While friends and family spent the month of July on vacation or relaxing at the beach, I’ve been in steamy gyms and living out of a suitcase.
And I couldn’t be happier. The live recruiting period may be hard work, full of long hours and lengthy trips, but it also extremely fun for a basketball junky like yours truly. I didn’t write about everyone city player I saw, but I took mental notes on them all.
College coaches and national ranking experts aren’t the only ones who get to do evaluations — below are mine Bear in mind, players omitted are ones I didn’t see because they were elsewhere or injured.
This is the first installment. An underclassmen edition will follow. These are done in alphabetical order.
F Nyheem Atkins, Grady (Juice All-Stars)
Few knew he existed before July, which is quite understandable considering Grady has fallen on such tough times. The 6-foot-7 forward made coaches notice him with his ability to handle the ball, finish inside and step out and hit jump shots. Juice’s Silver title at Live in AC wouldn’t have been possible without him. If his academics are sound, Atkins would fit at the mid-major level, and be a major get in the MAAC or NEC.
F Travis Charles, Lincoln (New York Panthers)
I didn’t see this Travis Charles enough at Lincoln, the wing who can beat his man off the dribble and score on the move, who didn’t need to be set up and held his own in the paint against bigger bodies. I wasn’t sold on the 6-foot-6 Charles as a Division I player during the high school season, but I was in July. He seemed more athletic and versatile, qualities that make him appealing at the next level after a year of prep school.
F Kentan Facey, Long Island Lutheran (New Rens)
By the time I caught up with Facey in the middle of the month, he had already blown up with new offers from USC, Louisville, UCLA and Pittsburgh, among others. I quickly realized why in one sequence: 15-foot jumper, block and dunk over two defenders. The LuHi 6-foot-9 forward played the month of July with a world of confidence, and isn’t just a rebounding and shot-blocking specialist anymore. His offensive game still needs refining, notably his post moves, but he has come a long way since the end of his junior high school season, from his skills to his motor.
F Leroy (Truck) Fludd, Boys & Girls (Juice All-Stars)
I’ve thought about where Fludd fits at the next level since March, and I’m still not sure. He doesn’t quite shoot it well enough to be a shooting guard, and he’s not quite big enough to play up front. I do know this: he’s more than tough enough and has the athleticism that will translate well. Rutgers certainly think so; they lead a series of schools who will keep an eye on Fludd in prep school.
F Jordan Fuchs, Christ the King (New Rens)
He was the Rens best player at The Hoop Group’s Summer Classic East and was one of its best throughout July. That’s saying something considered the loaded roster coach Kareem Memminger put together. The hard-working, 6-foot-5 Fuchs has spent plenty of time on his mid-range jump shot and it showed at Summer Classic East as he made defenders who played off of him pay. The biggest question with Fuchs, a lunch-pail guy who does all of the dirty work, is whether he will play basketball, football or both in college as he has solid offers in each sport.
G Josh James, Archbishop Stepinac (New Heights)
Arguably the top shooter in the city next year, James boosted his stock with a big summer. Consistency and size — he’s a 6-foot-2 shooting guard — remain a question for college. The MAAC would be a perfect destination for the Stepinac rising senior.
F Jalen Jenkins, Cardinal Hayes (New Heights)
If he hadn’t verbally committed to George Mason in June, a swarm of major Division I schools would be after the 6-foot-7 small forward, who may do a postgraduate year before heading to Mason because he is a year young. The former Cardinal Hayes standout’s ability to bang inside, lead the break, shoot from deep and facilitate are qualities seldom seen in players his size. Mason head coach Paul Hewitt is getting a big-time recruit and an even better kid in Jenkins.
G Bryce Jones, Boys & Girls (NYC Jayhawks)
The nondescript Jayhawks enjoyed a surprisingly solid July and Jones was key factor to their success. Running the team adeptly and hitting open shots when they were presented, he played at a high level against top competition. He’s on the border between Division I and Division II; after a year of prep school he may play his way into the NEC or America East program.
G Jaquan (Son Son) Lynch, Thomas Jefferson (Juice All-Stars)
Lynch has spent the summer attempting to be more of a point guard with college in mind. The FIU-bound, 6-foot guard’s strength remains off the ball, as a potent perimeter threat with a solid mid-range game and as a tenacious on-the-ball defender. He did show playmaking qualities with Juice, yet his ability to run a team has a ways to go if he is going to play the point for FIU.
