Under Armour Invitational: What we learned
Click Here to view this video.
Advertisement
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Under Armour Invitational featured hundreds of athletes competing on more than 70 teams packed in a three-day tournament. There were standouts of all ages and sizes, but one player walked away from the Texas tourney with the most buzz: Myles Turner.
Seven-footer's big weekend
Turner, a four-star center, put on a show game in and game out for Texas Select in his two days in Arlington.
Standing at a legitimate 7-feet, he was a terror on the defensive side of the ball, blocking shots and altering nearly every player's path to his basket. He used his long arms and length to force floaters or to swat balls into benches, and had guards and posts alike frustrated every time they entered the paint.
Offensively is where Turner needs to improve. He has great feet, good instincts and soft hands, but his post moves were very limited. But he certainly showed enough potential this weekend regardless to make a serious climb in the rankings.
On the recruiting front, Turner said nearly every major program in the country has either called or offered. Specifically, he said the Big 12 is on him the hardest, while UCLA and Arizona should earn unofficial visits within the next few weeks.
Showing off the range
Isaiah Whitehead is ranked No. 19 in the country because of his versatility and his playmaking ability. Now, he's added a third component to his game that should ensure him five-star status: Shooting.
Whitehead, who's always been an OK shooter, was great on the EYBL circuit, shooting well from behind the arc the last few weeks, and showed in Texas that that was no fluke.
He pulled up from 3-point range often and knocked down shots with ease, showing his late work in the gyms is paying off.
His recruitment remains stagnant, however. His top 10 has been the same for months: Arizona, Florida, UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville, Maryland, Rutgers and St. John's. He he has no desire to trim his list soon.
Not the next LBJ
Most scouts and analysts had their first in-person look at Internet sensation and 2016 guard Seventh Woods this weekend, and despite the hype and the hoopla, he's not the next LeBron James � yet.
Woods was good, showing off outstanding athleticism for a 14-year-old and a willingness to play gritty defense, but he was hardly the prodigy YouTube made him out to be. He has a ways to go to become a legitimate player, although his upside is clear. He'll be a prospect no doubt in the Rivals rankings for the duration of his high school career.
PGs pop off
Two of the best point guards this weekend -- four-stars Quentin Snider and Chris Chiozza -- were high-major commitments, and they showed their respective fan bases that they have nothing to worry about.
Snider, a Louisville commitment, posted Rajon Rondo-like numbers, filling up the points, rebounds and assists throughout the weekend. He said he's working on getting bigger in the weight room, hoping that leads to more improvement as well.
Chiozza, meanwhile, was perhaps more impressive. The Florida commitment had a glue-like handle on the basketball, and also found ways to score with jumpers, floaters and 3-balls. He feels like he might be underrated as the No. 90 prospect in the nation, and after his performances this weekend, he might be right.
Click Here to view this Link.
[rl]