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| 2014 Super Sophomore All-American Camp |
Written by: Prospect-Central & Gymratinsider
Almost two-years ago to the day, Prospect-Central teamed up with Gymratinsder to cover the 2012 Super Sophomore All-American Camp. The soon-to-be seniors that were featured are not only c/o 2015 Top 50 recruits to this day, but two of them (Jaylen Brown & Skal Labissiere), are sitting firmly in the Top 10. To take it a step further; in Jaylen Brown's case, he's making a serious push as the top overall recruit in the entire country! Now it's time to see what the c/o 2017 is working with. After two days of basketball, here are the Top 10 players from this years Super Sophomore All-American Camp. * Please note; the players were selected before the third & final day of the camp. The live-stream for the Top 20 & Top 40 games can be viewed in the video playlist below. Rankings were based mainly on overall production, but future potential was taken into consideration.
When I first saw the roster for this years Super Sophomore All-American Camp, I immediately said to myself Jarred Vanderbilt will be the best player in attendance. Sure enough, the Texas native takes home the top spot. When you see a kid like Vanderbilt, it's hard not to think of anything but the NBA. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, that's exactly where he's headed. The size, the skill, the athleticism; it's all there. Showed terrific versatility with his ability to create off the bounce, defend multiple positions, and attack the rim. While he definitely can stroke it, once his jumper becomes more consistent he'll be the total package. Really has a chance to be a special player. Currently a Top 3 recruit in PC's c/o 2017 rankings, Jarred Vanderbilt should be at the top of his class throughout his entire high school career.
Another big name, another outstanding performance. The nephew of Raymond Felton definitely made his uncle proud this weekend. To say Jalek's as cool as the other side of the pillow, would be an understatement. Makes the game look extremely easy. Smooth ball handling, terrific vision, solid mid-range game, explosive when attacking the basket, there really isn't too much he can't do. Intangibles are off the chart as well. He's a winner's winner. Displayed excellent leadership skills, making his teammates better throughout the entire event. Easy to see why he's been Top 10 in PC's c/o 2017 rankings for almost three years now :)
The most exciting player at the camp this year; hands down, Matt Coleman! Shades of Brandon Jennings, only with more efficiency, and less tattoos :) Would definitely pay to watch him play right now, and he's not even a sophomore in high school yet. Could not be contained in this setting. Scored at will. Displayed a high IQ, crazy vision, and tight handles. Super quick with the ball in his hands. Extremely crafty at getting in the lane. Got to the rack with ease. Finished at the rim with breathtaking athleticism. Despite being an absolute blur on the court, didn't force the issue. Showed excellent decision making & poise. Obviously a major talent. Top 60 c/o 2017 since last year, but will definitely rise in PC's updated class rankings.
Strictly from a production standpoint, Chris Lykes may have been the best player in the entire event. He lit the camp up. The one thing that kept him from taking the top spot; you guessed it, size. While diminutive in stature, make no mistake about it, Chris Lykes is indeed a high-major D1 recruit. Handles, speed, vision, athleticism, Lykes was clicking on all cylinders these past few days. Whether it was beating his man off the dribble with ease, or nailing long-range bombs with pinpoint accuracy, he was essentially unguardable. Really a joy to watch. Might be small, but an extremely tough competitor. Did not back done from the moment one bit. Pesky defender also. Fastest player at the camp with a 3.1 second ¾ court sprint. To put that type of speed into perspective, it would have tied Clemson's K.J. McDaniels for the fastest time at the 2014 NBA Draft Combine this year. At the moment, has to be considered one of the better guards in the c/o 2017. Has a younger brother in the c/o 2020, Justin Lykes, so in a little over three years from now the Super Sophomore All-American Camp, just might have another explosive point guard on their hands. Gotta Lykes the sound of that!
Fee-fi-fo-fum, Zach Brown's about to dunk on someone! I'm not gonna say the Miami Heat would take Zach Brown over Greg Oden right now, but they might have to ponder the idea for a second at least :) All kidding aside, the Florida native is a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court. Averaged 18.4 ppg, 16.5 rpg, and 6.9 bpg as a freshman for Miami Beach this year, and that's exactly what was on display during the Super Sophomore All-American Camp. He was rebounding at a high level, blocking shots at an alarming rate, and finishing everything at the rim with reckless abandon. Not the most athletic person you'll ever see, and he's definitely a work in progress (horrible footwork), but his size, length, and rapidly developing skill set will certainly translate to the next level. Put it like this; as long as Zach Brown doesn't do anything to jeopardize his career, at the very minimum you're looking at a future second round NBA Draft pick. You just can't teach size like this. Currently Top 15 in PC's c/o 2017 rankings, Zach Brown is without question one of the elite talents in high school basketball.
Just when you think P.J. Washington can't get any better, he proves you wrong. Like many of the players featured in this article, P.J. was selected to PC's c/o 2017 Freshmen Watch List last summer. Since then however, he's started to take his game to another level. While he's always been a skilled power forward with the ability to stretch the floor, he wasn't always this athletic. He still needs to work on his lateral quickness, but he's getting off the ground much quicker now, and even led the camp in dunks. He was finishing at the rim with authority, rebounding outside his area, and playing with a very impressive motor on both sides of the ball. Definitely one of the better players at the camp. Clearly a high-major talent. Top 20 in PC's c/o 2017 rankings for well over two years now, something tells me P.J. Washington's just getting started!
