Summer Recap: Francisco’s Finest (Part III)
Francisco’s Finest (Part III)
Mr. All-Around
Logan Johnson (Mountain View, CA/ St. Francis)
2018, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
Joel’s Take: There were to too many players who saw their stock rise as much as Johnson. The evolving floor general is an exceptional athlete, ambidextrous finisher, nifty floor general, and can knock in the 3-point shot. One of the best point guards in the West.
Mr. Relentless
Nico Mannion (Phoenix, AZ/ Pinnacle)
2020, PG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: Mannion puts pressure on opposing defenses with his explosiveness and attack-mode mentality. He gets into the lane at will and advances the ball well in transition. At this stage he is the prototypical scoring point guard of this day and age.
Mr. Versatile
Scott Barnes (Wellington, FL/ Cardinal Newman)
2020, WF, 6-foot-7, 210 pounds
Joel’s Take: Barnes is arguably one the Top 10 prospects in the nation for his class. The quintessential wing-type has all the physical attributes of a budding High Major prospect and he just scratching the surface. One skill that separates him from his peers is his point guard feel for the game. Elite passer.
Best Rebounder/Rim Protector
Fred Odhiambo (Mission Hills, CA/ Alemany)
2018, 6-foot-10, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: When evaluating “Big Men” scouts look for good feet and soft hands—Odhiambo has both of these attributes as well as exceptional quickness and timing. As a result what you have here is a 5-man that can snatch rebounds in and out of his area as well as a high-level shot blocker.
Biggest Surprises
Christian Brown (Columbus, SC/ Lower Richland)
2019, PF, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: As I was analyzing the impressive talents of 2019 Ashton Hagans, I could not help but notice his high-flying teammate who possesses a high-level motor, some serious bounce, and a blue-collar mentality.
James Akinjo (Richmond, CA/ Salesian)
2018, PG, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds
Joel’s Take: Although 5-Star talent Jordan Brown resides in Northern California, it could be argued that Akinjo had the much more productive summer both in terms of production and winning (Peach Jam champion). Akinjo is a scoring point guard who impacts the game with his scoring punch and attack mode mentality.
Do they love the game??????
Bol Bol (Santa Ana, CA/ Mater Dei)
2018, C, 7-foot-2, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: There might not be a more unique prospect in the country in Bol. This lengthy 5-man with a 3-point touch is an impeccable shot blocker as well. On the downside, he is allergic to the paint area. His post skills and fundamentals are quite raw and he doesn’t like contact.
Cameron Reddish (Westchester, PA/ Westtwon School)
2018, WF, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds
Joel’s Take: Reddish is arguably one of the Top Five talents in the Class of 2018. There is literally not anything he can accomplish on the basketball court. However, his mindset needs an overhaul. Far too often he plays with little purpose (ill-advised shots) and his ball handling/decision making can get sloppy (turnover prone).
Nazreon Reid (Neptune, NJ/ Rosella Catholic)
2018, C, 6-foot-10, 255 pounds
Joel’s Take: Reid possesses an NBA frame with long arms, big hands, and a strong base to hold position on the block. He can drop step and finish through contact, is an exceptional passer, but far too often his motor fluctuates and he has a tendency to shoot too many jump shots.