With the first live period of the year quickly approaching and grassroots tournaments getting under way, Rivals' Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan are preparing to hit the road. Next weekend, Jordan will be in Atlanta for the Nike EYBL, while Cassidy will hit adidas 3SSB outside of Omaha, Neb.
Today, the two basketball analysts preview the action in the form of a three-pack of questions dealing with the grassroots season that lies ahead.
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WHICH PROSPECT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO GET EYES ON WHEN YOU HIT THE ROAD NEXT WEEKEND?
“It’s been a while since I saw five-star center Flory Bidunga, and I’ll be encountering him next weekend. We pushed him way up the rankings last year at this time, and the Indiana-based big currently occupies the No. 2 spot. I’ve long been a believer that he has a chance to ascend to No. 1 eventually, so he’ll be watched closely all year. Binduga is known as an elite rim protector with incredible physical gifts. I’ll be interested to see how much he’s diversified his offensive skill set and if he’s added any significant weight.” - Cassidy
“I’d definitely have to say Elliot Cadeau, who is coming off a stellar junior season that he capped off with a GEICO Nationals title last week. His run over the last nine months has been amazing. After being forced to sit out his entire sophomore year with a severe ankle injury, Cadeau pumped in 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds a game for the New York Lightning at the Nike Peach Jam. That included a 15-point, eight-assist, seven-rebound outing against Team CP3 (N.C.) and Kentucky-bound point guard Robert Dillingham. He also had a 16-point, nine-assist outing against All-Ohio and combo guard George Washington III, who is headed to Michigan. Cadeau’s floor game is masterful and his fiery edge on both ends of the floor is what always seems to give him an edge over the competition.” - Jordan
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WHICH COMMITTED PROSPECT DO YOU SUSPECT WILL HELP HIS STOCK?
“Marquette pledge Damarius Owens is an interesting case to me based on his size and physical gifts. He’ll play in the EYBL for City Rocks this season and the buzz about his game is already growing. I didn’t get a chance to see him during the high school season, so he’s a priority for me this summer. His tape, however, suggests we have him under-valued. A hyperathletic and versatile scorer in a 6-foot-7 package, Owens plays above the rim and seems to be a gifted ball-handler for his size. How he develops as a shooter will likely determine how far he rises. Owens, who can play either forward spot, needs his production to match his massive potential this spring.” - Cassidy
“Rutgers commit Ace Bailey has all of the tools – and then some. He’s 6-foot-9 and shifty with a devastating crossover for the position. He also has the IQ on how to maximize his length, a feel for what reads to make in a given situation and the stroke to efficiently knock down shots from the perimeter. Bailey is super-explosive, gets to his spots at will on the offensive end and has great timing on blocks on the other end of the floor. That diverse skill set, coupled with an unrelenting motor, will undoubtedly cause him to ascend this spring and summer.” - Jordan
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WHICH PROSPECT WHO IS STILL FLYING UNDER THE NATIONAL RADAR DO YOU THINK WILL BLOW UP ONCE PEOPLE SEE HIM THIS SPRING?
“I encountered 7-foot-1 sophomore Moustapha Thiam a couple months back, and I think the class-of-2025 big is going to be a major national name after coaches and scouts get eyes on him this summer. Thiam is already set to crash the Rivals150 the next time it refreshes, and he could climb into the top end of the list based on a good spring. A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, Thiam now attends DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Fla. He's developed beyond his years from a skill perspective and is a surprisingly gifted passer for a prospect that has only been in the U.S. for a year. He’s significantly less of a project than a lot of young 7-footers, and he is certain to turn heads.” - Cassidy
“It’s VJ Edgecombe, bar none. In his first year in the NIBC, the most grueling conference in all of high school basketball, Edgecombe led the conference in scoring (17.3 ppg) and was named Player of the Year. At 6-6, Edgecombe plays tenacious on both ends of the floor, attacks the basket with reckless abandonment, has an efficient stroke from the perimeter and maneuvers to the basket to finish through contact. Edgecombe helped Long Island Lutheran reel off 22 consecutive wins while playing in a league with Montverde, IMG Academy, AZ Compass Prep and Sunrise Christian, just to name a few. Buy stock now.” - Jordan
