id="948585" first="Kervens" last="Yacinthe"], 6-6, CG, SBT, Paulding County Paulding getting its props with the first two guys on the list, and like ford Yacinthe just couldn’t be missed outing after outing posting some big scoring days, nice handle for his size he can play either guard spot and be really effective, excellent range out to the arc, good body, advanced dribble-drive instincts make him a brutal match-up for smaller defenders, not afraid to get in the paint hit the glass and start his own break, a potential steal for teams looking for serious versatility. [player_tooltip player_id="1004878" first="Chris" last="Cole"], 6-6, SG, Team Forrest, Brookwood Every time I saw Cole he was immediately noticeable for the multitude of things he did on the floor, can handle it, put it on the deck and drive it by you, rebound like a power forward and defend from 1 to 4, all of that together with a great build and really good size is the friendly, versatile combo Morehead State is getting with Cole, be fascinating to see what he does for a Brookwood team that could be a sleeper one to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="1047101" first="Cam" last="Lee"], 6-2, CG, Atlanta All-Stars, Walnut Grove I was such a fan of Lee’s when I trekked out to WGHS to see them against Buford last winter, he was part of a talented and deep guard rotation then but will be more of focal point in his senior year, explosive athlete with all the tools to play both the point and off-guard, can really defend and get up in people’s faces, excellent shooter, size doesn’t hinder him from being effective getting to the rim and his athleticism makes him one of the best rebounding guards his size I saw all summer. [player_tooltip player_id="1020669" first="Robert" last="Reisman"], 6-3, Atlanta T-Wolves Green, Gainesville In a summer where nearly the entire T-Wolves organization received some level of high praise it’s totally worth highlighting Reisman and his high-level play, much like his T-Wolves White counterparts ([player_tooltip player_id="806753" first="Brendan" last="Rigsbee"], [player_tooltip player_id="806746" first="Jax" last="Bouknight"], [player_tooltip player_id="869626" first="Will" last="Kolker"], [player_tooltip player_id="754331" first="Brookes" last="Kahlert"]), there was an edge to Reisman that stood out, a feisty but controlled rage of sorts that drove him to out-work people, he backs up that work rate with a refined scoring game from both the perimeter and around the rim that is surely attractive to next-level teams, really understands how to guard and at a stout 6-3 can be really versatile in that sense. [player_tooltip player_id="1020674" first="Jordan" last="James"], 6-3, SEBA FCI Warriors, Kennesaw Mountain James was eye-catching when I first saw SEBA workout early in the summer, and despite his unorthodox shooting delivery the results were still there, add to that a real physical nature at the guard spot which makes him really tough to defend, he can back down smaller players and beat you in close or he can draw you out past the arc and throw daggers, love his willingness to both lead the break or ride the wing (with compadre [player_tooltip player_id="1020672" first="Nick" last="Hein"]) and finish off the feed, more versatility on display with this one and potentially a real steal. [player_tooltip player_id="1020668" first="Steven" last="Lyles"], 6-4, SG, Mva Outlawz, Legacy Academy Formally of Johns Creek, Lyles had one of those summers where the wow moments and overall versatility were too hard to ignore, a great body off the wing, he’s so tough to deal with because he can go through you or over you with a vertical leap that rivals Rueckert’s high-flying displays, not just a rim finisher Lyles added more consistency to his mid-range game, and as a defender and rebounder from the 2-spot was one of the best at both, the kind of athlete who’s well-rounded game is rising and still has room to scarily get better.