High School Basketball Prospects

[Jack Lambert]

The next Sam Dekker?! Sorry, but this highlight tape shows me nothing.
The guy can dunk. So what.
What actual skills does he have? Can he shoot, dribble, pass, create his own shot? etc. etc.

Isn't the giddiness over black athletes that can jump through the roof, but haven't developed skills, i.e., 'upside', something that we are collectively sick of?!
I don't see much difference here.
Mitch Lightfoot may be a great player. I don't know and I am not trying to disparage him. But really this tape shows nothing more than a guy who can dunk when he's under the basket.

My bad, I should've posted the article that I was reading on him... http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-ba...ur-all-america-camp-2015-ncaa-basketball-2015

From the article, it looks like he was a Top 8 scorer at the Under Armour All America camp, with just under 12 PPG. He also added nearly 8 rebounds per game to go with it. Basically, I used the "limitless upside" term because even a lot of scouts and writers think he's going to be a great player, which is something that is NEVER said about white players.

Anyway, here's a better video that showcases a bit more of his game. I realize it's a highlight tape, but it does show that he's got some other skills as well. I'm not sure about his ability to shoot the long ball, but it looks like he's got a decent post game, runs the floor very well, and is able to play some good defense, repeatedly stuffing guys at the rim, and never giving up on defense. There's a couple of times in this video where he stuffs two guys in a row on the same possession! Oh, and he's explosive. There's a great dunk that starts around the 3:45 mark.

[video=youtube;kOnIUzvmmUo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOnIUzvmmUo[/video]

 

[Jack Lambert]

Sorry for all the basketball posts lately, but I've seen a lot of great white players out there in the coming years... they're actually getting offers as well. Look at this kid! 2018 PG Jordan McCabe already has an offer from Bob Huggins of all people!! Check out this kid's offensive game, which looks pretty developed already, even though he's just going to be a sophomore this coming year. He has some GREAT court vision.

[video=youtube;JqQcNU_ir3s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqQcNU_ir3s[/video]

Jordan McCabe

I've got one more point guard for today: 2016 Virginia commit, 6'2 Ty Jerome. This kid has the potential to be a solid player under Tony Bennett, I.E. a smart, play-making PG that plays great defense. As an aside, all three of Virginia's 2016 commits are white!! And that doesn't include transfer Austin Nichols, who'll be eligible with the 2016 class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wony3-JVUe4

 

[white lightning]

McCabe is fun to watch. I would like to see alot more white point guards in college and at the pro level. This kid should make it with no problem. So explosive, great handles and a excellent all around player!

 

[Shadowlight]

No need for apology

Sorry for all the basketball posts lately, but I've seen a lot of great white players out there in the coming years... they're actually getting offers as well. Look at this kid! 2018 PG Jordan McCabe already has an offer from Bob Huggins of all people!! Check out this kid's offensive game, which looks pretty developed already, even though he's just going to be a sophomore this coming year. He has some GREAT court vision.

[video=youtube;JqQcNU_ir3s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqQcNU_ir3s[/video]

Jordan McCabe

I've got one more point guard for today: 2016 Virginia commit, 6'2 Ty Jerome. This kid has the potential to be a solid player under Tony Bennett, I.E. a smart, play-making PG that plays great defense. As an aside, all three of Virginia's 2016 commits are white!! And that doesn't include transfer Austin Nichols, who'll be eligible with the 2016 class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wony3-JVUe4[/QUO



Hey JL keep up the good work!

 

[Freethinker]

JL, I'm loving these prospect updates. Never apologize for providing awesome, informative posts!

 

[Jack Lambert]

I've gotten a little free time the last few days, so I've found a couple more good-looking HS basketball prospects. Obviously, I can't find every single one, so if you guys have somebody you'd like to post, go for it!

2016 SG Thomas Dziagwa (#3 in the photo) is a very underrated shooter in the 2016 class. Simply put, this guy is money from 3. The 6'4 Dziagwa also has some nice court vision as well; as you'll see in the video, he makes some great passes. His Final Five are: Butler, Florida Gulf Coast, Oklahoma State, Stephen F. Austin, and USF.

Here are some of his highlights:

[video=youtube;utfumPezy0E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfumPezy0E[/video]

After Wisconsin's Jason and Zach, with Northern Iowa's Matt, youngest brother, 2016 PG Jordan Bohannon is finally getting his shot, as he just committed to Iowa. Standing at only 5'10 (as of right now), the kid has some game. Like Dziagwa, he's a lights out shooter, and also has some nice court vision. However, Bohannon looks to be a bit quicker, able to create some more space and shots for himself.

