USA Basketball Sunday: Zimmerman shines
COLORADO SPRINGS -- All weekend long, five-star senior big man Stephen Zimmerman looked like he was on a mission at the USA Basketball development camp. Sunday, he made a pretty convincing argument to be considered the event's top class of 2015's performer. But class of 2017 forward Michael Porter just may have been the biggest eye-opener of the weekend, period.
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Zimmerman makes most of chance to play
While all players dream of getting recruited by the best programs in the country, there is a lot of responsibility that comes along with it once you get to that level. Stephen Zimmerman has been spending a lot of time on his recruitment lately, conducting in-home visits with Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Notre Dame, UCLA and UNLV.
Next weekend, the No. 10 player in the class of 2015 will begin a stretch where he will visit Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA and Arizona in the span of five weekends.
With that in mind, he was happy to have a weekend that was all about playing basketball. And play he did.
Every step of the way on Saturday and Sunday, Zimmerman was dominant in the post. He played above the rim, ran the floor, rebounded, blocked shots and played with a high level of energy. Over the course of four grueling workouts, Zimmerman never showed a sign of slowing down and looked like a kid who was on a mission.
As good as he was on the interior, Zimmerman got hot from the perimeter on Sunday, making him an even tougher matchup. A 6-foot-11 guy confidently burying jumpers from the international three-point line is a scary thought, and that's what he did to finish off his outstanding weekend.
There were other seniors in camp ranked higher, but based strictly on his play in Colorado Springs Zimmerman was Rivals.com's top performer from the senior class.
"I've been really focused and I just tried to have fun," Zimmerman told Rivals.com "These workouts are hard and they are long workouts, so I just try to stay focused and have fun.
"The [in-home] visits were fun, but you can only do them for so long. I did eight of them so it was kind of hard."
Porter continues to impress
Whenever a player is ranked as highly as No. 4 nationally in his class, it is obviously difficult to consider him underrated. However, based on the way five-star small forward Michael Porter played in Colorado Springs, he would be ranked at least No. 2 in the class of 2017 if rankings were to be redone today. And that is no disrespect to the current No. 2 and No. 3 players Troy Brown and Jarred Vanderbilt, because they both played to their ranking and were outstanding in their own right.
Porter, though, was arguably the single most impressive performer in camp regardless of class in school.
The thin and skilled wing continued to shoot the cover off the ball on Sunday, but it was his drives into the lane and above-the-rim finishing in transition that were the most eye-opening aspects of his game. There weren't many times over the two days where Porter switched over to cruise control, and he never seemed to tire.
Porter has always been considered a big-time prospect, but after his play in Colorado Springs, he has raised the bar on what he could be capable of down the road.
The aforementioned Troy Brown remains the top point guard prospect in the class of 2017 with Jalek FeltonClick More Sunday notesHere to view this Link. right on his heels. Brown showed improved shot-making and really stepped up when matched against older players. While Brown and Felton were terrific, the sophomore trio of high-end four star point guards Matt ColemanClick More Sunday notesHere to view this Link., Markus HowardClick More Sunday notesHere to view this Link. and Jaylen HandsClick More Sunday notesHere to view this Link. were all impressive in their own right.
Currently ranked No. 25 in the class of 2017, Coleman is a speed guy who has surprising physicality given his build. His game is all about getting into the lane and making things happen for himself or others. His head is always up on his drives, and he has a tremendous feel for making a pass to whichever player is in the best scoring position. He moves his feet well defensively and doesn't lack for competitive fire.
Already committed to Arizona State, Howard is a skilled scorer and distributor. He is a little bit on the small side at just 5-foot-10, but he can shoot with deep range and most of all he plays fast. The ability to play at full speed without getting out of control is tough to master at such a young age, and because Howard is already strong in that regard, his hesitation and change-of-pace moves have an even greater impact.
