Top 50 Player Breakdown: 2021 Small Forwards (Part Three)
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Tucker DeVries Tucker DeVries 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #123 Nation IA – Waukee Tucker is the best scorer on team full of great scorers. He has an effortless shooting stroke, and points come easy to him. He…
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Continue ReadingTucker DeVries Tucker DeVries 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #123 Nation IA – Waukee
Tucker is the best scorer on team full of great scorers. He has an effortless shooting stroke, and points come easy to him. He is one of those players who can have a quiet 25 points. He has a deliberate pace to his game, and it’s difficult to get him out of rhythm. He has impact without the ball in his hands, which makes him such a successful leading man.
Payton Sandfort Payton Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #138 Nation IA – Waukee
While Tucker might be the best scorer for Waukee, Payton is the best pure shooter. He has a very fast catch to release time, and each shot looks like the last, regardless of the circumstances of the shot. He really came into his own with Kingdom Hoops this summer, and grew comfortable taking over games. I saw growth on the defensive end, and I see no worries about his long-term outlook as a defender.
Emarion Ellis Emarion Ellis 6'4" | SF Assumption | 2021 State #141 Nation IA – Assumption
Explosion, speed, and aggressiveness are the staples of Emarion’s game. He is a high-flyer who relentlessly attacks the basket, always a great combination. When he brings effort consistently to his defense, his explosion and aggressiveness are just as destructive on that end. He is not one of the elite passers in this class, but his playmaking is valuable nonetheless.
Michael Duax Michael Duax 6'5" | SF Hempstead | 2021 State IA – Hempstead
In the pick and roll, Michael is excellent as the ball-handler. He uses screens and sees all available options as he turns that corner. For Martin Bros. this summer, my one complaint of Michael was that he passed up too many open good looks with pump fakes or unnecessary extra passes. As the leader for his Hempstead, I don’t expect that to be an issue at all for his senior campaign.
Caleb Schlaak Caleb Schlaak 6'7" | SF Kennedy | 2021 State IA – Kennedy
Caleb is one of my favorite players to watch in this class. He can do everything on a basketball court: rebound, pass, shoot, defend guards, and protect the rim. He will have some inexperienced pieces around him this season, but Caleb’s well-rounded skillset bodes well for the success of the team. Can he figure out when to take over scoring, and when to step back and faciliate the offense? This is often the toughest step for players when leading a team, but I anticipate Caleb will perform well in that role.
Landon Eiland Landon Eiland 6'4" | SF North Scott | 2021 State IA – North Scott
In his role, Landon played well as a junior. He is a very solid defender who can be trusted against wings, bigs, and some guards. He has the length and athleticism you’d want in a wing player in today’s game. He is still in the infancy of his offensive game, but he has expanded his ability as a shooter off the dribble. Projecting forward, he will be able to play the wing in small lineups, and as his scoring improves, he could even shift up to the 2 guard position and burn smaller guards with his length.