By: Noah Hooper
6'7 2022 Bryce Wilkins (Drill Academy 17U)
When you look at Wilkin's long frame and notice what his skill set consists of, he immediately stands out compared to other kids. The 6'7 forward does a great job of getting to his spots and using his body to get what he wants in the lane, along with being able to stretch the floor and hit shots from beyond the arc, which helps his team tremendously. What also sticks out on the offensive end is his ability to handle the ball and take people off the dribble at 6'7, which makes him a tall, versatile threat that college coaches look for in a player. Although Wilkins is highly versatile offensively, he is very active on defense as he knows how to use his long frame to disrupt passes and stay in front of smaller defenders. College coaches should be on the lookout for this kid throughout the weekend.
6'4 2021 Christopher Green (Drill Academy 17U)
In Green's first game today it was obvious that he had one of the highest motors on the floor as he did a great job helping his team on the defensive side of the ball. He also did a nice job on smaller defenders down the stretch as he really showed how well he was able to move guarding 94 feet. Lastly, you will not find a lot of kids that play with the passion Green does, it's always nice to see a kid play really hard on both ends and have a smile on his face while doing it, that is the definition of the ultimate coach's player.
6'0 2022 Andrew Cook (CC Elite)
Although most people know Cook for his high-level shooting ability, he does way more for his team than just that. In his first game today, he was very good at attacking closeouts and making a play for his team whether it be hitting a soft runner in the lane, or finding a kick out for an open shot. What also goes unnoticed about Cook is how hard he is willing to play for his teammates as he was very active on defense and did a great job communicating with his teammates on that side of the floor. He told me some schools have expressed interest in him and I feel like he will do well at the next level showing people what he possesses outside of his shooting ability.
6'5 2020 Wol Yak (NC Heat 17U)
In his game this afternoon, Yak really showcased his length and finesse around the rim as caught my eye with a silky euro-step in transition. He also showed that he is a high-level athlete as he has the ability to make plays above the rim and stay in front of people that are shorter and quicker than him. Lastly, he has decent shooting mechanics that can be easily tweaked to make him a high-clip shooter later on, which would be dangerous given his athletic ability. I hope college coaches are on the lookout for this kid as his game would fit many programs at the college level.
6'0 2022 Connor Marshall (Drill Academy 17U)
Moving onto another kid that plays hard on both ends of the floor and knows how to win basketball games is Connor Marshall. From my short time watching Marshall, the first thing I noticed about him was how he takes pride in doing the little things to help his team win, whether it be defending really hard, or fighting to get rebounds and extra possessions for his team. I hope college coaches take the time to look at this kid as he has all the intangibles to play at the next level.