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2012 ADIDAS INVITATIONAL – FRIDAY RECAP

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Friday at the Adidas Invitational brought pool play to a close and marked the start of playoff action. It also allowed a chance to view some of the tournaments younger talent as the 15U pools wrapped up at the main site I’ve been stationed at. Star performances became the norm with one Texas big man standing out as top dog on the day.

Top Performer of the Day:

Jordan Mickey (Urban DFW Elite 2013) – The 6’9” post player was unstoppable in an afternoon playoff victory dominating the paint from start to finish. Mickey has outstanding footwork on the block and can score over either shoulder with either hand. He uses spins, drop steps, and a host of other moves keeping the defense on its heels all the time with his wide array of options down low. Mickey also succeeded from the high post where his 15 foot jumper is deadly and he can use 1 dribble to attack the rim. Still a bit on the slender side, a college weight room will do wonders for Mickey’s development and he projects as a go to low post scoring option within his first couple years on a high major college campus.

Sleeper Performance of the Day:

Kahlil Dukes (Connecticut Basketball Club 2013) – While certainly not a sleeper to those of us in the Northeast who have become quite familiar with Dukes over the last few years, he was a fairly unknown name among scouts from outside the region. He did everything in his power to change that exploding for 39 points in a playoff win over the Arkansas Hawks. Dukes is a 6’0” combo guard who scores in bunches by making difficult pull-up jumpers anywhere from 15 to 25 feet. It seemed like he couldn’t miss while I was watching making seven 3-pointers and a host of ridiculous other shots. Only a couple missed free throws (which he was noticeably angry about after the game) kept Dukes from eclipsing the 40 point plateau. He’s someone I’ve watched at least 15-20 times before and this was easily his best performance to date.

Other Standout Performers:

Cameron Walker (Compton Magic 2015) – A slender 6’7” forward with high level athleticism, Walker was a force around the rim throughout the game I watched. He had loud dunks in transition but also was devastating from the high post. When catching at the free throw line, Walker uses 1-2 dribbles to attack the rim and finish over, around, or thru defenders.

Sedrick Barefield (Compton Magic 2015) – Barefield is a 6’0” floor general at the point showcasing some of the best passing ability I’ve seen this week in Indy. He got into the paint at will and consistently found the right teammate for an easy bucket. I also love the calm, cool demeanor he plays with at the point never showing emotion but rather keeping his team under control through the ups and downs of the game.

Rex Pflueger (Compton Magic 2015) – Pflueger is a 6’5” wing who is a major threat from beyond the arc and can also put it on the floor and attack the rim. He did his best work from the corner either burying the jumper or using a refined shot fake to beat his defender and get into the paint.

Munis Tutu (Team BOLTT 2015) – A virtual unknown entering play, Tutu did his best to change that as the 5’11” point guard was a dominant force scoring and distributing. He is a big time athlete and excelled flying up and down the floor in transition and finishing with both hands at the rim. Not just a scorer, he also created easy shots for others by drawing extra defenders after beating his man off the dribble.

De’Ron Davis (Colorado Hawks 2016) – Perhaps the youngest player in the field, Davis is already a grown man standing 6’8” and 220 pounds. He moves incredibly well for a young man his size and used his quickness to slide his feet and block or alter almost every shot in the paint. It’s obviously still very early but Davis appears to be one of the elite prospects in the 2016 class further evidenced by the fact that Kentucky had an assistant coach on hand to take a look.

Ronshad Shabazz (Colorado Hawks 2015) – Shabazz is a 6’3” lefty power wing who scored the ball from all three levels with excellent efficiency. He prefers to go off the bounce to his left and once near the rim has a knack for absorbing contact and still finishing the play. The young guard has the makings of a future high major stud.

Malik Hicks (Memphis Magic Elite 2015) – Hicks is a 6’6” forward who does all the dirty work in the paint and wears down his opponent. He was a monster on the offensive glass thanks to his never ending motor and finished with both hands around the basket. In addition to owning the paint, Hicks showed good form on his jump shot out to the three point line which suggests he will have the ability to advance to the wing if he’s done growing at 6’6”.