Here's his highlight video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNfxGlLKOso

 

[Jack Lambert]

Here's a couple more high-scoring 2018 guards who we should be seeing lighting up college basketball in a couple of years. I mentioned Tyler Herro committing to Wisconsin in the "News" thread in the section. Well, he's a consensus Top 100 player in the country, and he's good. See for yourself. He's a lethal shooter at every level, able to score the basketball. He scored 45 points in a game this year as well!!

Pennsylvania guard Robby Carmody is also going to be a player one day. The 6'4, 185 lb guard is a player. He's able to score in all ways, including getting to the rim. He can play a LOT of defense as well, and plays the passing lanes well, as you can see from this video. He isn't committed as of yet, but has offers from schools such as Michigan, Notre Dame, Louisville, and even Cincinnati! Carmody is another consensus Top 100 player.

The last guard (for now) is 6'5 combo guard Cormac Ryan, out of Massachusetts. He's going to be another great player, sporting offers from Michigan and Notre Dame, among others.

 

[Jack Lambert]

With Shadowlight's response in the season thread, I'd figured I'd post on a guy to look out for next year.

One of them is Butler commit Kyle Young. He's a 6'7, 195 lb, class of 2017 combo forward who's got the chance to play immediately next year for Butler, and if you watch his highlight tape, you can see why. He's got elite athleticism, and isn't afraid to use it. He's quite literally the total package. He's quick, he's a beast in transition and makes good decisions with the ball, he's able to navigate the lane, slam it down, shoot threes. You name it, Young can do it. He can also play defense very well; his hands are always in the passing lane, and he can be a shot blocker as well. With Andrew Chrabascz graduating, I can see Young stepping in to fill his shoes very quickly.

Kyle Young

http://www.scout.com/player/199477-kyle-young

 

[Jack Lambert]

Creighton currently has two white athletes out of three players committed for their 2017 class, and boy do they look good. Their most recent commitment was from high-flying center Jacob Epperson. Epperson can move really well, and can really get up. He's a 6'11 Australian who's been playing basketball in Indiana this year. Simply put, he's a stud who even the recruiters from Rivals say has "high-upside." With these two guys, I think that Creighton will be a bit more watchable again next year.

Jacob Epperson

Their long-standing commit is from Kansas two-guard Mitchell Ballock. He spurned Kansas to go to Creighton, and he's going to be a good one. He's also a great athlete and can knock down shots from anywhere on the court. He also seems to have some good vision and some good hops.

Mitchell Ballock

 

[celticdb15]

This thread is gold!! Great scouting by Jack Lambert!! Saw quite a few tournament stars mentioned on the 1st page of this thread.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Thank you celtic!! It's very much appreciated. I hope to keep updating the thread in the coming days and weeks. If you guys find prospects, feel free to post about them!

 

[celticdb15]

'17 class Combo Guard Luke Loewe(Fond Du Lac, WI) has committed to William&Mary, over 10other scholarship offers!

http://247sports.com/player/luke-loewe-75461

'18 class G John Diener (Cedarburg, WI) has committed to DePaul over offers from Green Bay and Milwaukee.

http://247sports.com/player/john-diener-85111

 

[Jack Lambert]

Good finds, Celtic!! Correct me if I'm wrong, but is John Travis Diener's brother?

I've got a couple more prospects to look out for.

The first is forward Evan Cole. The 6'8 2017 forward just decommitted from UNC Wilmington, and he's gotten his fair share of high major offers (from NC State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech), since his recruitment has opened back up. Watching his highlight film, it's easy to see why. He's got a wide-range of skills, from shooting threes to working in the post. He looks to be a good athlete that can get to the rim and play defense, even against smaller players. No matter where he ends up, Cole looks to be a force.

The next kid is Spencer Freedman. He's a 6'1 Class of 2018 point guard. He's got some great vision and has a good shot. He's even been offered by Washington! I think he'll be a good point guard, which we need more of in college these days.

