Advertisement
basketball Edit

McDonald's awards: Thursday's AAU Super Showcase

Joey Baker
Joey Baker (Under Armour/Kelly Kline)
Advertisement

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Thursday was the second day of action at the AAU Super Showcase at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, but it was the final day of pool play. Rivals.com was in the house for all the action, and we’re ready to hand out some awards and superlatives for the day.

MORE: Wild scene in Vegas for Ball, Williamson | Fab 48 takeaways

MOST TALENTED PLAYER

Baker missed the first half in the nightcap against Team Power out of Georgia with what appeared to be a right shoulder injury, but he entered into the action at the start of the second and immediately made his presence felt. He quickly knocked down a couple of jump shots. He showed some dexterity and creativity on a drive and finish with a floater, but he also used his ability to get off the floor to make some explosive plays around the rim. He pumped in around 15 points in one half of action with N.C. State’s Kevin Keatts the only high-major head coach in attendance.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

AOT never led against City Rocks until the buzzer sounded at the end of the game when Brandon Suggs won it with a put-back. But it was Isaac Okoro who willed AOT back into the game after it trailed by as many as 18 points. His relentless energy can get him into trouble sometimes as he tries to do too much, but it can also give his team a boost when he gets going. He simply couldn’t be stopped down the stretch going to the bucket and had several finishes in the last couple of minutes to complete the comeback.

MOST ENERGETIC PLAYER

Manny Bates is one of the more improved players in the entire 2018 class over the past few months, and with how hard he works on the court, that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. His energy on both ends of the court is infectious. He’s a true rim protector who will let opponents know about it when he swats their shot. Offensively, he’s still raw, but his hands are much improved, and he’s a ferocious dunker. N.C. State’s Kevin Keatts watched him, as did assistants from Clemson, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

MOST LIKELY TO PLAY FOR HIS DAD IN COLLEGE

Alright, this one is cheap. Buddy Boeheim, son of Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, is probably one of only a few prospects at the Super Showcase whose dad is a college basketball coach. But Buddy Boeheim can really play. Syracuse assistant Gerry McNamara was on hand to watch the younger Boeheim, who has one of the better three-point strokes in the 2018 class.

KING OF THE PAINT

With Maryland’s Mark Turgeon looking on, Isaiah Stewart completely dominated the game in the paint. He used his big body, natural strength and strong hands to absolutely dominate on the boards. He may have reached double figures in just over a quarter of action. He also finishes well on the block on the offensive end when he gets a chance. There is little doubt he’s one of the better post players in the 2018 class.

MOST LONG-TERM POTENTIAL

On a really talented 15-under Atlanta Celtics team, Walker Kessler is likely the best long-term prospect of the bunch. Already 6-foot-10, he has a pure three-point stroke and can also score from the block. His skill set translates perfectly to today’s college game with his inside-outside ability. Once he adds more strength to his big frame, Kessler, whose father (Chad), uncle (Alec) and brother (Houston) all played at Georgia, will be a force to be reckoned with. The Bulldogs are already recruiting the legacy recruit, as are Auburn, Clemson, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and many more.

Advertisement