AAU Superlatives Leading Up To the Second Certified Weekend
The first NCAA certified period is starting on Friday evening and runs through Sunday afternoon. Scholarships will be earned and trophies will be handed out. Looking ahead, I thought it would be fun to hand out some superlatives leading into the weekend.
Most Likely to get a High Major offer: David Johnson, Trinity (The Ville 17u). David had a great last weekend in Indy and looks to continue that momentum into Atlanta this weekend. There were several high major coaches tracking Johnson and he should pull even more coaches in this weekend. The only thing that may keep coaches from pulling the trigger on an offer is that everyone assumes David will eventually commit to Louisville again. Coach Mack has made David a priority since taking over for the Cardinals program.
Most Likely Team to go Undefeated this Weekend: Louisville Magic 15u. The Magic have a talented young team and dominated 3 of their 4 opponents last weekend on their way to going 4-0. With the talent, size and length they possess, this particular Magic team (coached by former Louisville assistant coach Kenny Johnson) should roll through their opponents again this weekend.
Most Likely 2020 Player to Get Their First Offer: Dayvion McKnight, Collins (M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs 16u). Dayvion was named first team all tournament last weekend at the DMV Hoop Fest and was mentioned more than once as a player to watch coming out of the tournament. Morehead State head coach Preston Spradlin was front row for a game last week. McKnight has the look of a mid major or better point guard and could see his first offer come this weekend.
Most Likely to Score the Most Points in a game this weekend: Marques Warrick, Henry Clay (CKY Magic – Morton 16u) – Warrick struggled last weekend on the Adidas Silver circuit. Shots didn’t fall for him and his team stumbled to a 1-2 record for the weekend. Marques is our 3rd ranked player in the 2020 class and a large reason why is his ability to score in bunches. If CKY Magic – Morton wants to have a shot at qualifying for the Adidas finals in July, Warrick needs to be special this weekend.
Most Likely to Dunk on Someone this Weekend: Isaiah Cozart, Madison Central (M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs 17u). Isaiah started last weekend with big dunk on an unsuspecting member of the New York Ionians. With his 7’4 wingspan, it doesn’t take much for Isaiah to get above the rim but he attacks it with aggression and anyone who gets in the way is likely to end up on the wrong end of a highlight dunk.
Most Likely to Get Hot and take over a Game: Hunter McCutcheon, Male (Louisville Magic 17u). This is an easy choice because on Sunday, Hunter got hot and carried the Magic to their lone win of the weekend. McCutcheon went 10-14 from 3 for the game. He even had 2 4 point plays. Perhaps even more interesting is that Hunter didn’t make a two point shot for the game. If McCutcheon has another game like Sunday’s, he could see some significant college interest his way.
Team With the Most to Prove: Manimal Elite 17u. Last Friday night, Manimal Elite 17u was riding high after an opening night win. They stumbled over the rest of the weekend and did not win another game, finishing 1-3. Coach Stallworth’s team is primed for a bounce back in Atlanta. The team has some talented scorers but last weekend was their first true test together. They will look to improve and make a push to qualify for the Adidas Final in July.
The Unanswerable Question: Was it worth it for so many teams to play on the Silver Adidas circuit? The majority of Kentucky teams flopped in the opening weekend of the Silver Adidas Gauntlet. The Silver is a pay to play circuit that requires the teams to buy uniforms, backpacks, shoes and entry fees from Adidas. Per reports from those who were there (I was not) it sounds like there were very few if any coaches at the majority of the Silver games. The lure of being able to call yourself a “shoe team” and the promise of exposure to coaches and scouts pulled several programs under the Adidas banner for the season. I wonder if some of those programs would like a do-over? I’m sure most will re-evaluate after this weekend’s second Silver Gauntlet.
If you have theories on why so many leave the state for AAU, tweet them @PrepHoopsKy or respond in the comments below!