This past weekend, Phenom Hoops concluded the travel ball season by combining the Seros Invitational with our Summer Finale. The event was absolutely loaded with talent, featuring an all-star lineup of names and teams across all age groups. Kids were in awe of the several popular social media figures in the building, but there was also plenty of quality basketball on display. Although it was a difficult elimination process, this article will take a closer look at five personal favorites from the event…
5’10 ’27 Colt Fowler (SuperFriendz)
In a gym full of highly touted prospects and guys with legitimate pro potential, Colt Fowler was arguably the most exciting and electric player on display. There are point guards, and then there’s Fowler. He’s a brilliant playmaker who displays a unique combination of speed, vision, and control to relentlessly dismantle opposing defenses. Fowler has a tight, crafty handle and incredibly sharp first step that he utilizes to break down anyone standing in his way. He’s more than capable of filling it up as a scorer from all levels, yet clearly prioritizes making the right play and setting up others as often as possible. Fowler truly sees the entire floor at all times and highlights incredible precision on every single pass. His understanding of angles, timing, and defensive rotations is extremely impressive. Not only does Fowler shine as a leader by example, but he also visibly elevates everyone on his team. Whether in the half-court or open floor, he’s able to consistently generate clean looks for himself and others. On the other end, Fowler is a defensive pest with the ability to reliably contain his assignment and terrific anticipation for forcing turnovers. It’s uncommon to see a player at his size dominate the game, especially without needing to score, but that’s exactly what Fowler did. Expect him to stockpile Division I offers going forward.
6’7 ’28 Aaron Parker (Team Loaded)
The steady transformation of Aaron Parker over the last twelve months has been somewhat remarkable. In addition to growing and getting stronger, he’s clearly more explosive. Parker is an incredible athlete who flies around to make his presence consistently felt on both ends of the floor. He’s a bouncy finisher with the ability to find opportunities as a cutter, transition threat, or attacker off the dribble. Parker lurks extremely well for lobs and putbacks, and doesn’t shy away from meeting opponents at the rim. That being said, he’s also made strides within his overall skillset. Parker highlighted a solid handle, respectable jumper, and the ability to make decisions off the bounce. He knows how to play to his strengths, but is comfortable expanding his role as needed. In addition to his offensive contributions, Parker stood out through his rebounding sense and defense presence. He’s capable of defending multiple positions and plays with consistent energy on both ends of the floor. Given his ability to produce as a low-maintenance option, there should be tons of optimism surrounding Parker’s appeal and overall trajectory.
6’3 ’27 Reese Alston (Cooz Elite)
Although there were countless notable names on display, Reese Alston might’ve been the most impressive prospect in attendance. As the design of true point guards continues to steadily decline, someone like Alston reaffirms what makes a real floor general so important. He possesses an incredibly high IQ, unique level of awareness, and effortless ability to make the correct play literally every single possession. In nearly a decade of watching players, no point guard has shown this level of poise or meticulousness within their playmaking sense. Alston completely controls the game. He removes the need for others to improvise, as he consistently puts teammates in ideal scoring positions. Alston plays with amazing pace, never rushed or bothered by opposing defenders, and is able to reliably get where he wants off the bounce. He showed the ability to score with relative ease, but clearly prioritizes setting up others as often as possible. Add in his quality defensive presence, and it’s easy to see why Alston is regarded as one of the top players in the nation. He should be a target for basically every program in the country.
6’9 ’28 Xavier Hall (DWOK Elite)
After establishing one season of high school basketball under his belt, it’s clear that Xavier Hall is tracking as a national-level prospect. While it’s common knowledge that big men tend to develop slower than the majority of others, that doesn’t seem to be the case for Hall. He’s already incredibly polished with a strong frame, soft hands, and the ability to consistently impact the game on both ends of the floor. Hall displays soft touch with both hands, but can also space the floor or regularly meet opponents at the rim. He utilizes his body well to physically overwhelm opponents and carve out space around the basket. Hall is a phenomenal two-way rebounder who controls the glass through his motor, strength, and general nose for the ball. He anchors the paint well defensively to protect the rim and block or alter shots at a quality rate. Hall also fills the lane effectively in transition. Already such an impactful two-way piece, it’ll be interesting to see how much more Hall will progress over the next calendar year.
6’5 ’27 Jarvis Hayes (Atlanta Xpress)
Rounding out this extremely talented list, Jarvis Hayes is another high-level prospect who should warrant attention throughout the country. He’s incredibly smart, smooth, and polished with a very appealing array of physical tools. Hayes shines as a clear leader for this group, both through his production and unselfishness, and understands how to operate as their main source of offense. He consistently gets to his spots, scores with efficiency, and creates for others at a strong rate. Hayes mixes it up from all levels and reliably makes the right play with the ball in his hands. That being said, he’s more than comfortable finding opportunities as a cutter and spot-up threat whenever necessary. On the other end, Hayes utilizes his length well to rebound and intercept passing lanes as a defender. Given his blend of size, skill, and ability to set the tone in all facets of the game, it’s easy to see why he’s regarded as a high-major prospect.