CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The class members of the 19th NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp were subject to a “jury by their peers”, in a manner of speaking, Saturday evening at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena.
The approximately 100 players who were part of the camp cast “ballots”, of sort, for an “all-camp” team.
Centers got to vote for a center, forwards got their pick as the two-best at their position in the camp while guards also got to put “X’s” next to the names of who they believe were the two best at the position over the four days of drills, practices and games.
So, following the conclusion of the Thunder’s victory over the Lakers in the camp championship game, former NBA power forward-deluxe Antonio Davis (among Tim McCormick and John Lucas, and many others), one of the many former NBA players who were integral cogs in the machine that seemingly as smoothly as possible, revealed results of the balloting in front of an attentive group of players and many of their parents sitting in the bleachers in front of Davis.
And the winners were (alphabetically):
*Cliff Alexander (6-foot-9/class of 2014/Chicago, IL, Curie). Frank Says: It’s possible that he is the best power forward-type in the national class of 2014. His forcefulness at both ends of the court was solid testimony in that regard.
*Aquille Carr (5-5/2013/Baltimore, MD, Patterson). Frank Says: He’s known by prep followers from coast to coast as, perhaps, the flashiest ball-handler and crowd-pleasing player currently in high school. But his jump shot, and ability to finish off the glass or over the top of the rim in crowds, were things to behold as he led the camp in scoring.
*Brannen Greene (6-7/2013/Forsythe, GA, Mary Parsons). Frank Says: Greene was one of the smoothest performers over the four days and the future Kansas Jayhawk is one of the best wing-types in the country.
*Andrew Harrison (6-4/2013/Richmond, TX, Ft Bend Travis). Frank Says: He did nothing to hinder those who suggest that he is the best point guard in the rising senior class – and, possibly, its best overall player as well.
*Parker Jackson-Cartwright (5-7/2014/Los Angeles, CA, Loyola). Frank Says: His passing and decision making over the last couple of days were not much short of flawless.
*Nick King (6-7/2013/Memphis, TN, East). Frank Says: The left hander from the Nike EYBL Bluff City Legends/Team Penny squad had the left-handed jumper working smoothly indeed.
*Jalen Lindsey (6-7/2014/Franklin, TN, Presbyterian). Frank Says: Lindsey, a rising star for the Nike Georgia Stars, could come out of the summer ranked as one of the best 10 rising juniors in the national class.
*Kennedy Meeks (6-8/2013/Charlotte, NC, West). Frank Says: I thought he was the best passing post player in the country when I watched him play for Team United at the Nike EYBL/Hayward (CA) session. I still feel that way.
*Mamadou Ndiaye (7-4/2013/Huntington Beach, CA, Brethren Christian). Frank Says: The big fella (better make that “big, big” from the Orange County beach-front community of Huntington Beach, who rarely played against anyone taller than 6-3 this past season for his small (250 enrollment) high school, came up very big indeed against some very gifted post players in the camp. He had five blocked shots and nine rebounds for the Thunder in the title game.
*Kuran Iverson (6-8/2013/Hartford, CT, Northwest). Frank Says: History could prove that the multi-skilled Iverson was as physically gifted as any player in the 2013 class. At times, his skill level was startling.
*Noah Vonleh (6-8/2014/New Hampton, NH, New Hampton Prep). Frank Says: He wasn’t anywhere near the most spectacular player in the camp but that were few who were as consistently efficient and productive, inside or out.
*Nigel Williams-Goss (6-3/2013/Henderson, NV, Findlay Prep). Frank Says: He has helped Findlay Prep win a lot of games during his first three seasons at Findlay Prep. He’s going to do the same thing in Seattle for Lorenzo Romar’s Washington Huskies.
And here are three more that I would have included to make a Top 15 in the camp:
*Anthony Barber (6-3/2013/Hampton, VA, Hampton): Frank Says: He played every bit as well as did Aaron Harrison. But I guess his fellow campers didn’t notice.
*Kavon Looney (6-7/2014/Milwaukee, WI, Hamilton). Frank Says: He’s a phenomenal scorer and is among that group of players who are among the best very best in the Class of 2014.
*DeAngelo Russell (6-3/2014/Montverde, FL, Montverde Academy). Frank Says: He played at a nearly superb level from Day 1 and is clearly one of the Top 10-15 junior prospects nationally.
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Frank Burlison is one of the most respected basketball writers and basketball talent evaluators in the world. He’s an original (1978) member of the McDonald’s All-American Selection/Advisory Committee and was inducted into the United States Basketball Writers’ Association Hall of Fame during the 2005 Final Four in St. Louis. You can catch his writing, player evaluations and comments on the sport – on all levels – at www.BurlisonOnBasketball.com and via his Twitter account – FrankieBur. He can be contacted at frank.burlison@gmail.com
