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AAU NATIONALS: 14-UNDER REPORT

By Rob Harrington
robharrington@prepstars.com
August 10, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The 14-under AAU Nationals took place last week and over the weekend in balmy Florida, hosted at Disney's Wide World of Sports. A unique characteristic of this event is that nearly every major AAU team competes, something that doesn't occur in the older AAU National age divisions.

The 14-unders primarily consist of rising high school freshmen (Class of 2012), although some younger 2011 prospects also suit up, and a smattering of middle-schoolers take the court as well.

At this year's event, the Long Island Lightning won the championship, prevailing over the New Orleans Panthers by a count of 59-54. Myles Davis -- who no doubt will be the subject of numerous puns throughout his career -- led the way for the winners with 26 points, scoring 20 in the first half.

Before we get into some brief player evaluations, it's always critical to establish up front that projecting players at this stage is nearly impossible. Most of these kids never have played a high school game, and obviously many of these guys will continue to grow over the next couple of years.

For perspective, many of the teams in Orlando featured a big forward who was no taller than 6-3. A few teams had 6-5 or 6-6 centers, but for the most part, many of the best players aren't yet tall enough to play their eventual college position. Clearly, then, the addition of inches goes hand in hand with strength and skill development, and we won't know the answers to these questions until later.

That said, over the years some of the best 14-unders have gone on to great success, so there is value in at least getting a taste from the nation's best young players.

All prospects are rising freshmen (Class of 2012), unless otherwise noted. We also have done our best to provide anticipated high schools for each prospect, but naturally these schools could change.

LONG ISLAND LIGHTNING

Kyle Anderson, 6-5 WG, Paterson (NJ) Catholic -- Our choice as event MVP, Anderson was outstanding throughout the event and took over down the stretch of the final. The slender guard actually plays point for the Lightning, and he uses sure dribbling and tremendous passing ability to carve up defenses on the perimeter. Because he's so tall for his age, he's also a good rebounder and capable finisher inside. It's unusual for a player this age to have such a strong command of the game, even if he does force the action from time to time. Looking ahead, hopefully he'll gain some needed quickness. That said, even if he doesn't, he projects as a fine wing prospect.

Myles Davis (2011), 6-1 WG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's -- Davis easily was one of the best scorers at the event. In fact, the championship game was a good indication of where he is at this time. He's a dangerous three-point shooter who doesn't need much time or room to release long bombs, and he also possesses pretty good quickness on drives. He can force some shots and is prone to inconsistency from the perimeter, and if he doesn't grow any further, he'll benefit from cultivating his point guard skills.

Kerwin Okoro, 6-3 WF/WG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond's -- We very much like the potential of this young athlete's game. Although not a true guard just yet, Okoro sprints the court with a bouncy stride and has explosive athleticism already. He also has some dribble moves and boasts impressive body control for such a young player. With a solid frame, chances are pretty good that he'll develop into tough power guard from New York.

NEW ORLEANS PANTHERS

Ricardo Gathers, 6-5 BF/C, Reserve (LA) Christian -- This interior big man might have been the most impressive physical specimen at the tournament. Already muscular and ripped, Gathers very well may be finished growing. That said, in addition to being strong and playing strongly, he's a warrior who scraps for rebounds and loose balls, despite the fact that his teammates either couldn't or wouldn't get him the ball in the post. The one 15-footer we saw him swish looked OK, and obviously he'll need to play away from the basket as he encounters older (and taller) competition.

Daryl Milburn, 6-2 WG, TBD -- Milburn was one of the very best players at the event. Like his teammate Gathers, he's more filled out than the majority of kids that age, yet his game still has room to grow. He's a streaky shooter to 20 feet and a top-notch athlete who already can sky for tip-dunks. Additionally, he loves to create off the dribble, using his strength and a quick spin move to get an open look, and he elevates nicely to finish from mid-range. He also is a consistent finisher in traffic thanks to his leaping ability and advanced body control.

SOUTHERN KINGS

Charles Dubose, 6-5 BF, TBD -- A fluid big man who changes ends of the court easily, Dubose caught our eye as a potential major athlete, depending obviously on how much he grows. In the meantime, he can improve his left-hand dribble, as already he's OK putting the ball on the floor going to his right.

Evan Nolte, 6-3 WG/WF, Milton (GA) High -- Arguably the best open shooter at the event, Nolte was a dead-eye marksman from three for most of the week. His legs did appear to tire as the tournament wound on, but his stroke is pure and he has legitimate range from 22 feet. Although his release is a little slow, he gets open thanks to his overall intelligence and advanced feel for the game.

Tony Parker, 6-7 BF/C, Lithonia (GA) Miller Grove -- Another talented Georgian, Parker didn't always dominate the way one would prefer, yet he clearly boasts lots of talent. He not only is tall, he carries a solid frame around well both changing ends and moving laterally. With another couple inches, he could blossom into a strong college center or, with more skills, could become a solid big forward.

TEAM PHILLY FINEST

Savon Goodman, 6-4 WF, Bryn Athyn (PA) New Church -- Already the possessor of a big reputation in the Philadelphia area, Goodman is a definite prospect to watch. He oozes potential from that slender frame and has a long smoothness that portends potential big things down the road. We saw him do his best work in transition, and certainly as he matures physically, the ability to play fullcourt should continue working to his advantage.

Andre Horne, 6-2 WG, TBD -- We loved Horne's first step with the ball and his overall quickness. A jet who looks the part of big-time athlete, he also possesses long arms and has pretty broad shoulders (yet is slender) for that age. He attended Moyer Academy in Delaware as an 8th grader.

