Bossi's Best: NBPA Top 100
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The NBPA Top 100 Camp provided a great opportunity to check up on some of the country's top players five-star Jalen Johnson.
After spending three days at camp I'm doing a special NBPA Top 100 Camp edition of Bossi's Best. Today, I want to make mention of some of the top performers that we didn't address during our live coverage of camp. By the nature of camp, most of these guys are pretty well known but a few of them are still relatively under the radar.
Without further adieu, a look at 11 more camp standouts -- in alphabetical order.
Why he was one of my best: Abdur-Rahim put up big numbers during the spring. He also shot the ball a ton and his team wasn't the most successful. At camp, Abdur-Rahim was still a big scorer at 15.8 points per game but his efficiency (47.6% from three) and overall game were much improved.
Recruitment: Michigan had looked like they were maybe the team to beat before John Beilein left but is trying to regroup as Juwan Howard is targeting him too. Boston College, Texas, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Villanova are some of the most notable schools to recently get involved. Georgetown, Georgia, Kansas and many others have been in the mix.
Why he was one of my best: How hot was Beauchamp from the field in his first three games? He was hot enough to absorb an 0-8 outing in his fourth game to still be averaging 13 points per contest on 50% shooting (47.1 from three) from the field. He played with confidence, poise and was one of camp's best shot makers. When he's hot, he's as good as anybody in the country. When he's not, well he's got to find other ways to contribute to shed the inconsistent tag he's been hit with.
Recruitment: Alabama jumped in during the spring, Florida State was in early and west coast programs like Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and Washington State have been involved.
Why he was one of my best: I don't know that I saw many frontcourt players who were more aggressive than Brakefield. He hunted jump shots and attacked off the dribble but never ventured into the realm of straight up shot jacking. He was engaged, productive and fun to watch. A little more work on the glass and it would have been a spotless few days for him.
Recruitment: Ole Miss is trying their best to get him to come back home for school. Baylor, Oregon, Pitt, St. John's, Louisville, Mississippi State and many more are involved and his recruitment still seems pretty open.
Why he was one of my best: Cleveland's overall numbers through the first few days were relatively modest (7.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists) but that's not a big deal. Rising juniors don't often put up big numbers at NBPA Camp. This was my first in person look at Cleveland and I can understand why our contributor Dan McDonald has been so high on him. Nice looking athlete with a sturdy all-around game.
Recruitment: Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech and TCU have all made early offers.
Why he was one of my best: There's a Grant Williams'esque way to how Coleman just plugs along and gets stuff done. He's rough, he's tough and he's really skilled from 15 feet and in. He's a productive board man, reliable defender and just a generally solid all-around player.
Recruitment: Coleman should be cutting down his list to six or seven in the next few weeks. Home state Virginia is thought to be doing well while Duke and UCLA have been in recent contact. Georgetown, Maryland, N.C. State, Ohio State, Pitt and a host of others are involved.
Why he was one of my best: A dual sport star who plays with toughness and skill, Cook is a gifted scorer at the point. He's got range on his shot and strength to take bumps. On the football field he's a four-star athlete and you can see how that football experience helps him. I like that he's reliable and always shows up ready to play.
Recruitment: Things are still up in the air as to whether Cook will play football or hoops. It's going to be a tough decision considering some like Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame and Tennessee have offered for football.
Why he was one of my best: I've always liked the way Diabate can run the floor, his size and his quickness and agility in the lane. I didn't love watching him settle for jumpers and playing 18-20 feet from the hoop during the high school season. He continued his spring trend of running the floor, getting on the glass and playing from inside out at NBPA and it was a successful mix for the big time 2021 prospect.
Recruitment: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Miami, Oklahoma State and Pitt are among his earliest offers.
Why he was one of my best: Diarra makes himself an easy pick for columns like this because he plays with virtually unmatched intensity and motor. Pretty much every time I walk away from watching him play I feel like he competed like his life was on the line. He's going to be a tremendous college defender and keeps getting better offensively.
Recruitment: The NYC native's recruitment has totally blown up with Indiana, Penn State, St. John's and Wake Forest offering in the last month. USF, Rhode Island, Texas Tech, VCU and others had previously offered.
Why he was one of my best: Having Johnson and 2021's No. 4 ranked player Paolo Banchero on the same team just wasn't fair. Especially once the two got onto the same page during their time on the floor together. I really liked seeing Johnson shake off a sluggish start by using his size and strength to pound the glass. Not surprisingly, the rest of his game fell in place while putting up just under 15 points, nine rebounds and a pair of assists per game.
Recruitment: Johnson is down to a final four of Arizona, Duke, Kentucky and Wisconsin. Duke has been considered the favorite.
Why he was one of my best: The son of a prolific scorer, Vernon Maxwell, the combo guard was one of the camp's best scorers himself. He's armed with a deadly jumper and he is capable of making really tough shots. I joke about "feels like leather" guys and he's in that category of shooter who thinks he's in range as soon as there's something that feels like leather in his hands. Made over 44 percent of his threes while averaging just under 16 points the first few days. If he keeps playing like this, it would be hard to leave him out of the next Rivals150.
Recruitment: Saint Louis offered after Travis Ford watched him bomb away from deep in Charlottesville and Providence got in pretty early. Overall, things are pretty quiet so far but could be changing after his big NBPA performance.
Why he was one of my best: My partner in crime here at Rivals, Corey Evans, has been pretty high on Richmond after seeing him earlier this spring. After getting my first in person look at him I can see why. He plays with speed, he is in attack mode and he gives great effort on both sides. Richmond is a little raw as a prospect but has big upside is one to watch closely down the road.
Recruitment: Connecticut, Dayton, Georgetown, Kansas State, Oregon, Penn State, Saint Louis, Seton Hall, St. John's, VCU, Wichita State and more have jumped in.