Recap of Simeon vs. Whitney Young 12/22/11

With John Calipari of Kentucky and Rick Pitino of Louisville on hand, players from both sides stepped up their game. As fans from everywhere were funneled into the UIC Pavilion, the players took the court for an exhilarating game. The who;s who of top Chicago prospects came to play and some under the radar players made their name known. Games like this make high school basketball so fun to watch. I felt like a bobble-head doll looking at all the payers move around the court. From my last post, I focused on some players I would be keeping my eye o. Some that I did not mention will be worth mentioning. Don't worry about me shortchanging you on the analysis because my high school crystal ball is telling me this won't be the last time I see these teams play this year. Here is what I observed:

SO, C, Jalil Okafor (6-10, 275 lbs, offers by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) The player of the game; simply put. Everything he did was dominant. Okafor has a soft touch inside and can step out and hit the 10 footer. For Simeon, he was near impossible to guard. With Taylor, a future Marquette player next year, guarding Okafor, Okafor was taking him to school. His quick feet and soft hands (catching the basketball of course) forced Simeon to double and sometimes triple team Okafor. Even after that, Okafor was still able to get some lay ups and dunks around the rim. Outside of going up for a dunk and stuffing himself at the rim, there really was nothing Okafor did wrong. IF there is one thing that would prevent him from being a top 5 prospect in the nation in the Class of 2014, it would be his explosiveness. Unless he continues to shed some weight, Okafor does not have much lift when he jumps. Still, though, this is on of the elite sophomores in America

SO, F, Paul White (6-8, 200lbs, offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Louisville) I did not know what to expect from White. I thought his game was similar to Baylor's Quincy Miller in that he can handle the ball, shoot from the outside, and big enough to make an impact on the inside. I was not far off from that assessment. White was the makeshift point guard for the Dolphins bringing the ball up the court and having the offense revolve around his decision making. White had 8 turnovers to go with his 7 points and 4 rebounds, but the turnovers came from a player making point guard plays without being a point guard. I think Whitney Young took advantage of White's superior ball handling ability and had him force too many plays. Having a true point guard would have opened up White's game more and would have given him more of an opportunity to score. Still, I'll take away from the 6-8 point forward his ball handling skills; something very few players at 6-8 have.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) I was disappointed that Reynolds did not control the ball more; that responsibility was bestowed upon White. Reynolds did finish with 4 assists but played off the ball mostly. apparently Whitney Young does not feel Reynolds is ready to take full control of the offense. Though a sophomore, I think Reynolds is going to have to assert himself as the premier ball handler for the Dolphins. His role in the offense was far less than I expected.
 
JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, JR (6-9, 240 lbs, offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Did Not Play- Nice job on my part to look for a guy who was injured; what is this amateur hour? However, two players caught my eye: SR, F, Nate Brook (6-6, 200 lbs, no offers) who finished with 7 points and 4 rebound as well as SR, SG, Jordan Smith (6-3, 180lbs) who had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Even though the numbers aren't staggering, both stood out. Brooks had some nice dunks in the first quarter and displayed some exceptional athleticism. Smith looked like he was out to prove something as he tried to go for a couple facial dunks against Simeon. I liked his size and his decision making when plays broke down. smith is a nice secondary option on offense.

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (6-2, 175 lbs, offers from Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) One could argue Nunn could have been player of the game because Simeon actually won the game. Nunn finished with a team high 19 points but what really impressed me was his assertiveness and his improvement shooting the ball. Nunn did well from beyond the arc, but maybe the best thing Nunn did was get to the foul line. Nunne got to the line around 10 times which tells me Nunn has stepped up his aggressiveness from last year. In limited time, Nunn settled for jump shots last year. This year, Nunn was in attack mode. Another piece of his game that stood out was his athleticism. I knew he was very athletic but the 6-2 guard was soaring well above the rim. Simply put, Nunn is much better from last year.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) Like Reynolds on Whitney Young, I was disappointed that Pollard did not factor much in the game. One play that stood out was a put back attempt by Pollard that showed his leaping ability. It looked like Pollard jumped off a trampoline for the put back. I could see why some scout have taken notice of his game. Pollard's role on the team is not clearly defined and I don't see him playing more that 10 minutes a game with all the players around him.

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, committed to Marquette) Unofficially, Taylor had 16 points and 6 rebounds (thanks Simeon for taking your sweetass time coming out with an official box score) but the thing that impressed me the most is how much more in shape Taylor was and how improved his ball handling was. At times, Taylor was bringing the ball up the court and playing both inside and outside. He has a unique skill set that should have him contributing right away next year for Buzz Williams. Taylor had the daunting task for taming Okafor and that in itself made him look bad. However, Taylor was able to his some outside shots and crash the boards and used his added strength from last year to impact shots in the lane. Taylor looked more like a ball controlling small forward as opposed to a slender power forward which he played last year, and that in itself is why Taylor has improved his game.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (6-7, 220 lbs, offers from Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Parker finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, but Parker seemed a little off. Clearly the most talented player on the floor, Parker had a tough time getting his shot to fall. Still, Parker was able to get to the rim, even though he was met by about 4 different defenders, as well as get himself open from beyond the arc. Even though his shooting percentage wasn't glamorous, it does look like Parker has more confidence taking a jump shot this year compared to last. It is clear to see, even in a sub par performance (sub par performance for Parker is usually better than most other players on the court) that Parker is one of the most talented players in the country.


NEXT WEEK: HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK'S MANY HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS.

Recap of Simeon vs. Whitney Young 12/22/11

With John Calipari of Kentucky and Rick Pitino of Louisville on hand, players from both sides stepped up their game. As fans from everywhere were funneled into the UIC Pavilion, the players took the court for an exhilarating game. The who’s who of top Chicago prospects came to play and some under the radar players made their name known. Games like this make high school basketball so fun to watch. I felt like a bobble-head doll looking at all the players move around the court. From my last post, I focused on some players I would be keeping my eye on. Some that I did not mention will be worth mention. Don’t worry about me shortchanging you on the analysis because my high school crystal ball is telling me this won’t be the last time I see these teams this year. Here is what I observed:

SO, C,  Jahlil Okafor, (left) (6-10, 275 lbs, Offered by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) The player of the game; simply put. Everything he did was dominant. Okafor has a soft touch inside and can step out and hit the 10 footer. For Simeon, he was near impossible to guard. With Taylor, a future Marquette player next year, guarding Okafor, Okafor was taking him to school. His quick feet and soft hands (catching the basketball of course) forced Simeon to double and sometimes triple team Okafor. Even after that, Okafor was still able to get some lay ups and dunks around the rim. Outside of going up for a dunk and stuffing himself at the rim, there really was nothing Okafor did wrong. If there is one thing that would prevent him from being a top 5 prospect in the nation in the class of 2014, it would be his explosiveness. Unless he continues to shed some weight, Okafor does not have much lift when he jumps. Still, though, this is one of the elite sophomores in America.  

SO, PF, Paul White (6-8, 200 lbs, Offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State) I was not what to expect from White. I thought his game was similar to Baylor’s Quincy Miller in that he can handle the ball; shoot from the outside, and big enough to make an impact on the inside. I was not far off from that assessment. White was the makeshift point guard for the Dolphins bringing the ball up the court and having the offense revolve around his decision making. White had 8 turnovers to go with his 7 points and 4 rebounds, but the turnovers came from a player making point guard plays without being a point guard. I think Whitney Young took advantage of White’s superior ball handling ability and had him force too many plays. Having a true point guard would have opened up White’s game more and would have given him more of an opportunity to score. Still, I’ll take away from the 6-8 point forward his ball handling skills; something very few players at 6-8 have.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) I was disappointed that Reynolds did not control the ball more; that responsibility was bestowed upon White. Reynolds did finish with 4 assists but played off the ball mostly. Apparently Whitney Young does not feel Reynolds is ready to take full control of the offense. Though a sophomore, I think Reynolds is going to have to assert himself as the premier ball handler for the Dolphins. His role in the offense was far less than I expected.

JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, Jr (6-9, 240 lbs, Offered by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Did Not Play- nice job on my part to look for a guy who was injured; what is this amateur hour. However, two players caught my eye, SR F Nate Brooks (6-6 200 lbs, no offers) who finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds as well as SR SG Jordan Smith (6-3, 180 lbs) who had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Even though the numbers aren’t staggering, both stood out. Brooks had some nice dunks in the first quarter and displayed some exceptional athleticism. Smith looked like he was out to prove something as he tried to go for a couple facial dunks against Simeon. I liked his size and his decision making when plays broke down. Smith is a nice secondary option on offense.  

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (left) (6-2, 175 lbs, Offered by Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) One could argue Nunn could have been player of the game because Simeon actually won. Nunn finished with a team high 19 points but what really impressed me was his assertiveness and his improvement shooting. Nunn did well from beyond the arc, but maybe the best thing Nunn did was get to the foul line. Nunn got to the line around 10 times which tells me Nunn has stepped up his aggressiveness from last year. In limited time, Nunn settled for jump shots last year. This year, Nunn was in attack mode. Another piece of his game that stood out was his athleticism. I knew he was very athletic but the 6-2 guard was soaring well above the rim. Simply put, Nunn is much better from last year.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) Like Reynolds on Whitney Young, I was disappointed that Pollard did not factor much in the game. One play that stood out was a put back attempt by Pollard that showed his leaping ability. It looked like Pollard jumped off a trampoline for the put back. I could see why some scouts have taken notice of his game. Pollards role on the team is not clearly defined and I don’t see him playing more than 10 minutes a game with Parker and Taylor in front of him.

 

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, Committed to Marquette) Unofficially, Taylor had 16 points and 6 rebounds (thanks Simeon for taking your sweetass time coming out with a box score) but the thing that impressed me most is how much more in shape Taylor was and how improved his ball handling was. At times, Taylor was bringing the ball up the court and playing both inside and outside. He has a unique skill set that should have him contribute right away next year for Buzz Williams. Taylor had the daunting task for taming Okafor and that in itself made him look bad. However Taylor was able to hit some outside shots and crash the boards and used his added strength from last year to impact shots in the lane. Taylor looked more like a ball controlling small forward as opposed to a power forward which he played last year, and that in itself is why Taylor has improved his game.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (right) (6-7, 215 lbs, Offered by Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Parker finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks, but Parker seemed a little off. Clearly the most talented player on the floor, Parker had a tough time getting his shot to fall. Still, Parker was able to get to the rim, even though he was met by about 4 different defenders, as well as get himself open from beyond the arc. Even though his shooting percentage wasn’t glamorous, it does look like Parker has more confidence taking a jump shot this year compared to last. It is clear to see, even in a subpar performance (subpar performance for Parker is usually better than most other players on the court) that Parker is one of the most talented players in the country.

NEXT WEEK: HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK’S MANY HOLIDAY TOURNEMENTS. 

What I will be watching for: Simeon Vs. Whitney Young

Finally, the blog is back in full force. A combination of a slow AAU summer and just straight up laziness on my part has left all of you waiting (I’m sure) for a post. But finally, some actual basketball to talk about; not just team previews and player previews, but actual basketball. What a way to kick off a new season of high school basketball in the city of Derrick Rose’s shoulders with two Chicago Public League titans in Simeon High School and Whitney Young High School squaring off. This matchup is like Ali vs. Frazier, Rocky vs. Ivan Drago, USA vs. Russia- complete powerhouses.  Together, both teams have enough division one players to field a final four team in 3 years with a slew of 5 star and 4 star ballers. In case you’ve turned a blind eye to high school basketball, and what non-creepy grown man would, you may have missed Simeon, yes, your Simeon Wolverines are the number one team in the nation. Yep, the nation, that’s right.  So obviously you’d see yours truly parked in the friendly confines of the UIC Pavilion to watch this epic match up. So what will be one of hopefully many matchups between these two powers between the regular season, the CPL playoffs, and the state title, this is what I will be watching for:

Whitney Young Dolphins:

 SO, C,  Jahlil Okafor, (left) (6-10, 275 lbs, Offered by Illinois, DePaul, Syracuse, Arkansas, Connecticut, and more) Okafor is a consensus top 5 player in the class of 2014. He has several schools drooling over the opportunity to have his services. Last we saw him he was much bigger than most of the people he went up against, and that should not have changed. What I will be watching for is how much more agile and nimble he is in the paint. For him to take the next step in high school dominance, he will have to have quicker feet and more explosiveness. I want to see if he took the summer and AAU season to slim down, add more muscle and add more speed. If at least two of those have become true, expect the same type of publicity Jabari Parker of Simeon is getting for Okafor.

SO, PF, Paul White (6-8, 200 lbs, Offered by Baylor, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State) Paul teamed up with fellow teammate Okafor on the U16 USA Basketball team over the summer and that increased his publicity in the high school ranks. Some will call him the Robin to Okafors Batman, but I think these are just two unique skillsets on the same team. Last year, White did not garnish a lot of minutes playing on an upper-class laden team. White will get to show more of his game this year. I would like to see if White is developing into a true power forward or an explosive small forward, a la Chicago native and current Baylor freshman Quincy Miller. His shot is still developing but I think in order for White to gain 5 star status, he will have to establish a true position instead of just an athletic wing.

SO, PG/SG, Miles Reynolds (right) (6-2, 200 lbs, no official offers) No matter what level, good teams have good point guards. Junior point guard Derrick Randolph (5-9, 165 lbs, no official offers) transferred from Whitney Young leaving a vacant spot this year at the point guard position. Reynolds probably is the inheritor of the position. I will be watching for who predominantly plays that position going up against a Simeon team with a deep backcourt. Reynolds has nice size for the point guard position but I would like to see his shooting and passing skills. His development this season could make Whitney Young go from a great team to an unstoppable team.

JR, C, Tommy Hamilton, Jr (6-9, 240 lbs, Offered by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern) Hamilton will take on a mini-leadership role as upperclassman are few and far between on this team. Hamilton has had his desire and effort questioned and over the last year, Hamilton has dropped in the player rankings. I will be watching not only his developing post game inside but his ability to step out and hit a 15 footer. Hamilton will never have a distinguished game face that some weirdoes like to represent effort, but I want to see him show some sort of emotion during the game. He has the skills to be great, but does he have the desire? It is almost like having a supermodel that doesn’t know how to walk down the runway- it would be a waste of talent.

Simeon Wolverines:

JR, SG, Kendrick Nunn (left) (6-2, 175 lbs, Offered by Texas A&M, Memphis, Illinois, Xavier, Missouri, North Carolina State, DePaul) I saw Nunn early last year when his name was not quite as well known and the first thing that stood out about him was his defense and his three point shooting skill. Nunn had a couple of seniors playing his position last year and that took away some of his minutes. When people talk about Simeon, they always talk about Jabari Parker. Nunn seems like the ugly stepchild. But Nunn is as offensively gifted as the guys around him. I will be watching for more assertiveness by Nunn to show why he is one of the best shooting guards in the country.

JR, SG/SF, Kendall Pollard (6-4, 185 lbs, no official offers) I’ve been reading this whole summer that beyond the Mt. Rushmore of Simeon players on this year’s team, there’s this player that no one is talking about who is about to start receiving some division one offers. That player is often referred to as Kendal Pollard. I’m not quite sure what his position is and what exactly his role is, but when some of the major starters like Nunn, Parker, and Taylor are out, will Pollard keep the momentum going?

SR, PF, Steve Taylor (6-7, 230 lbs, Committed to Marquette) The senior leadership will be coming from both Taylor and G Jalanie Neely (no offers). But Taylor has the most experience out of the two and his days seem brighter for now since he will be attending the Big East next year. One thing I will be watching for is how college ready his body may be. Last year, Taylor showed his skill both inside and outside, but was very lean. I have heard he has bulked up a bit and he needs to if he wants to contribute right away for Marquette. I think if he has built off his skills from last year and added a couple extra pounds of muscle, Taylor could become a great player.

