By: Noah Hooper
5’8 2024 Nick Diaz (Elite 1 15U)
When you see Nick’s size and slim frame, it’s easy to overlook him, but if you pay close attention to his game, it’s really a lot to like about him as he scored in bunches today and completely took over his team’s game this afternoon. The wiry guard was very active on defense as he played passing lanes very well and did it with a high motor. Nick also did really well in transition situations as he was able to show off his nice touch around the rim along with his vision in these scenarios. Lastly, Nick shot the ball from deep very well which is something that opens up opportunities for him to attack closeouts as defenses know he has the ability to hit shots from deep. Nick is a very coachable player that plays hard on both ends of the floor and I hope he gets a chance to play at the next level.
6’4 2023 Alius Bowser (Charlotte Dragons 16U)
Over the many times I have seen Bowser play, he impresses me more and more with how hard he is willing to work for his team on both ends of the floor. I love giving praise to guys who are just willing to outwork people and Bowser just fits that description perfectly. As far as the offensive end, Bowser took care of business as usual as he did an amazing job of getting downhill and finishing through contact. Defensively, he had a high motor as he was really active and made it tough to score on him. Bowser is having a very good summer and I hope colleges are taking notice of this kid.
5’11 2023 Braden Collins (Charlotte Dragons 16U)
Playing the floor general role on this Dragons team alongside Bowser is 5’11 Braden Collins. I’ve had my eye on this kid for a minute and in my time watching him I noticed that he plays very hard. Despite being the smallest guy on the court a lot of the time, Braden always finds a way to make an impact on the game whether it be his shooting ability, or just playing hard on both ends for his team. Speaking more on his shooting, Braden has really nice mechanics and a good stroke from beyond the arc, which opens up driving opportunities for him to be a floor general and dish to his teammates. I hope this kid gets more recognition for what he does on this Dragons team game in and game out because it can easily go unnoticed.
6’6 2025 Christopher Eagan (Charlotte Dragons 16U)
When talking about this Charlotte Dragons team you can’t ignore the obvious upside of 6’6 Christopher Eagan. With his ability to run the floor and his soft touch around the rim at such a young age, it really makes him one to watch in the future. He also showed me today that he has the ability to step out and hit the 15-footer, which is good because his solid mechanics show that one day he will be able to step out and hit the three ball consistently. With Eagan’s skillset and huge upside, I expect him to be playing at the collegiate level when he is older if he puts in the hours.
6’2 2024 Jahon Foster (Hoop Wall Street 15U)
Alongside Iverson King on this Hoop Wall Street team is 6’2 2024 Jahon Foster. What really impressed me about Foster was how he was able to break down defenders and get to his spots whether it be all the way to the rim, or a pull-up jumper. He also caught my eye one possession with how well he was able to read a pick and roll situation and attempt to make a play for himself as he got an open pull-up jumper out of it. Lastly, Foster has a very tight handle and it really showed as he was easily able to get to his spots. Although Foster did not have an explosive performance this afternoon, he showed me nice flashes of being a good floor general for his team.