DALLAS — The third session of the EYBL brought elite production from the top talent in the state. After spending the weekend at Drive Nation, Brandon Jenkins gives his conclusions from what he saw on the circuit:
CUNNINGHAM AT NUMBER ONE?
Let’s get this straight: Cade Cunningham without a doubt would be the number one player in the state if he returned to Texas to play his final year of high school basketball. But, he is not and we cannot rank him due to that fact. And it does not matter anyway because the five-star point guard is in consideration for being ranked as the top player in the United States. His consistency since January has been remarkable and he has led his Texas Titans squad in scoring and passing while helping them achieve an 11-1 record in the first three sessions. Another EYBL Session Award is imminent.
Cunningham will announce his initial list of schools next month. Look for schools such as Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Virginia to be included.
THERE IS A NEW NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE 2020 CLASS
With R.J. Hampton recently reclassing to
DALLAS — The third session of the EYBL brought elite production from the top talent in the state. After spending the weekend at Drive Nation, Brandon Jenkins gives his conclusions from what he saw on the circuit:
CUNNINGHAM AT NUMBER ONE?
Let’s get this straight: Cade Cunningham without a doubt would be the number one player in the state if he returned to Texas to play his final year of high school basketball. But, he is not and we cannot rank him due to that fact. And it does not matter anyway because the five-star point guard is in consideration for being ranked as the top player in the United States. His consistency since January has been remarkable and he has led his Texas Titans squad in scoring and passing while helping them achieve an 11-1 record in the first three sessions. Another EYBL Session Award is imminent.
Cunningham will announce his initial list of schools next month. Look for schools such as Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Virginia to be included.
THERE IS A NEW NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE 2020 CLASS
With R.J. Hampton recently reclassing to 2019,
Greg BrownGregBrown6'8" | PFVandegrift | 2020State#4NationTX is (undoubtedly) now the new number one rising senior in the state of Texas. The top-five nationally ranked prospect displayed why throughout the weekend. He put on a show in each of his performances and averaged around 5-7 dunks per game. Brown is a unique uber-athletic forward whose game is quite incomparable. He already is a box office talent who will be competing to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in the near future if he continues to progress.
LOVE PUT HIMSELF IN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION FOR THE TOP SPOT
Playing up on 17’s, Langston Love has been nothing but stellar in his first year on the EYBL circuit. Throughout his first two sessions, the four-star guard has put together numerous 20-plus point performances and it was no different in Session III. Love physically willed his way to the basket and revealed his finisher badge while also stepping out and cashing in on good looks from long distance off the catch. His best performance of the weekend was against a loaded Texas Titans team where scored a game-high 35 points in the pool B loss.
Whether it be his play at the Allen In-N-Out Burger Tournament, during Cibolo Steele’s state tournament run, or on the circuit, Love has been consistent through it all. He always brings good effort to the court and is not afraid to go at defenders when challenged. No one (in his class) in the state of Texas has made as big of a statement as Love as he is gunning for that number one spot in the 2021 player rankings.
KUMINGA LIVED UP TO THE HYPE
I have long heard about Jonathan Kuminga since the opening national rankings for the 2021 class were released. He has been labeled as a top-three prospect in the country and his recruitment matches the status. Kentucky, Memphis, and Texas Tech are just a few of his high major suitors.
In the New York Rens matchup with the Texas Titans, Kuminga lived up to his billing. When watching him walk onto the court, I noticed his mature frame at 6-foot-8 and it made me wonder if he was more of a mismatch hybrid four-man than a three. However, instantly after the tip-off, he took control of ball-handling duties and hit perimeter jumpers off the bounce and I immediately realized that he was a legit small forward who could also provide value at the four-spot.
On a court filled with nationally graded prospects, Kuminga arguably left the game with spectators feeling as if he was the best. He ended the contest tallying a game-high total of 43 points in the loss on 17-24 (7 3PT FGM) shooting from the field. It was a statement game, adding to what already has been a dominant spring thus far for the highly-touted prospect.
