High Ranked Prospects who Showed out at the Sophomore Showcase

Getting out and competing against a full gym of your peers creates an opportunity to separate yourself. Several prospects had good moments at the Sophomore Showcase, but this group consistently showed why they're high-ranked players out there. There were highlight plays and moments that they took over. We're familiar with these players, and this is how they looked at the event.    Mixed bag for O'Sullivan for me because on one hand, I think that he was likely the top scorer at the event, and he looked like the best player on the floor at times, and there were also times where I just wanted him to do anything else but score. He had the traditional showcase mindset of come in and shoot every time down, and I knew going into the event that he could score. I wanted to see him get teammates involved and show that he could make plays for others, lock down defensively, and move his feet in front of guards, and show that he's a complete player. He got hot from deep in each game as he put up double figures in every games, hit multiple 3's in a row, and also looked to add the mid-range back to the basket shot that got everyone on the side excited. He also rebounded really well and had a couple of solid no-look passes that I enjoyed watching. I personally feel that Jack checks off so many boxes every time that I watch him, and has the tools to be one of the best players in this class. Just want to see him put it all together is all. Solid performance.     It feels like every time I see Trujillo, he finds a way to dominate stretches of games that make me wonder how high his ceiling really is. At 6'4, he has the size to really make his mark, and this was him playing more of a forward spot, and we're used to seeing him at the PG role. He was a force on the boards, got boards, and went right up with it, which gave him easy scoring opportunities, slashed for easy baskets at the rim, and also showed that he could handle the ball as well. His vision is always on display, and I like that he willingly makes the extra pass, and defenders had a hard time slowing him down. This was a showing where he kind of took the backseat as far as being the primary ballhandler, but he didn't disappear in those moments just found other ways to be effective. The game comes pretty easily for him, so I want him to take advantage of that and just dominate. The next challenge is bringing that takeover mentality every game because when Trujillo decides to impose himself, there aren't many answers for him, and we saw that at times throughout this event.     White makes it look easy for him out there, and he plays with a calm demeanor on the floor. He's a high-IQ guard with size who takes what the defense gives him, controls the pace, plays with good feel, and has the athleticism to finish above the rim as well. We saw him with some 3's and a couple of dunks there, which is new to his game. My biggest takeaway is wanting him to realize how good he can be when he's assertive and that is with scoring and beyond. He's a 3-level scorer who sees the floor well, and passes teammates into open shots. Taggart makes himself available as a primary guard each time out. We saw him start to attack and score when he wanted to and him being one of the class's top players right now just seems so obvious when he makes up his mind to. Just has to make that an every time out is the thing. Super high upside here and a player who will make an impact on varsity this season.     Diepersloot was sooooo good on rewatch, and a lot of that went under the radar while I was in the gym. He has so much size, and it's impossible to miss him out there, but the efficiency with which he played with and the ability to finish through contact stood out. I don't think he missed more than twice on the day, and his activity had him in the right spots on the block a ton. He did a good job, actually using that size rather than just being the biggest guy on the floor. He controlled rebounds, established deep position, and showed touch on over-the-shoulder hooks. Around the rim, Diepersloot finished with either hand and used his physicality to go through defenders when necessary. What helped his stock was the mobility and activity that came with it. He ran the floor, set meaningful screens, and competed on both ends. There was a lot more than just size to like about his performance, and this was a stock-boosting event for him. I really liked his play.     Jackson changed my evaluation entirely with how he came out and played at this event. He typically has flashes here and there, but this was him wanting to prove a point and making the most of his opportunity. He was solid early, but over the final couple of games, he took things to another level and started scoring with remarkable ease. Jackson knocked down threes, rebounded, communicated defensively, and was efficient. He shot the 3-ball, rebounded out of his area, and went and finished, and just could not be stopped. What kept the scoring from feeling selfish was his willingness to make the extra pass. He and Jamari Hampton had one of the best two-man games that Ive seen in quite some time. They were going back and forth and freeing each other up, and Jackson had some back screens and cuts that got him free. He showed a good balance between recognizing when it was his turn to attack and when a teammate had the better opportunity. He also had some defensive standout moments, including a couple of blocks on bigs; he did not allow players to keep scoring on him and was a two-way standout. His final game was especially impressive, and he finished the showcase looking considerably better than I expected coming in.     Lobato established himself quickly once 5-on-5 began. His teammates recognized the advantage and repeatedly fed him the basketball, and he rewarded them by producing in bunches. Lobato has legitimate size and wasn't afraid to use it, moving defenders on the block, demanding touches, and finishing around the basket. What surprised me was how well he moved for his frame. He's athletic, runs the floor, and can grab a rebound and initiate the offense if so. Lobato walks an interesting line between being a focal point and fitting within an offense, but I came away believing you can absolutely dump the ball to him and let him go to work as we saw a few times at the event. Solid day for him.

Getting out and competing against a full gym of your peers creates an opportunity to separate yourself. Several prospects had good moments at the Sophomore Showcase, but this group consistently showed why they're high-ranked players out there. There were highlight plays and moments that they took over. We're familiar with these players, and this is how they looked at the event.