Already the No. 7 player in the class of 2014, it isn't like
Rashad Vaughn really has anything to prove. However, the
UNLV-bound shooting guard sure looked like he was determined to have a good practice on Monday. The 6-foot-5 '2' guard from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep had the steadiest day of anybody.
Vaughn missed time during the season with a knee injury and struggled some with loss of explosion before getting shut down for half of December and January to heal. He looks pretty much 100 percent healthy and he was one of several wings who performed well. Vaughn showed little trouble shooting out to the NBA three-point line. He defended at a high level and he looked to be the most adept of any wing when it came to creating off the dribble.
There's no question that the other wings were competing as well. Fresh off of his fourth straight state title,
Arizona-bound
Stanley Johnson was playing well. He defended, played extremely physical and was shooting the ball pretty well. The No. 3 player in 2014 just doesn't take any plays, much less days, off, and it seemed to visibly frustrate a few others during practice.
On the West with Vaughn and Johnson,
Duke-bound
Grayson Allen and
Kentucky-bound
Devin Booker both had good moments shooting the ball and have good size for shooting guards. Booker's shot is a little more crisp, while Allen has a little pop in his legs and is a pretty good defender.
On the East side,
Justise Winslow was impressive with his hustle and defense. He is a high-level athlete who can really move his feet, takes pride in shutting his opponent down and he will crash the glass. He has functional athleticism in that he can take a hit and still finish or rise. In many ways, he has some Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to his game.
Future foe
Theo Pinson had nice flashes alongside Winslow. The
North Carolina commit is quick -- even in a setting with several other impressive wings -- and he has the ability to be a defensive stopper as well. Pinson sometimes over dribbles a little, but he can legitimately create for himself going right or left off the bounce.
Myles Turner sat down to discuss his recruitment on Monday. Turner hasn't set a decision date. He understands he has many high-level coaches waiting on his decision, but he isn't going to be rushed and will not to commit to naming either a leader or even a group of schools that may have edged their way out front.
On the floor, Turner had a pretty solid day. He continues to get stronger and does a good job on both sides of the floor. He can score pretty consistently out to 17 feet, he finished well around the rim, blocked some shots and did an effective job on the glass.