NBPA Top 100: 2018 point guards make a statement
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – It has been one of the most competitive NBPA Top 100 Camps yet and on Thursday, some of the top lead guard prospects rose above the rest. In an epic battle between Ayo Dosunmu and Immanuel Quickley, two of the top point guards in the 2018 class, each showed just why they are highly lauded in a feisty affair. Jahvon Quinerly may have been the best from beginning to end while Ashton Hagans continues to put his name into better light as he may just be the best on-ball defender in America.
He is not a revelation anymore like he was this time last year but the competitive demeanor that Ayo Dosunmu exudes never gets old. Standing near 6-foot-4 and with great length and a strong body, Dosunmu is at his best whenever he is attacking the basket. Doing just that on Thursday evening, the top-30 guard willed his way to the bucket as he used an elite first step and shifty abilities below the arc in finding the right driving lanes to attack before finishing with the smooth finger roll a la Allen Iverson.
More than willing to defend the basketball, Dosunmu is one of the most consistent producers at the lead guard spot in America. He is fifth this week in scoring knocking in close to 15 points per contest where his efficiency has been off the charts as he has made two-thirds of his attempts from the field.
Recruitment: Dosunmu is hearing from the best from the Midwest but things are beginning to evolve into a blueblood affair as Kansas offered earlier in the week and the new staff at Ohio State, who had been recruiting him at Butler, offered him on Thursday. He will head to Illinois on Tuesday for an unofficial visit as DePaul, Northwestern and Xavier, the latter program possibly in the best spot for him, remain involved.
Just getting back from Italy on Tuesday playing with the adidas travel circuit across the seas, there was no laying off the gas for Immanuel Quickley. The 6-foot-4 guard has been ingrained to compete and that he did on Thursday. Jawing back and forth with Ayo Dosunmu to finish, it was the kind of throwback affair that has gone missing in the game, a battle that brought out the best in each.
A much improved jump shooter of the basketball compared to this time last year, displaying just how much better he can become and the strong work ethic that he possesses, it would be difficult to nail down a specific drawback of Quickley’s. He is averaging over 12 points, three rebounds and three assists per game this weekend in 23 minutes of action while making half of his field goal tries. He is a two-way dynamo at the lead guard spot that is going to have the rock in his hands from day one, wherever that might be.
Recruitment: Quickley recently narrowed down his list of schools to four: Kansas, Maryland, Kentucky and Miami. At the time being, Kentucky is likely in the best spot for Quickley, though Miami has done wonders in recent years within the DMV as they should be seen as the dark horse.
There might not be a sure-fire, college ready lead guard in high school basketball than Jahvon Quinerly. The 6-foot rising senior was not short for superb play on Thursday as he outplayed some of the best that the nation had to show for itself.
His feel, pace and intellect for the game is off the charts and so is his abilities at the basket where he can use either hand to finish over traffic, oftentimes going to Steve Nash-like off-handed floaters high off the glass that make your jaw drop. He began the day with an 18 point, six assist affair before ending it with 15 more points off of 6-of-12 shooting from the field. He is not a knockdown shooter or an explosive athlete like others but he is a guard that can run a national contending team from day one thanks to his confidence and awareness on the floor.
Recruitment: He recently narrowed down his list to seven, a group consisting of Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Seton Hall and Villanova. He will take an unofficial visit to Virginia on Sunday as all seven schools remain heavily in the mix; Villanova may have the small edge at the current moment.
When one thinks of a tone-setter on the basketball floor, usually a giant bodied big man comes to mind, comparable to a Shaq figure. However, Ashton Hagans is that good of a perimeter defender that each time that he hits the court, he makes his opponent know what he is up against.
Quite possibly the best on-ball defender in high school basketball, regardless of classification, Hagans was as impressive as could be on Thursday. Sure, there are still issues about his shooting as he has just attempted nine shots in all throughout the camp and has not made either two of his 3-point tries, but it can also be seen as a positive as he knows what has gotten him here, which is elite defense and excellent playmaking skills. Leading the event in assists and also headaches, Hagans continues to outplay his opponents as he looks to be the next SEC-must type of recruit in the 2019 class.
Recruitment: Yesterday was a busy day for Hagans as he was able to speak directly to the college coaches for the first time as he heard from Alabama, Auburn, Texas Tech, Florida, UNC, UNLV, Georgia, Kansas and Kentucky. He visited Auburn last week for an unofficial visit but nothing else is planned for the foreseeable future.
He has been nursing a lower leg injury all weekend thanks to getting hurt in his second outing of the camp but that still has not stopped Cole Swider from doing what he does: win. The 6-foot-8 forward is the ideal frontcourt piece that can switch between the 3 and the 4 where he shows little drop off at either spot.
A hot name here in Charlottesville, Swider picked up a Duke offer last week but looks to have bigger goals in mind. He wants to be the best that he can possibly be and plays to that mindset. Seventh in the camp in scoring, Swider has an effortless perimeter jumper where he has made 64-percent of the time this weekend but it is his ability and intellect in attacking the closeout before scoring at the basket with improved athleticism that has really caught some eyes. His game is trending up and the Duke offer was just further affirmation of the fact.
Recruitment: Just last month, Cole Swider narrowed down his college list to eight, a group consisting of Michigan, Syracuse, Villanova, Miami, Indiana, Creighton, Xavier and Providence. However, that was before Duke decided to offer and since they are squarely in the mix, it is more like a group of nine. The Blue Devils will likely receive an official visit from Swider in the fall and while others jostle for their very own, it does feel as if Xavier and Villanova also sit in a solid spot.