2022 All-Grassroots 3rd Team
This summer, I made it a point to see as many players as possible. I went to as many tournaments as I could. Saw and went to as many underground runs and workouts as possible and added hundreds and hundreds…
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Continue ReadingThis summer, I made it a point to see as many players as possible. I went to as many tournaments as I could. Saw and went to as many underground runs and workouts as possible and added hundreds and hundreds of miles to my car. After watching and evaluating scores of new talents over the past few months, we have updated our rankings updates and also included new players. The 2022 class is arguably our most loaded class and, after a big summer, is ready for a solid junior season. Here are the players who really stood out for me that I had the opportunity to watch in person this summer.
All-Grassroots 3rd Team
Xavier Harris Xavier Harris 6'1" | PG Hillcrest Prep | 2023 CO – Billups Elite
Brock Mishak Brock Mishak 6'3" | CG Fossil Ridge | 2022 State CO – Colorado Chaos
Kyle Sandler Kyle Sandler 6'7" | SF Hargrave Military Academy | 2022 State CO – Pro Skills
Jayden Washington Jayden Washington 6'5" | PF Eaglecrest | 2022 State CO – Colorado Mayhem
James Shiers James Shiers 7'1" | C Mead | 2022 State CO – Pro Skills
Harris is as valuable as a player and teammate as there is, and it was evident all summer long. As soon as he left a team, changes happened. On the new team, changes happened. He is a player that gets after it on both ends of the floor and looked to answer any holes in his game with hard work. Harris progressed as a shooter and also playmaker as the summer went along and made others around him better. He makes the extra pass, is an incredible finisher at the rim and when he is committed to making plays for others, is as dangerous of a player as there is in the state as he is difficult to figure out. I look forward to the role he takes on moving forward.
Mishak was a player that we knew was good based on how he did during the high school season, but he went into the summer on a mission to showcase that he belongs. That is exactly what he did as he played well with the Chaos and had been one of the standouts in the private runs as well. Mishak is a combo-guard that does whatever is needed for his team to create an advantage. He can put the ball on the floor, step out and hit the outside shot, and score in bunches. He is also a guard that can play well alongside others and fills in the gaps. Mishak already has good size and still appears to be growing. He competes at a high level and, despite playing up for the summer, was arguably Colorado Chaos’s best player. Expect to hear more from him as he certainly played well and will look to take that momentum into the season.
Sandler began the summer on a tear and looked like one of the best shooters in the state. When you look at all of the things that Sandler has: size, outside touch, and the ability to hit the big shot, it is safe to see why he was one of the classes best this summer. Before Sandler went down with an injury, he was a hot commodity that was torching opposing defenses. Sandler is a tough shot taker but a tough shot maker, and he was also starting to progress as a playmaker that set up teammates for baskets as well. Sandler used an inside-out attack as he was using his mid-range pullup to keep the defense honest, but he let it fly from beyond the arc and made defenses pay. If he can come back from his injury and find a happy medium as an all-around wing that can both score, defend and distribute, then the sky is the limit for this 6’5 combo-guard. This will be a big year for him, but he certainly stood out to me this summer and that is why he makes the All-Grassroots team.
Washington was the player that not many knew about heading into the summer, but with the way he played in various tournaments and scrimmages, he showcased that he is a real player. Washington has good size at 6’6 and is a forward that attacks the rim, protects the paint, and is mobile. He gets to where he wants on the court, and that is while still growing and figuring out his body. He is an agile big man that can step out on the wing, put the ball on the floor, and he is also a physically gifted athlete that can defend multiple positions. Washington will step into a role this upcoming season where he will be relied on, and he will make up a strong frontcourt. Solid summer for him where he turned some heads.
The Shiers that finished the summer was not the same player that began it, which is a scary sight. The future looks bright for him, and not often will a school get a 7-foot gym rat that is self-motivated and wants to get better. That’s what a lucky college will be getting from Shiers as his best basketball is ahead of him. He is starting to know his strength, length and get accustomed to his body and he is no longer receiving but delivering, and that aggressiveness is beneficial to his team. Shiers is an unselfish big that plays his own way and impacts the game in other ways than scoring. He makes passes off of the block, establishes position, and also can put it on the floor. The next step for him is dominating the board and letting nothing come easy at the rim, but all in all, it was a great summer for him where if he plays how he did to end the summer, who won’t want to have him?