Varsity Impact 2021 Forwards

Keith Agran

September 25, 2020 @ 07:22 PM

Here we’re taking a look at some 2021 forwards who may well be known commodities on the scene to a degree, but after supporting roles or under-the-radar seasons a year ago will be moving up to feature roles for their teams this winter (in no particular order). [player_tooltip player_id="869594" first="Omarion" last="Smith"], 6-5, PF, Douglas County This is clearly Smith’s frontcourt in 20-21 with the departure of [player_tooltip player_id="806725" first="Jaylen" last="Jackson"] to Greenforest, as explosive a leaper and finisher as there is in the ATL-metro, Smith is well known but has perhaps not yet really been able to put his true scoring prowess on display, already an elite defender and rebounder, a big season finding the twine more will surely up the ante on his looks from next-level programs, the athletic gifts are enough to win coaches over but this winter could really highlight the full package on Smith. [player_tooltip player_id="869631" first="Navaughn" last="Maise"], 6-6, PF, Discovery (pictured above last yr w/Peachtree Ridge) Moving over to the Titans from Peachtree Ridge to play alongside good friend and Double Trouble teammate [player_tooltip player_id="598778" first="Jameel" last="Rideout"] was both an intriguing and potentially fruitful decision for Maise after a really good summer when DT came back from a Covid-related hiatus, quick off the ground both as a defender and rebounder Maise added a bunch to his offensive game and is not a knockdown shooter out to the arc to go along with a great nose for the ball nearer to the basket, plays with high energy and enthusiasm and adds a key size factor to Discovery’s already fun cadre of guards. [player_tooltip player_id="754283" first="Blake" last="Hadley"], 6-7, PF, Pebblebrook Hadley like many on this list is by no means an unknown, yet with so much other frontcourt talent around him in south Cobb County even with [player_tooltip player_id="869579" first="Kaleb" last="Washington"]’s departure to Wheeler Hadley and his team-first, unselfish, high IQ brand of play can be unfairly understated, together with [player_tooltip player_id="754278" first="Jamall" last="Clyce"], [player_tooltip player_id="754256" first="Tyler" last="Shirley"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1043317" first="Aaron" last="Reddish"] (transferred in from Wheeler) they make a deep and daunting group of wings/bigs, Hadley rebounds, defends the post, and can be quite effective scoring in the mid-range, all of which is the kind of versatility and team-play that next-level coaches are surely onto and will get more of from this solid contributor who put together a strong summer for the Atlanta All-Stars. [player_tooltip player_id="1036814" first="Makai" last="Vassell"], 6-6, SF, Lanier There was no doubt last year’s Longhorn team was driven to the store and home by the now-departed [player_tooltip player_id="806502" first="Sion" last="James"], terrific guard and fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id="754293" first="Andrew" last="McConnell"] may assume the alpha role for this winter’s team but Vassell will be a key frontcourt piece after a nice summer with the GA Canes, he can shoot it from deep as a stretch-4 but was also not averse to getting in the paint and rebound or get putbacks, athletic, long and versatile he can be a key cog in Lanier making another deep playoff run. [player_tooltip player_id="1004875" first="Wyatt" last="Fricks"], 6-7, SF, Winder-Barrow Another fascinating transfer move saw Fricks leave Mountain View for the Bulldogs, he’ll join a frontcourt with highly-touted 6-10 senior [player_tooltip player_id="806745" first="Isaiah" last="Nelson-Ododa"] entrenched at the 5 making Fricks makes a potentially deadly running mate as a sharp-shooter and wing presence, not just a spot-up shooter Fricks put the ball on the floor more this summer and was effective and with WB breaking in new guards after graduating some veterans Fricks will be looked to more as a versatile scoring option.