Speaking of good point guards, 2018 has another one in 6'3 AJ Green. A native of Iowa, Green has several high-major offers, including Iowa State, Minnesota, as well as Northern Iowa. He should be getting more as his AAU season progresses. This kid has a quick first step, and seems to be able to get by his defenders. He also has good vision, and can knock down his shots. I look forward to watching Green develop. It's a short clip, but these are the most recent highlights I was able to find of him.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Ok, a few more. The first guy in this post is 6'5 SG Cooper Neese, a 2017 commit to the Butler Bulldogs. Simply put, Neese can hit from anywhere on the floor. His shot is quick, and nearly impossible to block. Do yourself a favor and watch his highlight video. Some of the shots he hits are simply ridiculous, and when I said he can hit from anywhere on the floor, he will shoot from anywhere on the floor. Neese is able to get himself open for his shots, and he is a very good athlete with some hops. Playing in a smaller class in Indiana, he may struggle on defense at first, but his athleticism and experience playing with other high-major kids on his AAU team should make his learning curve quick. I look forward to watching Neese play with Kyle Young and Butler this year.

Cooper Neese

This next kid is going to be a gem in the Patriot League. That would be point guard Jimmy Sotos. Sotos is a 6'3 point guard from Chicago, and he's got some great passing skills. Sotos has some shifty moves in the lane as well, and is as quick as a cat. I'd bet he'll be playing major minutes next year as a freshman.

Jimmy Sotos

Next is somebody Celtic brought to my attention. That would be Wyoming commit Anthony Mack. With his name, I figured he'd probably have been black, but he's white! And he's a good player. At 6'6 195, he's going to be a great scoring guard for the Cowboys next year. You can see his offensive game from his highlight video. With that type of skill against good competition, I imagine he'll be contributing next year.

The last guy is a 6'10 2017 forward. His name is Sandro Mamukelashvili, from Georgia (the country). He plays for Montverde Academy, one of the more prestigious schools in the country. His got some great ball-handling skills for a forward, and it looks like he has a complete offensive game as well. He's got Gonzaga, Maryland, and Vanderbilt offers, among others. Those three are also in his final schools.

 

[Shadowlight]

Nice digging JL. I am not familiar with a few of these guys like Cooper Neese but him along with top 100 prospect Kyle Young should be fun to watch at Butler the next few seasons. The kid from Georgia (Mamu) has a lot of potential I hear.
The one to really keep an eye on is AJ Green. He has grown a bit and is just coming off an outstanding camp. His father is the coach of Northern Iowa and while that is fine I think at the end of the day I would prefer he showcase his skills at a big school like Iowa that is on TV a lot. He has been climbing up the 2018 rankings and should be part of the top 100 next listing. Too early to mention NBA but at least he looks like a guy that could develop. We can only hope. Looks very commanding on tape.

 

[Jack Lambert]

I like Green as well. I'm honestly hoping he gets some more high major offers; I really don't want to see him at Minnesota. I like Neese as well; he's got the potential to be a great one for Butler.

Anyway, I've got some free time tonight, so I've got a few more guys to look out for:

The first is Lithuanian center Lukas Kisunas. The 6'10 2018 Kisunas already is a mainstay on Lithuanian national teams. He currently plays in the United States, and has offers from Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Northwestern. I think he'll be a good one. He plays mostly below the rim, but he's quick, high-energy, and has a variety of moves in the post. He's also great in pick and roll situations, and has a good range of vision.

Lukas Kisunas

The next kid is 6'8 Trent Buttrick, out of Naples, Florida The 2017 Penn State commit is already fairly built, and he's one hell of an athlete. Watching his highlight tape, I was simply amazed at how complete his game looks to be. He can shoot threes, he's got great handles, he can work in the post, and he can play defense. One wonders how Penn State managed to be his best offer...

Trent Buttrick

One last guy I'd like to mention. He was mentioned in the "news" thread, but I'd like to go a bit more in depth here. That would be a Villanova signee, 6'2 point guard Collin Gillespie. As you can see from his highlights, he's going to be a great floor general for the Wildcats, with some great offensive game and some great vision. Looking at Nova's roster, I could see Gillespie contributing right away as a backup next year at the point guard spot. Looking at some recent news, I see Gillespie was named to Pennsylvania's all-state basketball team, as well as Class 5A MVP. He averaged 22 PPG as well. From what I can tell, 5A is the 2nd biggest classification in Pennsylvania high school sports. I wonder how Villanova managed to be Gillespie's only major offer... at any rate, I'm looking forward to seeing him tear it up.

