Top 250: 2021 Names To Know
PG Sutton Smith (Denmark)- Although he’s just a sophomore, there isn’t much that can be said about Smith that hasn’t been said already. He has gained the liking of many and for good reason. Smith is one of the few legitimate pass-first point guards and although scoring isn’t his focus, he can fill it up too. He never seems to get rattled and has some flash to him that is always good for a few exciting plays a game. That quality was on display at camp with Smith and Toneari Lane connecting to make multiple highlight plays. Smith will be given the keys at Denmark this year; his mature, mistake-free game will be a big boost to the first year program.
SG Ian Davis (Discovery)- I hadn’t gotten much of a chance to see Davis before camp, but I was impressed with what he showed. Don’t be fooled with his slim frame, Davis had no issue mixing it up in traffic among the trees on offense. He is a crafty finisher inside and even finishes through contact a few times, letting his opponents know about when he did so. Davis has a scorer’s mentality and a smooth game overall that should develop nicely throughout high school. I’m interested to see what type of role he plays on a Discovery team that has lots of solid prospects.
W Max Harris (South Gwinnett)- When it comes to scoring, Harris already has it figured out. He proved that during his freshman season and continued to show his scoring prowess at camp against top competition. Harris has length and a soft touch that allows him to finish tough shots in the paint frequently. His outside shooting ability is respectable and he uses this to set up opportunities to slash, as he is best once attacking the basket. Harris is just wired to score; he gets it done in the half court and in transition, stays in attack mode, and is pretty efficient.
PG Broc Bidwell (West Forysth)- Like Smith, Bidwell is a player who I’ve seen a lot and liked a lot early in his high school career. His team started out with a game against the top prospect in the entire camp, in which Bidwell had a solid performance. He is always up to a challenge and embraces playing against other high-level guys. Bidwell is a confident, effective scorer from all areas of the court and has the aggressive mentality necessary for someone who will be his school’s go-to guy this winter. Don’t be surprised if you see some huge numbers from him this season.
W Jermaine Smoak (Chapel Hill)- The physical aspect of the game is commonly a thing that can hurt younger players, but that was not the case for Smoak at camp. Smoak has a solid frame, seeks out contact, and already understands how to use his body in a controlled way. He was able to seal off defenders in the paint and did not get knocked off balance too often when trying to score in the paint. Smoak is an effective rebounder as well, showing an understanding of timing and using his physical attributes in this area also.