Finally, summer teammates on Southeast Elite, sophomore big men Austin WileyClick A pair of freshman from Florida also impressed for stretches. Over the summer, E.J. MontgomeryClick One class of 2018 guard who didn't show any fear was Chicago (Ill.) Simeon's Marquis BrownClick DukeClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. had a pair of commitments in town, and both Chase JeterClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. and Luke KennardClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. lived up to their five-star reputations. Jeter has continued to add bulk to his 6-foot-10 frame and continues to build his offensive game. Watching how hard he worked in individual drills, it is easy to see why Jeter's low post footwork has drastically improved over the last year. After spending more time setting up teammates on Saturday, Kennard was filling it up from deep on Sunday. He is a strong wing who can attack the rim and use his physicality a bit better than he usually gets credit for.Here to view this Link.. A 6-foot-1 combo guard, "Kezo" definitely likes to bring the fight to his opponents. He puts pressure on defenders with his attacking dribbling and has a lot of confidence. Part of a tradition-rich program at Simeon, he will be coached well over the next four years and has the potential to be heavily recruited.Here to view this Link. was introduced to the basketball world playing for the Atlanta Celtics 17U team and he backed up his billing over the weekend. Thin and skilled, he is probably a face up four right now but has a legit chance to transition to the wing. Like Montgomery, Reginald PerryClick One class of 2018 guard who didn't show any fear was Chicago (Ill.) Simeon's Marquis BrownClick DukeClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. had a pair of commitments in town, and both Chase JeterClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. and Luke KennardClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. lived up to their five-star reputations. Jeter has continued to add bulk to his 6-foot-10 frame and continues to build his offensive game. Watching how hard he worked in individual drills, it is easy to see why Jeter's low post footwork has drastically improved over the last year. After spending more time setting up teammates on Saturday, Kennard was filling it up from deep on Sunday. He is a strong wing who can attack the rim and use his physicality a bit better than he usually gets credit for.Here to view this Link.. A 6-foot-1 combo guard, "Kezo" definitely likes to bring the fight to his opponents. He puts pressure on defenders with his attacking dribbling and has a lot of confidence. Part of a tradition-rich program at Simeon, he will be coached well over the next four years and has the potential to be heavily recruited.Here to view this Link. has ability facing the rim. The International three-point line looked a little too deep for him at this juncture, but at around 6-foot-7 he is a sleek forward who is a capable jump shooter with huge upside.Here to view this Link. and Wendell CarterClick A pair of freshman from Florida also impressed for stretches. Over the summer, E.J. MontgomeryClick One class of 2018 guard who didn't show any fear was Chicago (Ill.) Simeon's Marquis BrownClick DukeClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. had a pair of commitments in town, and both Chase JeterClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. and Luke KennardClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. lived up to their five-star reputations. Jeter has continued to add bulk to his 6-foot-10 frame and continues to build his offensive game. Watching how hard he worked in individual drills, it is easy to see why Jeter's low post footwork has drastically improved over the last year. After spending more time setting up teammates on Saturday, Kennard was filling it up from deep on Sunday. He is a strong wing who can attack the rim and use his physicality a bit better than he usually gets credit for.Here to view this Link.. A 6-foot-1 combo guard, "Kezo" definitely likes to bring the fight to his opponents. He puts pressure on defenders with his attacking dribbling and has a lot of confidence. Part of a tradition-rich program at Simeon, he will be coached well over the next four years and has the potential to be heavily recruited.Here to view this Link. was introduced to the basketball world playing for the Atlanta Celtics 17U team and he backed up his billing over the weekend. Thin and skilled, he is probably a face up four right now but has a legit chance to transition to the wing. Like Montgomery, Reginald PerryClick One class of 2018 guard who didn't show any fear was Chicago (Ill.) Simeon's Marquis BrownClick DukeClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. had a pair of commitments in town, and both Chase JeterClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. and Luke KennardClick From Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei, Hands has improved greatly from the summer. He is very quick, has long arms, great instincts, and he will ultimately be a point guard capable of playing above the rim in traffic. Right now, though, his single biggest asset in addition to his speed is that he is an exceptional pull-up jump shooter between 15 and 20 feet. Time and time again, he raced down the court and pulled up to cash home jumpers. Then if defenders tried to crowd him to stop that, he was able to blow by them and into the lane. He lacks strength but will be a very good defender when he matures physically.Here to view this Link. lived up to their five-star reputations. Jeter has continued to add bulk to his 6-foot-10 frame and continues to build his offensive game. Watching how hard he worked in individual drills, it is easy to see why Jeter's low post footwork has drastically improved over the last year. After spending more time setting up teammates on Saturday, Kennard was filling it up from deep on Sunday. He is a strong wing who can attack the rim and use his physicality a bit better than he usually gets credit for.Here to view this Link.. A 6-foot-1 combo guard, "Kezo" definitely likes to bring the fight to his opponents. He puts pressure on defenders with his attacking dribbling and has a lot of confidence. Part of a tradition-rich program at Simeon, he will be coached well over the next four years and has the potential to be heavily recruited.Here to view this Link. has ability facing the rim. The International three-point line looked a little too deep for him at this juncture, but at around 6-foot-7 he is a sleek forward who is a capable jump shooter with huge upside.Here to view this Link. were both very productive throughout the weekend. Ranked No. 12 in the class of 2017, Wiley is the slightly bouncier of the two and more of a shot blocker-rebounder with a developing offensive game. Ranked No. 14, Carter is a bit stronger and has a bit more refined offensive game. They both cemented themselves as elite prospects.
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