NYBL All Star Weekend Runna Report
NYBL was action packed in Indianapolis in early September. #Emergingprospects from the country’s top middle school circuit came out for the final run of the fall. #runnareport was in attendance to cover top performers and benchmark talent vs what we’ve seen throughout the year. Although there were some standouts in 2019, the weekend focus was current 7th/8th graders (2022/2021) and Freshman (2020) ///
Top Prospect
2020 Corey Walker — 6'6 — (Florida) Game Elite
Corey Walker displayed his ability to dominate all weekend. On numerous occasions, he broke up plays, altered shots, and minimized the threat of the opposition’s 2nd chance opportunities. Shooting up 5 inches in less than a year has allowed Walker to use his innate slashing ability to get high percentage offense in one dribble or less. Walker currently plays on a top tier 2020 Game Elite team out of his home state Florida -winning the Indihoops classic, finishing runner up in Bob Gibbons and Top 8 team in NYBL. While double doubles are habitual, Walker really makes his presence felt on the defensive end by being active and vocal each possession.
Top Bigs
2021 Brent Walker — 6'5 — (Ohio) All Ohio Red
Brent stood out due to his massive size and ability to clog the lane. His aggression and activity outweigh his skillset however it is evident that the Ohio prospect has been putting time in in the gym working on release and ball handling. During the scrimmages, he had confidence to put the ball on the deck and finish above the rim in transition. With proper instruction and dedication to footwork, spacing and decision making, Walker will be prepared for his freshman year.
2021 Caleb Furst - 6'7 — (Indiana) Team Teague
Caleb may have some of the best footwork U15. He has instinctive body positioning skills that allows for him to finish with efficient actions on the catch. Caleb has also progressed in his shooting ability. He knocked down a few elbow pull ups and turnaround jumpers in traffic during gameplay. Short term, Caleb must be more active in the post to get more touches, sprint faster to screens, and cut hard to basket. As one of the most polished bigs in his class, body work and skill set must continue to be the focus.
2021 Chad Ready — 6'7 — (Illinois) Trained to Ball
Chad was impressive working for second chance shots, setting solid screens, and hitting open shots popping off of screens. Chad surprisingly is an exceptional passer and very mobile baseline to baseline. Outside of intensity, Chad has the tools that will make him more effective when his frame fills out.
Top Wing
2021 Patrick Baldwin — 6'4— (Illinois) Gametime Athletics
Patrick Baldwin arrived in the second group and had a nice bounce going into station work. Suddenly the fire alarm started to blare. Outside I was able to have a few words with Patrick and his mom during the fire alarm. Jokingly Patrick shrugged at the question of his height increase. He looked 2 inches taller than I last saw him at NYBL Finals. Then I realized its just his filling in some and his arms were longer now.
“He is extremely committed” said Mrs. Baldwin, “Patrick put in a ton of work over the summer with high level players who always are a challenge”.
Patrick has length and IQ that make him an attractive asset in any lineup. This weekend he shot at a lower percentage than normal however his shot selection was ideal and he made it up for by getting closer to the cup and creating for teammates. Patrick is equipped with a skill package that athleticism will take to the next level, that’s why he continues to trend upward.
Top Playmakers
2021 Tevin Smith — 6'2 — (Illinois) Gametime Athletics
Tevin has an evasive handle, a reliable shot and plays aggressive on both ends. In the first match up, he impressed with creating shots off the bounce,making plays on the defensive end, and getting out in transition. Once Smith gets more reps under his belt, decision making at a high speed and poise will improve. He has made a ton of improvement over the past 4 months let's see what progress can be made by March.
2021 Jaden Brewer — 5'9 — (Indiana) Team Teague
Brewer was super active, scored in bunches, and made plays all over the court. His ability to create out of broken plays put all eyes on him during games. Defensively he’s scrappy but takes high risk when defending on ball. As his outside shot improves, he will be a very dangerous playmaker.
Top Point Guards
2021 Jalen Blackmon— 5'9— (Indiana) Team Teague
Jalen has transformed his game into a true point guard. During camp, he evenly distributed and scored at the right times. Being shifty and solid with ball control made it easy for Blackmon to float off of screens, penetrate gaps and feed his teammates for easy Fgs.
Short term, getting stronger with the ball, communicating more on offense, and hitting mid range pull ups off of hard drives will put Jalen in a position to produce at the Varsity level in less than a year.
2021 Isaac Haney— 5'4"— (Missouri) Yanders Law
Haney dominated the first game I watched. Statline read, 7 assists, 21 pts 4–5 3pts, 11–16 from the field.
Small in stature with swarming confidence, it was refreshing to watch a kid own their moment, be aggressive, get others involved, and have fun.
Top Shooter
2020 Kamon Green — 5'9— (North Carolina) Team Wall
Kamon is a crafty, smooth guard with a great jump shot. Accuracy, excellent mechanics and elevation made Green a standout in Indianapolis. His speed coupled with his shooting ability make defenses sacrifice one weapon for another.
Top Defensive Player
2021 Oscene Mikell— 6'2"— (Florida) Floridaa TGFB
Oscene is all heart. Offensively he is a solid PG who draws defenders, uses screens effectively, and can break down defenders and blow by with his quick 1st step. However, he is a solid gem on defense. I watched him clamp down, get deflections, and interrupt driving lanes in help. Excellent player for a winning formula.
Emerging 2022 Prospect
2022 Max Sullivan — 6'4" — (Indiana) Indiana Elite
Max banged with the Freshman and sophomores all weekend and held his own on the glass. His length and tenacity helped him protect the rim and get loose balls. Short term, offensive improvement is important for Sullivan. Short term focus should be on more reps with the ball off of one or two dribble attacks, spacing after screens and catch and shoot from 15–18 ft. Looking forward to updating his progress. RR
