Underclassmen All-American Game and Minicamp Takeaways

ATLANTA - Over the weekend, 2021 stud Jonathan Kuminga headlined the Underclassmen All-American Game. Rivals.com analysts Eric Bossi and Corey Evans were in town and between the two of them watched Saturday's workout session and Sunday's two games featuring some of the top prospects, regionally and nationally, from the classes of 2021 and 2022.

They put together some thoughts from the talented field of participants.

Already ranked No. 3 in the class of 2021, Kuminga isn't going anywhere. If anything, he's only strengthened his case as a bona fide candidate to challenge for the No. 1 position in the class of 2021. Kuminga has, and will likely always have, unlimited athleticism and a big time frame that he can use to punish classmates. But, he's improved his skill so much, is pushing 6-foot-8 and has added so much to his overall game in the last year. He looks poised for a huge run on the grassroots circuit.

There was no one quicker than Lander. The four-star sophomore is the definition of quick-twitc, has tight handles and a tremendous pace for the game. Combined with his impressive IQ, that makes Lander one of the best guard prospects in the 2021 class. The lefty consistently put his defender on skates with either the change of speed dribble or the crossover move before resorting to a comfortable mid-range pull-up or hitting his teammate with the precise dump off pass. Lander was the best playmaker we saw in Atlanta as he already holds eight scholarship offers from a group that includes Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Purdue.

It's not easy to call any high school sophomore a sure thing, but Paolo Banchero is about as close as you can get. He's already a state champion, was highly productive playing up two age groups in the EYBL last summer and he's only getting bigger and better.

Banchero is a sure bet to make high level passes. He's a sure bet to score with skill. He's a sure bet to rebound the ball like it matters and he's a sure thing to do everything he can to maximize their effort. It's not often a player as young as Banchero just gets his strengths and weaknesses, pace of play and effort and does all he can to play smart.

Washington, Oregon State and USC are among those on him early and he's the type of player any program in America should want to have.

We have heard about a much-improved Michael Foster this winter and he showed it on Sunday. The physically developed forward can handle it some on the breakdown, shoot it to the perimeter and defend different spots in the frontcourt. However, he remains at his best around the basket as he doesn’t come up short many times on the finish attempt. He was a major dunk threat and open floor scorer that made Foster easily the best scorer in the lane at the event. He cemented his standing as a top-five sophomore nationally with his stock currently pointing upward.

Make no mistake about it, 2022 shooting guard Jalen Carruth is very much a work in progress. He will take some head scratching shots, is a little loose with the ball and is obviously still getting stronger. But, tell you what, this young man can play and is a play with no fear shot taker who has great size, good athleticism and the tools to develop into a big time shooter. He oozes confidence and his father, Rashaad Carruth, was a McDonald's All-American back in 2001.

The state of North Carolina has never been short for talent and the 2022 class is looking to be another good one from the area. MJ Rice is one of the reasons behind such a statement. He was fairly solid during the USA Basketball Mini-Camp in October, the just about the same when we saw him with his high school team a few months back, what he did on Sunday displayed an even more improved versatile prospect. However, It is his Alpha Dog mentality and toughness, in the end, that really makes him a standout. He's potentially going to be a priority prospect all up and down the Eastern seaboard.

If you wanted to try and go over the top of big man Frank Anselem, you had better have been willing to come strong with it. If not, he was swatting your shot back at you. The young post man is still developing his offense but he can run, rebounds his area and is looking like potential back line rim protector at the next level. Auburn, Florida, Wake Forest, Xavier, Tennessee, Penn State, Clemson and Kansas State have already tossed out offers.

A native of Rochester, New York Jaden Bradley was tremendous once again and is in the early conversation for top point guards in 2022. Moving to the Charlotte, North Carolina three years ago, the state's basketball scene is better for it because of Bradley's floor presence and willingness to create for others before he thinks about himself. That unselfishness really sets him apart. His shot has gotten better since we last saw him in December, and so has his physical stature. Bradley already holds a handful of scholarship offers but it won’t be long before big time programs look to get involved.

.... Love the athletic presence, body and motor of California freshman combo forward Kijani Wright. We first saw him in the fall of his 8th grade year and he's gotten a little better each time out. That's the right type of progress.

.... Sticking with Californians, we didn't know anything about sophomore wing Tyler Powell before the weekend. We do know and he's got a bright future because of his strength, motor and ability to fill out a boxscore. His energy and toughness command attention.

.... Just looking at sophomore guard Jordan Riley from New York, you might guess that he's a football standout, but he can hoop. The guard is quick, jumps out of the gym and has the body of a college player. Along with his ability to get off the floor in a hurry, he's a confident jump shooter and one to monitor closely moving ahead.

.... A pair of Atlanta area point guards from the class of 2021 who impressed were Peyton Daniels and Liron Thomas. Daniels is speedy, tough and can knock down a shot. Thomas looks like a guy just hitting a growth spurt who is a crafty playmaker in the open floor.