Mason has had a phenomenal summer with both Expressions Elite and the U18 Cape Verdean National Team, and he just keeps getting better. The 5-foot-8 guard has an extremely strong foundation in terms of skill and feel. He handles the ball naturally, he can finish exquisitely with both hands at the cup, and he has big-time passing vision for his age. His skill level is well beyond his years, now it’ll just be up to his physical profile to catch up, something that I think should start to happen for him shortly. Mason could have an excellent fall AAU season and beginning to his HS season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make our rankings soon.

Mason, a freshman guard out of East Providence High School, is a creative ball-handler with a developing feel for the game as a creator. He uses changes of direction and a quick first step to get into the paint off the bounce, shows good vision out of ball screens, and has the ability to finish over size with touch in the paint. He’s got a crafty handle and does a nice job of creating space with the bounce, opening up his shot or passing options.

Though only a freshman, Mason plays well beyond his years. The 5-foot-8 point guard has gotten stronger since I last saw him, and it has allowed him to more comfortably handle pressure from bigger and older guards. He’s able to handle the ball while scanning the floor and looking for kickout passes, which he’s quite effective at finding. He’s such a good passer and has an amazing head on his shoulders for his age. He also competes like heck on the defensive end and was in every single passing lane all day. Relentless kid.

Mason is so incredibly skilled for his age. The 5-foot-6 point guard has the ball on a string and has a feel for the game that’s off the charts for an eighth grader. He does a great job playing at his own pace and changing speeds, and he makes great decisions for himself and his teammates once he touches the paint. He won’t wow you with vertical athleticism (yet), but he’s still young and that could be coming along. The skillset, IQ and feel are already there in spades, though. Mason is homeschooled and I can’t wait to see where he’ll play next season. Really fun player to watch.