Missing 2019 Preps from the Live Period
The summer, or July, live period ended on yesterday. Over the past three weeks, Louisiana has representation in tournaments from California to Orlando. Most of the preps who played, especially those from north Louisiana, performed admirably. While top players like Mylik Wilson, Jacoby Decker, and Tramichael Moton played in front of hundreds of coaches, there were some top 40 players who missed the opportunity. Despite missing the live period, these four players should be on evaluation list for many coaches going forward.
Darius Smith / 6’3″ / Prep Hoops Rank #21
Smith is a versatile defender who has become a very good offensive player. Darius can guard all perimeter positions and guard them at a high level. He is about as elite as defenders come at the prep level. Offensively, Smith has improved his three point shooting. During the team camp at Louisiana Tech, Darius shot the ball with confidence and consistently knocked threes down. With the consistency of the three ball added to his offensive game, Smith should be a highly sought after wing player when recruiting begins. Coming from Peabody’s winning culture, schools will know they are recruiting a top notch player.
Ja’markus Wilson / 6’4″ / Prep Hoops Rank #22
One coach, this summer, stated that Ja’markus Wilson “does everything well.” When he is on the floor, Wilson definitely plays at a high level. Ja’markus can post smaller or taller defenders and score against either. He secures rebounds on both ends. When he gathers defensive boards, he releases outlet passes that are weapons. Wilson hits teammates in stride time after time. During the course of a game he will drain a couple of threes just to show the opposition he can. On the defensive end, he understands angles and plays defense smartly. With his high basketball IQ to go along with his all around skills, Wilson will garner more offers even with missing this live period. He got his first offer from LSUA early this summer; however, it should not be the last one Ja’markus sees.
Kyron Gibson / 6’0″ / Prep Hoops Rank #25
Gibson is considered the third best point guard in the state behind (Tramichael) Moton and (Jacoby) Decker. This praise is well deserved because of the way he plays the game. Gibson is a tough defender who can score. He is also known as a leader being that he is the lead guard for one of the state’s perennial powers (Peabody). He puts pressure on his opposing number at both ends. Gibson makes setting up the offense hard on guards he defends and gets them into foul trouble when he is on offense. Kyron has three point range so playing off of him is not advised either. While he might not have the flash or explosion as the other two guards mentioned, Gibson is an exceptional floor general. I hate schools missed him during the live period. He will definitely make his next school better.
Ja’michael Wilson / 6’5″ / Prep Hoops Rank #32
Like his twin and teammate Ja’markus, Ja’michael is a player who does a ton of things well. The corner three is one of those things. It seems to be his best shot. When a guard breaks the defense down and kicks it to him, Ja’Michael drains that shot at a high rate. Wilson also run the floor extremely well. His long strides help him change ends quickly. When Ja’michael get the ball on the outlet, he finishes with a dunk or a layup. On the defensive end, his long arms help him rebound and disrupt passing lanes. His strong offensive play and solid defense helped him receive an offer from Grambling in late June. Other coaches who see these attributes should be knocking on his door as well in the months to come.
There were plenty of outstanding players playing during the live period in July. These four would have added to the pool of great players from Louisiana that played in the top tournaments in Orlando, California, and Las Vegas. Even with their absence, these prep stars should still be hot commodities as the 2018-19 year commences.