When we release our new player rankings this week, there will be numerous prospects that will benefit from their strong play this summer.
Here are the top prospects from the 2017 class in the state that will benefit the most from their performances this summer . . .
Nigel Shadd 6-8 JR PF Tri-City Christian HS (Chandler, AZ)
Shadd is a long and lengthy power forward prospect with loads of potential for the future. Still very young for his grade, this young man is one player that has a chance to become a very special player with serious hard work. Already 6-8 in height, Shadd should grow to be 6-10 when it is all said and done. He is an effective finisher around the basket and plays well above the rim already. He currently has a nice jump hook with either hand and has solid footwork. He still needs work on his low post moves to be more effective against top-notch post players. He also can develop his footwork. A solid shooter from mid-range, Shadd will need to develop in his ability to shoot from longer ranges, but he is at his best around the paint. A very good and active rebounder. A very good shot-blocker with good timing. An excellent prospect for the future.
Caleb Simmons 6-6 JR SF Desert Vista HS (Phoenix, AZ)
Simmons has an excellent body already and uses his nice body to bully defenders on the low block, and is also able to step outside to the 3-point line, where he is able to hit shots. Still needs to become more consistent in his shooting stroke from longer ranges. Has a nice mid-range game. Able to score off the dribble and finish plays inside the paint and around defenders. A good ball handler with good versatility. Active rebounder. Good open court player and slasher. An active on-ball defender that plays passing lanes and gets deflections. Has good size now and is still growing a great deal. A nice looking prospect for the future.
Saben Lee 6-2 JR PG Corona Del Sol HS (Tempe, AZ)
Lee burst onto the recruiting scene this summer, and picked up a lot of recruitment as a result. A very quick guard with an ability to break down defenders off the dribble and get to the basket, almost at will. Has an excellent handle of the basketball and very good court vision – allowing him to look for open cutters in a half-court set, as well as in transition. His jump-shot is a work in progress, but once it develops and he is able to knock down shots at a consistent rate, he will be a load to deal with on a nightly basis. Lee also is a very good defender and he is always aware where the ball and his man are on the court. He also has very active hands and is able to body and cut people off before they are able to get where they want on the court. A very good looking guard prospect.
Holland “Boo Boo” Woods 5-11 JR PG Apollo HS (Glendale, AZ)
Woods has worked hard on his craft as a youngster, and has also been around the game of basketball all of his life. It shows as this young man is very skilled and advanced for his young age. Woods is known by his friends, family and teammates as "Boo Boo." Woods is always the catalyst for his team and is a problem for opposing guards, as a result of his quickness, handle of the basketball and feel for the game. He is capable of getting anywhere he wants to on the floor and rarely do you find guard prospects like this in the state of Arizona. He is an excellent penetrator with the basketball in his hands and is also a strong finisher in the lane and at the basket over bigger defenders. He is a good shooter with range on his shot and possesses good shot selection. He also has a strong mid-range game, which makes him difficult to slow down. Woods also pushes the basketball up the floor as often as he can, and always seems to find the open man on the floor. He enjoys making the extra pass, and gets more joy from an assist than he does scoring the basketball - although he is a very good scorer.
Dre Marin 5-11 JR PG Apollo HS (Glendale, AZ)
Marin is coming off a huge, breakout performance this summer. With opposing teams organizing box-and-one defensive maneuvers against him, and looking to slow him down offensively, Marin would continue to get it done in a major way. Marin is an excellent shooter of the basketball with unlimited range and a quick release on his shot. A very good scorer off the dribble – able to drive to the basket and finish strong against bigger defenders. Makes players around him better. Marin is a handful for opposing guards, as he can do almost what he wants to, when he wants to with the basketball in his hands. He also is a big-time competitor on both ends of the floor. His sheer toughness as a player is what drives his competitive force. A tough, physical guard defensively that applies excellent defensive pressure for 94 feet. An excellent guard prospect.
Nate Graville 6-7 JR SF Gilbert Christian HS (Gilbert, AZ)
Graville is a rare find, as a result of his size, length and ability to make shots from all over the floor. He has a very good shooting stroke with unlimited range already, and also a good mid-range game which allows him to make plays for himself off the dribble. Graville has the body and the potential for the futue to become a serious division-I prospect. Graville will develop into the one of the elite prospects in this state quickly, as he has already shown the ability to play the game of basketball at a high level and he also possesses the confidence as well. Now it is just a fact of him putting it all together on the basketball court, and against top-rated competition - the final step in the process of developing into a top performer. Good ball handler. OK passer. A solid rebounder. OK defender.
Colten Kresl 6-0 JR PG Chaparral HS (Scottsdale, AZ)
Kresl is a big-time scorer from the guard position and he has a superior knack for making shots from anywhere on the floor. He has the ability to keep his handle alive in the most difficult situations and pass with either hand. An excellent shooter with excellent range on his shot. Able to shoot the basketball from the stand-still position or while on the move. Can create for himself or others off the dribble, almost at will. An excellent ball handler. Solid passer. Capable defender. Needs to continue to add more physical strength to reach his full potential as a player.
Jared Rodriguez 6-6 JR SF Mountain Ridge HS (Glendale, AZ)
Rodriguez is ready to have a breakout season. Still needs to mature physically to reach his full potential. Has very nice length and athleticism. He will need to rely on both of these two attributes that he possesses to maximize his potential as a player. Rodriguez definitely looks the part of a serious prospect, it is now time for him to produce on the floor and take strides into becoming a producer on the floor. Rodriguez has excellent potential though as a college prospect. He has a long, thin frame that suggests that he is still growing a great deal physically. Once he grows into his body, he should really see major improvement as a player. He is fundamentally sound and possesses a good handle of the basketball. He just needs to get physically much stronger to really see his game progress; that should come with natural maturity but hitting the weight room will help a lot as well. An excellent shooter with range on his shot. Solid ballhandler and passer. OK rebounder. OK defender.
Treyvon McCray 6-0 JR PG Copper Canyon HS (Glendale, AZ)
McCray is a talented guard prospect with a superb handle of the basketball, and an ability to score the basketball amidst defensive pressure. McCray's herky-jerky offensive style makes him very difficult to defend, as he utilizes changes of speed and direction to keep his defenders off balance. He also has wonderful body control when he gets into the lane. Combined with an excellent overall feel for the game, McCray is a problem with the basketball in his hands. A left hander, making it difficult to defend him. He is a good passer, but needs to continue to develop in his ability to run a team. A good on the ball defender.
Donald Carter 6-0 JR PG Cesar Chavez HS (Phoenix, AZ)
Carter is coming off a solid sophomore season for himself, where he proved that he is among the better guard prospects in the 2017 class. A floor general of sorts that has a very good handle and surveys the floor with good court vision. Enjoys running a team and making plays for others. Also a capable scorer that can keep defenses honest with a solid perimeter shooting stroke, but he still needs to become more consistent from longer ranges. A very good defender with good lateral quickness. A solid guard prospect.
