Gaiten gave me one of the more complete physical notes of the weekend:

Strong frame. Positional size. Good explosion at the rim. Can extend the floor. Hedge defender.

That’s a lot of different pieces.

The strength and size give him a foundation around the basket, while the explosion gives him another dimension as a finisher. Being able to extend the floor makes the offensive projection even more interesting.

Then there’s the defensive piece.

If he can continue showing that mobility when he’s asked to hedge and defend actions away from the paint, that becomes another part of his value.

Boog’s Take: Gaiten has the kind of physical foundation where I’m asking how many different things he can eventually do with it. That’s the question moving forward.

Collier was the biggest player in the gym on Sunday, and as such, he was a dominant rim protector. But he wasn’t just a dominant shot blocker because of his size. He showed great awareness defensively, knowing where his man and the ball were at all times and rotating over to help his teammates at the bucket. He moves his feet surprisingly well for a young big man with his size and frame, holding his own against quicker guards, and he talks really well on that end of the floor. He was one of the best communicators that I saw on Sunday, constantly talking his teammates through screens, letting them know he was available for help, and encouraging them. He’s a young big man with some serious promise and long-term potential.

Gaiten was another big man on this QCA team that won the 14U championship, dominating the competition all weekend. Collier was more of a true forward, holding down the paint for his team. He has a strong 6’8” frame and was able to fight through contact for finishes around the rim through traffic. Gaiten was also a very impactful interior presence, protecting the rim and coming away with contested boards.