Francisco’s Takes: WCE End of Summer (Best Wings)
In this segment of “Francisco’s Takes”, I will be evaluating the best wing-types at the West Coast Elite End of Summer. The third segment will be devoted to the best point guards in camp.
Top Wing-Types
Clay Donohue (Santa Ana, CA/ Mater Dei)
2019, WF, 6-foot-6, 180 pounds
Joel’s Takes: Donohue gets lost in the shuffle in Mater Dei’s stacked deck, but he proved his worth at this event. The fundamentally sound scoring wing converts buckets inside-and-out and he can shoot it from deep. He shows sound footwork in the post and his 1st step is solid. As he gets stronger and more experienced, his stock will continue to rise.
Chase Hettinger (Castle Rock, CO./Castle View)
2019, WF, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds
Joel’s Takes: Hettinger is a skilled 3/2 who can score inside and out due to his skill set and savvy. He shows a good burst off the dribble and can explode to the rim in transition. He understands angles and has a knack maneuvering around defenders for the finish.
Jake Kyman (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/ Santa Margarita)
2019, WF, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds
Joel’s Takes: Kyman is evolving into a 3/4 due to his size and skill set. He is perimeter-oriented with his ability to shoot deep 3s and knock in mid-range jump shots. His touch is feathery and his shot mechanics are impeccable. As his ball skills mature as well as his quickness and speed, he should be one of the more heavily-recruited prospects in So-Cal in the coming months.
Payton Moore (Santa Monica, CA/ Santa Monica)
2018, WF, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds
Joel’s Takes: Moore, who has recently committed to Rice, is a multi-positional prospect who impacts this game in a variety of ways. His motor is high-level and overall approach is a coach’s dream. Snatching rebounds, leading the break, attacking the rim, or finding the open man in transition—Moore does it all. His jump shot has improved, but still needs polishing and knowing his work ethic it will continue to evolve.
Alpha Okoli (Bellflower, CA/ St. John Bosco)
2018, WF, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds
Joel’s Takes: When it comes to rim-rattling finishers, Okoli is right at the top. The high-flyer is a bouncy wing-type who excels in transition. He possesses impeccable timing around the rim and he has a knack to score. His jump shot is on the come, but his ball skills in the half court need to get better. Defensively, he has the physical tools (long arms/quick hands) to be a lock-down defender.
Finnley O’Rourke (Los Angeles, CA/ Brentwood)
2019, WF/PF, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds
Joel’s Takes: O’Rourke had an injury-riddled summer, but he appears to be getting back into the form that caused scouts to take notice. The willowy 4/3 has good length and budding skills. He can get to the rim in transition and finish with either hand. In addition, he has the ability to step outside and convert jump shots. Heading into his junior campaign, look for him to garner college interest especially at the Division II level and with continued development, Division 1.