Rankings: 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals100 | 2018 team rankings
Colorado Springs - 30 elite players are competing at the United States Olympic Training Center this weekend for a chance to represent Team USA down in Argentina for the U17 FIBA World Championships. The talent is so deep this year it almost seems like an impossible task to trim it down to 12 players. There was high energy, a lot of players stepped up their game and what I really liked was...
More: R.J. Hampton talks latest recruiting | Casey Morsell is chasing others for UVA
...Everything about Evan Mobley's game
Evan Mobley did it all during session one. This is Mobley's first time at a USA Basketball training camp and he looked like a seasoned veteran on the court. His shot blocking is on another level and with the growing confidence in his game, he's becoming more vocal on the floor. He was knocking down open threes, tipping skip passes for steals on defense, and finishing strong in transition.
Evan's older brother Isaiah Mobley recently committed to USC, where their dad is an assistant coach, so the Trojans are the assumed favorite right now. UCLA, Washington, Arizona State, Stanford, Alabama and San Diego State have all offered early as well but it's unlikely he chooses any of them.
...R.J. Hampton's patience on offense
After making Team USA last year, R.J. Hampton looked relaxed and like more of a leader on the court Friday evening. One of the top players in a loaded 2020 class, R.J. did all the little things you want from floor general. He waited for bigs to establish their position, recognized miss matches and got to rim with ease.
R.J. holds a bunch of early offers including Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Memphis, Duke, Kentucky and Kansas with USC, Florida and Florida State offering on Friday.
...Isaiah Stewart continuing to dominate in the post
Isaiah Stewart was my favorite rebounder of session one and I know rebounding isn't that exciting but the way he goes after rebounds makes it exciting. He won every 50/50 ball on the glass and jumps pretty high for someone his size. Stewart was so physical on defense and all the guards thought twice before driving the lane when he was standing there. Stewart's frame and build fits that of a college power forward playing right now and it almost automatic when he gets the ball deep in the post.
The five-star forward has a top 10 of Georgetown, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Villanova, Michigan State, Duke, Indiana, Texas, Louisville and Washington.
...Adam Miller's deep three game
Adam Miller got hot early during drills and kept it going when scrimmage play started. He's not afraid to let it fly a couple feet behind three and he'll shoot without hesitation with a defender in his face. Miller and Jalen Green were the most impressive shooters from behind the arc Friday night.
Illinois, Kansas, Memphis, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest and Wisconsin have all offered.
...Josh Christopher's pick-and-roll passing
I'm used to seeing Josh Christopher create his own shot, drive the lane and knock down jumpers but tonight his passing was exceptional. The coaches ran a pretty intense 3v3 pick-and-roll drill and I could see Josh take what he learned in that drill and translated it into his game during the scrimmages. It showed how coachable he is and it was a different piece of his game then what I'm used to seeing.
Kansas and Florida offered today and Washington offered earlier this week.
...Jalen Green and B.J. Boston in the same backcourt
By far one of my favorite moments of the evening was when I looked up and saw Jalen Green and B.J. Boston playing on the same team. I had high hopes and those two came through with flying colors. Both are quick, long guards with a high basketball IQ and they seemed to click right away. Jalen was finding B.J. in transition for easy buckets and B.J.'s help-side D created steals and a couple flashy and1's for Jalen.
As far as their recruitments go, B.J. holds offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida and many more while Jalen is seeing interest from Kansas, UCLA, USC, Arizona, Villanova and others.
...Eric Dixon's toughness
Four-star power forward Eric Dixon did all the little things and made and impact mostly on the offensive side. He fought hard for offensive boards and it paid off with some nice and1 put-backs. You can't teach effort and the way Dixon took over reps purely by out playing his opponent was impressive.
Dixon is verbally committed to Villanova.
...Paolo Banchero holding his own with the older players
Maybe one of the most surprising players to emerge from the spring, Paolo Banchero was quietly impressive during session one. Coming in there were thoughts he would struggle a little bit with players like Isaiah Stewart and Vernon Carey being two years older then him but Banchero did not back down at all. He hit mid range jumpers, he isolated miss matches on offense and played tough D on guys that are much bigger then him.
Montana and Washington have gotten in early with the rising sophomore.