Mequon, Wisc. -- The NY2LA Swish 'N Dish has long served as Rivals.com's unofficial kickoff to the Grassroots season. As usual, top talent in the Midwest is on display and there was plenty to like on Saturday in greater Milwaukee.
On a personal note, this kicks off my 20th spring and summer of covering Grassroots ball and I liked how things got started. Here's some of my news, notes and takeaways from Saturday's action.
WILLIAMS CLARIFIES STATUS OF NEBRASKA COMMITMENT
I liked Donovan Williams as a pickup for Nebraska under Tim Miles and I still like him as a pickup for Fred Hoiberg assuming Williams sticks with his pledge to the Huskers.
Williams told me on Saturday that he remains committed and plans to talk with Hoiberg more on Monday to go over some things.
"Me and coach Hoiberg have talked a few times," said Williams. "We just talked this morning actually and he's a good dude. Me and my parents are still evaluating things to see if I'm going to open stuff up.
"(I want to know) what he expects from me and where he sees me in the program and if he plans on bring in a lot of juco players or transfers. Just stuff I need to know for the next level."
It's understandable that Williams may have some questions but things look really good for Hoiberg and Nebraska here.
Locally, Williams is known as more of a scorer. But, playing with Brad Beal Elite I was most impressed with his patience, decision making and ability to find teammates. He's a versatile guard and certainly a legit Big Ten prospect.
WASHINGTON LEADS THE YOUTH MOVEMENT
It's still really early and there's much more for me to see, but so far I'm building a really favorable opinion of the class of 2022. I was impressed by it at USA Basketball in October and throughout the high school season as I saw more of the nation's top freshmen. Add Gary (Ind.) West Side and Meanstreets 15's Jalen Washington to the list of impressive prospects who still have three years of high school ball ahead of them.
Washington is about 6-foot-7, has skill, moves well and has long arms. He doesn't force things and seems pretty comfortable on both ends of the floor. I don't know if he will continue to grow like Kevon Looney did, but I heard a few comparisons to him and I can see that. No matter who he compares to, he's one whose development will be watched closely.
WESTON WILL BE ONE TO WATCH
A 6-foot-5'ish wing from the class of 2021, Brandon Weston of the Chicago (Ill.) Morgan Park and the Mac Irvin Fire already holds offers from UMASS and Wake Forest so he's no mystery man, but Saturday was my first look at him.
I can certainly see why they would want to go ahead and offer. Weston is put together pretty well, has some game off the dribble, is tough in transition and ha good scoring instincts. It's going to be interesting to see who starts to lock in on him during the live period at the end of the month.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF
.... A 2021 shooting guard from South Bend (Ind.) Riley who plays for the G3 Grind 16U squad,, Blake Wesley made a strong impression. He looks like a good athlete, has promise as a jump shooter and he can really turn a corner and get to the bucket in a hurry. My initial impression is that this guy is going to end up on Big Ten radars.
.... Another freshman who caught my eye was 6-foot-6 forward Brandon Miller of Brad Beal Elite's 15U team. He's got length, he looks bouncy and he's got a pretty versatile game for a young wing who still has a lot of physical maturing to do. The Nashville (Tenn.) Cane Ridge product looks like a dude that high majors could be keen on.
.... I liked shooting guard Isaiah Rivera when I saw him last summer because of his solid all-around game. I felt the same way watching him with Meanstreets on Saturday. He's got a calm presence about him, looks to be pretty smart and plays hard. He's already visited Dayton officially and Butler unofficially and has offers from Dayton, Northern Iowa, Loyola (Chicago), Valparaiso, New Mexico, St. John's and Bradley among others.
.... I don't yet know a lot about 2020 power forward Seryee Lewis of Chicago (Ill.) Morgan Park, but I will be looking forward to seeing more. He's around 6-foot-8, is a good athlete and looks to have some skill with a solid frame. Milwaukee, Yale, Saint Louis and some others have offered. He'll get more offers this month and will get some hard looks from multiple levels of programs.
.... Class of 2021 point guard Anton Brookshire from Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo is a nice looking lead guard. He can shoot it with range, has a nice feel for making decisions and is a pretty smooth scorer overall. He needs to get stronger but shows potential and already has offers from Milwaukee, UNLV (previous staff), Missouri State and Tennessee State. He's seen Creighton and has Clemson, Iowa State and Minnesota interest.
