The Next Wave Camp: Standout Point Guards
I have always had an affinity for the point guard position. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that I’ve always been on the shorter side myself. I absolutely love watching talented one guards play. There are…
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Continue ReadingI have always had an affinity for the point guard position. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that I’ve always been on the shorter side myself. I absolutely love watching talented one guards play. There are just so many good players at the position, all with unique attributes and playing styles. Here are four point guards who caught my eye at The Next Wave basketball camp presented by The TB5 Reports at The MAC in Lewisville, Texas.
Austin BenigniAustin Benigni – 2022 5’11 PG (PB Nation) The Woodlands Christian Academy – Benigni is one of those players who is constantly playing at 100 miles per hour. He is always engaged on both ends and his hustle is never in question. Offensively, he is a strong finisher inside and follows all of his shots. He has a quick first step off the dribble. I also saw him knock down a three, so he showed some diversity.
All that said, Benigni really shines on the defensive end. He is the type of player that opponents dread facing. He is a look down defender on the perimeter. The intensity he plays with on defense was second to none when compared to other guards who attended the camp. Benigni has more than enough skill and tenacity to rise up the 2022 rankings.
CJ Booker – 2022 5’6 PG Arlington Sequin HS – It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Booker may be undersized, but he more than makes up for it with his quickness. He has elite handles and uses them to navigate around bigger opponents. He is absolutely fearless on offense.
Booker utilizes his speed with the ball when he is leading the break. He came away with a lot of assists in transition. He can find teammates in traffic down low or whip it out to a shooter in the corner. Additionally, I like how he uses floaters to get off shots over taller defenders.
Ma’Syn HowellMa’Syn Howell – 2023 6’0 PG Legacy School of Sports Science – Howell is an offensive minded scoring point guard. Just get him the ball and get out of his way. It looked like he was shot out of a cannon whenever the ball touched his hands. He displayed the ability to score from just about anywhere. He shoots the three well and also converts inside at a high rate.
Howell loves to push the tempo and showed that he can make the right decision when leading the break. His offensive versatility allows him to be extremely effective in transition. There is plenty of time for Howell to build up his high school resume. The class of 2023 is still in its infancy. Definitely be on the lookout for this kid to blow up in the coming years.
Daniel Sykes – 2022 6’0 PG Birdville HS – Sykes is a hard-nosed playmaking point guard. His speed with the ball caused a lot of problems for opposing defenders. He’s a generous passer, but never passed up on good looks for himself. I love how the ball never sticks to him.
Sykes has great vision in the open court and was one of the most accurate passers I saw at the camp. Like I said, he gets his teammates involved, but his scoring doesn’t suffer as a result of this. He showed that he can make threes when he is left open. I also liked how he was able to get inside and draw fouls. Sykes has a lot of upside.