Louisiana 17u First Team All-State
1st Team
Javonte Smart 6’4 G Houston Hoops (EYBL) MVP
Smart elected to spend his final year playing back on the Nike Circuit with Houston Hoops, and after the way he lead them, few can blame him. He averaged over 15 points and 4 assists for them, and was able to lead them to a surprise appearance in bracket play of the Peach Jam, where he had one of his best games of the summer, going for 33 points in a loss against Boo Williams. He also committed to in-state LSU, but he could have gone anywhere in the country that he wanted.
Jared Butler 6’3 G Mississippi Express (EYBL)
Butler also chose to continue playing on the Nike Circuit, but this time with Mississippi Express Team Hood. Butler wasn’t able to play grassroots last year due to an injury, so his outstanding play was quite a surprise for many colleges and ranking services, as shown by the number of offers he has picked up this summer. He averaged over 13 points and 4 assists, and was able to show his ability to both distribute and score at the point guard position (rather than as an 2 guard) against high level competition. He has recently cut down his list to a final 6, with Texas, Wichita St., USC, Alabama, Baylor, and Virginia still vying for his commitment.
Braylon Chaisson 6’4 F 6th Man (Adidas Silver)
Chaisson chose to once again play this season with 6th Man, and the decision turned out to be a good one, as they spent the year playing on the Adidas Silver Circuit. He was able to showcase his talents against premier teams, and was able to pick up some scholarship offers as a result. He proved that he is just as deadly from the outside as he is in the paint (one of the knocks on his game in years past), and showed that he is just as bouncy as ever.
Kobe Julien 6’5 F LA Elite (Under Armour)
Julien chose once again to play with many of his Madison Prep teammates and coach with Louisiana Elite, and he was once again a leader. He was either 1st or 2nd on the team in minutes played, points, rebounds, and blocks. Along the way, he has also picked up offers to ULL and TCU, but I don’t think the offer list is going to be ending there anytime soon.
Josh LeBlanc 6’6 F LA Elite (Under Armour)
Between LeBlanc and Butler it is tough to tell who rose up the rankings more this summer. LeBlanc, like Julien, chose to play with his Madison Prep teammates and coach at Louisiana Elite, and he absolutely killed the Under Armour circuit this summer. He lead his team in points, rebounds, and blocks, and was voted defensive player of the year for the entire Under Armour Association, and picked up over 20 offers along the way. LeBlanc recently cut down his list to LSU, Arkansas, Georgetown, and Texas A&M.