Run N Slam: 2020 Evaluations
PrepHoopsIllinois had wall to wall coverage of the Run N Slam tournament in Fort Wayne. Now it is time to look back at the weekend with our evaluations of the prospects from the class of 2020!
SF Jabari Chiphe (Made Men)
This is Walter Payton 2020 wing has gotten much stronger in his upper body since we saw we saw him during the high school season. Multiple smooth drives to the hoop with slick acceleration off the bounce. Quick second jump allows him to get on the offense of glass. Drilled a couple of jump shots with a clean release on his jumper. Finished with 17 points. Low-majors need to track him in July!
PG Michael Osborne (Made Men)
This Proviso East point guard really pushed the ball in transition in their first game of the tournament. Consistently got to the rim in transition and found his teammates for good shots. Quality decision making in the half court. Plus mid-range jump shooter as he drilled them for days. Finished with 16 points. D2 prospect with the chance to elevate.
SF Paul Zilinskas (Made Men)
This 2020 small forward from Richards opened our eyes first during the high school season and that continued with his play in Fort Wayne for Made Men. He has size on the perimeter and can really shoot the ball. Crisp stroke from three and can hit a one dribble pull up. His ball handling has improved over the last six months as well. D2 prospect with low-major upside. Will be tracking him closely!
F Justin Cross (Made Men)
Cross is a rangy 6’6” combo forward that has length and projectability. He didn’t score a ton, but did show some intriguing tools. Length played well defensively getting in passing lanes and blocking shots. High pointed several rebounds. Needs to add strength on to his thin build. The lefty hit a three, but had a bit of an awkward release on it. Mobile forward. One to track at OPRF this year.
F Ron Thaci (Made Men)
Thaci from Jones Prep is a gritty combo forward that competes on the glass. Plays bigger than his size because of his motor. Hit one jumper from deep. Small college player.
PG DJ Steward (Meanstreets)
Steward was incredible throughout the entire event and his play on Sunday might have been the best we have ever seen the point guard. The 2020 guard had his complete game working! Steward is an ultra-smooth guard that has the ability with his handles to get wherever he wants with his speed. It opens up so many avenues for himself and others. He won off the dribble getting to the cup on drives as well as finding teammates for open threes. His jumper was about as good as we have seen it being automatic from both mid-range and three. His cat like quickness on the defensive end and length got him a few steals too. Clear top 2 player in Illinois and a potential five-star nationally.
PG Tyler Beard (Meanstreets)
The Whitney Young 2020 point guard is really hitting his stride this spring. He is an explosive point guard with a great explosion to the hoop. Showed that off throughout the night with transition scores and beating his man one on one off the bounce. Converted several and-1 opportunities. Played with an all out motor. Beard had 17 points on the night. Beard established himself as a legit mid-major plus/high-major minus player over the weekend and should take over the #3 spot in the upcoming 2020 rankings.
PG Ahron Ulis (Meanstreets)
Ulis battled an injury throughout the weekend, but when healthy there is no questioning this top 10 prospects ability to run the show. The Marian Catholic point guard has great vision and feel for the game. Didn’t do much as a scorer, but his passes were on the money over and over again. Plus perimeter defender putting pressure on the ball and getting in passing lanes. Mid-major prospect.
SG Destin Whitaker (Meanstreets)
Whitaker is a wing from Romeoville that at times can be a bit up and down, but there is no questioning his talent. He has size at about 6’4” and when he is engaged like he was Sunday he can make a major impact. Whitaker played super hard and that translated over to both ends of the floor. He was drilling spot up threes and was a beast on the defensive end locking down. Whitaker has low-major ability, but the consistency concerns us so we would project more D2 at this stage.
SF Jeremiah Williams (Meanstreets)
This 6’3” wing put himself on our radar. The St. Laurence 2020 prospect in an angular defender that blocked a couple shots. Offensively he was most effective getting on the glass with a quick second jump.
PG Derrick Williams (Meanstreets)
Williams was another prospect that made a name with his play. The Thornton 6’2” lead guard is a quality passer that worked well in the pick and roll. Sound decision maker with the ball. As a scorer he is most effective as a spot up shooter. Defensively he really got after it with constant on ball pressure and active hands.
C Colin Crothers (Meanstreets)
Crothers struggled in the first two games we saw with length and athleticism on the opposing team’s front line. He has size at about 6’8” and strength, but will never be a great athlete. On Sunday he displayed some of what makes him a potential prospect with a few left handed hooks and playing more physical garnering deep post position. Low-major prospect.
