EYBL: 2020 & 2021 Evals
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PrepHoops took in the Nike EYBL on Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis. We saw some of the premier prospects in the country at the event. Here are the evaluations from the 2020 and 2021 prospects that made an impression on us!
Class of 2020
SF Moses Moody (Brad Beal Elite)
Moody is quickly becoming one of my favorite national prospects. The 6’6” 2020 small forward is a lights out perimeter shooter usually as we saw earlier in the month at Swish N Dish. He struggled a bit from deep going 2-8 from three, but more than proved he can score in others ways. When defenders closed hard on him he made impressive drives to the cup where he finished at the rim or with short runners. Was very effective on the baseline. Moody had 21 points. Elite high-major.
SG Addison Patterson (CIA Bounce)
Patterson was clearly the go to guy on the perimeter for CIA Bounce. The Canadian wing is a big and athletic shooting guard that can really score the basketball! Explosive with the ball in his hands attacking downhill especially in transition. Plus shooter as well as he connected on an array of mid-range jumpers and was 3-4 from three. Big wing that can score at all three levels. Went for 22 points. Big time high-major.
PG Sharife Cooper (AOT)
Cooper is a lead guard that is seeing his stock on the rise. The AOT guard is quick and shifty with the rock in his hands. Crisp ball handler that got pretty much wherever he wanted. Scored well in the paint with acrobatic layups and short jumpers. Streaky perimeter shooter. Like how he dished the rock and got others involved. With a deep team of talented prospects he knows how to get them the ball in position to succeed. Cooper finished with 20 points and 12 dimes. High-major all the way.
SF Brandon Boston (AOT)
Boston is a very intriguing long term prospect in the 2020 class. He has tremendous length and projectability at 6’7” with go go gadget arms. Boston is a skilled wing that handles it with ease. Boston got to the foul line at a high rate. The big time wing had 21 points. Very bright future for this high-major.
SG Josh Christopher (The Truth)
Christopher is among the top 2020 wings nationally. He is so competitive! This 6’4” shooting guard plays all out on both ends of the floor. Offensively Christopher made quick and aggressive moves taking his opponent off the dribble where he scored in the paint over and over again. Streaky jump shooter. Gets to the line at a high rate. Beast defensively with his angular frame, anticipation, and mentality. He had 21 points (7-12 FG). This high-major has McDonald’s All-American written all over him!
C Carl Lewis (The Truth)
Lewis is one of the more polarizing prospects in the national 2020 class. He has tremendous physical tools with his size, strength, and athleticism. The skill level is there too as he will make some moves that just wow you! He did that again with a couple skilled and powerful moves down low and hit a pair of threes. He forces some bad shots and his mentality could definitely improve. He is a beast rebounder that snatches them with two hands in traffic. He had 14 points and 7 boards. Lewis can be a difference maker at the high-major level if he stays on track.
SG Julian Strawther (Las Vegas Prospects)
Strawther is a big wing in the 2020 class with good strength and athleticism. Streaky perimeter shooter as he went 3-11 against Mokan in one of the games we saw. Shoots a pretty clean shot mechanically. Finished better on the interior on transition takes. Strawther had 18 points on 6-17 shooting. High-major all the way.
C N’Faly Dante (MoKan)
Dante might be the top long term NBA prospect in EYBL. The 6’11” Sunrise Christian center is oozing with potential. He is an absolute man child grabbing rebounds! I mean he grabs anything that is near him! Dante is about as elite level of a rebounder as I have seen on the high school level. The big man is also a major shot blocking presence swatting shots left and right. Great timing and anticipation. Where he has improved most since I last saw him was with his skill. He is much more comfortable scoring on the block with his go to right handed hook shot. Runs the floor incredibly well and with a purpose catching passes in traffic and finishing all in one motion. Dante had a ridiculous 15 points, 18 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Possibly the #1 player in the country.
PF Jamari Sibley (Phenoms 16U)
Sibley shined in the 16U game for the Wisconsin EYBL team. This rangy 6’7” power forward played with a really high motor on Saturday afternoon. He high pointed rebounds throughout the contest. Rim runner in transition. Finished above the rim with alley-oops. The skill flashes hitting a mid-range jumper and working well from the mid-post and in. Sibly had 21 points. High-major minus/mid-major plus forward.
