Basketball Without Borders: Standouts & Notes
CHARLOTTE – The Basketball Without Borders Global Camp has become a staple of All-Star Weekend in recent years by hosting some of the top international born prospects and allotting a competitive atmosphere where all 30 NBA teams can scout and evaluate future faces in their sport. Here are the top standouts that are slated to play college basketball.
It was the best that we have seen Tristan Enaruna play to date as he looked like a legitimate NBA Draft target while competing against some of the most touted international prospects. Enaruna sports a great frame that he should fill out and while he has been knocked for his toughness in the past, he did show the capacity to play through contact and take the bump before finishing at the basket.
Eraruna remains at his best as an ambidextrous playmaker in the frontcourt that can throw precise passes on the go and also convert on nifty off-handed runners in the lane. What put things over the top was his consistent perimeter jumper that we had never seen before. He was one of the biggest stock boosters in Charlotte. The Netherlands native is currently hearing the most from Creighton, Kansas, Miami, Texas and Texas Tech.
Settled into northeast Ohio, Keon Ambrose-Hylton remains more of an under-the-radar name from the 2020 class and while he can be found in the Rivals150, after what we saw from him over the weekend, he will definitely be getting a bump in the next update.
Ambrose-Hylton is best on the straight-line drive attack towards the basket. He will need to improve his jumper if his half-court production is to match what he can do in the open floor.
He did showcase one of the best motors around, defended three positions with an urgency and showed tremendous instincts as a shot blocker. His college recruitment is just starting to take off as Illinois, Ohio State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are among the group in pursuit for the Rivals150 junior that could reclassify into the 2019 class.
The cousin of Virginia Tech star Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Cashius McNeilly showed off a tremendous skill set and the ability to wear many hats in the backcourt. While his athleticism wasn’t up to par compared to the other, more explosive standouts, McNeilly’s calling card is his shot-making prowess to the perimeter, passing skills off of the high ball screen and developed IQ.
He will take an official visit to Virginia Tech beginning on Monday as the Hokies are the strong favorite for his commitment. There is talk that a reclassification into the 2019 class is in play.
Oumar Ballo has been a heavily regarded name for the past few years thanks to his dominance down low and tremendous length that he boasts. He has great hands and touch around the basket but he failed to convert as often as he should have as his recent lower body injury has hurt his conditioning levels. He is a bit out of shape and struggled to show much lift or explosiveness at the rim as scoring against length is a major deterrent at this point in time.
However, at the end of the day, they do not make them the size of Ballo, which is why he should be a strong producer in college next year. He will visit Gonzaga in the coming days and while Mark Few’s bunch was thought to be the strong favorite for him, do not sleep on Arizona or Baylor.
Consistency is the name of the game with Addison Patterson and if the Canadian talent can become better at it, his stock will really take off. Already a top-35 prospect in the 2020 class, Patterson said he could reclassify into the 2019 class this summer. Either way, the scoring wing has the chance to make an immediate mark on a high-major playing floor whenever he does enroll.
Patterson garnered praise from NBA personnel over the weekend with his athletic finishes at the basket, the size that he brings to the perimeter and the added ability to create for others as a secondary ballhandler. His shot mechanics need some work as he received some Lonzo Ball-like comparisons, but Patterson is a super talented prospect that is currently being pursued the most by Arizona State, Illinois, Memphis and Oregon.
Settled in the United States at Central Pointe Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Fla., it won’t be much longer before the secret that is Victor Rosa gets out. The 6-foot-5 wing by way of Puerto Rico ended the camp in strong fashion and, at one point on Sunday, hit four 3s consecutively, looking to be the best perimeter shooter in attendance.
He plays with energy, confidence and a firm understanding of how to get his shot off in half-court offense. Rosa told Rivals.com that Arizona State, Austin Peay, FAU, FGCU, FIU, Kansas State and Wake Forest have all offered in recent months. Seeing that good-sized guards that can make shots remain a must, it would not be a surprise to see many others jump in on the Puerto Rican standout.
He is going to find his way onto a college playing floor next year, but where that might be remains up for debate. Jermaine Miranda sported some major toughness at Queens University, all while playing on the ball for longer periods as a secondary playmaker-type, hitting shots from each level and defending his butt off. He could evolve into a tremendous perimeter asset that affects the game on both ends of the floor.
Miranda kicked off his college recruitment at the National Prep School Invitational earlier this month in Rhode Island, but many remain sleeping on the talented guard. The lefty’s confidence and ability to wear many hats in the backcourt will be welcomed by someone next year as Colorado State, Ole Miss and Montana are just three of the schools in the hunt.
Santiago Vescovi has already garnered a variety of college interest and offers in the early going and rightfully so. Just a member of the 2020 class, the native of Uruguay has seen Boston College, Hofstra, George Washington and Tulsa jump into his recruitment.
The 6-foot-1 playmaker stood out with his ability to make all of the right reads and passes. His feel for the game is tremendous and he uses that an asset in picking apart the opposing defense with the pocket pass that, more times than not, leads to a much easier look at the basket for his teammates. This is not to say that Vescovi can’t score, as he is a threat to the perimeter with the jumper, but he is at his best as a premier set-up artist that should see more colleges jump into his recruitment in the coming months.