OKC SHOWTIME

Trequentail Payne, 6-2 WF, Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City -- A solidly built wing whose basketball future may depend largely on whether he continues to grow, Payne is a quick and springy athlete who stood out in those categories among his peers. He also displayed an aggressive style and hit a couple of set-shot threes that looked fine.

MASSACHUSETTS THUNDERCATS

Cameron Golden, 5-10 WG, Memphis (TN) Ridgeway -- This tiny wing guard doesn't look substantial on the court, but his game offers plenty of meat. Golden is a trigger-happy lefty who caught fire during our viewings, drilling numerous threes and then -- after commanding respect from the defense as a shooter -- using fakes to penetrate the lane and finish inside. At the minimum, he'll be an entertaining young man to follow the next few years.

K.C. COWBOYS

Clinton McCullough, 6-4 BF, Overland Park (KS) Aquinas -- Although small right now for his future position, McCullough comes from tall stock, with immediate family members reaching 6-8 in height. Assuming he continues to sprout -- and his body type suggests that he will -- his skills will pay off as college coaches begin to eyeball him seriously. McCullough is a capable shooter facing the basket, and his all-around intelligence and skill level are ahead of the curve for the 14-under age group. On top of that, he has a sturdy base with strong legs, so interior defense could become a factor in his favor as long as he gains those all-important inches.

Ishmail Wainwright (2013), 6-3 BF/WF, (middle school) -- Just a rising 8th grader, Wainwright already is a huge name in the Kansas City metro area. He has broad shoulders but is skinny, so hopefully he'll grow to at least 6-6, likely the minimum he'll need to hit to become a major college prospect. Wainwright has the look of a forward, and we don't mean that to imply that he's unathletic. To the contrary, his long arms and big hands make him an effective player now against players a full year older, at a stage when every year -- heck, every month -- makes a difference.

HOUSTON DEFENDERS

Andrew Harrison (2013), 6-2 WG and Aaron Harrison (2012), 6-2 WG/WF, (middle school) -- We're evaluating these twins together for the time being, although it's worth noting that Andrew is the more ball-control of the two. Both Harrisons possess speed that's above-average even for the 14-under division, and they each know how to put the ball in the hoop.

Brian Bridgewater (2014), 6-3 BF, (middle school) -- It's preposterous to even begin writing about players this young, but Bridgewater did play up by two years, and he did perform pretty well. He scores inside and, for a taller young guy, is more athletic than one would think. Let's check back in a year or two and see where things stand.

ATLANTA CELTICS

Jordan Adams, 6-1 WG, Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett -- One of two talented Jordans for one of the nation's best club programs for developing young talent, Adams is both a shooter and a scorer; at times, he focuses on his lethal long bombs, while on other occasions he prefers to mix it up inside or take the ball to the rim. He had a tendency to drift out of games from time to time, so hopefully he'll become more consistent as he gets older. That said, he's consistently a good defender, one of the few guys we noticed on several occasions hawking the opposing ball-handlers on the perimeter.

Jordan Price, 6-3 WG, Decatur (GA) Columbia -- This young stud was one of the tournament's most effective players. Price has put on a lot of muscle since we first saw him at the Pangos All-South event last fall, so does that mean he is finished growing? Regardless, his height already is fine for the college wing, and his strength and athleticism give him a big advantage over his 14-under peers. He hit some big threes for the Celtics in the deeper rounds of the playoffs, and he also showcased a left hand and smooth body control that belie his age. Best of all, he appears to be a gamer, and that's the sort of attribute that tends to hold up as he and the players around him continue to develop.

ARKANSAS HEAT

Perry Ellis, 6-6 WF/BF, Wichita (KS) Heights -- This Kansas native almost universally was considered the best prospect at the tournament, due in equal parts to his tall frame and his advanced abilities. Ellis can stop growing today and, with solid skill-work, develop into a full-time three and never need another inch of height for the rest of his career. In addition, he's a very swift athlete (as we noted at the Reebok Camp last month among the 17-year-olds) who is far too big, fast, quick and skilled for his competition. He can keep it simple and score over opposing players, yet he also can handle a little and attack the rim. Although his shot and dribble aren't where they'll need to be -- and when he does stop growing, he'll need to gain lots of bulk to his skinny frame -- defensively we think he has the body and quick feet of a wing forward. Ellis has a long way to go and there never are any guarantees, to be sure, but certainly he's a bright light in this class.

MORE PROSPECTS TO MONITOR

Here are a few more guys we didn't see enough to evaluate, yet who deserve mention for their play at the event. There were dozens of teams in Orlando, so to be sure there were others we didn't see at all or didn't catch at the right time. One thing we know, however, is that these guys all have plenty of time to garner exposure.

DeJuan Marrero, 6-5 BF, Gary (IN) Bowman

Josh Scott, 6-5 BF, TBD (CO)

Derrick Fenner (2013), 6-3 WG, (middle school)

Kris Jenkins (2013), 6-3 BF/WF, (middle school)

Ray Lee, 6-0 PG/WG, Detroit TBD

Jermaine Armstrong, Jacksonville (FL) Success

Dashawn Suber, 5-11 PG, Manhattan (NY) Rice?

Drekalo Clayton (2013), 6-3 WF, (middle school)

Demetrius Henry, 6-7 BF, Miami (FL) Northeast

Robert Carter, 6-5 BF, Thomasville (GA) High

Madison Jones, 6-1 WG, Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft