Takeaways: Day 1 of the NBPA Top 100 Camp
REUNION, Fla. -- Day one of the NBPA Top 100 Camp is in the books, and the event was loaded with elite talent. Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy and Jamie Shaw were on hand in the Orlando area on Wednesday and review some of the day’s top performances below.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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Fall’s versatility is the headline on his game. The 6-foot-11 prospect runs the floor as well as any big in the country and handles the ball well for his size. Fall played a pair of games on Wednesday, the first of which saw him 16 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks. He’ll need to get more consistent from range to take the next step, but the way he runs the floor, scores at the rim and fights for rebounds is enough to ensure he slides up from his current No. 12 ranking. One of the few class of 2023 prospects that took part in the camp, Fall has an extremely rare skill package and his ceiling is incredibly high.
Recruitment: Baylor, Kansas, Illinois and in-state Colorado are among the players here. Kentucky has been kicking the tires as of late, however, and may come with an offer down the road.
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Few prospects have had a better year than Traore. The Prolific Prep star went from unranked to No. 64 in the last rankings update and is set to soar much higher next time around. On Wednesday, he managed to pop off the page in a sea of elite talent, as he ran the floor and created matchup issues on the perimeter in a way that most other bigs simply cannot. Traore can take bigger defenders off the dribble and post up smaller opponents. At one point on Wednesday he blew past Vanderbilt center commit Lee Dort, who attempted to check him on the perimeter, for an easy bucket. Traore finished his final game with 11 points and five rebounds.
Recruitment: Traore visited Texas and TCU in June. Oregon, UCLA and Louisville have recently offered.
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Howard scored a game-high 15 points and willed his squad to a narrow victory on Wednesday afternoon. The efficient effort included three 3-pointers. More impressive than the raw stats, however, was the fact that he put his team on his back in the final minute. The IMG Academy star hit a 3-pointer to break a tie with roughly 50 seconds to play and later iced the game from the free-throw line. Howard seized the moment on a team full of alpha-type prospects, which says plenty about his confidence and trajectory.
Recruitment: Howard is, of course, the son of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard. He is yet to make a commitment but most assume Ann Arbor will be his destination.
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An incredibly strong and skilled 7-footer, Clingin was an absolute bully in the opening game of the event, grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with six points and three blocks despite having his playing time limited by a showcase-style substitution pattern. Clingin is skilled in the low block and has a few moves in his repertoire once he gets position. Defensively, he spent the game blocking a handful of shots and changing many more that he was able to swat. Clingin isn’t polished and needs to become a better shooter, but his blend of size and skill is rare in this class.
Recruitment: Clingin is committed to UConn.
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Skillings raised his profile on this summer’s grassroots circuit and landed at the NBA Top 100 camp because of it. In his second game on Wednesday afternoon, the Philadelphia-based guard picked up where he left off with a 10-point, five-rebound performance that saw him knock down a pair of 3-pointers. Skillings does a number of things really well. And while he isn’t a top-50 prospect by any means, he certainly belongs in the Rivals150. He’ll see his name in the next update.
Recruitment: Providence, Cincinnati, Rhode Island, VCU, Miami and Georgia are in the mix to receive visits from Skillings this fall.
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Ware showcased a lot of raw upside that paired nicely with his incredibly long arms and very projectable 7-foot frame. The 2022 Rivals150 No. 33 prospect could be on the tips of many college coaches' tongues if he continues to play this week like he did today. Through his first two games the Little Rock (Ark.) North High center shot 9-14 (64–percent) from the field while averaging 9.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. Ware showcased range from three and protected the rim at a high rate which created a lot of buzz after the final horn sounded.
Recruitment: Ware visited Arkansas and Oregon officially in June as well as Ole Miss unofficially,
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The 6-foot-10 Udeh, who carries a 7-foot-2 wing span, finished his two games on Day 1 of the NBA Top 100 camp 9 of 12 (75-percent) from the field averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per game. Using his length, The Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips High center plays with a tenacity around the basket, trying to dunk everything. While questions may arise about his feet and lateral ability, Udeh showcased a great motor with the ability to run the floor and a great set of hands.
Recruitment: He has not yet sat down to decide on visits. Udeh carries over 30 offers with his most recent five coming from West Virginia, Michigan, UCLA, Baylor and Arkansas.
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Wallace was one of the hottest names during the last 15 or so days of the Nike EYBL and Peach Jam, and rightfully so as he averaged 14.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists and shot 40-percent from three on the Circuit. He continued in this setting showing he could play important minutes on the ball. The 2022 Rivals150 No. 16 prospect averaged 5 assists and 3.5 steals per game while shooting 40-percent from three on Day 1. While Richardson may be more of a combo guard than a true point guard, it is easy to see why he is such a hot commodity with the highest level schools and in the conversation for a bump when update time comes.
Recruitment: Wallace took a lone official visit to Tennessee in June. He is planning visits to Kentucky and Texas coming up.
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Black is one of the more polarizing prospects in this class. The 6-foot-6 guard started the day off going 2-7 with five points and one assist to three turnovers in his first game. However, it was the second game that puts the 2022 Rivals150 No. 80 prospect on this list. The Coppell (Texas) High guard finished with 19 points and six assists on 7-14 shooting. While the athleticism and the defense may still be a question, Black showed a smooth floor game with some shot making, and in a game where his team was down 20 for the majority, he did not quit. Consistency will be key here for Black.
Recruitment: Black took official visits to Iowa State, Texas, and Oklahoma State in June. His father attended Baylor.
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Fresh off his commitment to Texas, the 2022 Rivals150 No. 25 prospect came into this event already in the discussion for a bump in the rankings update. Standing as a long-armed 6-foot-4 point guard, Morris played great in the pick and roll here, showcasing the ability to make great reads and deliver pin-point passes. As the Lewisville (Texas) iSchool point guard still needs to continue developing the jump shot, his frame, athleticism, and ability to see the floor stand out. Morris finished his two games in Day 1 8-12 (67-percent) from the field averaging nine points, five assists and 1.5 steals per game. He ran the show with total control.
Recruitment: Committed to Texas.