Adidas Summer Championships: Top Prospects (Part I)
Ladera Ranch, Ca. — The second live viewing period of July began Wednesday, and with three events in Southern California within a 60 mile radius, you have to pick your spots wisely.
We spent Wednesday night at the Adidas Summer Championships at the Ladera Sports center where many of the shoe company’s top teams gathered for its final tournament of the summer.
Here is the first set of top prospects we saw in the games we watched:
Akok Akok, Mass Rivals Gold
The 6-foot-8 forward out of Putnam Science Academy recorded seven blocked shots in the nightcap game against EBO, including a couple stuffs of hyper-athletic wing Jalen Green. But Akok is not just a defensive stalwart, showing some face-up shooting ability off the catch and ability to rim run in transition and finish with power in the paint.
Matthew Hurt, D1 Minnesota
Hurt had a coach from just about every blue blood program in attendance for a barnburner against Garner Road. D1 Minnesota pulled out a two-point victory on a buzzer beater and Hurt finished with a team-high 15 points. The key term used to describe the game of the 6-foot-9 forward is simply “skilled.” He has good scoring feel and court awareness with his back to the basket and navigates the mid-post well, using face-up shots to expose height advantages. Hurt is adept at finishing around the basket with either hand and stretches the floor to the 3-point line.
2020 Compton Magic forward Evan Mobley was efficient and impressive Wednesday night at the adidas Summer Championships.Evan Mobley, Compton Magic
Compton Magic dispatched Ohio Basketball Club with ease and the younger Mobley brother stuffed the stat sheet as usual. He scored 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting, pulled down five rebounds and picked up two blocked shots, as well. Oh, and all of this came in just 22 minutes of action. It’s a foregone conclusion that, when the time comes to commit, Evan will pull the trigger for USC, joining his brother and his father who is an assistant coach. There’s no denying that Mobley has turned the corner in his development and is not only one of the highest upside prospects in his class, but is also one of the most productive game-in and game-out.
Isaiah Mobley, Compton Magic
You can’t write about someone turning the corner and not mention Isaiah Mobley, who just happens to be the older brother of the player mentioned above. Isaiah, a USC commit, was on triple-double watch in just 20 minutes of action, posting 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the win over Ohio Basketball Club. Mobley is one of the most versatile players in the country with his feel for the game, passing ability, ball handling and inside-out scoring ability at 6-9.