OK State 2022: Next Up Guards

Sam Duren May 19, 2022 @ 12:57 PM

Rounding out the coverage of the 2022 Oklahoma State tournament with a look at four more guards that stood out for scoring, defending and more! Price Bradley, 6’3 Guard, Next Level Oklahoma A crafty ball handler, Bradley is a dangerous scorer who loves to get downhill or set up an overplaying defender for a stepback jumper. At the rim, he’s a tough finisher through contact. The next step in his development will be creating more separation on defenders both at the rim and on some of his jump-shooting opportunities. When he tightens up that aspect of the game, the Bishop McGuinness standout should be among the top scorers in not only the 405 but all of Oklahoma next winter.   [player_tooltip player_id="1295911" first="Aiden" last="Leckband"], 6’2 Guard, Jayhawks Elite The first aspect of Leckband’s game that jumped off the page was the defense he played on the aforementioned Bradley. He plays defense with good discipline and an understanding of relying on moving his feet and angles to not allow the opposition space for clean looks. The rest of his game falls in place after defense. He’s a scrappy do it all guard, that pops up at the right time for an offensive rebound, a transition score, a good cut, etc. At the rim he has good body control when drawing contact to finish. Leckband racked up multiple double digit scoring outings on the weekend for the Jayhawks.   Ethan Charleston, 5’8 Guard, Black Diamond Basketball Charleston is another player who stood out first as a defender. He’s a smaller guard but has a seemingly endless supply of energy. He uses that energy to constantly harass ball handlers all over the court. A combination of quickness and the leverage that comes with his low center of gravity allows him to make life difficult for any opposing guard. There are times he overplays as a defender but the overall energy and impact he makes can’t be knocked.   Payton Mitchell-Johnson, 6’1 Guard, Oklahoma Servants A Class of 2024 guard playing up in the 17U division, Mitchell-Johnson never looked out of place in a Saturday afternoon game. He’s a strong decision maker when attacking the rim, knowing when to make the right read to find open teammates. The Casady guard has a pure looking jumper from the beyond the arc and when ran off the line he’s comfortable taking a couple of dribbles and nailing the pull up. Still a raw prospect after an injury has slowed the start of his high school career, he also has a huge wingspan. Shooting, size and wingspan upside all make him a name to file away and keep an eye on for this winter.