Top 10: 2018’s Best Athletes
The class of 2018 is starting to get heated up with a long and productive spring. Now is a good time to breakdown the class as they prepare for their key summer. Over the next week, we will be doing a series of Top 10’s, a list of the best at each category for the class of 2018. Today, we are breaking down the list of top athletes in the state.
Shamar Dillard – 6’5 | SF | 2018 | South Bend Riley (IN) | Indiana PROS 2018
Eric Hunter Jr. – 6’3 | SG | 2018 | Indianapolis Tindley (IN) | Indiana PROS 2018
Cortney Shorter – 6’4 | SF | 2018 | Fort Wayne South (IN) | Indy Heat Red 2018
Jamal Harris – 6’2 | PG | 2018 | Crispus Attucks (IN) | Indy Heat 2018 EYBL
Donald Lee – 6’4 | SF | 2018 | North Central (IN) | Indiana PROS 2018
Damezi Anderson – 6’6 | SF | 2018 | South Bend Riley (IN) | Meanstreets 2018
Jalen Whack – 6’2 | SG | 2018 | Carmel (IN) | GP Premier 2018-Devoe
Marquavious Beverly – 6’5 | SF | 2018 | Anderson (IN) | IE Orange 2018
Musa Jallow – 6’6 | SF | 2018 | Bloomington North (IN) | Team Blaze Select 2018
Romeo Langford – 6’4 | SG | 2018 | New Albany (IN) | 22 Vision 2018
Breakdown: In the class of 2018, there are a number of athletes but maybe more so than in years past, they provide a different type of athleticism and not just straightline, vertical jumpers. However, with guys like Romeo Langford and Musa Jallow in the class, you have some of the best athletes in the country.
Langford provides a pure athlete in nearly every area. His lateral quickness, speed, agility, vertical, they all are stellar and he does it with so much skill in his game that it is tough to stop him even if you are among the best players in the country. Jallow, has always been a great athlete, but he’s now adding the elite skill to pair with it. He’s not so big of a high flyer but for his size, he has great lateral quickness and footwork that make it really difficult to get past him.
As for pure high flyers, look at guys like Jamal Harris, Eric Hunter Jr., and Shamar Dillard. Those three can really get up. Harris has crazy bounce and can put on a show. Dillard has all of the athleticism you could want and is working towards rounding out the other parts of his game. Eric Hunter really wasn’t a big time athlete until about a year ago when he started going crazy. He’s really taken off and can easily be put into the Top 10.
Even down the list you have guys like Damezi anderson and Marquavious Beverly who have the athleticism but are only starting to figure out how to use it in their favor. Damezi has very good bounce and quickness but he’s such a shooter that he doesn’t use the elite athleticism all of the time. Beverly is similar in that respect. Uses it more as a rebounder and finisher at the rim.
Jalen Whack is an interesting player to watch as he could be among the best on-ball defenders in that state. A lot of that comes with his lateral quickness and length. Not necessarily a great vertical jumper but can stay with most players that he gets put on.