Collin Gillespie

 

[celticdb15]

Little late on this but I believe John Diener is cousin's with Travis(former Marquette star) they come from Wisconsin basketball family royalty.

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/ADienerFamilyAffair/

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/2002-11-04-dieners_x.htm

 

[Jack Lambert]

Very interesting read. Thanks for the clarification, celtic!

One last note, I think North Florida is going to have more white talent than the rest of their conference put together. For recruits they've signed, 5 out of 7 of them are going to be white!!! When's the last time a team has signed 5 white players in one cycle?

 

[Riggins44]

Great thread, and great work JL with all the information on all these prospects.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Thanks Riggins! I'm glad you like it! I try to look for prospects during my spare time; scouting services on Twitter usually do a great job of highlighting guys.

Anyways, here's a couple more that should be good players next season:

The first is Corey Kispert. The 6'6 Seattle wing is committed to Gonzaga for next season. I think he'll be a nice surprise for us next year. He'll be in competition for major minutes his freshman year; Zags fans are really hyping him up. He's a very smooth athlete who's game seems to be the complete package. He's got a great offensive game, and is not afraid to fight for rebounds in the paint. He's got some nice vision as well, as his highlights show. The Zags should be a fun team to watch next year.

Corey Kispert

The last guy is the highest-rated white player in Scout's Top 100 players for 2017. Center Branden Carlson comes in at No. 58 in the rankings, the first of 11 white players in the Top 100. It's absolutely ridiculous that there isn't a white player in the Top 50. Not one person from a group that makes up 70% of the country is able to be an "elite" basketball player, according to these talent "evaluators." Yet, a lot of programs getting those "Top 50" players won't be that good next year. I mean, Western Kentucky, Stanford, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Alabama have all signed Top 50 guys, but yet likely won't be better than average. Weird, I wonder why? Aren't all of these players supposed to be program-changing? Could it be they overrank black players? Nah, of course not.

Anyways, Carlson moves really well for a 6'11 big man. He's a bit lanky at just 210 lbs, but he's a good athlete who finishes with authority and plays well through contact. He can also defend the paint quite well. I'm looking forward to watching him with the Utah Utes next year! I think he'll need to add some muscle to take his game to the next level, but he'll be a good one!

Branden Carlson

http://www.courtsidefilms.com/news_article/show/693952?referrer_id=791795

 

[Jack Lambert]

Here's a guy to definitely watch out for in a couple of years. You guys might recognize his name: Chris Herren, Jr. The 2019 6'3 guard is Chris Herren's son. He's got some game already, and I think he'll be a good one. His sophomore highlights look good; the kid really has an offensive game. Given what happened with his dad, I'll definitely be rooting for Chris to succeed in his career. He recently got his first offer from LIU Brooklyn, the first of hopefully many.

Chris Herren Jr.

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/recruits/auto_replace-593

Another prospect to watch out for is Mac McClung. The 6'0 2018 PG out of Virginia is a VERY explosive athlete. He's got some hops, as well as some great vision and a quick first step. He's got a lot of offers coming in from mid-majors, and after watching his highlights, I feel that there is going to be some high major offers coming for him very soon.

http://www.phenomhoopreport.com/new...ts-and-offers-coming-for-2018-6-0-mac-mcclung

Mac McClung

 

[celticdb15]

Has 4 Star Class of '19 SF Joey Baker been mentioned yet?! 6'7 190 from Fayetteville,NC. Already 11 offers to his name including: KU, Texas, Boston College, Tennessee, Florida, Charlotte, Hofstra, Clemson, and Virginia Tech!

http://247sports.com/Recruitment/Joey-Baker-97450/RecruitInterests

 

[Shadowlight]

Baker was mentioned in the sneak peek at the class of 2019 a month or two ago. He is ranked somewhere between 20 -40. Has terrific athletic ability and the word is if he continues to make progress either Duke or NC are going to lock him up since he is from Carolina. He deserves a CBF ( caste buster flag).

 

[Shadowlight]

Since you brought up a Carolina prospect Celtic here is another dandy hot on Baker's heals for the class of 2020. Already has received an offer from NC State 6'3" shooting guard Carson McCorkle is a buttery smooth player with huge hops. Someone to keep an eye on as he is roughly listed in the top 50 in his class. Another CBF to add to my file!!

 

[celticdb15]

Awesome this is quickly becoming one of my favorite threads on this site!