Hoophall West: The Bossi Awards

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Hoophall West has come to a close and Eric Bossi is handing out awards to standouts like five-star Evan Mobley.

I've seen it play out for prospects like Evan Mobley before.

The 6-foot-11 big man from California made a pretty strong case for the No. 1 spot in 2020 and as good as he's gotten over the last year, he's just scratching the surface and looks as much like.a future Lottery pick in the NBA Draft as a high school junior can.

Making a comparison for him isn't easy because there really isn't one that immediately comes to mind. However, his slender body, ability to race up and down the floor, outside touch, quickness around the hoop and ability as a shot blocker do conjure up some memories of a young Marcus Camby.

Say this for Nico Mannion, when the bright lights are on and the moment is big, he's going to be ready to play. The five-star point guard has always been a producer but watching him at Hoophall West it's more clear than every that he's at his best when the lights are brightest.

He can shoot, he's a flashy handler and passer who manages to make the right play almost every time. Staying home to play at Arizona, Mannion has a sense for the moment and plays with emotion. He's not going to back down from trash talk (from his opponent or the crowd) and a career spent in the spotlight has prepared him to perform.

LaMelo Ball has a job to do and he does it well. That's entertain packed houses.

There isn't a bigger attraction in grassroots basketball than Ball right now and he gives the fans what they want to see. It helps that he has a stacked group of teammates at Spire, but Ball knows how to put them in position to entertain a crowd. He has no look passes, finishes with dunks, will pull up from anywhere and plays to those who come to see him.

Could he be eligible for college after playing overseas and in his father's professional league? He says he wants to explore college options but to date nobody appears to have tried a serious run at him.

Gonzaga basketball is as hot as it has ever been right now and Anton Watson deciding to play in his hometown is another big deal for the Zags.

Watson's growth as a player over the last year has been impressive to watch. He's really upgraded his skill level and when it mattered in Scottsdale, he took things over and did all he could to help Gonzaga Prep. Expect a nice career for him.

When all else fails, five-star sophomore Jaden Hardy is an alpha scorer. He's going to get buckets and he's going to do it as a jump shooter, driver or transition finisher. But, he's not some shot gunning two guard, he's a complete player.

Need Hardy to slide over to the point? He can do that and set his teammates up with ease. Need him to get some defensive stops? He'll do that too. Get on the glass? Sure, he's an outstanding rebounder. Bottom line, he's highly versatile and a well schooled player on both ends of the floor.

USC, Memphis, Arizona, Georgetown, Arizona State, UNLV, Oklahoma, LSU, Washington, Florida, Florida State, Illinois, TCU and many others have already offered.

There are graceful athletes who make it all look so easy, then there's Isaiah Jackson. Many can run and jump, but few can move laterally like Jackson can and when you add it all together he's a true athletic freak who looks like he could run all day.

He's an elite shot blocker, will try to dunk anything and plays with an energy that crowds and teammates feed off of. As he polishes his offensive game, Jackson's potential is monstrous.

Making one of the largest impressions was sophomore shooting guard Will McClendon of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman.

This kid is a true enforcer on the floor. He's strong, he's got long arms and he's tough enough to tackle just about any challenge and do so with grit and determination. Oh yeah, he can fill it up from deep as well and looks to be in line to a high major prospect out west because of his ability to play both sides of the ball. UNLV, Washington and Pepperdine have offered and more will follow soon.

We've written it before and we will write it again, De'Vion Harmon looks like he'll start at Oklahoma for as long as he is in a Sooners uniform.

At the Hoophall West he seemed extra inspired to play with physicality and did a nice job of balancing his scoring and playmaking. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, feels like he's the baddest dude on the block and usually backs up that supreme confidence. He and Denton (Texas) Guyer had a strong weekend in the desert.

He's just a pup and he's just figuring out how to balance his inside and outside game, but make no mistake about it, sophomore forward DaRon Holmes has huge potential.

Holmes hits catch and shoot threes while trailing the point guard up the floor. He rises above the crowd for rebounds, puts the ball on the floor a bit and has the type of athletic build and room to fill out that you look for in a prospect.

Arizona State, Cal, Ole Miss, New Mexico and Grand Canyon have seen fit to offer and they've got good reason to do so.

The more Jalen Wilson takes the floor, the better his decision to attend Michigan looks because his game and personality are a perfect fit for John Beilein and the Wolverines.

A combo forward who does a lot of damage as a mismatch four, Wilson's game is built on skill, discipline and picking the right spots. In Scottsdale he had the jumper working from deep but also used his size and strength around the rim when needed. That strength is going to be hugely beneficial when he gets on campus and gives him a leg up on most typical freshmen.

Five-star Kyree Walker is a physical scorer who can play above the rim. He's also a tenacious competitor on the defensive side of the ball.

What stands out the most, though, is a big time first step. It's the key to his entire game. Knowing that he can blow by just about anybody gives him confidence and then the strength to finish through contact and his ability to shift things on the fly make him a tough customer as a scorer.

Memphis, Nevada, Virginia, LSU, Oklahoma and many more have been involved to some extent since he backed off of his Arizona State commitment.