Recently watched back a couple of games of Heskett on BallerTV to better get a feel for the rising sophomore’s game. As have been accustomed to watching him in a supporting role for a deep high school squad. The first contest watched was a quieter scoring game for Heskett. But he turned up the production in the second. Made good use of ball screens, setting himself and his teammates up for quality looks. Had one quick thinking moment where mid shot he passed up a good look for a great look to feed a cutting teammate. Looked to do a good job of playing at his own pace with patience. Appears to be doing a good job of balancing showcasing his scoring skills (loves a pull up 3 attempt, for good reason) with also setting up teammates.

Heksett carved out a role for 6A semifinalists Putnam City North, and now is looking to take the next step this summer. At North, he picked his spots often as a shooter and had a clutch moment with a game winner at the rim in overtime of a pivotal district battle. Where he utilized a nifty euro step to blow by a taller defender. Now playing his age group, he’s taking a more aggressive scoring role. Including a weekend where he averaged nearly 20 points a game. If Heskett keeps the momentum rolling, his development could be the key piece to helping PCN break through with Gold after a pair of State Tournament appearances.

Heskett has taken his play to another level this season. From clutch moments in January and February to big-time contributions in playoff basketball, the sophomore has been a key cog for the Panthers. While North may have come up short of their goal, Heskett continued to add scoring at state for this team. In the semifinals, he scored eight points and finished as the second leading scorer for his squad. Heskett can impact the game in a number of ways. CJ can shoot, rebound and play solid defense. His complimentary basketball is something that his teammates will continue to be able to lean on next season as his role in the program will continue to grow. He is not afraid to put his body on the line either, nabbing loose balls and working hard to snag rebounds on both ends of the floor.

Playing for one of the state’s best and deepest teams means Heskett might not have as many opportunities as other guards on this list. But he’s carved out a role and made the most of them. Including a loud moment in a signature Putnam City North win. Throughout the match up against Edmond Santa Fe last month, Heskett kept popping up with key plays. A savvy steal and score sparked the Panthers in the second quarter. Hit a deep three in the second half. His play earned him extending minutes and he delivered in overtime. Grabbing a defensive board and racing the length of the court for a game winning closing finish in the closing seconds. Clearly has the gamer gene to go along with having a former high major shooting guard father.

While Heskett hit some shots, he also did a couple things that stood out in the up and down camp setting. He was willing to make the simple but important aspect of actually pitching the ball ahead to teammates, setting up scoring opportunities. While also communicating a bit on defense. Along with the intangible aspects, did really like one of the textbook pump fakes he made to set up a good look.

CJ Heskett impacted the game with his smooth, dynamic playmaking skills on both ends, often turning his defense into offense after getting steals in the passing lanes. His eyes surveyed the court effectively while maneuvering through defenders, looking to hit cutters as he penetrated.