Mr. Basketball Watch

<p><strong>Mr. Basketball Watch</strong></p> <p>Nearly halfway through the season, its time to take a look at who the front runners are in the race for Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia.</p> <p><strong>2022 6-3 PG [player_tooltip player_id="598763" first="Scoot" last="Henderson"] – Kell</strong></p> <p>We all knew [player_tooltip player_id="598763" first="Scoot" last="Henderson"] was good, but we didn’t know he would be <em>this</em> good <em>this </em>fast. His trajectory has him heading toward the NBA lottery if things go according to plan. Henderson has taken the state by storm, shoring up every area of his game that needed some improvement. He’s now a dangerous three-point shooter that can consistently knock down shots. He can play at multiple speeds and of course, his athleticism is through the roof. He can both punish defenders at the rim or pull-up for his trademark mid-range. Henderson is a tenacious competitor that has improved each year on defense. While most five stars are joined by other highly ranked players, Henderson doesn’t have the luxury of playing with other High Major recruits. The target is always on his back. If you stop Henderson, you stop Kell. But the thing is, you can’t stop Scoot.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-10 [player_tooltip player_id="754230" first="Jabari" last="Smith"] – Sandy Creek</strong></p> <p>To no surprise the Auburn-signee has been dominant. He’s a rare breed that can play inside and out equally as effective. Smith is the prototypical NBA forward with his ability to handle, score off the dribble, shoot from distance, score with his back to the basket and protect the rim. Simply put, he can do everything. In Sandy Creek’s biggest games you can always count on Smith to show up and put on a show. He will very likely follow in his father’s footsteps and carve out a career in the NBA in due time.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-7 W [player_tooltip player_id="754231" first="Matthew" last="Cleveland"] – Pace Academy</strong></p> <p>Averaging 25.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 3.2 steals and 2 blocks while shooting 62 percent from the field, [player_tooltip player_id="754231" first="Matthew" last="Cleveland"]’s development over the course of his high school career has been steady. The Florida State-signee is unstoppable in the open floor. He has outstanding length and athleticism that make it easy to get into passing lanes and finish downhill in transition. Most defenders will make a business decision when seeing Cleveland charge the lane. Cleveland’s jump shot has improved but he’s in an early slump from the three-point line (3-16; 19%). Saying you will keep Cleveland out of the lane and force him to shoot threes is easier said than done. He is a legitimate McDonald’s All-American candidate.</p> <p><strong>2021 5-9 PG [player_tooltip player_id="830573" first="AJ" last="White"] – Chattahoochee</strong></p> <p>Pound-for-pound the state’s best scorer, [player_tooltip player_id="830573" first="AJ" last="White"] is the all-time leader in scoring at Chattahoochee after eclipsing the 2,000-point mark. The defending state champ is a lights-out shooter known for hitting the clutch shot. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and never smiles as he goes for opponents’ throats. White has evolved as a distributor over the course of his career, able to get others involved while still getting his 25 points per night. He will be a dynamic signing for whichever school is wise enough to land him. Don’t be surprised to see him have immediate success at the next level like other former undersized underrecruited Georgia guards Tookie Brown (Georgia Southern) and Zach Cooks (NJIT).</p> <p><strong>2022 6-2 PG [player_tooltip player_id="870146" first="Bruce" last="Thornton"] – Milton</strong></p> <p>The best player on the best team, [player_tooltip player_id="870146" first="Bruce" last="Thornton"] is a coach’s dream. The Ohio State-commit is a floor general that has a stranglehold of the game. There are no wasted possessions when Thornton is on the court. His physicality lets him bully defenders when he gets into the lane. He also has the best footwork of any guard in Georgia as he’s able to use his pivot in the lane to get shot blockers off balance with head fakes and ball fakes. Thornton rises to all challenges. He can score 20+ if need be and can lock down on the perimeter with his elite lateral quickness and anticipation. He’s a blue-chipper in 2022.<br /> <br /> </p> <p>https://poll.fm/10704918</p>