NBPA Top 100 Standouts: West Coast Seniors/International
The National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp has been one of the best camps from both a talent perspective and to teach young and gifted basketball players what to expect moving forward. It took place again this year on campus at UVA in Charlottesville, VA, and was open to both media and for the first time, NBA scouts. There was tons of talent from all over the country, and we’ll be breaking down some of the standouts in a number of different ways.
I will be breaking them down based on area and age group, so we’ll take a look at the senior standouts from the west coast and a couple of international guys that showed out.
Isaiah Mobley | 6’10” F | Rancho Christian (CA)
The MVP of the camp as phenomenal in so many different ways, and his unique skill set with his size is going to translate well not only to USC but likely beyond that as well. Mobley is essentially a hybrid forward with the height of a center and the skill set of a guard, as he has always played with the ball in his hands for most of his career. He can put it on the deck in transition and in the half court to create shots for himself or others, he’s a good shooter both off the catch and off the bounce and he’s a long and athletic finisher. He’s not only versatile offensively, on the defensive end he can pretty much guard every position on the floor. He showed this tremendous versatility, stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 10.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game on the way to the championship.
Drake London | 6’5” WF | Moorpark HS (CA)
A two sport star that says he wants to play both in college, I would say if he’s as good on the football field as he is on the basketball court that’s a SCARY athlete right there. London is a natural athlete with a great build and fluid movements in everything that he does. He can score from all over the court, he defends multiple positions, he rebounds, he handles and he has a toughness and swagger about him that you just have to like when you watch him. I’m not sure if anyone can convince him to just focus on basketball moving forward, but he’s definitely a talented high major prospect on the hardwood. He averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and two assists per game over seven games.
Max Agbonkpolo | 6’8” F | Santa Margarita Catholic (CA)
The thing that impressed me the most about Agbonkpolo was not just his name, but the fact that everything he does will translate to the next level and possibly beyond. At 6’8” he’s lean and needs to fill out, but he’s able to play like a wing by running the floor, putting it on the floor and he can shoot both off the catch and off the dribble. He has tremendous length and uses it defensively both on the perimeter and in the post, and he’s a guy who you can plug and play at many different positions whether you want to go small or big. He finished the camp averaging 7.2 points and three rebounds per game, after scoring in double digits in his first three games of the camp.
Boogie Ellis | 6’2” PG | Mission Bay HS (CA)
There weren’t any stats on Ellis for some reason, but he has the perfect name for his game because the kid can straight boogie! He’s a smooth guard who can break down defenders and get to his spot off the bounce, and he has a tremendous feel for the game as a dual threat guy who can both torch you and make others better. He plays with great pace, changing speeds with ease and being able to create space off the bounce and make contested shots. His mechanics are picture perfect, getting from his dribble to his shot with no extra motion and being able to make them from all three levels. His recruitment should continue to pick up, because the kid is a walking bucket with the ball in his hands.
Rylan Jones | 6’0” PG | Olympus (UT)
Jones was possibly the guy who looked the most like he shouldn’t be there, but the 6’0” pasty point guard carved up defenses, thread the needle regularly and made mints meat of defenders throughout the camp. He has an unbelievable feel for the game, as he changes speeds well with the ball, knows how to keep defenders at bey and he sees the game a few plays ahead of everyone. He’s also a good shooter and a tough competitor that will do whatever to help his team win basketball games. He finished the camp averaging 7.1 points, two rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.85 steals per game.
Scottie Pippen Jr. | 6’2” PG | Sierra Canyon (CA)
He looks like his Dad, but he’s a completely different type of player. You always go in thinking that NBA players’ sons can’t really play, but Pippen showed that he’s not only a skilled point guard but he’s also gritty, tough and hard working. He’s a very good athlete who’s smooth both on and off the ball, and from all three levels he’s able to get it done. He’s okay with banging in the post to help his bigs rebound, he defends and he makes others better. He has a natural feel for the game and gives great effort on both ends, which just made you fall in love with the kid as the week went on. He finished the camp averaging 7.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Franz Wagner | 6’7” WF | Germany
Wagner was one of the biggest international names in attendance, and with the hype he delivered in spurts a very good performance. He can shoot the basketball, he understands spacing and how to get his shot and he’s a good team defender and rebounder. Being the International guy he was sometimes iced out by his teammates, when he picked his spots and took advantage when he could. He has good size as a wing and will be a professional player whether it’s over here or he stays in Europe. He finished the camp averaging 7.1 points and three rebounds per game.
Aleskander Balcerowski | 7’0” C | Poland
Balcerwoski was one of the most intriguing big men in the entire camp, and had one national analyst and myself agreeing that he will likely be a future NBA big man. At 7’0”, he has a tremendous skill set that includes the ability to stay low and handle the basketball to break down defenders and he has effortless range out to the NBA line. He’s a good passer with a good understanding of the game, plays big in the paint and he has some flash out on the perimeter. He showed tremendous flashes of talent and skill on the offensive end, showing he can be a 7’0” big man that fits the forever changing landscape of the NBA. He finished the camp averaging 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.