NBPA Top 100 Standouts: East Coast Seniors (Part 2)
The National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp has been one of the best camps from both a talent perspective and to teach young and gifted basketball players what to expect moving forward. It took place again this year on campus at UVA in Charlottesville, VA, and was open to both media and for the first time, NBA scouts. There was tons of talent from all over the country, and we’ll be breaking down some of the standouts in a number of different ways.
I will be breaking them down based on area and age group, so we’ll take a look at part two of the senior standouts from the east coast!
James Bishop | 6’3” WG | Mount St. Joseph’s (MD)
Bishop didn’t get off to the best start, but he got it going as the week went on and he had some very impressive performances later in the week. He scored in double figures in four straight games on Thursday and Friday, showing his ability to both create shots on and off the ball. The lefty has great footwork working into his shot, can make shots off the pick-and-roll and showed a nice step back game off the bounce. He’s a talented shotmaker and he scores it in bunches, and once he gets hot it’s tough to stop him. He averaged a smooth 8 points per game and scored double digits in five of nine games through the camp.
Kira Lewis Jr. | 6’3” PG | Hazel Green HS (AL)
Lewis was another kid who I honestly hadn’t heard much about before the event, but I left loving his game and saying “I’d take that kid on my team in a heartbeat.” At 6’3” he was lightning quick and had great end-to-end speed, and he had the ability to stop on a dime and create space to get both a jump shot or a floater off. He could finish above the rim in transition, had good body control around the basket and he made people better with the ball in his hands. On top of that he was a good on ball defender and just seemed like he’d do whatever to help his team win. He finished the camp averaging a solid 7.5 points and 2 rebounds per game while setting the tone on both ends.
Dahmir Bishop | 6’4” WG | Imhotep Charter (PA)
No one in the camp opened eyes as quickly as Bishop, who came in with the intent of showing that he should be considered one of the best in the country. On the first day Bishop couldn’t miss, as he finished with 23 points, three rebounds and two steals in the first game and 27 points, four rebounds and four steals in the second game. He wasn’t able to continue that hot hand, as he only scored in double figures in one more of his next five games, but his first day showed enough. Bishop has good size as a two guard, he has a quick trigger and deep range, he can shoot off the catch and the bounce and he’s an athletic finisher around the rim. He may be streaky, but he showed he can fill it up in bunches when he gets it going. He finished the camp averaging 10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and a steal per game.
Jae’Lyn Withers | 6’8” F | North Mecklenberg (NC)
Withers showed the whole bag this weekend, and if he can just become a little bit more aggressive on the offensive end there’s a chance we could be looking at a late bloomer that turns into a future pro. At 6’8”, he has long arms, good bounce and a solid skill set that allows him to create mismatches and score from all over the floor. Defensively he can use his length and move his feet to stay in front of wings and guards, and he’s long enough to contest at the rim in help side and guard one-on-one in the post even against bigger big men. Offensively he picks his spots and plays in spurts, but he can put it on the deck and finish at the rim and also can shoot the deep ball, post up and work off the basketball. He scored in double figures three times, and finished the camp averaging 7.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Jalen Lecque | 6’3” G | Christ School (NC)
One of the most dynamic guards in the country, Lecque had all of the highlight guys following him throughout the week, and for good reason because he threw down some of the craziest dunks of the week. He compares himself to a “baby Westbrook,” and the similarities are more than just in his explosive finishing ability. Lecque isn’t a true point guard, instead he’s an explosive, downhill attacking guard who goes end-to-end in a blur, plays best in transition and is able to finish in the lane in traffic and way above the rim. He isn’t a great shooter and struggles with his decision making sometimes, but he’s a competitor and an unreal athlete with good size, and he needs the ball in his hands to be the most effective. He still has some polishing to do but from a natural and raw talent and athletic perspective he’s likely going to be a pro moving forward. He scored in double figures in six of their eight games, and finished the camp averaging 11.25 points, four rebounds and 3.25 assists per game.
Mahamadou Diawara | 6’9” PF | Massanutten Military Academy (VA)
Diawara had flashes of being very good and also showed how he’s still very young in terms of his playing career, as he’s only been playing basketball for four or five years now. He has a tremendous motor on both ends, especially when he hits the glass and runs the floor hard. He has natural strength and is only going to get stronger when he hits the weight room in college, and he’s a guy who likes to play and work hard when he’s on the court. At times he strayed away from what he does so well, trying to dribble and shoot jumpers, which are things he’s working on but he’s still raw as far as that skill set goes. It was almost like playing hard got boring to him and he had to try to do new things after a while. Still, he was impressive in a camp that doesn’t exactly reward hard working big men much, averaging 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Patrick Williams | 6’8” WG | West Charlotte (NC)
Williams was a kid I really wanted to watch because his stock was going up in nearby North Carolina, and the first thing you see is that he’s a physically imposing and intriguing kid. At 6’8” he has a good, strong frame and he’s listed as a guard. In transition he handled the basketball well, he showed great explosion finishing around the rim and he was able to use his strength to finish in traffic and body up in the paint. His shot was a little inconsistent, as he made a few from deep but struggled at times to make shots, which I was told he typically does better. However, everything else about the kid screams high major wing with his strength, skill and athleticism. He impressed in a number of ways throughout the camp.
Makhi Mitchell | 6’9” F | Woodrow Wilson (DC)
Mitchell’s presence on the floor is one that can’t be fully summed up with numbers, because he’s such a mismatch problem on both ends of the floor. He has the mindset and skill of a guard with good instincts in transition and on the perimeter, but he has the size and physicality of a big man in the paint. He can post up in the half court where he can score over both shoulders, face up and blow by and is also a talented passer, and in transition he can handle the ball the length of the court and get to the rim in one on one situations. He rebounds well on both ends, and is simply an uber talented guy for his size. If he can get his motor to be a constant thing he’ll be an impressive player at Maryland after next season. He finished the camp averaging 7.25 points and 5.25 rebounds per game.