JR, SF/PF, Jabari Parker (right) (6-7, 215 lbs, Offered by Duke, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, BYU, DePaul) Last but not least, the number one player in all of the land, Mr. Parker. The fact that Microsoft Word needs a spell check for Jabari is a slap in the face because his name will be as well-known as Dwayne and Derrick. Parker will be one of the great high school players of all time in Illinois with the ability to win 4 state championships. There really is not much Parker needs to do to improve from number 1 overall. If there is one thing I will look for, it will be assertiveness by Parker. Last year, Parker tried to balance out his scoring with his passing and rarely put up more than 17-18 points a game. This year, Parker, in the 4 games Simeon has played, Parker has been more of a scorer. Simply put, I want to see Parker look like a man amongst boys, like Joey Chestnut in a hot dog eating contest vs vegans. Is that too much to ask???

NEXT WEEK: The results of Simeon vs Whitney: Part 1

I'M BAAAAACK

Coming soon: The Blog returns. Like Lindsay Lohan from the tabloids, like Oprah from dieting, and like Angelina Jolie adopting Africans, the Future of Basketball returns. You can look forward to team and player reports, as well as me going gaga over the number one team in the nation, yep, not state, but nation in Simeon. I'll strap on the letterman jacket and pimply face and head back to high schools this year to see this areas most exciting teams and players.

Top Teams in Illinois- Hales Franciscan

As Deion Sanders said, “I’m ba-aaaack!” Sorry for the layoff. Think of the return of this blog like Family Guy being cancelled by Fox after 3 seasons then picked up and better than ever 3 years later. So it hasn’t been 3 years, but I’m sure the anticipation of who my final team in Chicago that can contend for a state title is. Talking about this team as a possible state title contender would be like talking the actress from ‘Precious’ winning a Ms. Universe contest. However, there is some talent on this veteran roster; enough so that they might just raise some eyebrows. The conference they play in might hold them back, but from the success from last year should make this an exciting season…

 

Hales Franciscan Spartans- In a conference that includes De La Salle, Mt. Caramel, and Brother Rice, being one of the top teams is quite a feat. The window might be closing on the Spartans as the majority of their impact players and starters are seniors, so this season will have to end well because the next couple of season, the expectations will be lower. Size is not one of the strong suits of this team with no player over the height of 6’8. However, the Spartans have some good wings with great athleticism that can compete with most backcourts in the state. Star power is lacking but there are a couple players that make this team worth watching.

This team belongs to Sr. SG Aaric Armstead (6-4, 195 lbs, offered from Colorado State, Valparaiso, Fairfield). Aaric was the most exciting player on last year’s team due to his high flying abilities and lock down defense. His jump shot is not as sharp as it can be, but with his size and leaping ability, Armstead makes an ideal shooting guard. Teamed up with his older brother, then senior Aaron, a Wisconsin- Green Bay recruit, made a dynamic 1-2 punch that ended up falling short in the playoffs. Like the Molinas in baseball, there are more brothers that seem to show up each year. Jr. SG Adam Armstead (6-3, 175 lbs, no offers yet) is the next in line to be a division 1 athlete in the Armstead house. Adam is not quite where Aaric was as a junior, but he does possess some of the same qualities like good defense and the ability to stuff the ball down the basket. By the way, thank you to the Armstead parents for making the names of their kids so similar, kind of like George Forman’s kid’s name George III, George IV, and Georgetta.

A player to keep an eye on is Sr SF Eddie Alcantara (6-5, 200 lbs, no high major offers). The New York native has been an impressive sidekick to the Armstead family tree. Alcantara has a developing jump shot and will mix it up with the big guys down low, but Alcantara lacks a superior move to make him an elite talent. If his jump shot has improved over the summer has improved, and playing with one of the best AAU teams in Chicago, Mac Irvin Fire, definitely helps that, than Alcantara should see some attention from small conferences schools like a Fairfield or Manhattan. Both Alcantara and Armstead should be a major factor in the success of the Spartans.

The experience is their but the skill and talent are not quite what you’ll find on the elite Chicago-area teams. Watch for Armstead, the older one, to have a big season as the man on the state’s top 10 team. Like Alcantara, if Armstead can develop a more consistent jump shot paired with his great athletic ability, a better mid major program will be asking for his services. The lack of frontcourt depth will ultimately hurt this team but the wings should help the Spartans be a threat to win most of the games they participate in.

NEXT WEEK: THERE IS BASKETBALL OUT OF COOK COUNTY

Top Teams in Illinois- Morgan Park

Our series continues with a team that came onto the scene as a major threat to win state last year when one of the state’s top talents in SG Wayne Blackshear led a talented group on underclassmen deep into the playoffs. Now the torch is being passed like Vito Corleone did to Michael. There are not one or two amazing talents in this group like I’ve talked about in the past with each team. On this team, the collective group together is one of the best. Led by several juniors, the underclassmen will have to carry just as much leadership to make yet another deep run in the state playoffs. We travel a little further south, but not too much, to see some of Chicagoland’s underrated team…….

Morgan Park High School- When a team does so well in large part because of the performance of one player, that team tends to have a major drop off the following year that player departs-- see LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavilers. This year’s team does not seem to have the same firepower as last years, but some under-the-radar-type players are due for a big season. The biggest question will be on the incoming juniors handle the pressure as focal points of the offense, and that’s a big if, but even if two of the three main juniors can hold their own, as expected, then the Mustangs will keep on rolling. This will be a very young team that will most likely feature 3 juniors and 2 sophomores in the starting lineup. With no major contributing senior on the team, the juniors will have to be the de facto leaders. Fortunately, one of, if not the most important position on the court happens to be the Mustangs’ best player.

Meet future DePaul Blue Demon, Jr. PG Billy Garrett, Jr (6-2, 165 lbs, left). The son of a coach, Garrett, Jr’s knowledge of the game is beyond his years. While opponents teamed up on Blackshear last year, Garrett, Jr. made defenses pay for his explosiveness to the rim and his elite distributing ability. When Billy wasn’t making defenses look sillier than Shaq dressed as a Miami Police Officer, Garrett, Jr. was typically guarding the opposing team’s best player. This level of defense at the point guard position is almost as coveted as passing the ball. With his ideal height, Garrett, Jr. could guard and play both positions. Playing Robin to Garrett, Jr.’s Batman, the Champ Kind to Garrett, Jr.’s Ron Burgundy is yet another junior, PG/SG Markee Williams (5-9, 160 lbs, looked at by UIC, Loyola, and SIU). Despite being 3 inches (and that might be a generous estimate) smaller than Garrett, Jr., Williams plays off the ball and is a great compliment to Billy. As a left hander, Williams has great quickness and swift feet on both offense and defense. Combined with Garrett, Jr., the two might form the best 1-2 defensive combo in the state. If watching the NBA this year has taught us anything, beside Chris Bosh looking funnier with his spider dreadlock he had in Toronto compared to his weirdly shaped bald head in Miami, defense wins game. What this represents for Morgan Park is that they will not be taken out of games because of the opposition’s offense.

Good guards are like a good fastball pitcher- effective and helpful to beat the opponent but nothing without another option. Enter Jr. C Xzavier Taylor (6-8, 210 lbs, looked at by NIU, Northwestern, Florida State, Oklahoma, left). As a sophomore, Taylor showed at times slow feet and about as good as a motor as 1960’s Volkswagens Beetle on the Audubon. However, on the AAU circuit, Taylor has gained some quickness and has been more effective on both the offensive and defense boards. Taylor will be important for the Mustangs in their inside-out offensive sets they run. Last year, Taylor was the benefactor of some Garrett, Jr. feeds and played of star senior Blackshear freeing up him against defenders in the paint. Taylor won’t have that luxury this year but his added quickness and overall post moves should improve Morgan Park’s inside game. With most of the attention set on the Mustangs’ back court that will also include major contributions  from Jr. SG Terrance Quinn (6-1, 160 lbs, no offers), Taylor should be set for a big year in the points and rebound department.

