NBPA Top 100: Top performers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Future five-star big man Charles Bassey may be the top player in the class of 2019 and he showed why he has big-time prospect written all over him at the NBPA Top 100 Camp. Here are the top 15 performers from the event.
Recruiting wrap: Texas A&M, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Baylor and more have made early offers.
Performance: The second-leading rebounder in camp at 8.4 per contest, Bassey was likely the top long-term prospect in camp. He plays above the rim, has good instincts, his motor never stops and his base skill level is plenty above average for a sophomore-to-be. For now, he's the odds on favorite to start at No. 1 in the 2019 rankings.
Recruiting wrap: Nevada, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego are among his offers.
Performance: Battey's 12.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game were good enough to make him a top three scorer and top five rebounder. With his 6-foot-6 frame, long arms, wide body and preference for shooting jump shots he's not your typical power forward type. To get an idea, think a little bit shorter Oliver Miller.
Recruiting wrap: Texas A&M, Texas, Pittsburgh, TCU, SMU, Purdue and many others have offered.
Performance: Camp's fifth leading scorer, Flagg cemented that he'll be entering the 2017 Rivals150 as a four-star when the ranking gets updated next week. He's a multipurpose wing who scores in transition, locks down defensively and helps out on the glass. As his jumper comes around, he'll really diversify his offensive game.
Recruiting wrap: Garza recently said he hopes to decide before July, but his recruitment has exploded. Iowa, Louisville, Indiana, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Georgia and many more are now in hot pursuit.
Performance: Garza has built a nice case for the 2017 Rivals150 this spring and finishing second overall in scoring at NBPA didn't hurt. Garza isn't the most athletic big man, but he can really shoot the ball and has legitimate three point range. His wide shoulders and strong base allowed him to hold position in the paint.
Recruiting wrap: Hamilton indicated that he's going to take his time. N.C. State, Stanford, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Maryland, Miami, Wake Forest, Tennessee and others have offered.
Performance: The strength in Hamilton's game is in his efficiency and having a feel for what he does and doesn't do well. That showed at camp as he did the bulk of his damage from 17 feet and in. He's tough enough to play some power forward in a small ball lineup and is expanding his perimeter game each time out.
Recruiting wrap: Committed to UCLA.
Performance: When it comes to quickness off the dribble, nobody in camp topped Hands. His ability to split double teams is unmatched in 2017. Because of his quickness, he's also quite dangerous as an on-the-ball defender or somebody who attacks passing lanes for open court steals. Hands must get stronger and limit careless turnover, but he's got loads of talent.
Recruiting wrap: Langford's recruitment is a blueblood special as Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville and more give chase.
Performance: For the first day and a half or so, Langford looked ready to blow the doors off of camp. However, heavy legs (he arrived after trying out for USA Basketball's 17U team) and fatigue slowed him down as camp wore on. He's efficient, scores at the rim, is dangerous with the jumper, is a big-time defender and he looks like the best two guard prospect in the class of 2018.
Recruiting wrap: Indiana and Kansas offered early in the process.
Performance: Maker finally has the chance to play out of the shadow of his five-star older brother Thon Maker (who will likely be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft this week) and he looks good. He's added some needed bulk to his skinny frame, was a terror on the glass and looked to finish strong at the rim. A bonus is that he's a good free throw shooter.
Recruiting wrap: North Carolina, Villanova, Louisville, Maryland, Wake Forest, Connecticut and many others are chasing.
Performance: Known more for his jump shooting from deep, Randolph struggled mightily with his three point shooting (7-26). Rather than sulk, he put the ball on the floor and got to the basket. The assortment of drives and pull-ups he showed were quite impressive and because of his willingness to change his approach, he was still able to shoot 52.5 percent from the field.
Recruiting wrap: Xavier, Indiana, Michigan State and Illinois among others are standing out.
Performance: Of all the guards in camp, Scruggs may be the most physically ready to play college basketball. He's a big, strong ball-handler who is at ease playing the one or the two. His pull-up jumper is his bread and butter and he's more streaky than consistent from deep. Would love to see him use that big body even more on drives to the rim.
Recruiting wrap: Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Iowa State, VCU, Xavier and Georgetown are among the many giving chase.
Performance: A well-built, rugged and tough post player, Simms knows his own scouting report and he stuck to it while leading the camp in rebounding. He crashed the glass, scored on the interior when given the chance and played with as much physicality as possible on both ends of the floor. His body is college-ready and he is a future interior enforcer type.
Recruiting wrap: Minnesota has turned it up as have VCU, DePaul, Seton Hall and Providence.
Performance: Frankly, Washington was a bit of a disappointment the times we saw him during his junior season. This spring, though, he's been the dynamic playmaker and hard nosed floor general who was a four-star prospect headed into his junior year. He had another big outing as a playmaker for others and scorer when needed at NBPA and looks to be back on his way to four-star status.
Recruiting wrap: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Connecticut, St. John's and many others are in the mix with scholarship offers.
Performance: The leading assist man in camp at 5.6 per game, Waters flourished in a role that is more similar to how he'll likely be used in college. His reputation has been that of a scorer but on the next level it will be about setting up others first and then mixing his his scoring. He's fearless on drives to the hoop, softens the defense with his jump-shooting and has made big strides as a communicator.
Recruiting wrap: Weatherspoon is currently in the midst of taking unofficial visits to North Carolina, N.C. State and Louisville. Mississippi State, Iowa State, LSU and many others have also offered.
Performance: Playing as either a point or a two guard, Weatherpsoon was as explosive with his first step as any guard in camp. He's a high-end athlete who plays in attack mode and he doesn't let mistakes get him out of his game. The mechanics to be a good shooter and decision-maker are there. He just needs to take his foot off the gas every now and then. Look for him to be a big mover in next week's updated 2017 Rivals150.
Recruiting wrap: Williamson said he can barely keep track of all of his new offers. Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Baylor, Seton Hall, Georgetown, UNLV, Tennessee, UCLA, Maryland and LSU are among the group to jump on board.
Performance: The leading scorer in camp, the powerful southpaw was pretty much unstoppable going to the rim. He's also a pretty good jump shooter but for now prefers not to take many shots from beyond 17 feet (only four three-point attempts in nine camp games). He's turning baby fat to muscle and has made a case for a move into the top 10, if not top five, of the class of 2018.