ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Each year, the Nike Elite 100 spotlights some of the top rising sophomore and junior talent in America. This year, the focus was on skill development and instruction with fewer games but top 25 combo guard Tyrese Maxey headlined a group of 12 that caught our eye.
MAXEY LEADS THE WAY FOR LEAD GUARDS AT ELITE 100
How he stood out: One of the most physical backcourt players in camp, Maxey stood out for his off-the-dribble scoring. He's an explosive athlete when he needs to be, draws lots of fouls and is a streaky jump shooter who scores in bursts.
Recruitment: Maxey already has a large amount of high major offers from programs such as Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, USC, LSU and many more.
OTHER LEAD GUARD STANDOUTS
How he stood out: The highest-ranked prospect in attendance, Anthony showed off big-time athleticism and the ability to create for himself when needed.
Recruitment: Anthony doesn't discuss offers, but UCLA, Miami, Wake Forest, St. John's and Oregon are among those believed to have offered.
How he stood out: One of the smallest players in camp, Cook played with toughness and no fear while attacking the lane. He is somewhat similar to Miami-bound four-star Chris Lykes from the class of 2017.
Recruitment: Tulsa and Incarnate Word gave early offers, many in the Big 12 are evaluating.
How he stood out: Another small point guard, Cooper also stood out because of his toughness. He's a natural scorer at heart and likes to shoot jumpers, but he's a clever passer as well.
Recruitment: Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia Tech have offered.
How he stood out: This was our first long look at Jones and he impressed as a physical playmaker who likes to attack the paint. Jones has big-time defensive potential as well.
Recruitment: Saint Louis offered shortly after the Elite 100 joining Wisconsin Green Bay.
How he stood out: One of the most athletic guards in attendance, Lecque really impressed with his game off the bounce. He's a scorer first, but can also be a pretty good setup man when needed. He is in line to make one of the biggest debuts when 2019 rankings get updated soon.
Recruitment: One of the hottest players in the 2019 class, Lecque's recruitment has exploded. Auburn, Providence, Houston, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Georgia, Wake Forest, Kansas State, St. John's, Seton Hall, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia Tech are among those who have offered in the past few months.
How he stood out: He's a little small – 6-foot-1 and 157 pounds – but Lewis has an explosive first step and is wired to score. Streaky shooter, plays with confidence.
Recruitment: Oklahoma State and Dayton were recent offers, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Lewis end up as an Alabama-Auburn battle.
How he stood out: One of the most confident point guards in attendance, Mann can really do damage as a scorer. He's also sneaky athletic and plays much stronger than you would think given his slight build.
Recruitment: Mann lists offers from Florida, Florida State, Memphis, Texas A&M and Tennessee among others.
How he stood out: One of the most active and best defenders in camp, McKinney plays with tremendous energy. He's bouncy at the rim but most impressive is how quickly he changes directions and how well he keeps his balance.
Recruitment: Kansas State, Xavier, Auburn, St. Louis and Tulsa are among his early offers.
How he stood out: One of the most natural scorers in camp, Watts is really confident as a jump shooter and he's got some toughness when he attacks off the bounce. One of those guys who shoots it like he thinks every shot is going in.
Recruitment: Xavier, Marquette, Georgia Tech, Iowa and Missouri are among those to offer, but so have Michigan and Michigan State.
How he stood out: Wills was one of the toughest guys to keep out of the lane. He has good size, is a good finisher and has some athleticism he can dial up when needed.
Recruitment: California, Pittsburgh, Miami, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Providence, St. John's and Wake Forest are among nearly 20 schools that have offered.
How he stood out: He is probably a shooting guard right now, but we like the idea of him ultimately playing as a sharp-shooting point guard with length. Wilson is one of the best jump shooters in his class nationally.
Recruitment: Wilson does not yet report any offers.
