NBPA Top 100 Camp Scouting: East Coast Seniors (Part 2)
The NBPA Top 100 camp took place last week from Wednesday through Saturday at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. The goal of the camp is to take some of the best talent around the country and have them compete in a controlled environment, all while learning from current and former NBA players what it takes to make it to the NBA and what it’s like once you make it there. The atmosphere was great, as there was tons of talent throughout the gym, national scouts everywhere and competitive games from the beginning to the end. It was a great place to evaluate, and over the next few days I will be giving my take and breaking down the game of some of the top performers I saw (there was no way I could see everyone). Here’s a look at part two of the rising seniors on the east coast.
AJ Reeves | 6’5” WG | Brimmer and May (MA)
A scoring wing with good size and athleticism, Reeves really got it going on day two and it opened eyes to how dangerous he can be offensively. He’s a “gunner,” as I like to call volume shooters, but it’s not exactly a bad things because he can fill it up in bunches once he gets it going. He really broke out in the second game of the event, where he scored 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting and 4-for-5 shooting from deep. He wasn’t the most efficient guy, but shooters have to shoot, and he showed deep range on his jumper and was an athletic finisher above the rim in transition. He finished the camp averaging 13.5 points and was a steady 40.5% from deep.
Louis King | 6’7” F | Hudson Catholic (NJ)
The 6’7” hybrid forward has had a big time summer so far with Team Final, and his versatility was on full display at Top 100 as he showed why he’s being touted by some of the best programs in the country. He has great touch for his size, and his ability to shoot it and put it on the deck makes him a mismatch because he’s too big and strong for wings to guard and he can take bigs out to the perimeter and work them out there. He runs the floor well and is able to keep plays alive on the glass, and he isn’t afraid to take and make shots from the perimeter in transition. His style of play will fit a lot of systems that are looking for athletic guys that can play multiple positions, and his ability to shoot it means that he can essentially play wherever he wants to because everyone is looking for big shot makers.
John Newman III | 6’5” WG | Greensboro Day (NC)
Newman was another name many were a little surprised to see at the event, but he didn’t back down and was one of the hardest working guys on both ends of the floor. His efficiency offensively was eye popping, averaging 11.5 points per game while shooting 55% from the floor, 53% from deep and 73% from the line. He didn’t force things offensively, taking and making open shots and getting out in transition for easy baskets. Where he truly shined was defensively though, where he showed the ability to guard multiple positions and would usually accept the challenge of guarding the best player on the other team. He finished tied for second in steals at two per game, and had one game where he had five! He may not have been the best prospect there, but he showed that he belonged and should see some high major programs start to recruit him here soon.
Prentiss Hubb | 6’2” PG | Gonzaga (DC)
The Notre Dame commit wasn’t flashy and didn’t put up eye popping numbers, but he showed some flashes where he looked like he could lead the Irish to a deep tournament run. When matched up with Quickley, who’s widely considered one of the top three point guards in the country, Hubb controlled the game and finished with 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting (4-for-6 from deep), and seven assists without turning it over once. He controls the tempo of the game very well, and he sees the game a few plays ahead allowing him to make the right play and make plays for others. The thing that has plagued Hubb over the past few years has been consistency though. At times he seems to just disappear or get bored with the game, then the next game he’ll look like the best player on the floor. If he can fix that, there’s no doubt he’ll have a great career at Notre Dame.
Coby White | 6’2” WG | Greenfield School (NC)
White played on the basketball more than I’ve ever seen him this weekend, and while he isn’t a true point guard he’s a walking bucket with the ball in his hands. My joke this weekend was that he wakes up getting a bucket, and I’m pretty sure he shoots 95% with his socks into the hamper shot from his bed. He’s a natural scorer with good feel and instincts whether he’s on or off the ball, and he can score it from anywhere on the floor. He creates good separation to get his jump shot off, can finish through traffic in the paint and heats up quickly after hitting a few. The UNC commit was one of the top performers from the jump, averaging 20 points per game on the first day, and while he has to work on making the right play with the ball in his hands, he’s going to be a go-to guy for Coach Williams when they need a basket, because there aren’t many in the country better than him in isolation situations. Don’t believe me? He’s scored over 4,000 points in high school career already!
Cole Swider | 6’7” WF | St. Andrew’s (RI)
Talk about a bucket getter, Swider has been doing it all summer on the EYBL with BABC, and he finished third in the camp in scoring at 14.8 points per game according to the Top 100 website. He doesn’t wow you with his athleticism or flashy play, but he’s a dead eye shooter with deep range that can really fill it up when he gets it going. He’s smart off the ball, has great footwork when coming off screens and utilizes the pump fake well on guys closing out too hard. He shot over 50% from deep, proving to be one of the best shooters in camp, and he didn’t back down or shy away when playing against top competition.