Carson delivered high-flying entertainment throughout the day, showcasing elite, above-the-rim athleticism. The Whitnall wing wowed spectators with acrobatic finishes and emphatic dunks, but his basketball IQ stole the show. Since his freshman year, Carson’s floor awareness has taken a massive leap; he consistently jumped passing lanes for steals and dictated tempo on defense, turning defensive stops directly into highlight-reel transition points.

One of the most explosive athletes at the event, Layel can simply jump out of the gym. He caught me off guard early in his opening game when he came slashing to the rim for a powerful one handed dunk. Impact defender as he can sit deep in a stance to pressure the ball on the perimeter, and he also provided a shot blocking threat stepping in from the help-side to reject a few lay-up attempts. He scored 3.8 ppg at the varsity level as a freshman, and has the chance to develop into a really good player at Whitnall over the coming years.

Layel is long with athletically gifted ability. Has upside with bounce. Came down the middle of lane in early afternoon game Saturday and made a one hand slam with glide. Can handle it in transition if needed. Works well around the rim to fight for rebounds and then push ahead for primary break opportunities. Finishes effectively in the lane. Still raw but has tools with a promising future. 

Carson was a walking highlight reel on Saturday against Team Compete . The six-foot-two wing is extremely athletic and did he ever standout in the 9:05am game. Carson had three dunks in this game including a monster rim rocker off a handoff in the half court. Outside of his explosive athleticism, Layel impressed me with his ability to find teammates in transition, finish through contact with a handful of and 1 finishes, and his relentless mindset on the glass. Carson finished with 15 points in a decisive 55-36 victory over Team Compete in their first game on Saturday.