Russell is a prospect who can continue to quickly climb up this list. He has a relentless competitive motor, a strong frame that allows him to slide between multiple positions and a budding offensive skillset. At this point, he’s a physical downhill guard/wing that can use his body to create separation or angles for looks around the rim. He’s also shown some soft touch on pull-ups in the mid-range area. In an open floor setting, Russell can surprise you with how quickly he gets up for finished over the rim. With the 6’4″ rising sophomore, it all comes down to consistency and continuing to polish his overall decision making.

Aside from Word, Russell was the prospect who really left an impression on me walking away on Sunday. The 6-foot-4 freshman doesn’t really fit the description of a specific position and at this stage of his development, that’s perfectly fine. He checks a ton of boxes, but firstly brings a highly competitive motor that quickly resulted in bulk rebounds, transition opportunities as he ran the floor with purpose and multiple defensive assignments that he can handle effectively. If he wasn’t finishing around the rim, Russell was rising over his defender in the midrange and burying shots over a contested hand. Simply put, Russell has the makings to be a ‘gamer’ that helps you win games now and especially in the long run as his skillset expands, as he is young for his grade.

Craig Russell Craig Russell 6'5" | SF/SG Largo | 2029 State MD is a developing as a freshman. Despite limited playing time, he shows promise as an athletic scorer who can run the offense and fill the scoring role his team needs. Russell’s impact is clear on the court. Look for Craig continue developing for the Lions for the next three years of varsity of play.