Cold Hearts:
7’1 ’24 John Bol
It’s easy to see the intrigue with someone like Bol, who already possesses an incredibly tantalizing frame and matching skillset. He possesses a unique combination of length, mobility, and overall instincts, which allows him to consistently cause problems for opponents. Bol patrols the court exceptionally well as a defender, consistently eliminating space and blocking basically anything attempted within five feet. He’s a quality rebounder who either secures or gets involved on each available ball. Bol also runs the floor well in transition, finishes above the rim, and passes the ball nicely for his size. It’ll be interesting to see how his body develops, as that’ll ultimately determine how far he’ll go.
6’9 ’24 Kanon Catchings
Similar to his teammate, Catchings possess a lot of obvious appeal. At 6-foot-9, he’s a long, physical athlete with flashes of versatility on both ends of the floor. Catchings displayed the ability to knock down perimeter jumpers, attack off the bounce, and finish through contact around the basket. He’s comfortable at rebounding like a big while reliably defending multiple positions. Catchings has all the tools to be a highly successful player.
Blue Checks:
6’5 ’24 Jahseem Felton (Seton Hall)
There are so many important pieces for this group, and Felton is arguably as valuable as anyone. His status as the main creator and steady floor general is pivotal to their overall structure. Felton was excellent at consistently getting downhill and attacking or setting up others. He had several highly difficult/contested finishes at the rim, played through contact, and displayed great poise as a penetrator. Shortly thereafter, Felton started heating up as a perimeter shooter and knocked down numerous jumpers off the catch and bounce.
6’5 ’24 Rakease Passmore (Kansas)
After seeing his journey over the years, it’s pretty clear the strides Passmore has made as an overall player. He’s still a terrific athlete with a strong frame and effortless burst, but he looks more and more comfortable with the ball in his hands. Passmore hit timely shots, created effectively within three dribbles, and applied nice pressure as a transition threat.
6’6 ’24 Jayan Walker
Given his toolkit, trajectory, and general production with this group, it’s surprising the Walker doesn’t have loftier options within his recruitment. He’s a long, fluid athlete with useful ball skills and an excellent in-between game. Walker displayed the ability to handle the ball, finish around the basket, and knock down jumpers, but is arguably at his best when asserting himself in the midrange. He’s a solid rebounder with the capability of defending multiple positions.