SF Jalen Johnson (Phenoms 16U)
Johnson is among the top 10 2020 prospects in America and it was evident why with his play in front of a host of blue bloods. The 6’7” small forward is an elite passer at his size. He sees the floor exceptionally well getting others involved before scoring on his own. Johnson had an array of takes to the hoop where he uses his combination of power and athleticism to finish through contact. He had 14 points and numerous assists. Elite blue blood level wing.
SG Desmond Polk (Phenoms 16U)
Polk shot lights out from the perimeter for Phenoms. The 2020 guard got hot from deep drilling at least four triples in their Saturday afternoon game. Polk is a kid to continue to closely monitor for the Wisconsin based Nike squad.
SF Scottie Barnes (Nike Team Florida)
With his high school running mate and top 2019 prospect Vernon Carey injured this elite 2020 wing stepped up in a major way. Barnes stands at 6’8” with super long arms. He knew how to use that length too scoring on some tough takes where he almost cupped the ball and moved it around George Gervin style for buckets. It was really impressive how he got his shot off in the paint. Barnes scored at will from 15 feet in with quick moves off the bounce. Also hit a mid-range jumper. Top 5 player nationally.
PG Noah Farrakhan (Nike Team Florida)
Farrakhan is a stud 2020 point guard prospect. He is a scoring combo that can really get buckets in a hurry! He did that in the first half of their blowout win over The Truth. He got out in transition, scored off the bounce, and hit open shots. High-major lead guard.
C Hunter Dickinson (Team Takeover)
Dickinson is a seven footer from the DMV that is a little slow footed, but there is a ton to like with this kid. He has great size and strength. What is even better is he knows how to use them and plays big. Walls up on the interior and is a tough post defender. He can hit a short baseline jumper and loves his go to left handed hook shot. Soft touch around the hoop with sound fundamentals. Throw back post is a high-major five man.
Class of 2021
PG Zion Harmon (Brad Beal Elite)
Harmon was one of the more publicized AAU team transfers after the first weekend of EYBL switching from Bluff City to Brad Beal Elite. The 5’11” point guard is a big time talent coming off the bench for BBE. Opened up early with a pair of threes and went 4-5 from three. Plays with a lot of flair to his game. Wiry strong guard is a solid passer especially in the drive and kick. It is easy to see why high-majors are intrigued.
C Moussa Cisse (NY Rens)
This 6’11” post from Christ the King High School in NYC. The big man runs the floor very well for his size. His best attribute is his shot blocking. One of the best swatting big men in the EYBL already and he is among the youngest players at the 17U level. Timing and length allow him to be a major rim protector. Cisse is a plus rebounder and has some developmental skill potential, but is not there yet. High-major all the way.
PF Jonathan Kuminga (NY Rens)
Kuminga was extremely impressive in their game against Bluff City. He was going against some highly ranked bigs and took it right to them. This athletic four man is extremely athletic and bouncy. High energy post that is quick to the glass for rebounds. Also finished with force around the hoop. He went for 15 points in the game we saw. He is a high-major player too.
G Jaden Hardy (Las Vegas Prospects)
Hardy is a rangy guard that flat out gets buckets and plays with a high energy. He scored at the rim on a variety of tough takes to the rim where he consistently finished through or around the trees. Also hit a three in the half that we saw. Stock continues to rise! One of the most impressive young prospects we saw all weekend!
SF Terrence Clarke (Expressions Elite)
This kid is just oozing with potential! At 6’6” he has a long and angular frame that he can add strength and should be able to continue to grow. He is more potential than production at this point, but is definitely one to watch going forward.
SF Pat Baldwin (Phenoms 16U)
At the end of the day this might be the #1 player in the country in 2021. He is playing on the 16U level with Phenoms. Baldwin is a rangy 6’7” small forward that has insane projectability. He can put it on the deck in the open floor and is an elite perimeter sniper! That is what he did in front of a ton of college coaches drilling threes off the catch with his smooth perimeter stroke. Has a lot of Jayson Tatum/Kevin Durant qualities to his game.