Another productive weekend for Siakam as he put up big scoring, rebounding and defensive numbers for Kentucky Basketball Club 16 U. Siakam is a tough driver to stop when he’s going to the rim thanks to his fluid athleticism and strength, lots of times defenders hand check him on his drives and foul him on the floor if he gets even half a step on the defender. I liked some of the sets Kentucky Basketball Club ran to clear out a side for Siakam to attack with side screens allowing him to isolate on the left side of the court, and an improvement with his left-handed finishing would make him even tougher to stop. Siakam also crashed the glass hard this weekend, averaging seven rebounds per game. If Siakam can continue to shoot the ball from the perimeter like he did this weekend with a couple of time and space 3-pointers when he was left open at a high percentage, he should add to his offer list that includes WKU, EIU and James Madison right now.

Joaquin made one of the biggest jumps of any 2028 prospect in the state between his freshman and sophomore year. His physicality as a slasher serves him well, allowing him to absorb contact en route to the rim. Once there, he finishes at a high level in various capacities, especially when given the opportunity to rise up for a slam. His evolved athleticism and IQ plus improved ball handling and shooting mechanics have boosted his stock tremendously amongst the likes of D1 programs. Looking ahead, the Dragons might need him to increase his volume and efficiency from long distance to remain competitive in the 8th.

South Oldham has a really solid team that can score the ball at a high clip but Siakam is their clear Alpha and best player. Over 4 games, Joaquin shot 70% from the field and had multiple double-doubles. He continues to trend up and has a chance to be very good.

Siakam just earned his first D1 offer as James Madison pulled the trigger on him this week. Joaquin continues to get more impressive as he keeps getting more and more comfortable as a wing scorer. After going from unranked to top 20, it looks like Siakam is going to keep trending up, long term.

As a long term stock, Joaquin is a player to buy stock in now and hold for the future. Siakam makes the occasional really impressive play and also can disappear for stretches. As he gets more consistent in his effort and his body continues developing, he’s one of the higher ceiling prospects I’ve seen in this class off just a couple of viewings.

Potentially one of the best players in the class, Siakam is a lot like his uncle (Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam) with his ability to play inside and out. Right now Joaquin is a little bit of a tweener, position wise since we don’t know when he’ll stop growing. Able to shoot from three or attack the rim, Don’t be surprised if Siakam is one of the biggest stock risers in Kentucky next season.

Saturday was my first extended viewing of Siakam and I left impressed with the rising Sophomore. It took Joaquin a little while to settle in during 5 on 5 play in the afternoon but by the end of the day he had earned his All Star game appearance. South Oldham tends to not play younger kids a whole lot but if he’s given the opportunity, I can cee Siakam being a big time X factor for the Dragons this winter.