SLAM Fresh 50 – 2014

by Franklyn Calle / @FrankieC7

Having already been compared to previous No. 1 draft picks Amer’e Stoudemire and Elton Brand, Cliff Alexander has potential through the roof. But in the last few months, the 6-9 big man has taken his assertiveness to a whole new level. Putting up numbers like 30 points, 26 rebounds and 14 blocks in a game is something that Alexander makes look easy. That’s when he’s not shattering backboards or posterizing dudes while recreating the jumpman logo.

After the aforementioned triple-double performance, he traveled to Springfield (MA) for the Hoophall Classic on MLK Day, the most start-studded HS showcase of the winter, where he easily came away as the talk of the event after dropping 30 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks against then No. 1 ranked Montverde Academy in an enormous upset victory—oh, and he also had the crowd going crazy after dunking on the same player on consecutive possessions.

Although he’s listed as 6-9, the Chicago native reportedly possesses an incredible 7-3 wingspan. His height and bulky physique alone make him a highly sought after prospect for scouts, but when you add the kind of athleticism and explosiveness he demonstrates, it just begins to look unfair. It’s a man among boys type of situation. But he isn’t just all dunks and spin moves in the paint. He can also sink it from midrange and from the charity stripe. At Hoophall, he went a perfect 9-9 from the free-throw line.

Prior to his 30/26/14 performance and Hoophall, Alexander was named the Athlete of the Month for December by the Chicago Tribune/WGN after averaging 27 points,17 rebounds and 5 blocks per game, including posting 22 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks against nationally ranked Bishop Gorman (NV) in a victory. He ended 2013 at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, where he took home MVP honors after posting a 37-point, 26-rebound, 5-block performance (which included 10 dunks) in one of his outings.

He’s put Curie HS on his back and has carried the team up to the No. 2 spot on USA Today‘s most recent top-25 national rankings and a 19-1 record. We wouldn’t be surprised if the future Jayhawk receives the Athlete of the Month title again for January. Needless to say, Alexander has been tearing up the competition all season long, and thus deserving of his new ranking spot. The kid is a beast and as explosive as you’ll find at his size.

Prospects that also moved up the list include Indiana-bound James Blackmon Jr, who’s averaging 36.2 points per game thus far, and UNC-bound Justin Jackson, averaging 31.4 points this season for HCYA, while BYU-commit TJ Haws makes his top-50 debut.

As has become an annual occurrence, Texas and Illinois continue to be well represented on the Fresh 50 list.