Cassidy's Takeaways: Top performers from the Wootten 150 Camp
LAS VEGAS – The 2023 installment of the Wootten 150 Camp took place 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip last week, and Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand from start to finish.
Below, he explores some of the more memorable performances from the two-day event in the desert.
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What he did: Jackson turned in the most impressive performance of the camp’s first day, as the North Carolina commit showed off his usual elite athleticism and ability to play above the rim while also shooting it well from deep and contributing on the defensive end.
The 6-foot-5 guard got to his spots with almost no wasted motion and showed some creativity when it came to finishing at the rack. When Jackson’s shot is falling, he’s one of the more complete offensive weapons in high school basketball, and that was the case for the entirety of Thursday.
Recruitment: Jackson remains committed to North Carolina and shot down rumors of a possible flip to St. John's in matter-of-fact terms on both Thursday and Friday,
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What he did: Castillo shot the ball well on Friday, but showed himself to be more than a spot-up weapon. The Oklahoma-based guard ran the point for his team and dictated pace while showing the ability to avoid poor decisions with the ball in his hands.
Castillo also displayed added confidence as it’s sometimes easy for guys to blend in when surrounded by other top-flight prospects. That said, Castillo wasn’t scared to let it fly when given open looks and routinely put his teammates in position to succeed.
Recruitment: Castillo is committed to Kansas State.
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What he did: The long, athletic Howard has spent the year proving he’s refocused on developing his game and has emerged as a versatile scorer that can shoot it from deep as well as attack the rim in the transition. He’s added muscle and has become one of the more motivated defenders in the class. On Thursday, he showed off three-level scoring ability and a knack for guarding multiple positions.
Recruitment: Howard’s recruitment has featured twists, turns and canceled announcement dates, but it now seems as though Arizona State, Auburn and Georgia Tech are the main players. Howard has already visited ASU and intends to visit Auburn in the coming month.
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What he did: One of the more intriguing young prospects at the event, Barther is a 2026 combo guard with obvious long-term upside. He pooped off the page early on Thursday, showing advanced feel and the ability to create shots off the dribble and finish at the rim.
If he continues to develop as a ball-handler and long-range shooter, the 6-foot-4 Barther could become a hyper-versatile backcourt weapon. He’s definitely a sophomore to be aware of in the Lone Star State.
Recruitment: Barther is from Ft. Worth and already holds an offer from hometown TCU. There’s plenty of time left to go in the 2026 guard’s recruitment, and more schools will definitely join the fray in the future. That said, the Horned Frogs should be a major player until the end. Texas A&M, SMU, Arizona State and others are also already involved.
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What he did: A 2026 prospect, Andrews is physically developed beyond his years and knows how to use his strong upper body to get to spots and gain an advantage over smaller defenders. He rebounds well positionally, which is at least partially a product of his frame and high-level athleticism.
Andrews was as active as any prospect at the camp, giving maximum effort on nearly every possession and showing off some range shooting the rock from deep.
Recruitment: Programs such as Missouri, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Illinois are all involved with Andrews at this early juncture. Andrews plays his high school basketball at Little Rock Christian High School, making the in-state Razorbacks worth monitoring closely.
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What he did: Freeman was listed under somebody else’s name on the initial camp roster, but played well enough that everyone in the building knew it was him by the end of Thursday’s first session. The long, athletic big man has always been known as a weapon in the paint, but he put on a bit of a shooting clinic on Thursday, showing a much more reliable jumper from deep than he used to possess.
Freeman has been a highly regarded prospect for years now, so it’s encouraging to see him continue to develop new aspects of his game despite his lofty ranking.
Recruitment: Freeman is committed to Syracuse.
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What he did: Harper participated on both days of the event and had his dominant stretches on both days. One of the more versatile scorers in the 2024 class, Harper uses his thick frame to get to spots and attack the rim but also fills it up from deep with regularity. His shot was falling consistently during Thursday’s game, which allowed him to shine as bright as any player at the event for stretches.
Recruitment: Harper is still considered a Rutgers lean but the more time that passes without a commitment seems to suggest that programs such as Duke, Auburn and possibly Kansas have a real shot of stealing his pledge. No timetable has been set for a decision announcement.
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What he did: There is long-term potential at work with Dobuol who shoots the ball extremely well from a 6-foot-8 wing. There’s work left to do when it comes to a shot-creation standpoint but his length, basketball IQ and jumper makes him wildly intriguing. There’s a reason Dobuol found his way into the Rivals150 last month, and he used his camp performance to prove he should stay there. He could take a massive next step in the year ahead as he continues to add weight and improve his handle.
Recruitment: Dobuol is set to visit West Virginia on Oct. 20 and already holds an offer from the Mountaineers. Programs such as Alabama, St. John’s, UCF and Arizona State have also shown interest.