Looking at this team, there is as much star power as a party at Andy Dick’s house. Garrett, Jr. will far and away be the Mustangs’ best and most important player. There are several good role players on this team that should take some of the load off of Billy. If Taylor could become a legitimate double-double threat game after game, and if Morgan Park could get another guard like Quinn or Williams to become a constant scorer, Morgan Park should be in the top ten, if not top 5 teams in the state.

NEXT WEEK: TOP TEAMS IN ILLINIOS (THE LAST ONE)

Top Teams in Illinois- De La Salle

This next team we’re about to talk about had the potential to be the top team in 2012, despite the talent on other teams. The loss of a key player is more crippling than high jumper in a wheel chair. Some people will write them off and they might not even crack the top 5 in Illinois for best men’s basketball teams. I’m a believer that talent wins out in most cases. Senior leadership will be lack and some young stars will have to grow up quickly for this team to have success. They will have their share of hiccups along the way, but ultimately, I see this team being a serious contender to make it downstate (or upstate if you’re reading this in southern Illinois). This year will be the warm up run before a more experienced and more talented team that will be ready to run down their opponents. For this year, the learning curve starts now……

De La Salle Meteors----- Driven by a couple seniors, De La Salle looked poised for a run to Peoria. After a tough loss to Whitney Young a couple rounds into the state tournament, the Meteors were left to pick up the pieces of a lost season. Some young ballers emerged last year and grabbed some attention from several scouts and for once, it looked like a team could match back-to-back state champion Simeon in talent. A new season begins and that experience and some of the talent no longer are there. This will force the incoming juniors and sophomores to take on a bigger role. For a team that had such high expectations, giving the keys to the car to kids that can’t drive yet can be a bit scary. And after graduation of a couple seniors and the blueprint for a successful season was beginning to be laid out, abruptly, one of De La Salle’s top players opted to take his talents to Simeon and continue his education and basketball career for the Wolverines making them more dangerous than they already were. The decision for Jr. PG Jaylon Tate (6-1, 175 lbs) to transfer left a lot of people in shock, like when people found out Hootie from Hootie and the Blowfish was black. This created a big hole for the Meteors to fill as their backcourt was now depleted. Fortunately for De La Salle, there is enough talent for this team to recover.

The leadership of this team will fall on two of its most talented players, despite some seniors on the team. Jr. SF Alvin Ellis (6-4, 185 lbs, recruited by Illinois, Northwestern, and DePaul, left) and Jr. SF/PF Alex Foster (6-8, 200 lbs, offers from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Purdue) will have to take on bigger roles as leaders on and off the floor. The talent of these two could make De La Salle a contender. Ellis had a descent season last year playing second fiddle to the senior wings on the team, but this year, Ellis will have a chance to shine in a new role. Foster, on the other hand, will improve on and develop more into a role from key role player in the starting lineup to the key player in the starting lineup. This would be like making Ringo Star go from Drums to lead guitar and vocals for the Beatles. Due to Foster’s talents of an athletic wing who can drive, shoot, and distribute, this should not be a daunting task. If this team has success this year, these two will have a large part in it. However, others will need to step up into bigger roles and be the role players Foster and Ellis were last year.

An unexpected departure led to an unexpected delivery. When the Meteors looked depleted, De La Salle received a surprising transfer all the way from the land of schnitzel and lederhosen; Germany (sorry Milwaukee). Class of 2013 C Gavin Schilling (6-9, 230 lbs, recruited by Iowa, Missouri, and Oregon), makes his voyage back from Germany to his home town of Chicago. As a freshman, Schilling generated some publicity as an athletic big man with good post moves. Schilling decided to follow some family back to Germany and hone his craft in Deutschland. As basketball has become a realistic career for Schilling, Gavin returns stateside to team up with the Meteors. Schilling will add some size to an undersized team and will definitely crack the starting line-up (though an ACL injury has sidelined him, Gavin should be ready for the season). With Schilling, Foster, and Ellis, De La Salle should have a dynamic frontcourt that should compete with most other teams they will face.

The question for this team is how the young stars will develop and who will step up in the backcourt and be the Meteors everyday point guard like Tate was for them last year. If both questions can be answered positively, this should be a very exciting and promising season. In the end, this year will just be the long build up to what should be one of the top teams in Illinois next year in 2012-2013. Foster has a chance to be special; even more so than PF Mike Shaw and SF Dre’ Henley were for the Meteors last year. Win or lose, I expect big things from Ellis and Foster at the end of the season and should be in the forefront of some of the elite recruits coming out of Illinois in 2013.

NEXT WEEK: TOP TEAMS IN ILLINOIS

Top Teams in Illinois- Whitney Young

The gap between this next team and the team I reported about last weekend might be bigger than the gap between Jennifer Aniston and Michael Moore in a beauty contest. With that said, this next program is very capable of winning a state title and finishing in the national top 25. This program consistently is one of the top programs in Illinois and seems to be a revolving door for division 1 athletes. But after some key departures, this years’ team will rely on a senior point guard and some key young ballers that will be coming to a division 1 program near you. So without further ado, let’s introduce the probable second best team in the state….

Whitney Young Dolphins—Last year was supposed to be the year for the Dolphins: they had one of the top seniors in the state and one of the deepest benches as well. But after a couple of injuries and a slow start for a couple of players, Whitney Young had to play some catch up to raise their ranking in the state. This season, the roster is a bit lighter and some key departures, most notable, SF Sam Thompson, will certainly impact the team. Outside of the point guard, the Dolphins will throw out a younger lineup than last year. Some of the youngsters from last year have showed some great strides this AAU season and might be the difference between a very good basketball team to a great one.

The three players, Jr. C Thomas Hamilton, Jr. (6-9, 230 lbs, offers from Illinois and Michigan State, left), So C Jahlil Okafor (6-8, 255 lbs, offered by Syracuse, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, DePaul) and So SF/PF Paul White (6-7, 185 lbs, offered by DePaul, Illinois, Ohio State, Syracuse, Michigan State) will be the heart and soul of this team. The two sophomores spent some time with team USA and U16 tryouts this summer and scouts have loved what they have seen. With these three, not only will the Dolphins have one of the best front courts in the state, but most likely the country with 3 potential 5 star athletes. The development of Hamilton, Jr. will be just as impactful. Thomas has developed from an overweight big man that can dictate defenders inside to a skilled big man that can step out and hit a jumper to match his inside game. Conditioning and rebounding will be key as Hamilton, Jr. hopes to solidify himself from a fringe 5 star to a sure-fire 5 star recruit.

With Okafor and Hamilton, Jr., this could be a dominating 1,2 frontcourt, but the key to this whole group might be White. Last year, the Dolphins were bailed out by Thompson’s athleticism and scoring ability. That will surely be missed and could be the different between a good and great season for Whitney Young. Thompson was able to guard multiple positions and play at different positions on the court. No one on this team, so far can come close to that. The player that might become what Thompson was last year is White. His athleticism is beyond his years and White is very crafty around the net. He was limited in his role on the team last due to just being a freshman, but White should see plenty of minutes this year. White can attack off the dribble and with his superior ball handling; White can create for himself and others. It will be his versatility that will allow Whitney Young to have a good outside and great inside game.

There are some young studs on this team that definitely garnish plenty of star power, but the floor general and presumed lone senior in the starting lineup will be the difference between a young, erratic team vs. a composed and mature team. Sr. PG Derrick Randolph (5-7, 150 lbs, interest from UIC and NIU) will take on a bigger role as point guard this year after sharing time with PG Kwai Pearson. Randolph might look like Mini-Me compared to everyone else on the floor but Randolph’s style of play is similar to a bowling ball in that he charges down the lane knocking over a couple defenders, including himself, who get in the way. His point guard skills are still raw but Randolph is a flashy passer and will be asked to look to distribute more to players inside like Okafor and Hamilton, Jr. His developing point guard skills and composure, something he did not always display last year, will be inertial to this year’s team.

In most other states, Whitney Young would be favored to win a state title. In Illinois, finishing second seems like a good accomplishment. The Dolphins might not be as deep but they are more skilled at other positions than they were last year. If White, Hamilton, Jr., and Okafor can develop as expected, this should be a very fun team to watch as much of a competition to dethrone Simeon as state champs. But there are some ifs on this team but at the very worst, the three big stars, figuratively and literately, will make this an exciting season for Whitney Young.

