On Sunday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to the heart of Winston-Salem, North Carolina to preview some quality talent within one of the top up-and-coming programs in Team BOND. There was an abundance of appeal and intrigue inside the gym, featuring an interesting variety of prospects from 17U and 16U squads. Although we were able to watch both teams, this article will take a closer look at their 16U group…
6’2 ’24 Bryan Sellars (Quality Education)
The younger brother of Anthony, Bryan Sellars was easily among the top standouts for their 16U age group. He made everything look quite effortless, from dictating the offensive action to utilizing his athleticism and physicality to consistently overwhelm opponents. Sellars plays with a steady, almost emotionless presence and doesn’t seem to be bothered by much of anything on the court. He hit numerous jumpers, attacked the basket whenever he wanted, and created for himself and others while defending multiple positions on the other end of the floor. Sellars was already quite dynamic as a middle-school prospect from camp, but his trajectory and current abilities should have the attention of college coaches going forward.
6’5 ’23 DJ Workman (Grimsley)
After watching him for a few years now, it feels like Workman is ready to take the next step within his progression. He’s fluid and skilled like a wing but built like a forward, which actually tends to cause matchup problems on a regular basis. Workman is so big and strong, able to toggle between the interior and perimeter on both ends of the floor. He displays a solid understanding of the game, plays consistently hard, and possesses the necessary versatility to affect all facets of the game. Given his showing at practice, one should expect to see Workman turn into a leader over the foreseeable future.
6’8 ’23 Bobby Cannon (Quality Education)
In terms of raw talent and sheer upside, it would be impossible to ignore the incredible intrigue surrounding Cannon. Given the overall skill development of big men over the years, Cannon fits seamlessly within the modern mold. He’s long and wiry with rebounding ability, rim-protection instincts, and the tools to score from inside the paint or along the perimeter. Cannon moves well for his size and age, both when recovering and running the floor in transition, and plays with a lot of confidence on either side of the ball. Although he’s already quite enticing, Cannon will be one to monitor as he continues to develop over the years.
6’2 ’23 Darius Caldwell (Glenn)
While a lot of the younger prospects tried doing too much or being overly flashy, Caldwell offered a refreshing presence as a well-rounded cog on both ends of the floor. He’s a big, sturdy wing/forward prospect with the ability to do a little bit of everything. Caldwell can set up the offense, create for himself or others, and assert himself as a scorer within the flow of the action. He finishes and draw fouls at a useful rate, but can also hit jumpers with consistency. Caldwell also stood out as a rebounder and defender against multiple positions. Considering Glenn won’t lose many players over the summer, Caldwell should only emerge as another major piece for the Bobcats.
6’1 ’23 O’Shae Fernandez (Mount Tabor)
Though we’ve previously seen each player on this list, Fernandez is the lone exception. However, there’s already a lot to like about the tough, wiry guard and his approach to the game. Fernandez is a nice athlete with a great frame and fairly well-rounded skillset, which allowed him to shine on both ends of the floor. He was particularly impressive in transition, both with and without the ball in his hands, and simply knows how to make plays. Given Mount Tabor’s roster composition, expect to see Fernandez transition into a leadership role for the Spartans over the coming years.