Ten takeaways from the Under Armour Association
RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
MORE: Top 10 of final 2019 Rivals150 revealed
MANALAPAN, N.J. — The third leg of the Under Armour Association is now complete and a number of Rivals150 standouts made an impression with their play over the weekend. Bryce Thompson, Karim Mane and Vincent Iwuchukwu lead the top 10 takeaways from New Jersey.
Vincent Iwuchukwu will be a five-star prospect in the 2022 class
One glance at the German-born big man is all you need to see the upside of the near 7-footer. Settled into the San Antonio region, Iwuchukwu recently snagged offers from Baylor and TCU but more are due to follow. He is a capable blueblood prospect at the end of the day. His hands are impeccable, he can make shots to 20-feet and can run like someone five inches shorter. A five-star ranking is well within grasp.
Bryce Thompson has been the best surprise of the spring
Thompson has always been a hot topic within the industry, but what he did over the weekend was something to behold. He had games of 41 and 37 in front of me, but also scored over 30 points in his other two contests. He defines what it means to be a winner and competes on each possession. An official visit to Michigan State is in the cards for Thursday as the Spartans joined North Carolina, Notre Dame and Texas by offering last week.
Karim Mane will turn his recent string of offers into priority attention
The Canadian guard is a menacing figure at the point of attack. Standing at 6-foot-4 and with long arms, a strong frame and a quick first step, it's tough for defenders to stay in front of him. Even if a defender can keep up with him, Mane has the shooting prowess to knock down attempts to 22-feet. He is a game-changer on the offensive end that earned offers from Kansas, Providence, Texas and Texas A&M, among others, last week. However, Maryland might be the early leader and the Terps could potentially host him for an official visit later this month.
C.J. Wilcher and Trey Phipps are two of the best shooters nationally
Wilcher had another solid showing in his home state. While he will never be defined as a premier athlete, Wilcher's ability to get into open spots off the ball and shoot consistent attempts with precise balance and mechanics carries major value. Xavier seems to be the trending program with him.
Phipps, on the other hand, has already come to a school decision. Headed to Tulsa, the Oklahoma native has a little Ryan McMahon to his game and will be the ace up Frank Haith’s sleeve beginning next year.
John Ojiako is one of the best kept secrets in America
Ojiako is one of the top names that come to mind as to who might break out the next time college coaches can get back out onto the road. Virginia Tech is the lone power conference program to offer. That will change. Ojiako is long, strong, has a good motor and rebounds. He has the chance to earn a slot in the Rivals150 before the 2020 rankings are completed a year from now.
Jaden Bradley's extra level is special
The Rochester-born guard was just okay Friday evening, but Saturday was a different story. Bradley’s handles, feel and change of speeds is something to be reckoned with. Whenever he is in attack mode, there are not many others better than him nationally. He already holds over double-digit scholarship offers and looks to be one of the best guards in the 2022 class.
Chet Holmgren is one of the most unique prospects I’ve ever covered
While he stands close to 7-feet tall, Holmgren should be considered more of a wing than a big man. He does his fair share of work down low and is already one of the best shot blockers nationally but his skill set and frame is the closest thing that we have seen to Kevin Durant at this particular stage.
Manny Obaseki is one of the most explosive scorers in the 2021 class
Quick-twitch is an understatement in describing Obaseki. Full of swagger and willing and capable of putting up points in a hurry, Obaseki can go and get a bucket without breaking a sweat. The lefty has to get stronger and not settle as often, but whenever he is picking his spots more precisely, he displays some of the best, most diverse scoring abilities in his 2021 class. Houston offered last week, joining a group of others including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and SMU.
Hason Ward generated the most talk over the weekend
One of the best 2019 big men left unsigned this spring, Ward has always had the motor and the body, but the fact that he is now making shots just adds another dimension to all he can do. A solid athlete that can protect his team’s basket, score in traffic, rebound at a quality clip and also extend the defense with the perimeter jumper, Ward is going to be a fine spring addition. Rider, Siena and VCU could host him for an official visit as he is hoping to commit before June.
Devan Cambridge is one of the best athletes I’ve ever covered
The 360-degree alley-oop that he converted on Saturday afternoon? Wow. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it, nor have I covered five better athletes in the sport. Cambridge is an available senior prospect and also the brother of Brown standout and now transfer Desmond Cambridge. The 2019 wing told Rivals.com that he and his brother are hoping to go to college together and would like to make a commitment sooner rather than later.