NEXT WEEK: TOP TEAMS IN ILLINOIS 

Top Teams in Illinois- Simeon

Due to the fact the NFL might go into a lockout for the year this upcoming season, I figured I would take a bye week of my own. We jump right back into our magical mystery tour of the Future of Basketball for our top teams here in Illinois. Over the next several weeks, or until I can find a better topic during the slow season of high school basketball, I will point out some of the teams that we will most likely see in Peoria this upcoming Spring competing for a state title.  What better way to start off this list with a team that most likely will be cutting down the nets this upcoming spring, and maybe more…………..

Simeon- As the most likely number one team in the state this 2012-13 season, picking Simeon was easier than picking out Kevin James in a crowd of anorexics. With a roster that has about 6-7 future division 1 college players, Simeon is the big kid on a small block. Winners of back to back state titles, Simeon is poised to win its 3^rd straight. A team that had its biggest contributors as underclassman, most of the players from last year’s team come back to defend their crown once more. With just a couple seniors on Simeon this year, the Wolverines look like a viable candidate to win another state championship the following year as well. However, there has been a recent addition to this year’s team that was already primed from a state title run. As they say, the rich get richer. As a sophomore, PG Jaylon Tate was already one of De La Salle’s, another top team in the state, best player. But when considering issues other than Tate’s basketball future, Jaylon’s parents and him deciding transferring from one of the top teams in the state to the best team in the state would only brighten his future.

As a rising point guard in the class of 2013, Tate (left) looked to be one of the leaders on a team set to dethrone Simeon’s run to the top. Now as a member of the Wolverines, Tate only enhances Simeon’s chance to win it all once again. Tate joining forces with the likes of SF Jabari Parker, PF Steve Taylor, and SG/PG Kendrick Nunn is like Bill Gates winning the Powerball lottery. Simeon’s starting lineup looks like a mid-level college team. With a true point guard, players like Parker and Nunn will have pressure taken off of them to create for themselves. The 6-1 point guard will have more weapons at his disposal and should further is stock as an up and coming recruit. Possibly the biggest benefactor of this transfer is Parker who found himself bringing the ball up the court and distributing the ball last year. With a reliable point guard this upcoming year, Parker can focus more on finding spots on the court to get free and make moves to the basket. As one of, if not the top player in the class of 2013, Parker’s offensive numbers will improve and his role will be more defined as a scorer more so than in the last two years.

Tate will most likely jump right into the starting lineup for the Wolverines. This does mean that players like Jr PG Brandon Clemons (5-10, 155 lbs, no offers) and Sr. PG Jelani Neely (6-0, 165 lbs, UIC interest) will have playing time cut. This of course means Simeon will be much deeper, but especially for Neely, who was expected to be one of the impact seniors on this team will most likely come off the bench. As a pure point guard such as Tate, another player who will get hurt, not with playing time but more in experience at the position is Nunn. Already one of the top players in Illinois for the loaded class of 2013, the undersized Nunn was poised to take more time at point guard. Already one of the top defenders on the team and top shooters, Nunn would increase his stock as one of the top recruits in the country if he could develop more of a floor general’s game. At 6-2, Nunn does not have the ideal size for a shooting guard despite is superior ability to put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the floor, so Nunn may have had better future success developing more as a point guard. Now with Tate in the picture, Nunn will play more off the ball than I anticipate previous to this season. Nunn will most likely enter college as a combo guard and figure things out from there, but this seemed like a great opportunity to become a better point guard.

This year’s team will be led by Sr. PF Steve Taylor and Jr. SF Jabari Parker and a state championship seems imminent. What really sets this team apart is the depth they can throw out each night that surely will keep all of their players fresh throughout the game and wear down opponents. Even before the transfer, Parker’s game has exploded even more playing for team USA’s U16 team and Steve Taylor has opted not to play football this year as in year’s past and focus more on basketball. Taylor, though, was probably in no danger of an injury if he stuck with football as the 6-7 kicker, yes kicker, played football more for the conditioning. Although, who doesn’t like to see a giant kick a football around. I’m sure Yao Ming would put butts in the seats as a kicker for Chicago Bears. Now with Tate, Simeon’s starting lineup not only might be the best in the state, but it might be the best in the entire country. Simeon will definitely be in the top 10 in national rankings for high school basketball this year. If Tate could mesh well with the rest of his teammates, Simeon has a legitimate chance of winning a national title.

NEXT WEEK: TOP TEAMS IN ILLINOIS

U-16 Team USA: A.K.A Team Illinois

Every couple of years, team USA assembles some of the best high school players to play for the U-16 men’s national team. This year, some of the top prospects in the class of 2013 and 2014 had a chance to represent their country better than Bode Miller did back in 2006. 12 players were selected, 4 of which were from Illinois and two are high school teammates. Such a feat is worthy of blogging about. Could this be a sign that Illinois, more notably Chicago, is the hotbed of high school basketball? That point is up for debate, but what can’t be disputed is that the future for basketball in Illinois looks awfully bright. If only I could find a good title for my blog that depicts this point.

So. PG Larry Austin, Jr. (6-2, 160 lbs, offered by Illinois, Ohio State, Tennessee)- Let’s start off with the youngsters of the team; players that still can’t drive. Illinois has been looking at Austin for the last year and a couple other schools have jumped aboard the Larry Austin, Jr. recruiting train. It’s rare for a player this young to have a ton of offer, but the fact that he’s being looked at aggressively means bigger offers are sure to come. Coming into the trials for Team USA, Austin had some lingering bumps and bruises from this last year so we were not able to see him at 100%, and that was still good enough to make this high profiled team. During the four days of practicing and evaluating, Austin showed off his ability to be a pure point guard- someone who can score as efficiently as he can distribute the ball to others. Already, coaches are impressed over his athleticism. On his high school team, Austin has played point guard along with shooting guard and small forward. This versatility makes him a useful player for any team. Although his long term position is point guard, his shot is good enough to play the shooting position. Being one of 6 freshmen on this team should solidify Austin as a five star recruit for the next couple of years if not all the way through high school.

So. C Jahlil Okafor (6-8, 255 lbs, offered by DePaul, Syracuse, Illinois, Michigan State)- The other freshman representing Illinois and Team USA might be the biggest body on the team. At his size, Okafor is built like a college player, yet he still has 3 more years of high school left. Instead of being a less comical Fat Albert, Okafor is deceptively athletic for his size and his game is more advanced beyond his years. The freshman was one of, if not the best low post presence on the team.  Okafor’s footwork and inside game is making college coaches all over the country drool over the opportunity to get this kid to play for their program. Okafor showed off a bit of a jump hook and was able to push defenders under the basket with his post moves and quick feet. The scary thing about Okafor is that he is expected to tack on a couple more inches before it is all said and done. There is no doubt that Okafor is one of, if not the premier player in the class of 2014.

Jr. PG/SG Kenndrick Nunn (6-2, 165 lbs, offered by Memphis, Xavier, Illinois, DePaul, Florida State, Texas A&M)- Nunn is a combo guard mostly because he’s a great shooter and he’s too small to be a shooting guard. Because of this, Nunn has put in time to become a better floor general and distributer. The only thing holding Nunn back from being a top 20 player in the class of 2013 is his below average point guard skills. With that said, Nunn could be one of the best shooters out of anyone in this class and definitely one of the top shooters on this team. Beyond the perimeter, Nunn makes his shots with as much regularity as Miguel Cabrera getting DUIs. What may have impressed Team USA coaches most is his lock-down defending. Despite not playing point guard at every point in the game, Nunn frequently guards the point guard or top shooter on the opposing team. At the end of the day, Nunn’s ability to knock down the shot from anywhere and cut into the defense to hit a cutting player or make a quirky shot for himself makes Nunn a very dangerous weapon. If Nunn can continue his progress running the team as point guard and knock down shots, he will be one of the more sought after combo guards in the class of 2013.

