BROOKVILLE, NY -- Just outside of New York City on the campus of LIU Post, the 2015 Adidas Uprising All-America Camp got off to a good start. With several highly ranked players in attendance, two point guards were able to step out of the shadows of more highly ranked summer teammates to show they belong as high-major prospects as 2016's
Kamar Baldwin and 2017's
Jose Alvarado were among those taking advantage of the big stage on a night where many boosted their stock.
The beauty of today's grassroots circuit is also a curse at times. Power programs have been able to stockpile talented players and the system of camps and tournaments allow for easy viewing. However, there are times where some players go a little under-the-radar because they play on teams with so much talent, it's hard to give them the credit they are due each time out.
On Wednesday night, 2016's
Kamar Baldwin and 2017's
Jose Alvarado stepped forward and showed they deserve more notoriety.
Let's go ahead and start with the younger of the two floor generals, Alvarado. A speedy and thin six-footer from Middle Village (N.Y.) Christ the King, Alvarado entered camp with a very good reputation in the New York area and he had already started to rack up high-major offers.
But, playing on the New York Rens with five-star studs like
Rawle Alkins and
Mustapha Heron, his game has gone a bit unrecognized. That shouldn't be the case from here on out.
Rodriguez showed speed, the ability to knock down open shots from deep and a style of play that prioritizes pressuring his opponents on both ends of the floor and making the correct decision with the ball. Currently regarded as an unranked 3-star prospect, it's hard to envision the next ranking of the class of 2017 not including his name. Alvarado listed offers from
Miami,
Indiana,
Seton Hall, St. John's, VCU,
Georgia Tech,
SMU, Iona and Fordham.
Moving on to Baldwin, it isn't as if he is a total unknown. The 6-foot-1 point guard from Winder (Ga.) Apalachee already ranks No. 133 in the 2016
Rivals150 and has good college attention. But, he plays for a loaded Atlanta Celtics team where five-stars like
Kobi Simmons and
Joshua Langford have gotten the majority of the ink.
Able to show what he can do in a more featured role, Baldwin was outstanding in every way Wednesday. He shot the ball with confidence and range, he got to the rim at will and he played very aggressive on the ball defense.
Feeling good with his jumper and getting the opportunity to lead were important for Baldwin.
"I've always been able to shoot like that," Baldwin said. "I've been getting my rhythm going lately and when I'm not in my rhythm, my shot suffers.
"I can give coaches another view of the level I can play at when I'm shooting the ball well."
Baldwin holds offers from Providence,
Georgia Tech,
Clemson, VCU, South Alabama, Middle Tennessee State, Butler and
Richmond. He said that he expected
Stanford and
Oklahoma State to evaluate him at camp and judging by the buzz making it's way through the assembled college coaching contingent, many more programs will be reaching out.