Philly Live: The Cassidy Awards

PHILADELPHIA – The second June live period lured Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy to the City of Brotherly Love for the annual Philly Live showcase, and the weekend event featured plenty of college-bond talent. Below, Cassidy hands out his Cassidy Awards after watching some of the more memorable performances at the showcase.

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RELATED: Cassidy's Takeaways from Philly Live

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

2024 Rankings: Top 40

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WHAT HE DID: The only thing holding Wright back from five-star status is his lack of prototypical NBA size, as there are few more skilled guards in the country. The 6-foot floor general shined for Neumann-Goretti High School squad over the weekend and showed truly elite floor vision and a knack for creative passing. His calling cards are his quickness and ability to facilitate for others, but Wright also finishes well in traffic for a smaller prospect. He’ll look to become a better shooter from distance, but his jumper isn’t a weakness by any stretch.

RECRUITMENT: Wright holds scholarship offers from programs such as Kansas State, Maryland, Miami, Seton Hall and Syracuse. Wright has already taken an unofficial visit to Maryland and says he is open to returning.

WHAT HE DID: Edwards didn’t have his best day from a finishing standpoint in Saturday night’s marquee game against loaded St. John’s College High, as some shots simply weren’t dropping. But he did plenty to remind everyone about his pro upside. The 6-foot-6 wing had a few highlight-worthy moves from a ball-handling standpoint and showcased his elite athletes in a tightly contested matchup against a team loaded with future college players. There’s a reason Edwards, who constantly asserts himself on the offensive end without taking possessions off, is a top-flight prospect. The ceiling is obvious, even when his shots aren’t all falling.

RECRUITMENT: Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Maryland and Villanova are among those heavily involved with Edwards. Michigan recently offered as well.

WHAT HE DID: The 15-year-old Maluk just wrapped up his freshman season at Pittsburgh's Imani Christian Academy and already stands 6-foot-10, but the promising forward is more than just length. Maluk runs the floor well for a young prospect still getting used to his excessive length and showcases a level of aggression on both ends of the floor that spells good things for the future. He needs to add significant weight, but he’s becoming a better shooter and is clearly unafraid to handle the ball on the perimeter, a skill you can tell he’s looking to improve.

RECRUITMENT: Maluk already holds offers from LSU, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Texas A&M. He says Kentucky is in frequent contact with his coaches, and the Wildcats are watching the 2025 big man closely. Maluk says he speaks with coaches from Pitt, Kentucky and Oklahoma State most frequently.

WHAT HE DID: Brown was one of the most pleasant surprises of the weekend and looked every bit the high-major prospect on Friday night. The class of 2023 prospect uses his long arms well on both ends of the floor, deflecting passes and creating matchup problems for defenders. The smooth combo guard handles the ball well and has no problem getting by his man and finishing through traffic.

RECRUITMENT: Brown seems somewhat torn between USC and an offer from local school St. Joseph’s, where he has family ties to the athletic department.

WHAT HE DID: Sorber knows what he is and embraces his role. He is a bully of a big man who is well versed in using his bulky frame to his advantage on both ends. He’ll likely lean out as he matures as a player, but the Philadelphia (Penn.) Archbishop Ryan star has a frame like a semi truck and will remain powerful even when he drops the bad weight. In Philly, he controlled the class and showed off soft hands and the ability to finish around the rim. He’s also a willing 3-point shooter with a decent stroke. Long-range jumpers will never be his calling card, but it’s obvious that he’s capable of being serviceable when left open on the perimeter.

RECRUITMENT: Sorber holds offers from Richmond, Georgetown and La Salle.

WHAT HE DID: Freeman uses his length as well as any wing in the country and has improved as a defender, where he shows incredible versatility. On Saturday, he held his own in a matchup with class of 2023 five-star Justin Edwards, and got the better of touted recruit on both ends for stretches of the game. Freeman’s upside is obvious and his combination of size, ball-handling and finishing ability make him special. He’ll need to become more assertive on the offensive end, however, as he tends to defer too much at times.

RECRUITMENT: Freeman recently took an unofficial visit to Maryland and is trying to get comfortable with the new Terrapins staff. Marquette, Texas and Georgetown are heavily involved as well.

WHAT HE DID: Barno impacted a high-level game on Saturday night and managed to pop off the page despite being surrounded by higher-ranked prospects in a matchup between St. John’s College Prep and Imhotep Charter. The class of 2023 guard got a handful of big buckets through traffic down the stretch in a tight game and also had the ball on a string while flashing the ability to distribute. The 6-foot junior lacks elite size, but has the burst and basketball IQ to help a number of programs and has the potential to make an impact at the high-major level.

RECRUITMENT: Barno holds mostly mid-major offers, but Virginia Tech and Temple are the exceptions for now. He could be a hot name during the July live period and see his options expand.

WHAT HE DID: Bradshaw runs the floor like very few 7-footers can and plays extremely hard, routinely throwing his big frame on the floor in pursuit of loose balls.He rebounds well and will become even more of a force on the glass as he continues to add muscle. Bradshaw can knock down the 3-pointers if left open on the perimeter and is becoming a more aggressive shot-blocker and disciplined defender.

RECRUITMENT: Kentucky is the leader in the clubhouse for Bradshaw, who has been subject of transfer rumors. For now, he remains at New Jersey’s Camden High and has a long offer list that includes a number of major programs.

WHAT HE DID: Nowell is a true two-way guard and was one of the more physical and active defenders at the weekend showcase. He’s no slouch on the offensive end, either, but his quickness and upper-body strength lend him valuable versatility relative to his limited length when it comes to staying in front of opponents or denying them the ball. Newell plays with good pace with the ball in his hands and always seems to be in control while running the break.

RECRUITMENT: Kansas, Auburn and Memphis are among the schools that have already offered Nowell.