PG Adam Miller (Mac Irvin Fire)
Miller returned to the floor this weekend after being injured all spring so far. Saturday it didn’t look like he missed a beat at all! The Morgan Park 6’4” point guard showed why he is the top 2020 prospect in the state. Miller was on point from deep drilling a large amount of triples off the catch and a couple pull ups. Seemed in a rhythm with his jumper for sure. His athleticism and speed is tough to contain especially when the outside shot is connecting. Elite prospect and five-star nationally.
SG Dante Maddox (Mac Irvin Fire)
Maddox is a 6’2” shooting guard that can really fill it up from deep. The jumper was up and down throughout the weekend, but he is best as spot up shooter from three that when in rhythm is one of the premier shooters in his class. Mixes in a transition finish on occasion. Would like to see him continue to diversify his game and show more lead guard skills as a passer at his height. Definitely a D1 prospect with his ability to score it.
PG Marcus Watson (Mac Irvin Fire)
Watson continues to see his stock rise. The 5’11” lead guard plays bigger than his height with his long arms. Cat quick point guard that has speed to burn in the open floor. So fast with the ball in transition weaving through defenders. Plus passer and is a beast on ball defender that regularly turns steals into points. Watson is a mid-major prospect.
C Martice Mitchell (Mac Irvin Fire)
Mitchell has legit size at 6’9” with long arms. Ran the floor hard and finished well around the hoop with his athleticism. High pointed rebounds. Played really good one game and didn’t do hardly anything in another. Consistency is the key here. Low-major big.
F Isaiah Burrell (Mac Irvin Fire)
Burrell like his older brothers is a high energy forward that scores his points in a junk yard dog fashion. He gets on the offensive glass for put backs and runs the floor in transition. Bouncy forward that needs to improve skill level. D2 prospect.
SG Micah Schnyders (Mac Irvin Fire)
Schnyders put himself on our radar with his play. The Chicago Christian 6’1” shooting guard lit it up from beyond the three point arc for the Fire. His go to is letting it fly off the catch. He spots up and is ready to shoot. A bit of a long release and he did air ball a couple, but way more went in than didn’t. He had a nice shot fake and baseline take when his defender closed too hard on him later in the contest. Worth monitoring by D2 schools.
PF Ryan Isaacson (Chicago Lockdown)
We saw Isaacson playing up on the 17U level for Lockdown. He has quality size as a skilled four man. Works well in the pick and roll as a finisher. Good mobility. He also is a sound mid-range jump shooter.
PG Donovan Newby (Illinois Wolves)
Newby is a tough point guard from Bloom. The 2020 point guard played a big role in helping his team get an upset win over Indiana Elite in pool play. He did it mostly as a distributor setting others up. Mixed in a runner and sealed the game with two clutch free throws. Newby should be on the low-major radar.
C Connor Linke (Illinois Wolves)
Linke played about as good as we have seen him in a year. The St. Charles North 6’9” center played with a motor and edge that we haven’t seen. Legit size and strength on the interior. Played physical getting on the offensive glass for put backs and finished through contact. Also blocked a couple of shots. He is in the mix with the other low-major/D2 potential centers in his class.
C Chris Conway (ET21 Buckeyes)
Conway stands at 6’9” with mobility, athleticism, and projectability. He flashed excellent footwork in the post and blocked a couple shots. A lot of skill potential here. He needs to be more assertive and play harder to max out his potential as a low-major big.
SG Tolu Oladipupo (ET21 Buckeyes)
Liked this 6’4” Homewood Flossmoor wing in our first eval of him. He is a strong wing that plays with a high motor. Hit a pull up three. Gritty defender. He is a small college player.
SG Billy Durkin (ET21 Buckeyes)
Durkin stands at 6’3” from Hinsdale South. He moves well without the ball to get open and is a plus free throw shooter. Struggles on D. Small college player.
SF Kaymaun Hopkins (ET21 Buckeyes)
Hopkins is a 6’4” forward from Fremd. He gets to the free throw line at a high rate and can handle it well on the wing. Small college prospect.
SF Daniel Gilbreath (ET21 Buckeyes)
Gilbreath is a high motor 6’2” wing from Plainfield East. He finished very well in transition and attacked the cup hard on a few drives off the bounce. D3 wing.