Latrelle Franklin (Compton Magic Elite 2015) – An undersized point guard standing 5’8” at best, Franklin is lightning quick and can get anywhere he wants on the floor at any time. He has outstanding vision finding passing angles that the average eye would never see while also finishing himself in the paint among the trees.

Hyron Edwards (Indiana Elite 2015) – One of the top point guards in the 2015 class, Edwards go anything he wanted in pick and roll sets both making midrange pull-ups and hitting the screener for easy layups. He’s very quick, has a high basketball IQ, and acts a leader on the floor. Edwards is sure to attract the attention of every high major school in the Midwest over the next few years.

Zakarie Irvin (Eric Gordon All Stars 2013) – verbal to Michigan – The Wolverines have a big time scorer headed their way in Irvin. The 6’7” lanky wing made rhythm shots from behind the arc all day and has perfect form on that jumper. He’s also very athletic around the rim, competes on defense, and shows signs of being able to create for others.

Jaron Hopkins dunks during the Adidas Invitational Tournament Day 3 on July 13, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (adidas Photo/Jeff Haynes)

Kendal Harris (Urban DFW Elite 2013) – A 6’5” guard with a scorer’s mentality, Harris was best attacking the rim and finishing amongst the big men. He’s great at weaving through traffic in the lane and finishing from unusual angles that keep his shot from being blocked. I’d like to see more of an outside stroke to compliment the drive game but the form is there already on Harris’ shot.

Leyton Hammonds (Dallas Mustangs 2013) – Hammonds isn’t the biggest name on his Dallas Mustangs team but he had the biggest impact in the game I watched. A 6’6” wing with excellent length, Hammonds made multiple shots from deep and because of his great size is able to get his shot off even if guarded by a defender. He also ran hard in transition and finished acrobatically around the rim showing great body control to avoid defenders in the air.

Jaron Hopkins (Compton Magic 2013) – Hopkins hasn’t fully put together his game yet but his tools from the guard position are among the nation’s elite. Standing a legit 6’5”, Hopkins has very long arms and has incredible bounce at the rim. Best in transition where his athleticism shines, Hopkins went coast to coast on one play with a behind the dribble to beat a defender mixed in and found a running teammate at the rim for a dunk. Able to play either guard position at the next level, Hopkins is a player whose best basketball is clearly in front of him.

Recruiting Updates:

Jordan Mickey (R) blocks a shot during the Adidas Invitational Tournament Day 3 on July 13, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (adidas Photo/Jeff Haynes)

Kendal Harris (Urban DFW Elite 2013) – Coming into the day Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, USC, Gonzaga, Creighton, and Marquette were the teams involved with Harris. Then Larry Brown and two assistants from SMU were on hand to watch his teammates Mickey and Karviar Shephard and left impressed so they will now be entering the mix as well.

Sedrick Barefield (Compton Magic 2015) – Still just a rising sophomore, Barefield hasn’t received his first scholarship offer yet but Arizona, UCLA, USC, and San Diego State are all interested. Barefield mentioned that he’s a big Kemba Walker fan and loved Kemba’s national title team at UConn. He’d love to see himself in that same role and is interested in having the Huskies start recruiting him.

Kahlil Dukes (Connecticut Basketball Club 2013) – Dukes has picked up two new offers since I last spoke with him two weeks ago at Elite 75. Florida International and Drexel have joined the party but at this point are looking up hill at USC. The Trojans are the only high major school to extend a scholarship offer to date and according to Dukes are firmly entrenched in his top 5. The remainder of that top 5 will be decided after the live period is over but it seems clear that Dukes is interested in having more high majors become involved. He mentioned that Seton Hall and Providence along with other teams from the Big East will be taking a look during the live period.

Jaron Hopkins (Compton Magic 2013) – The big combo guard says that Colorado is coming at him the hardest right now but USC, Arizona, Washington State, Penn State, Nebraska, UTEP, UNLV, and Oregon State are right there as well. I noticed coaches from USC, Nebraska, Penn State, and Oregon State all court side watching during the win I saw.

Leyton Hammonds (Dallas Mustangs 2013) – While not a huge name nationally, Hammonds is well known among high major coaches as Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona State, TCU, West Virginia, and Stanford are all in the mix. Stanford is the only campus Hammonds has visited of that bunch so far.

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