Jr. SF Jabari Parker (6-7, 225 lbs, offered by Washington, Duke, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan State)-  We finish with Mr. Basketball in Illinois (official title given in Spring 2012). Maybe the best player on Team USA, Parker has shown that he has improved from his sophomore season at Simeon. Parker has slimmed down and gained quickness as he has become almost unguardable with his slashing ability and his mid-range shot. Parker can bring the ball up the court, distribute, hit threes, slash to the hoop, and can even do a little defending on the side. The wing position for Team USA is loaded so it shows how good Parker really is that he has stood out. The more I watch Parker, the more I think about current Boston Celtic Paul Pierce. In short, there really is not much Parker can’t do. For multiple scouts to say he is one of the top 2 players on this team should give you an idea of how special this kid is. The only thing I can say is his recruiting is about to become very, very intense and interesting.

NEXT WEEK: POWER TEAMS IN ILLINOIS

You Don't Know 'Em But You Better Start To: Part 5

We conclude our 5 part series on a player that will probably have the biggest jump from sleeper to phenom. He is well hidden in the depths of mid-Illinois country where it's a bitch to go see him if your from around Chicago. Because of this, this player is the only one of the 5 I have not seen. So begs the question, if a tree falls and no one hears it, did it really happen? Well, if a player from East St. Louis, IL (is there any other St. Louis) starts blowing up and no one sees him, is he really blowing up? Don't young fella, I see ya (or hear of you at least)...

(white, right) Jr. PG/SG DeShawn Munson (6-3, 180 lbs, offer from Tennessee, looked at by Illinois)- Munson hails from the same parts as past prep greats LaPhonso Ellis and Darius Miles. Munson has a long way to go until he can reach their status as elite preps and eventual pros. Unfortunately, East St. Louis is not exactly a hotbed for scouts to watch prep talent. Lately, scouts and some coaches have made there way to the city with a higher crime rate than Detroit. This is not quite the Derrick Rose from Englewood story we read so much about this past year, but for Munson to make his way through all the negatives around him to become a legitimate college prospect is amazing.

Right now, Munson is in between positions. Munson plays a lot of small forward in high school due to his size in what most likely is a pretty mediocre conference at best but in AAU, Munson will play both guard positions. In the end, Munson will most likely be a point guard. At 6-3, this is the size that scouts love in point guards. Point guards like Derrick Rose, Russel Westbrook, and Derron Williams are leading the revolution of point guards of the future with great size, strength, and speed. While Munson is not the fastest or quickest guy on the floor, he does have the size at the guard position and athleticism to be great. DeShawn is very crafty around defenders and he worms his way through defense to set up other players or create shots for himself. Munson has good hang-time but is not a huge leaper. His ability to create at any position he plays on the floor makes him a huge asset on the offense end. I have heard that Munson can deliever some nifty passes and might even throw in a no look pass here and there. While his point guard skills are raw, his creativity is above the curve for his age.

Creating off the dribble is a skill set that Munson possesses that one day will make him a permanent point guard. His decision making to attack defenses and not settle for jump shots is something I like in a guard because that leads to dump off passes in the post, closer, more efficient shot attempts, and drawing contact- all good things. However, one thing that has been holding Munson back from making that jump to pure point guard is his lack of outside shooting. Munson has a decent mid range game and can make moves in the paint, but stick him on the perimeter and he's about as useful shooting threes as dwarf reaching for candy on the top shelf at the grocery store. As the three point line extends about a foot from high school to college, it will be imperative that Munson improves his outside game. As you can see, a player at 6-3 doesn't play small forward that often, despite the competition. So that really tells you how much teams he plays for trust him on the perimeter. This is also a testament to his attack and drive ability as defenses probably play off him and force him for outside shots but yet he still is able to get into the lane.

Overall, Munson owns skills that many elite point guards have such as ball handling and creating off the dribble. Munson still has 2 years of high school left to develop from a low three star recruit to a solid four star recruit. Holding Munson back is his outside game and if he can't improve that, my prediction from sleeper to phenom for Munson will be about as accurate as that 89 year old minister that thought the rapture a month ago. With his ball skills and size and above average strength for a 16 year old, Munson has the making to be a high major impact player.

NEXT WEEK: U16 TEAM USA MEN'S BASKETBALL, A.K.A. TEAM CHICAGO

You Don't Know 'Em But You Better Start To: Part 4

We jump back into my top 5 sleepers to keep an eye on for the next two years with a player I have previously blogged about. During his sophomore campaign, this player was gaining momentum as one of the top players in the class of 2013. Outside of Jabari Parker and Thomas Hamilton, Jr, this player seemed to legitimately be one of the top players in Illinois for his class. Unfortunately, as the season wore on, this player began to fade to the back drop as the seniors on the team began to take over and his role diminished as a prolific scorer.His name began to fade and now its very seldom seen that this player is even in the top 5 in his class today. This player fell off the recruiting profile faster than one of Lindsy Lohan's drunk driving binges. But all is not lost; he is only going to be a junior which means he has two summers and basically one and a half school years to impress scouts.Isn't he lucky I saw him as a sophomore.....


Jr. PF Alex Foster (6-8, 200 lbs, considering Purdue, DePaul, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana)- Then, as a sophomore, his build stands out more than anything else. Foster looks close to college ready. To think he's got another two years to condition and get in better shape should only make him more dangerous. It would almost be like sticking a rocket up Usian Bolt's ass before the 100 meter dash. However, Foster is still raw and has not quite figured out to maximize his size just yet. Alex is kind of gangly moving up and down the court and does not go straight up around the glass or when he goes up for a shot. It is almost like his body is going faster than he wants to go. But this kid is very athletic. He has quick feet and can get off the ground quick for a rebound or a dunk. Some players look like they are trying to jump out of quick sand when they go up for a rebound. Others, like Foster, seem like they're taking off by a trampoline. Foster also a soft touch around the rim and can maneuver around defenders for a nifty lay up or even a dunk. He runs the floor very well and not just three point line to three point line but from baseline to baseline as he is not afraid to play both down low and around perimeter. Good conditioning and weight training should make him quicker and more effective running the floor which will be a big attribute in the future.

For high school, Foster could take over games because there are not that many athletic 6-8 guys to go up against. With good floor awareness, Foster is an ideal candidate to make something out of nothing when the defense breaks down. Due to his leaping ability, Foster can rebound over most defenders. From the defense rebound, Foster makes crisp and accurate outlet passes for an offense in transition. Where Foster can get lost is leaving his man for a rebound and in some cases, seemed to loose his defender but was able to make up for it with his athleticism either being quicker or just using his length to get back in position. He will not get away with this at the next level.

One area of concern for Foster is his jump shot. In the two games I saw Foster, his jump shot was a weak part of his game. It seemed like he only shot the ball from distance when he was forced to. He definitely needs to spend more time in the gym improving his shot. If he can do this over the next two years, he will be a legitimate power forward in college who can make things happen down low and step out and hit a consistent shot. One thing that does not work in his favor is his funky shooting motion. Some shooting strokes look good but the ball doesn't seem to go in. For other wacky shooting forms, there is not much to coach. Look at Shawn Marion of the Dallas Maverick (also a Chicago native); one of the worst shooting forms in the pros yet has an ability to put the ball in the hoop. It is possible to shoot the basketball like your playing catch with an active bee hive, but if you're not a natural scorer, it is tough to fix your form to be a consistent mid range shooter. The one thing separating Foster from a legitimate 4 star prospect and potential 4 years starter in college to an athletic mid major player is his shot. Foster's shot has improved from his freshman to sophomore year. He is going to need a bigger jump from his sophomore year to his junior.

All in all, Foster can play. Most likely, Alex will be coming to a Big Ten arena near you. The difference in being a sloth at the end of the bench collecting free gear from Nike or Adidas and an impact player will be his ability to force defenses to respect his jump shot. Right now, he's an above average rebounder with above average athleticism. Time in the gym shooting and pumping iron will do nothing but help his status as a prospect. Five years down the road, we will be saying of Foster how he brought a unique style of size and athleticism to become a great college player, or we will say, "Who? Oh that guy; he was really athletic, I thought he was going to be good. I wonder what happened to him?" My money is on Foster making an impact on whatever school he ends up at.