F Hassan Martin, Curtis (New Heights)
Arguably the most interesting prospect in the Class of 2013 because of his upside, age (16) and inexperience, Martin showed flashes this summer of possible brilliance at both ends of the floor. Unlike most of the area’s top players, Martin has yet to play a full varsity season because of injury and this was his first summer on the AAU circuit. When Martin’s post moves and ball handling catch up to his elite finishing ability is when he becomes a true high major talent. It’s why Rhode Island hardly missed a game this summer, and is high on his list of suitors.
G Marquise Moore, Holy Cross (New Rens)
Moore’s decision to play July with the Rens may turn out to be a prudent one. There was a buzz about Moore among college coaches wondering why he has no Division I offers. At 6-foot-2, he is an undersized shooting guard and doesn’t shoot the 3-pointer particularly well, but Moore can flat-out score, no matter the opponent, and gets the most out of his ability. That was evident in his productive month. My guess: after a year of prep school, he will find a fit at the D-1 level, and by his junior year of college people will wonder how so many missed the boat.
G Anthony Pate, Long Island Lutheran (New Rens)
At 6-foot-4, Pate has the body of a Division I shooting guard and his pull-up jump shot is a skill few locals possess. St. Louis, Quinnipiac and N.C. State are just a few schools involved with the sharp-shooting southpaw who played on the U17 Canadian national team in June.
G Terrence Samuel, South Shore (New Rens)
When he is aggressive, attacking the basket and pushing the ball in transition, Samuel is almost always effective. There are times, however, the highly ranked and recruited lead guard is passive, a knock on him dating back to his freshman year at South Shore. His jump shot and quickness remain concerns, but at 6-foot-4 and with a college-ready body, schools like Pittsburgh, Dayton, UConn and Rhode Island feel he can make an impact.
G Jon Severe, Christ the King (New York Lightning)
The lights-out perimeter threat has his pick of schools, and rightfully so. While just 6-foot-2, undersized somewhat for a shooting guard, Severe is known for his toughness, explosive scoring ability, high character and defensive intensity. His summer was up and down — the Lightning was often short this summer, forcing their starters into major minutes – and I would like to see him create more off the dribble, as he may be asked to play some point guard at the next level.
G Dayshon Smith, Putnam Science Academy (New York Lightning)
The most complete point guard in this list by a longshot, Smith may be looking at high-major offers after a brilliant AAU season. The 6-foot-2 floor general was brilliant for the Lightning, running the team, knocking down jump shots, setting up others and taking over when need be. The high character Bronx native has a series of high mid-major offers now, but the big boys are evaluating him.
F Jordan Washington, Pathways (New Heights)
For those who question how the bulldozing forward will be able to compete at this next level against taller forwards, check out the Adidas Invitational and Adidas Super 64 tournaments. The 6-foot-7 Washington’s biggest issue is sustainability — after impressive spurts, he too often needs a breather. The ability is there to make an impact for a major Division I program.
G Nassir Williams, Cardinal Hayes (New Heights)
At 5-foot-11, size is holding Williams back from a Division I scholarship. A combo guard who showed glimpses this summer, he is a potent perimeter threat who needs to play the point at the next level to land that coveted D-1 offer. Williams hopes a year of prep school makes it happen.
F Richard Williams, Transit Tech (New York Lightning)
To say July was a big month for the 6-foot-4 Williams would be stating the obvious. He showed college coaches what everyone in PSAL Brooklyn AA knew for a long time — he’s a legit Division I prospect; right now a small forward, but in time could play shooting guard if his ball handling continues to improve at prep school. In the last nine days, he has landed eight mid-major scholarship offers after wowing coaches with his versatile skill-set. I’m not sure there was a more impressive move by a city player than the day in Atlantic City when he grabbed a defensive rebound, went coast-to-coast and spun around a defender for a finger-roll.
G Tyler Wilson, Cardinal Hayes (New Heights)
Gritty, tough, hard-nosed — pick an adjective used to describe a traditional New York City point guard and it fits the New Heights floor leader. New Heights’ run to the Adidas Invitational and Adidas Super 64 finals wouldn’t have been possible without Wilson; who knows what would’ve happened Sunday in Las Vegas against the Michigan Mustangs if he wouldn’t been available rather than on the bench with a serious eye injury. As tough an on-ball defender as there in the city and a fearless penetrator, Wilson’s shot needs to improve for college.