2023 6’5 Justice Johnson (HYB Raps Extreme)
HYB Raps Extreme 15U boasts one of this weekends most consistently dominant big man duos. Justice Johnson and Shymek Jones are both aggressive glass cleaners that are capable of leading their team in scoring. Justice is the shorter of the two and makes up for the 2 inch height different with his authoritative presence in the paint. Whether it’s scrambling to fight for solid post positioning, boxing opponents out for rebounds, or simply setting off ball screens, Johnson makes his presence known down low.
2023 6’7 Shymek Jones (HYB Raps Extreme U15)
Shymek is the tallest player on his team and is oftentimes the tallest player on the court in many games he plays in. Fortunately, his overbearing size does not come at the expense of aggressiveness or talent. Much like his teammate Justice Johnson, Shymek operates with a high motor that made him nearly impossible to deal with today. He fights for every rebound and has a legitimate chance of securing any shot that goes up on offense and defense. He utilities a post hook fairly well and combines it with a familiar touch around the rim.
2023 Jordan Miller (Next Level SC 16U)
Jordan Miller has slowly become one of my favorite 2023 guards with his consistent play and team-first attitude. Evaluating the eye test alone gives anyone a reason to take interest in the young guard, as he possesses a muscular frame that very rare for a rising sophomore. His size and strength does not compromise his composure or ability to maintain body control, but it does allow him to challenge guards who use their size and athleticism to their ultimate advantage. Miller is a three-level scorer that is most comfortable creating points for himself off of mid-range shots, but can finish through contact at the rim consistently as well.
6’7 2024 Josiah Hubbard (Tennessee Tigers 15U)
Today was my first day watching Josiah Hubbard and I saw a lot of promise in the 2024 big man. Hubbard is mismatch threat with a soft enough touch at the rim to be a threat whenever he’s in the paint. Hook shots are what Josiah uses the most to get points in the post, but is also able to put rebounds back up on both offense and defense. Due to his developing maturity, Josiah hasn’t seen the ceiling of where his confidence could be with age. I feel like his sturdy frame can easily develop muscle with age.
2023 5’11 Brandon Wilkins (Upward Stars Reames 15U)
Wilkins has a beautiful jump shot that has caught my attention before this weekend. His mechanics are consistent and he knows it, as he isn’t afraid to pull it with any space from the defender. Wilkins has decent length for his height as well and that aids his ball-handling ability. Brandon currently uses a series of wide, but secure, dribble moves that allow him to challenge his defender in creating separation. With age and experience, Wilkins has the type of playstyle I see developing into an extremely valuable asset for a coach in the future.