There's only one reason James 'M.J.' Walker's not higher up on this list; he left early during the second day of camp. Since I wanted to be fair to the rest of the players, he might not be ranked as high as he could have been, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't mind too much. After all, the reason M.J. Walker left camp early; he had to go pick up his Georgia high school basketball 4A State Championship ring! Now that's some serious bling-bling :) Jonesboro high school had never won a State Championship in basketball. That was until M.J. Walker led them to the promised land of course. The freshman averaged 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 2.6 apg, all while proving he is indeed one of the top players in the c/o 2017. As far as the Super Sophomore camp was concerned, M.J. Walker did not miss a beat. He attacked the rim off the bounce, showed a solid mid-range game, and was even hitting the 3-ball. With his strength, athleticism, and overall skill set, M.J. has all the tools to be a serious player down the road. Top 15 in PC's c/o 2017 rankings for a while now, and for the time being that seems more than justified.
Even though Victor Uyaelunmo has only been in the U.S. for about 18 months, the Nigerian native is already a well known recruit from the c/o 2017. When you're a 7-footer with the athleticism and developing skills Uyaelunmo possesses, it's only a matter of time until your name enters the mainstream. Besides his length, there really is a lot to like about his game. He runs the floor like a guard, dominates the glass, plays above the rim, has soft hands, solid post moves, and he can hit an open jump shot. On the other side of the ball, Uyaelunmo has all the tools to be a serious rim-protector at any level. Averaged a double-double in every game played at the camp. Definitely needs to get stronger, but a tremendous talent none the less. Has a younger brother, 6'9'' Solomon Uyaelumno, who's currently Top 20 in PC's c/o 2018 rankings. As far as Victor's concerned; Top 30 c/o 2017 since last year, but still might be underrated. Look for his stock to continue to rise, as he tries to prove he's one of the elite big men in the class.
Who needs offense, when you play defense like Ikechukwu Obiagu! Yet another native of Nigeria, Obiagu's a shot-blocker extraordinaire; the ultimate rim protector. If he wasn't blocking shots, he was at least altering them. Has tremendous length, great athleticism, and good instincts. Plays hard and attacks the glass. Definitely a difference maker on that side of the ball. Offensively is another story. Very raw. Only scores on putbacks. Considering he's so young however, there's a lot of room for growth & development. A defensive anchor with major upside, Ikechukwu Obiagu has a chance to be a really nice player if he continues putting in the work.
Victor Uyaelunmo, Ikechukwu Obiagu, and now Sunday Okeke. Don't get me wrong, but you very well could be looking at the future of Nigerian basketball. When it comes to the aforementioned Okeke, he's a physical specimen that competes hard on both ends of the floor. He does a nice job establishing position in the post, shows a soft touch around the basket, and does a good job finishing at the rim with thunderous dunks. Has a solid feel for the game and really is a team player. Rebounds well for his position and blocks shots from all angles. Might not be as well known as some of the other recruits, but he's been in PC's c/o 2017 Database for over a year now. Averaged 10.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.0 bpg, and 1.6 spg as a freshman for Greens Farms Academy (CT), and seems poised for a breakout sophomore campaign. Easy to see why schools like Duke are showing early interest. He still has a ways to go, but when it comes to the game of basketball, Okeke might just have a legitimate shot at playing on Sunday's!
Honorable Mentions
K.J. Fitzgerald pg / 6'0'' 155 / Cardinal / West Palm Beach, FL
Jamir Moultrie pg / 6'0'' 170 / Bishop McNamara / Bowie, MD
Malik Zachery pg / 6'1'' 160 / Nottingham / Syracuse, NY
Jordan Whitfield pg / 6'1'' 160 / Word of God / Raleigh, NC
Trae Young pg/sg / 6'1'' 160 / Norman High / Norman, OK
Trevon Duval pg/sg / 6'2'' 170 / St. Benedict's / Newark, NJ
Victor 'V.J.' Bailey pg/sg / 6'4'' 175 / McNeil / Austin, TX
Chyree Walker sg / 6'4'' 175 / Paul VI / Bethesda, MD
Gary Trent, Jr sg / 6'4'' 180 / Apple Valley / Apple Valley, MN
Terrell Turner sg / 6'4'' 180 / McArthur / Miami, FL
Ian DuBose sg / 6'4'' 200 / Ravenscroft / Raleigh, NC
Emmanuel Lambright sg/sf / 6'5'' 175 / Sarasota Christian / Sarasota, FL
David Caraher sg/sf / 6'5'' 180 / Chapel Hill / Chapel Hill, NC
DeAundrae Ballard sg/sf / 6'5'' 185 / SW Atl Christian / Lithia Springs, GA
Qyemah Gibson sf / 6'6'' 180 / SOYL Academy / Tulsa, OK
Tyler Polley sf / 6'7'' 190 / Sagemont / Weston, FL
Latravian Glover sf / 6'7'' 215 / South Miami / Miami, FL
Isaiah Stokes pf / 6'7'' 250 / Lausanne Collegiate / Memphis, TN
Victor Enoh pf / 6'8'' 210 / Greenforest Christian / Decatur, GA
Daniel Mading pf / 6'9'' 195 / The Rock / Gainesville, FL
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