The third session of the Under Armour Association made its way to the MAP Sports Facility in Southern California this past Memorial Day Weekend. While to some the three-day weekend consists of pools or beaches, barbecues and down time, it was all business for the top 15U, 16U and 17U players from all over the country who competed under one roof from sunrise to sunset for two days before the UAA Finals hit Atlanta July 13-16.
SLAM was in the building to check out some of the nations’ top hoopers. Check out the list of some of the top performers below.
(Note: Top performers list only consists of 17U participants.)
Jemarl Baker, 6-3, G, Class of 2017:
The Cal-bound combo guard continues to show why he’s in the discussion as one of the top players on the west coast with his ability to score at any time. With a very high IQ, Baker has a sweet textbook-like stroke from behind the arc. On the ball, he’s able to break down defenders and pull up on a dime from the 3-point line or drive baseline to knock down the 15-footer at a consistent rate.
Ira Lee, 6-7, F, Class of 2017:
A top forward in the Class of 2017, Lee continues to show his versatility every time he steps on the court. With a motor that doesn’t stop until the scoreboard shows zeros, Lee crashes the boards whenever a shot goes up and he can handle the rock like a guard in transition. He also excels around the high-post where more than 90 percent of the time he beats his opponent off the dribble going to his left or buries that 15-17-foot jumper when the defense gives him the space.
Isaiah Washington, 6-1, PG, Class of 2017:
Washington is the type of point guard that players love playing with because of his unselfishness. The Harlem native plays with that playground flare like many East Coast guards do and his no-look passes, whether when leading the break, throwing alley-oops or through the teeth of the defense, tend to end up on all your mixtape outlets. But the most significant part of his game is how vocal he is out there—whether it’s encouraging teammates who struggle to get it going offensively, motivating on the defensive end or orchestrating the offense in the half-court.
Savion Flagg, 6-7, G/F, Class of 2017:
Flagg uses every inch on his frame to his advantage against opposing teams and can play either the guard and/or forward spot and have an advantage at whatever position he’s plugged in on the floor. He has a good handle and loves getting teammates involved when defenders overplay him. He also has good length, making it tough to get passes through him on the defensive end.
Juhwan Harris-Dyson, 6-4, G, Class of 2017:
Harris-Dyson is an aggressive wing that looks to be a threat offensively, attacks the basket at will every time and can finish through contact. He’s also his team’s best perimeter defender, as he showed his discipline against Trevon Duval, the No. 1-ranked point guard in his class, contesting everything and not letting him get into his usual offensive groove.
Spencer Freedman, 6-1, PG, Class of 2018:
Freedman is a pass-first point guard that surveys the floor and is always looking to get his other four teammates involved. He also plays to his speed and counters on defenders’ mistakes. Freedman’s IQ in pick-and-roll situations is second to none. If the defender gets stuck on screens, he turns the corner for layups; if defenders go under screens, he’s burying the 3-pointer.
Eric Ayala, 6-5, G, Class of 2018:
An interchangeable guard who plays alongside Trevon Duval, Ayala picks his spots on the floor while realizing certain match-ups and has a good feel for the game. His head is always on a swivel and he collapses defenses off dribble-drives, which eventually lead to dimes to his big, kick-outs to a shooter or an easy two.
Keith Williams, 6-5, G/F, Class of 2017:
Williams is a slasher who’s lethal when attacking from the 3-point line extended to the basket. He has good lift on his jumper and can shoot it from behind the arc. With a strong frame, he outmuscles defenders and is able to withstand any kind of contact en route to the basket. But most importantly, his build and length translate to the defensive side, as he tends to jump the passing lanes or body up smaller defenders.
James Walker, 6-7, G, Class of 2017:
Walker is always on attack mode. Throughout the weekend, he displayed his ability to excel in pick-and-roll situations and make the right reads whether he used the given space for the jumper or set up an open teammate off penetration.
Kris Wilkes, 6-8, F, Class of 2017:
Like Ira Lee, Wilkes also has a unique skill set for his position. A player who can play both inside and out, he can handle the ball and take bigger defenders who lack the lateral movement off the dribble. He’s also very unselfish and feeds open teammates when the primary focus is on him, runs the floor extremely well and his length creates havocs on defense. Wilkes also has the 16-foot jumper in his repertoire.
Sidney Wilson, 6-7, F, Class of 2017:
There are no plays off when Sidney Wilson is on the floor. He simply outplays whoever is in front of him. Sidney’s athletic, bouncy, active—the whole nine—and a portion of his points come from tip-ins or from simply running the break where his guards tend to always find him. Defensively, he uses those same adjectives used to describe him to send defenders’ shots into the bleachers any time they come into the paint.