NEXT WEEK: YOU DON'T KNOW 'EM BUT YOU BETTER START TO: PART 5

The Kid Can Definitely Play- Isaiah Austin

I wanted to take some time away from my previous posts about potential sleepers in the 2012 and 2013 class. This next person I will be talking about is definitely not a sleeper. I figured one rarely sees the number 1 overall recruit in any class, so I had to blog about the opportunity to do so. So despite this whole blog’s premise of focusing on recruits from Illinois, this recruit hales from Texas. So this post is probably like Star Jones getting liposuction and thinking there is a chance she could be hot only to be disappointed on how unappealing she still looks. However, seeing this player in action right here in Chicago is worth breaking up the theme. And what makes this player so special, well here we go…..

Sr. C Isaiah Austin (7-0, 200 lbs, committed to Baylor)- When’s the last time you saw a 7 foot high school freshman. Unless your hanging out with the girls of the Amazon, probably not in a while. So when a 7 footer makes an appearance atop the recruiting lists, you know this kid is amazing. This is not your typical 7 footer, though. Don’t think 7 footer like Shawn Bradley (remember that guy, he’s on the same poster as your favorite dunks by other players), think Kevin Durant with less of a shot and more post-up ability. I did not see much of Austin’s shooting display because in pool play of an AAU tournament game, let’s just say there is as much effort displayed as Charlie Sheen trying to quit drinking. From what I read about Austin, however, is that he has a developing shot but could turn into a decent shooter from outside for his size. Looking at him, I would say his best comparison right now would be this previous year’s number 1 recruit in Chicago’s own Anthony Davis. The only difference I think in the two is Austin can post up defenders better but Davis is slightly better with the ball in his hand and a better defender than Austin. And if you don’t know what Davis’s game is like, dig through some previous blog posts. Without seeing much of a jump shot, it is tough to see what other scouts see in his game on a regular basis. However, what Austin did in and around the paint is enough for me to reconfirm his status near and in some cases, at the top of recruiting lists.

Austin is not your typical back to the basket big guy. He uses a lot more finesse and faces up defenders sometimes, too. When I say this kid can finish around the rim, I mean he can really finish around the rim. Austin has extremely quick feet for his size and seemed to be quicker than his defenders on what turned out to be a very good AAU team. Two things stuck out about Austin’s appearance: his extremely lanky body and his Sideshow Bob sized shoes. Austin and Shaq must go shopping together at the big and tall shoe store. The Jordan’s that he was wearing easily could have been a size 20. So with quick feet like Austin’s, it’s even more ridiculous how quick his feet were. If Austin had the ball within 5 or 6 feet from the rim, he was dunking over and around defenders. On one play, he caught an errant pass, faked for the dunk, took a dribble to avoid the defender, and two-hand power slammed the ball through the net. While he wasn’t throwing down dunk after dunk, Austin, on occasion, brought the ball up the court and passed the ball efficiently. By no means is he going to become the first 7 foot point guard, but it is extremely rare to find a player that big that can handle the ball well, so you know teams he plays on in the future will utilize that asset. For someone that freakishly big, Austin did not seem awkward running the floor. By looking at him, you can tell he definitely needs to add a lot more weight to his skinny frame. Sticking with the Anthony Davis comparison, picture Davis plus slightly more thickness around the body and more cut arms. However, you can tell by the size and width of his shoulders that he can easily add a lot more weight and girth to make him more of a force.

Areas of improvement would be better defense and more aggressive rebounding. I only saw one game of his and his role on this AAU team probably will be different than in college where he will be asked to do more. Defense is not known to be prominent in AAU pool play tournament games so that definitely added to the lack of intensity on defense on Austin. There are a lot of signs that he could be a great one. The big thing for him, no pun intended, is adding more weight and working more on his jump shot. To be the size of a center and play more like a power forward is something that has made guys like Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki a lot of money. He has good post moves now but if you couple that will a halfway decent jump shot, he could become almost unguardable.

NEXT WEEK: YOU DON’T KNOW ‘EM, BUT YOU BETTER START TO: PART 4              

You Don't Know 'Em, But You Better Start To: Part 3

Before we begin with part 3 of our series, I would like to note that SF Abdel Nader (6-6, 190 lbs) has opted not to attend prep school which would have made him a member of the class of 2012 and signed a letter of intent with Coach Mark Montgomery and Northern Illinois University to play basketball for them next year. What this means is one of the top Illinois prospects in the class of 2012 will play college ball earlier than we thought. This is huge get for NIU as Nader joins what already is a very good class for NIU standards, which includes Future of Basketball favorite Andre “Dre” Henley. What this also represents is that the 9 players that were part of my ‘Previewing the Class of 2012’ are really 8 players and 1 graduating senior who is no longer part of that class. Because of this, I feel obligated to merge my two series (‘Previewing the Class of 2012’ and ‘You Don’t Know ‘Em But You Better Start To’) into one (just for this week) like the Schwarzenegger’s and the Shriver’s minus the house maid. So I bring you one of my top 9 incoming seniors who is also one of my sleepers.

SG Jerron Wilbut (6-2, 180 lbs, offers from Bradley, UIC, and being looked at by Illinois)-  For a shooting guard, Wilbut does not have the size you would want in an upper level shooting guard and he does not have the explosiveness that will make top plays night after night. The tools that Wilbut does possess are an excellent feel for the game and sharp shooting capabilities. On numerous occasions, Wilbut made some nifty passes around the hoop as well as the perimeter. Wilbut made some crafty one hand passes as if he had the ball on a string, though I never got that expression because how do up play basketball with a string attached? He made some nice moves to get around defenders only to dish the ball off Steve Nash style around the hoop to a more open player. This type of ball handling and unselfishness makes players like Jerron a reliable secondary ball handler- the type of player that will run the offense when the defense is denying the point guard. This is a weapon that not a lot of shooting guards have at his age. I would almost go as far to say if Wilbut was a step quicker and craftier ball handler, he would be an ideal point guard and a big time program. But if I was 7-4 and Chinese I’d be Yao Ming, but I’m not and Wilburt isn’t a step quicker and he’s not a supreme ball handler. Wilbut isn't as slow as someone walking through quicksand, but his speed will never wow you. I would say he’s got average speed but uses quick decisions and good ball fakes to make up for his speed.

A Part of Wilbut’s game that will get him a free ticket to college is his long distance shooting. Rather it is in the corner, at the top of the key, or on the wings, Wilbut seemed to be knocking down a good majority of his shots. Even with a defender in his face, he was able to shoot over them and get the ball through the net. Jerron doesn’t do anything fancy link dance around with the ball or jab step for 20 seconds like LeBron seems do on occasion before he makes a fool of the defense hitting a fade away 20 foot jump shot. Jerron just goes straight up and shoots the ball. His shooting stroke and motion is a bit vanilla, but in a good way. He doesn’t feature a wacky shooting motion or shoots off balance, his stroke looks the same from anywhere on the court at any distance. I wouldn’t say he’s the best long distance shooter in the class of 2012 in Illinois, but he’s up there. A couple times the defense cheated and got up in Wilbut’s face when it looked like he was about to drain another three, but Jerron ball faked and drove to the hoop only to dish the ball off to a cutting teammate. This is the type of play that makes coaches look good.

Overall, Wilbut’s stock continues to rise this AAU season and bigger schools are starting to take notice. His ability to find ways to put the ball in the hoop will always garnish attention. His size is not favorable and his speed and quickness or lack thereof will hold Wilbut back from becoming a four star player when it’s all said and done. This does not mean, however, that Wilbut cannot be an impactful player in college; mid-major or a major program. Scouts have noted his commitment and persistence to become better which is why his stock is on the rise. I’m not saying this guy is the Apple stock in 1984, but maybe more like the Microsoft stock in the mid 1990’s- established but rising each day. Thus concludes a fine example of why I should never buy stocks or analyze them, but watch for Wilbut to have some big name colleges looking very hard into acquiring a sharp shooting, facilitating shooting guard this winter.

