NBPA Top 100 Senior Standouts: West Coast
It was the 25th annual NBPA Top 100 Camp this past weekend, and this was the first year that division one college coaches could attend the camp. What was even more surprising was the amount of media, which was even…
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Continue ReadingIt was the 25th annual NBPA Top 100 Camp this past weekend, and this was the first year that division one college coaches could attend the camp. What was even more surprising was the amount of media, which was even more than usual for a camp that people come from all over the country to cover.
As usual, my goal was to find as many players to write about, some that I knew and some that I didn’t, and with the sheer number I decided to break it up first by class and then by region. With that being said, here’s a look at my West Coast Senior Standouts from the camp.
Jaylen Clark | 6’5” WF | Etiwanda (CA)
The first thing you noticed about Clark is that he looks like he was specifically built to play basketball with a strong upper body and a great frame that he used to physically dominate other guards and wings. The Etiwanda and Compton Magic wing showed great athleticism when attacking the basket both in the half court and in transition, and he had a number of big time dunks that left you in awe. After a tough shooting game in the first game, Clark didn’t settle in the second one as he shot much less jumpers and used his athleticism and size to attack the rim and get to the free throw line. He played with a good motor on both ends, showed versatility as a scorer and still managed to make the right play more often than not even in a camp setting. He finished the camp averaging 9 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Makur Maker | 7’0” C | Orange Lutheran (CA)
He only played on Thursday because he felt some pain and decided to rest, but it only took one day for me to make this hot take: He’s the best Maker that I’ve seen, and I saw Thon Maker when he was a young buck at Carlisle breaking the internet. Maker is a legit 7’0” big man with a skill set that leaves coaches drooling, but what separates him is his high level of production. He can handle in transition and create his own shot in one-on-one situations, he’s a consistent shooter from deep and can create space and make shots off the bounce and he’s a natural athlete who can guard multiple positions and is a good rim protector. While it isn’t uncommon nowadays to see guys who are big men with guard skillsets, Maker may be the biggest mismatch in the country because of his athleticism and length as well.
Ian Martinez | 6’3” WG | JSerra Catholic (CA)
The Utah commit was an easy selection for the All Camp team because he was hands down one of the best shooters in attendance and didn’t need many shots to get going. He had multiple games scoring in double figures and never had a game where he took more than 7 shots from the field. Everything about his jumper looked pretty, from his footwork and prep before the ball arrived to his picture perfect release and good elevation he got on every shot. Despite being only 6’3” as a two guard he competed on both ends as well and was a good rebounder from his position as well.
Kyree Walker | 6’5” WF | Hillcrest Prep (AZ)
Walker is no stranger to these camps, as he’s played in All American Camps all over the country, including this one, the past couple of seasons. A big, physical wing that would likely benefit from losing a few pounds, he’s a natural athlete that can play above the rim in transition and uses his bully like frame to get downhill and finish at the basket or get to the free throw line. He’s an above average shooter from deep who can get it going quickly, but he’s best suited when he can come off curls and attack the basket using his size and athleticism. I was impressed with his feel for the game as he made some very nice passes and good decisions throughout the camp, and he was stellar for the Champion Spurs as he averaged around 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists throughout the camp, scoring in double figures in three of the seven games they played while only turning it over five times the whole camp.
Isaiah Cottrell | 6’10” PF | Bishop Gorman (NV)
Talk about efficient, Cottrell was one of the most efficient players at the camp as the Bishop Gorman four man showed good versatility and shot at a high percentage in all but one game. At his size, Cottrell showed the ability to stretch the floor, score in face up situations where he could put it on the deck, rebounded well on both ends and was money from 15 and in the whole week. With his size, he can guard multiple positions, run the floor well and all of that makes him a walking mismatch that projects well to the next level. He finished the camp scoring in double digits in 6 of his 7 games, including an impressive 16 point 6 rebound effort in the championship game helping his team win it all. He finished averaging 11.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 59% from the field.
Daishen Nix | 6’4” PG | Trinity International (NV)
Another Vegas kid who had a good showing, Nix was hyped as one of the best pure point guards in the camp and he didn’t disappoint as he ran his team well, got them into sets and continually made his teammates better. He showed everything you want out of a floor general as he got his guys easy shots, controlled the tempo of the game, played good on ball defense and shot the three ball well going 45% from deep throughout the camp. His dual threat ability to make others better and score it himself makes him a big threat every time he has the ball in his hands, and he’ll put you on skates if you slack on the defensive end.
Mady Sissoko | 6’11” C | Wasatch Academy (UT)
While underclassman Paolo Banchero won Camp MVP and deservedly, if there was a second choice to me it would have to go to Sissoko who dominated in the paint on both ends throughout the camp. He’s a physical specimen with good strength and explosiveness, and he’s also very mobile with a high motor and he attacks the glass on both ends. He put the camp on notice in his first game as he went for a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds with 3 blocks. He played hard every moment he was on the floor and despite not getting many touches because of the camp setting he still found ways to be productive and take advantage of the touches he did get. He finished the camp averaging 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, but he shot a whopping 69% from the field and his impact stretched well beyond what the box scores said.