LADERA RANCH, CA. – A full day of bracket play commenced at the adidas Summer Championship as a bevy of Rivals150 members stood out. Akok Akok, Walker Kessler and Evan Mobley were just a few that impressed as we dish out we what we learned and give some recruiting nuggets along the way.
MORE ADIDAS SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS: Evans' Friday blog | Zeke Nnaji
SUMMER JAM: Bossi Awards | Which schools need which prospect the most? | Bossi's Blog
RANKINGS: 2018 Rivals150 | 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals150 | 2018 Team | 2018 Position
There are not many better defensive weapons at the high school level than Mobley. The five-star sophomore has tremendous feet that he uses well in traversing up and down the floor but also in maneuvering around the high ball screen as he can already defend each position in the frontcourt. I do worry about his slenderer physique but he has unbelievable hands, quick leaping skills, instincts and a motor. Mobley is a consistent producer regardless of the pace of the game as he is the perfect blend of talent, upside, versatility and energy giving along the frontline. This one is good as done for USC thanks to his father’s employment on staff which would be Andy Enfield’s biggest recruiting coup to date.
No one has had a better week of play in Southern California than Akok. The 6-foot-9 forward has been tremendous from start to finish thanks to his unique ability to change practically every shot within his area, but also sprint the floor and toss away shots from out of his area, too, where he looks the part of a top-five shot blocker in America. What adds even more value to what he can do is that he can make shots consistently to beyond the 3-point arc. Players that can make threes but also block shots is one of the more difficult combinations to find in all of the sport. He will make a giant leap during the next Rivals150 update next month as Syracuse, Georgetown, Providence and UConn are the four most often talked about programs regarding Akok.
The ascension of Kessler didn’t stall a bit on Saturday as the near 7-footer made plays from out of his area that prospects in his ilk shouldn’t be capable of making. However, it was his shot-making abilities to the perimeter, production around the basket and energy that really stood out. Kessler was a relative sleeper during the winter months but the recruitment of the five-star has only accelerated. Georgia was the favorite early in the process and it remains heavily entrenched but more have joined the fray as Virginia was the latest to offer with UNC and Duke the most recent to show interest. Kessler is a blueblood, elite prospect every way you look at it and his recruitment is beginning to take shape as such.
Intriguing to say the least, Robinson is still just putting it all together but he can already comfortably score over either shoulder in the post while also showing the threat to make jumpers out of the mid-range area. His feel for the game as a low-post passer is not missing and neither are his hands around the basket as a rebounder. Robinson was watched by head coaches from Utah, Oregon State and St. Mary’s, along with assistants from Nevada, UNLV, San Diego State, Georgia Tech and Washington State. I would expect for his recruitment to only improve thanks to the dire need for mobile bigs that can score.
Agbonkpolo is a tremendous asset on both sides of the floor. A tall and slender wing that can play multiple positions and on either end of the floor, Agbonkpolo is a gifted scorer who comprehends when to shoot the perimeter jumper, when to attack the set defense and when to hit the open teammate. He is not an elite level athlete, nor does he have the proper weight just yet, but he is a skilled prospect with great size for his position on the floor. He may need a little time in getting his body right before he can produce as often as he should in college but the potential is there with Agbonkpolo, a good reason why USC currently sits with the best recruiting class in 2019.
Arguably one of the most explosive athletes out of the Southeast, Tucker had a very solid showing on Saturday morning. A solid competitor with a killer first step, staying in front of Tucker is difficult, to say the least. More of a scorer than a playmaker, Tucker wields a confident and accurate deep ball that he can convert from off the catch and whenever he is placed onto the ball. Thanks to his strong build and toughness, there is no reason he cannot evolve into a more than sturdy defender at either guard position. Georgia Tech, Georgia, Clemson, USF, and a slew of others watched Tucker closely in California.
Loveday is one of the best frontline prospects in the Midwest out of the 2020 class and he looked the part on Saturday. A savvy angle player around the basket that can score over either shoulder, throw Loveday into a system-based, half-court offense and he is going to flourish. While he does have to get stronger so that he can hold his ground more appropriately near the bucket, he does have edges of toughness to him that enables for production whenever physicality is evident. Loveday was watched on Saturday by assistants from Michigan and Dayton as half of the Big Ten has already jumped into his recruitment with an offer. He will take an unofficial visit to Purdue on Aug. 24 and hopes to visit Indiana and Florida next month, too.
Carlson is the ideal 5-man in today’s game as he can score inside and out, and do so in an efficient manner. He doesn’t lack for toughness, nor does he have a deficiency in the skill department as he can score over either shoulder in the post, extend the defense with the pick-and-pop perimeter jumper and convert on the face-up out of the mid-post region. He plays hard, is mobile enough as a rim runner and a good athlete around the basket as an area rebounder and shot changer. The regional programs have made Carlson a priority as he was watched by coaches from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Marquette, Stanford, Georgetown and Georgia on Saturday; he will take unofficial visits to Creighton, Iowa State and Nebraska next month.
