While the Nike EYBL and Under Armour Association were the two marquee events in ‘Nap Town, there were also numerous other events going on throughout the city for college coaches to evaluate talent. There were events for unsigned seniors, AAU tournaments for shoe companies, and then events that focused on the next wave of high school ballers. The best event for underclassmen was the Nike EYBL Midwest Takeover.
In the 16U division, All Ohio Red took the crown. For the 15U guys, Team United upset Georgia Stars. College coaches were present at every big time matchup and as you can imagine, there was no shortage of talent. Here are a few of the players in the next wave of guys in the Nike EYBL:
Vernon Carey, 6-9, PF, Nike Team Florida 15U, 2019
With absolutely stunning improvement, Vernon Carey went from merely a big 6-foot-5ish kid to serious 6-foot-9 prospect in a matter of a year. The lefty drilled countless J’s out to the three point line, made sick passes out of the post, and punished the rim throughout the weekend. To put his performance in perspective, Miami and Florida both offered Carey before he could make it back home to Florida.
Christian Brown, 6-6, SF, Georgia Stars 15U, 2019
The best freshman in South Carolina made the pilgrimage down south to run with Georgia’s top EYBL program and has fit in perfectly. Once simply an athlete with a high motor, Brown put in some major work in his game over the past year to emerge as one of the best wings in the class. He shot the ball well from deep, was a beast on the offensive glass, and had some of the most ferocious dunks of the weekend. While the Stars lost in the 15U ‘chip, Brown showed enough to receive an offer from Clemson before he got back to Columbia.
Coby White, 6-4, PG, CP3 All-Stars 16U, 2018
One of the fastest rising players in the class of 2018, Coby White has been a huge difference maker on the 16U level the past two weekends for CP3. He showed off blazing end to end speed, was a great finisher at the rack, and dropped a number of sick dimes throughout the weekend. As he continues to grow as a playmaker, expect more ACC schools to join Clemson and Wake Forest offering him scholarships.
Juwan Gary, 6-5, SG, Team United 15U, 2019
The leading scorer for the 15U Champs, Juwan Gary changed the game on both ends of the hardwood with his crazy athleticism. He finished above the rim, put the clamps on people on the perimeter, and a number of emphatic blocks. Already with an offer from in state South Carolina, Gary is getting interest from schools in every BCS conference.
James Wiseman, 6-10, PF/C, St. Louis Eagles 16U, 2019
With perhaps the most long term potential of anyone in the 16U division, James Wiseman showed the type of upside that has college coaches drooling. He was outstanding running the floor, rebounded the ball well above the rim, and displayed a fluid J out to 17 feet. Having shown monstrous improvement over the last year, expect Wiseman to have no shortage of big time offers by the time that the summer is over.
Shareef O’Neal, 6-9, PF, Cal Supreme 16U, 2018
While he was a little banged up by the end of the tournament, Shareef O’Neal showed that his game is nothing like his Dad’s. The face-up power forward was great running the floor, hit a number of J’s out to the three point line, and was a shot-blocking presence on the other end. LSU head coach Johnny Jones was courtside for the bulk of Shareef’s games hoping to bring another O’Neal to Baton Rouge.
Marquise Walker, 5-11, PG, Nike Team Florida 15U, 2019
Arguably the best freshman in Chicago, Marquise Walker opted to run with Nike Team Florida on the AAU circuit and showed no shortage of swagger. He was virtually impossible to stop going to the rack, bombed a number of NBA range three pointers, and converted some ridiculously creative takes to the tin. Running the show for Isaiah Thomas’ alma mater, expect to hear a lot about Walker in the Windy City.
Tre Turner, 6-4, SG, CP3 All-Stars 16U, 2018
While CP3 is straight up stacked, it was Tre Turner who paced the team late in tournament play. The athletic combo guard shot the lights out of the ball from deep and defended both backcourt spots, showing why people are sleeping on him. A big time wide receiver, Turner already has offers from Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, and more on the gridiron.
