Sanford Power-Who’s Next Combine-Top 5 Players
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West Fargo, ND – The first annual Who’s Next Combine was a huge success on Wednesday. Sanford Power put on the event and it happened at the Rustad Recreation Center from 1:00-5:00. There were 45 players in attendance from IA, MN,…
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Continue ReadingWest Fargo, ND – The first annual Who’s Next Combine was a huge success on Wednesday. Sanford Power put on the event and it happened at the Rustad Recreation Center from 1:00-5:00. There were 45 players in attendance from IA, MN, ND, and SD. There was also a very nice showing of college coaches with 11 schools checking out the talent. The Combine was very well put together. The players started with skill drills, and then they went into 1on1 drills, wide 2on2, ball screen 4on4, and they finished with live 5on5 scrimmages. It was a great afternoon and an overall successful event!
In this article, we are checking out the Top 5 Players from the Combine. Later today we will have another article that features many more players with comments/highlights from the Combine.
Top 5 Talent
Jackson Edman Jackson Edman 6'7" | SF Pierre | 2023 State SD (2023) |6’7 PF| Pierre/Scared Hoops
I had watched him play online a few times this winter, yesterday was my first time seeing Edman live. Wow, was he impressive! He certainly passes the eye test with height, size, and muscle. Jackson is a well-put-together athlete. As you can see from the picture above, Edman is a lefty. He shot it much better than I thought he would. The Gov hit them from beyond the arc and his mid-range jumper was on-point all afternoon. In the skill drills, Jackson really showed off his athleticism with athletic and powerful dunks. He went on a tear in the 1on1 portion and he scored several consecutive times, Edman seemed to have all of the scout’s eyes on him at that moment. He showed off his speed and playmaking with a coast-to-coast attack that he finished with a rim-rocking dunk. Edman scored multiple times with O-board putbacks. Many times he came out of nowhere and snagged a rebound for an extra possession. Edman also blocked a ton of shots, in the winter I thought he was the best shot-blocker in SD and he looked the part on Wednesday. It was a marvelous showing by Mr. Edman, he certainly boosted his stock. The big question I had on him was if he could shoot consistently from the perimeter. He showed that he can shoot it efficiently and he is even more athletic than I thought. College coaches need to be on high alert for Jackson Edman Jackson Edman 6'7" | SF Pierre | 2023 State SD from Pierre!
Alex Dvorak Alex Dvorak 6'1" | PG Dickinson | 2023 State ND (2023) |6’1 CG| Dickinson/Pentagon Schoolers
He was likely the most electric player on the court. Toward the end of the Combine, Dvorak was taking over in the scrimmages. I have seen this before for Alex and he did it again on Wednesday. After he hits a few shots and he gets “in the zone”, there is no stopping him. I love his stop-on-a-dime pull-up jump shot. He is a masterful finisher around the rim from every angle. Dvorak can also get up and WHAM in an impressive fashion. I thought his floater looked great and he threaded the needle perfectly in a few pick-n-roll situations. His wiggle was impressive when the defense hedged hard, Alex split the 2 defenders and slashed into the lane for an easy jumper. You can tell this kid loves basketball, he always has a smile on his face, plays fast, and is full of NRG/enthusiasm. Dvorak was an All-State Player last season and you should expect more of the same in his senior year. Expect some eye-popping numbers from Alex. Look out for him the rest of the summer with the Schoolers.
Zach Kraft Zach Kraft 6'2" | PG Grand Forks Red River | 2023 State ND |6’2 PG| Grand Forks Red River/ECI
He was one of the top PG’s on Wednesday. Kraft has lengthened out to a long 6’2″. Instead of being a smooth PG and sniper from deep, Zach is now an all-around scorer and playmaker. His extra inches make his offensive game dangerous via his sweet jumper. He was hitting step-back and fall-away jumpers all afternoon from mid-lane. Zach also showed a beautiful step-back 3-point shot. As always his handles and feel for the game looked impressive. His floater is note-worthy and Kraft is a crafty finisher around the cup. Do not forget the Red River Rifle is one of the top 3-point shooters in the Dakotas! I think Kraft is going to have a monster senior season and expect him to be a sure-fire All-State player. Kraft will be playing in St. Cloud next week, I encourage college coaches to take a close look.
Gavin Muirhead Gavin Muirhead 6'7" | PF O'gorman | 2023 State SD (2023) |6’7 PF| O’Gorman/Pentagon Schoolers
He was the most bouncy and explosive dunker at the event. I have said this before and I will say it again, it seems like Muirhead jumps off a trampoline when he goes towards the rim. Gav explodes to the basket like few can and he turned many heads at the Combine. He slammed on putbacks, off rolls, dump downs, and slashes. Gavin even showed off a crazy windmill dunk, that one left a few fans with their jaws open. Muirhead also shot the ball well. He flashed into the high post and knocked down turnarounds. Drilled corner 3’s and he showed a nice shooting touch in the paint. Gavin also blocked & altered many shots with his long arms. He continues to impress every time I see him play. I am looking forward to watching Muirhead again on Sunday at the Pentagon for their Who’s Next Combine. His stock continues to rise with every event. Get this OG kid on your watchlist, you will not be disappointed!
Adam Jenkins Adam Jenkins 6'9" | C Moorhead | 2023 State MN (2023) |6’9 PF| Moorhead/MN Comets
He already has an offer from MSUM-Moorhead and they were in attendance, keeping a close eye on the big Spud. There were other NSIC schools at the venue and I am sure they also had eyes on Jenkins. Adam is not really known for knocking down triples, but he did so yesterday. All his 3’s came off the catch. If he can be consistent with his outside shot, it would be a nice addition to his game. This would help stretch the floor and put more stress on his defender. Jenkins was a monster on the O-boards and he slammed home an athletic tip-in. He is an impressive two-footed jumper that finishes with power. Jenkins had more dunks on the day than I could keep track of. He showed a nice hook shot and he also finished with his left hand. Adam also had impressive blocks and he pinned a shot against the backboard. He is very effective in the pick-n-roll game and from the block. I love when he gets out in transition and rim runs. Jenkins is a beast and he proved it again at the Combine.
On a side note, imagine these 5 players on the same team. Now that would be a fun squad to watch! Good luck to Jackson Edman Jackson Edman 6'7" | SF Pierre | 2023 State SD , Alex Dvorak Alex Dvorak 6'1" | PG Dickinson | 2023 State ND , Zach Kraft Zach Kraft 6'2" | PG Grand Forks Red River | 2023 State ND , Gavin Muirhead Gavin Muirhead 6'7" | PF O'gorman | 2023 State SD , and Adam Jenkins Adam Jenkins 6'9" | C Moorhead | 2023 State MN with the rest of your summers, your college recruitment, and your senior year. You all have a bright future in hoops!