A true pass first floor general that excels in multiple phases because of his ability to make the right reads and others better around him. I caught the Jayhawks 16U team play in their mid afternoon game on Saturday and there wasn’t much that was not clicking for the 6’0 point guard form Adrian.  A connective passer by nature, Heldt will draw help to dish off beneath or make the proper kick out pass after getting a paint touch to collapse the defense. He also is a guard that will crash the glass and can certainly score it too as a shot maker or getting to the cup. He converted on an cool euro step finish in the fast break phase and also found success on an and1 finish. Heldt’s overall feel and impact in various settings will provide attributes throughout heading into junior campaign.

Max is knocking on the door of becoming a high-level offensive weapon, and it feels like only a matter of time before he breaks that door down. Heldt has consistently shown he can score efficiently, but a more assertive approach could elevate his game even further.

Max has the ability to identify mismatches and attack them, feeling the smaller defender on his hip and sealing for some guard-on-guard post work. Heldt moves well without the ball, staying active and effective throughout the game. He also demonstrated the ability to knock down shots from long range, proving to be a very well-rounded two guard.

Max Ryan Heldt is a kid who’s only starting to make a name for himself in the AAU circuit. Playing in his team’s opening game, he was critical in helping the Jayhawks to an important victory.

Max displays great defensive hustle. He’s an absolute pest for opposing offenses-constantly getting his hands on the ball and poking it away when an opposing player turns his back. But he’s also turning into an elite shooter. He’s not afraid to pull up on a deep 3-pointer. And he’s earned the trust of his teammates in clutch situations.

Down by 3 with 90 seconds left in the game, Max buried a triple to tie the game. And then with the clock winding down in regulation, Max canned another 3-pointer just as time expired-sending the game to overtime, where the Jayhawks eventually snapped their 8-game losing streak. Afterwards, Max said of the buzzer-beating 3-pointer, “I though I missed it… I thought I was going to hit it off the side of the backboard”. Fortunately for him, that wasn’t the case. And after going winless in their last two tournaments, Max’ 18 points helped his team to an important win.

Max has ‘lead guard’ written all over him. He’s confident with the ball in his hands—poised, under control, and effective at beating defenders off the dribble with changes in pace and level. As an undersized guard, he also excels at drawing fouls, earning himself free looks at the charity stripe.