Nike Elite 100: Frontcourt standouts
ST. LOUIS -- Each year, Nike's Elite 100 showcases the next generation of stars from the rising sophomore and junior classes. National Basketball Analyst Eric Bossi takes an alphabetical order look at a dozen frontcourt players like 2018's Emmitt Williams who stood out to him.
Performance: Measuring in at 6-foot-8 (in his socks) with a seven-foot wingspan, the 236 pound Carey is already solidly built for a young big. He showed good touch on jumpers from mid range, battled on the glass and at this stage has proven to be a potentially elite prospect in 2019.
Recruitment: Saint Louis offered post Elite 100 joining others like Florida, Miami and Baylor.
Performance: Solidly built at 207 pounds, Hauser is a combo forward who loves to face up the hoop and drill jump shots. He plays with some edge and didn't let the up and down/every man for himself nature of camp take him out of his game.
Recruitment: His older brother Sam will be a freshman at Marquette this year and they've offered along with Wisconsin, Virginia, Iowa State and others.
Performance: A product of Alaska who recently moved to Portland, Hepa is a smoth athlete with high end skills. He shoots with range, can attack off the dribble from the high post and he has a competitive edge to him.
Recruitment: Offers from Utah, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Washington State, Miami, Nebraska, Utah and others.
Performance: Jemison was a pleasant surprise because of how hard he played and his commitment to the little things. He set tough screens, rebounded the ball and showed good skill with his passing and some drives to the hoop. His play exceeded his reputation.
Recruitment: Auburn and UAB have already offered.
Performance: A thin combo forward who measured in at 6-foot-6, Lawson's wingspan measured an astounding 7-foot-6. He uses those long arms to his advantage to grab rebounds and score from 15 feet and in. Lawson isn't an overwhelming athlete and the hope is that he can transition to the wing full time as his high school career goes on.
Recruitment: Lawson has two older brothers that play at Memphis and his father is on the staff.
Performance: Not many guys inflicted much more interior pain than Littles did. He measured a little shorter than he's been listed at 6-foot-7 but his 7-foot-1 wingspan and powerful 258 pound body allow him to play big. He's got some touch on jumpers and is a nifty passer to boot.
Recruitment: Penn State has offered early.
Performance: Shaq's son proved deserving of his four-star billing and and he may be ranked 30-40 spots too low. He made three pointers (including a game winner at the buzzer during playoff action), ran the floor and rebounded well. O'Neal had one of the single most impressive plays of camp when he tip dunked his own missed 12 foot jumper.
Recruitment: Arizona, LSU, USC, UCLA, Washington State, Kansas State are among his early offers.
Performance: The chiseled 6-foot-8, 225 pound Okoro could easily pass for somebody 10 years older than a high schooler. He is quick off the floor, can make some short jumpers and he is an intimidating force in the lane. Okoro showed no rust from having to sit out his freshman year of high school due to transfer rules.
Recruitment: Tennessee and Vanderbilt offered early.
Performance: Given a chance to show everything he can do, Porter was one of the biggest surprises in camp. Previously we had viewed him as a jump shooter with size but his passing, ball handling and rugged interior play were great bonuses.
Recruitment: Committed to Washington where his father is an assistant coach.
Performance: One of the most highly touted players in 2019, Watford is a highly skilled combo forward. His athleticism is relatively average, but his jump shooting, feel for creating space offensively and nose for the basket are way above average. He easily looks like a top 25, likely better, prospect at this point in 2019.
Recruitment: Alabama and Mississippi State have offered.
Performance: Williams continued a strong spring full of inspired play. He isn't the biggest power forward around, but he is one of the most athletic and physically tough. He reminds us of a guy named Donnell Harvey who rode that style all the way to the NBA. Not saying Williams is an NBA player just yet, but he's a legit high major who will move into the next set of 2018 rankings.
Recruitment: Florida, Florida State, Kansas State, Texas A&M, USC, LSU, TCU and others have already offered.
Performance: A thin and and athletic four man, Wiseman's long term potential is at the elite level. He ran the floor, showed soft touch and that he's willing to fight for things. Wiseman isn't putting up huge numbers just yet but barring a total collapse this summer, he'll start off as a five-star prospect when the class of 2019 is first rated in late August and early September.
Recruitment: Tennessee and Texas have offered.