NEXT WEEK: I PAUSE THE ‘YOU DON’T KNOW ‘EM BUT YOU BETTER START TO’ SERIES AS I ATTEND THE BEST BUY CHICAGO CLASSIC OVER THE WEEKEND. I WILL BLOG ABOUT SOME STAND OUTS FROM THE LAND OF LINCOLN BEFORE I CONTINUE THIS RIVETING SERIES OF FUTURE STARS. 

You Don't Know 'Em, But You Better Start To: Part 2

I was thinking while posting for this blog how cheesy it would be to add a member of the 2012 class to my sleepers to become stars. After all, I did just do the top 9 players for the class of 2012 a couple posts ago. Trust me; it was tough coming up with 9 players because that class boasts as much talent as a handicap stair climbing contest. So going back and adding to the list would be as creative as James Cameron re-editing Titanic in 3D to make another billion dollars. But I figured overlooking this one guy in the class of 2012 was more on the lack of information I have on this kid. There are not a lot of highlights of him it seems like he is really close to his ceiling as a player; and let me tell you, it’s not a very high ceiling. But as an admirer of high school basketball talent, a few things win me over: size, strength, and speed. For a teenager to have some of these quality makes you a hot prospect because let’s face it, how many non-juicing high school athletes are quicker, stronger or bigger than some college athletes. Quick answer- look at any top 100 basketball prospect list, long answer, probably some mutant test-tube offspring from a remote lab in China somewhere. So when I looked at this next fella in part 2 of my mini-blog series, I figured, there might just be an outside shot he becomes a legit three star prospect. Considering what most people know about him now, that is definitely not a bad thing.

PG Ka’Darryl Bell (6-1, 170 lbs, offers from Ohio and Iowa)- For 6-1, Bell has decent size for a point guard. Although he’s not the prototypical big point guard NBA teams love, 6-1 is about the average size you would want in a point guard. If he’s lucky, he might even squeak out an extra inch when it’s all said in done. From what I’ve seen though, 6-1 might be generous. What strikes me about Bell is that he never seems to rush anything. He’s quick but not out of control. The little that I have seen of him is more in half court sets more so than transition, but he seems like a decent floor general. At some points, he can dribble too much, but he is a good, not great, facilitator. His game seems to feed off of others around him which is why he’ll never be a high major prospect, at the same time, this is the type of team player you would want. For Bell, it doesn't seem like getting into the lane or creating for himself is the most important thing. Driving and kicking or just staying at the top of the circle and setting up other players is something he seems to do with ease.

Because Bell played alongside incoming Illinois freshman SF Mychael Henry at Orr Academy in the city, Bell is used to playing second fiddle and setting up those who are better around them. The problem with some incoming freshman in college is that they are used to being the guy on their high school basketball team, so when they wind up being a middle of the road college player, their game does not translate. Because of this, Bell could be too passive at times. He does not have the most lethal shot and has a long way to go where that is a legit threat, but Bell has good range and will knock down threes. When Bell gets into the lane, he can finish with a floater or a nice jump stop, but Bell is not a big dunker and I am not even sure he can dunk. If anything, I’d say Bell doesn’t penetrate the lane as much as you would like to see in a point guard.

Overall, Bell is not an overwhelming player that has crazy potential. He is quick and has good point guard size and is a good, at best, passer. One handed passes or behind the back passes would be rarities from Bell, he’s just an old fashioned two handed passer that gets the ball to the open player. I would like to see him get a better shot and make up for his lack of inside game. His shooting stroke doesn’t look that bad so he should be able to improve his shot if he works hard enough. Other schools have taken notice of Bell like Drake, Nebraska, and Butler. However, a good AAU season might pull in more attention from bigger schools. I don’t see him committing anytime soon because I think he wants his AAU season to end and for him to show something in his senior year. But if he gets that offer he’s been waiting for, who knows.

NEXT WEEK- YOU DON’T KNOW ‘EM, BUT YOU BETTER START TO: PART 3

You Don't Know 'Em, But You Better Start To: Part 1

Over the next 5 weeks, I am going to preview some players around the city that are not grabbing national headlines now like a Jabari Parker or Thomas Hamilton, Jr, but after another season of competitive Chicago High School Basketball, you will know their name. For the sake of time, I will avoid including freshman and sophomores in this feature because they are so raw, that the player I see will be almost completely different two years from now. The greatest leap a high school player can have is from his sophomore to junior year. It is in this period that a dweebish high school kid could become a star in his junior year and climb up the recruiting charts. Without putting these players in order from most likely to shine to least, let’s start the list:

Jr. PF Russel Woods (6-8, 210 lbs, being looked at by Illinois, Purdue, DePaul, Marquette, and Wisconsin)-  Woods states that his early leaders are Purdue and Illinois despite not being offered by each program. That would be like saying Harvard and Yale are my early leaders for going to college when I have a 3.0 GPA. 

Maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration because Woods is talented enough to not only land those offers but to get even bigger offers from schools outside of the Midwest. The reason why he can be special is this kid’s size. Woods has a nice build for an incoming freshman in college, not an incoming junior in high school. The fact that he can add more muscle and speed to his game makes him a legit four star recruit threat. Right now, Woods is extremely physical down low and does not shy away from contact. He has a nice touch around the rim and can definitely finish with authority. The biggest impact Woods will have on a game is rebounding. Although he does not jump out at you as a freak athlete, he just has the hustle and desire you love to see in a kid as he continues to rise as a prospect. When looking at him, I get the impression that Woods is not someone that will let another player outwork him, especially on the glass. For an interior player, I love this part of a player’s game. There will be games that a frontcourt player cannot get his shot to fall or can’t finish around the rim and you will see it affect his game. The good frontcourt players will work that much harder on the glass to make up for a lackluster offensive performance. Case in point: Game 3 of the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks series in the playoffs where Joakim Noah scored 2 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Noah did not let a poor, and at some points, disgusting offensive game interfere with his job defending and grabbing rebounds. Woods does not have the tenacity that Noah as in his career, but his commitment to make a difference on the glass is a big part of his game.

Woods possess great strength and rebounding skills at his age, but a lack of outside game is what make him unnoticed, for now, to scouts. Once Woods is outside of the paint, his game becomes very ineffective. He has not developed a consistent jump shot; even from 10 feet away from the hoop. With that, Woods is not quick enough to take opponents off the dribble and drive to the lane enough where he is a legit threat. Woods does his best work in the paint, backing down defenders and jump hooking or dunking around them. I haven’t seen a Woods back down this much since Elin came after Tiger with divorce papers (sorry Eldrick). If a defense can push him away from the basket, Woods becomes limited in what he can do. Russell is not shy or hesitant to take a jump shot; he is just not consistent enough to make defenses respect it.

Another factor working against Woods is his height. At 6-8, Woods has the ideal height for a power forward. However, Woods’ game right now is that of a center despite being labeled a power forward. If he will have any success in his collegiate years, it will be because he developed a jump shot to go along with his tenacity on the boards. Because he has faced little competition with defenders taller and stronger than him, it is tough to criticize Woods. However, if things do not change over the next two years, his collegiate career will be little and ineffective. Because of this, Woods will have to continue to get stronger, despite being a beast already, and bully his way through defenders and not around them. But unless Woods hits a major growth spurt putting him over 7 feet, he will need a jump shot like Rob Reiner needs a treadmill.

Right now, Woods plays AAU for Chicago powerhouse Mac Irvin Fire. Because of the notoriety of this AAU team, Woods will get plenty of attention. The up and down style of AAU basketball should showcase 

how much athleticism Woods has. Before his junior year starts, Woods will need to show progress in another facet of his game other than rebounding. Looking at him, Woods is definitely one of the stronger forwards at his age. The difference, in the end for Woods, between being a mid to high four star prospect and just some guy that wears a college uniform and sits on the bench his whole career as a low three star prospect is his midrange game. I am excited to see him develop into a multidimensional force down low. If he can accomplish this, Illinois and Purdue will be begging for his services.

NEXT WEEK: You Don't Know 'Em, But You Better Start To: Part 2