AAU Workout Visit: Atlanta Astros Mixed 2022/23/24
I found myself drawn to the many underdog storylines which existed across the Atlanta Astros organization last year, players rising from the depth chart or garnering much-deserved attention after finally getting to shine from out behind other star players. This…
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Continue ReadingI found myself drawn to the many underdog storylines which existed across the Atlanta Astros organization last year, players rising from the depth chart or garnering much-deserved attention after finally getting to shine from out behind other star players.
This year’s group will likely foster some of those same scenarios, and I got a good look at some of them Tuesday night in their mixed workout. Here are some of the standouts:
KaRon Strickland, PG, Druid Hills, 2022
Quick, smart floor general looked comfortable with the ball in his hands. He made good decisions both distributing and looking for gaps to score. May be slightly under 6-feet, but like most of the Astro guards, will absolutely get up into you at the defensive end.
DJ Liggion, SG, Chamblee, 2022
Saw Liggion play at Buford over Christmas and he quickly caught my eye then as well. Carries a rep as a long-range bomber, and he showed some of that off, but I loved seeing him put it on the floor and attack the middle a bit. That dimension takes the 6-footers game to a different level.
Adrian Bryant, CG, Homeschooled, 2022
Impressive speed with the ball made him a tough guard all night. Was able to slow things down well and survey, showed a nice stroke and was a menace on the defensive end with a strong frame at 6-0.
Rad Thompson, CG, Woodward Academy, 2023 (pictured above)
They’ve got themselves a good one down in College Park with this multi-dimensional ballhandler and attacker. Shows natural gifts as a lead guard, but was very comfortable sliding off the ball and has plenty of scoring chops from multiple levels.
Bryant Graham-Davis, SF, Grady, 2023
Good size at 6-3 with good activity on the interior at both ends. Moves well with a nice frame and you can see the game is there to stretch it further from the basket, but look for him to be a lot to handle nearer to the paint as the spring and summer progresses.
Jamarcus Jenkins, SG, Clarkston, 2024
The lone 2024 on hand perhaps was the night’s biggest eye-opener. Still new to the game with a frame already resembling a young linebacker-prospect nearing 6-1, he has that ready-to-be molded look that Astro coaches are excited about. Combining a confidence shooting it from range with an ability to simply “out-athleticize” you at either end makes him such an intriguing young talent to follow.
OTHERS TO WATCH: Quay Harrison (Columbia), Rahmel Young (Clarkston), Nathan Mancinelli (St Pius), Eric Garcia (Union Grove)