South Carolina Top 80 Evaluations
Team 4
Coach: Kenneth Hunter
#4: 5’9 ’21 AJ Thompson (Rock Hill, SC)
Starting things off, we look at a player with a lot of craftiness and natural ability to run a team, AJ Thompson. He’s a sharp-minded point guard with an excellent IQ and overall feel for the game, which allows him to frequently manipulate opposing defenses and make plays within the arc. Thompson scores efficiently from all three levels, but displays a firm understanding of maintaining pace and not forcing the issue. He’s a pesky on-ball defender, especially given his size, and forces turnovers at a nice rate. Next in his development process is working on his movement without the ball, as it would allow him to initiate offense, relocate, and score with great regularity. Coach Hunter on Thompson: “AJ is a great team player. He’s a point guard that can score while running his team. He plays with passion and heart. AJ is a very coachable kid that listens and takes direction well. He makes the right play most of the time and was my selection for Mr. Playmaker. AJ will continue to get better over the next three years.” Thompson has a clearly-defined role within the team setting and should continue to shine with his unselfish approach to the game.
#24: 6’0 ’19 Cameron Fordham (Moncks Corner, SC)
Next, we look at a player that really excelled with his penetration ability throughout camp, Cameron Fordham. He’s a smart guard prospect that can typically be found as the floor general, initiating offense and looking to get each of his teammates involved in the action. Offensively, Fordham displays a nice handle and natural ability to get by opponents, which allows him to touch the paint and make clever passes quite often. He showed a clear willingness to defend and even caused a few steals by intercepting passing lanes. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his quickness, as it would allow him to defend the point of attack with less resistance. Coach Hunter on Fordham: “Cameron is a great kid that plays with a good IQ. He has ability to drive and find his own shot or hit the open man with a pass. Cameron is a willing passer with decent range on his shot. He is a solid defender with a decent motor. Cameron is a great teammate with a good attitude; he was very coachable.” Fordham has a pretty well-rounded skillset on both ends of the floor and will be one to keep an eye on during his senior season.
#50: 6’0 ’19 Nazir Andino (Dalzell, SC)
Moving onto a player that brought an energetic two-way presence to his team at camp, Nazir Andino. He’s a strong-bodied guard prospect with a great motor, which allows him to consistently disrupt opponents. Offensively, Andino scores effectively from all three levels and shows a willingness to make the right pass whenever possible. He’s able to create for himself or spot-up without the ball and hurt opponents with his shooting ability. Andino worked hard on defense and made numerous hustle plays on the day. Next in his development process is continuing to improve on his transition defense, as it would make him a more useful two-way player. Coach Hunter on Andino: “Nazir plays with good energy, and it grows when his shot is falling. He can shoot the three-pointer very well and possesses a quick release on his shot. He has the ability to score in bunches. There are times when Nazir gets lost on defense, where he has the ability to do more. Nazir can run a team if asked to.” Andino showcased a quality foundation at camp and should continue honing his approach on both sides of the ball.
#53:6’2 ’20 Dallan Wright (Columbia, SC)
Continuing onto a player that continues to highlight his blossoming skillset on both ends of the floor, Dallan Wright. He’s a guard prospect that provides nice size, athleticism, and playmaking instincts from the floor general position. Offensively, Wright has refined his skillset to become more of a true point guard with scoring ability. His shot is fairly accurate from the floor, and he has no issues creating space as the ball-handler. Wright is an intelligent defender with quick feet and the ability to mirror his assignment quite well, allowing him to force an abundance of turnovers at camp. Next in his development process is continuing to sharpen his consistency from beyond the arc, as a polished perimeter shot would make him very difficult to contain. Coach Hunter on Wright: “Dallan is a very athletic guard that moves well without the ball. He has the ability to score at three levels. Dallan is a long and rangy defender with nice range on his jumper. He is a very good slasher that knows how to navigate while on the floor. He was my vote for Mr. Defense.” Wright has a lot of tools and could certainly end up as a Division I player, but he still has ample time to showcase his skillset.
#57:6’2 ’20 Quintin Crawford (Columbia, SC)
Next, we look at a player that was able to make pretty solid two-way contributions during his time at camp, Quintin Crawford. He’s a long-bodied wing prospect with a positive attitude and fairly well-rounded approach to both sides of the ball. Offensively, Crawford did an excellent job of moving and relocating without the ball, frequently scoring on cuts and second-chance opportunities throughout the day. He was quite disruptive on defense and looked to get on the floor whenever possible. Next in his development process is continuing to work on the utilization of his off-hand, as it would make him a more dangerous offensive threat. Coach Hunter on Crawford: “Quintin needs to work on his confidence. He has the ability to play at a high level, but needs to play harder more consistently. Quintin has a decent jump shot and was a decent defender throughout the day. He needs to be more assertive on offense.” Crawford was able to make his presence felt during camp and should continue honing his abilities on both sides of the ball.
#60: 6’2 ’21 Umar Lawson (Sumter, SC)
Moving onto a player with a pretty impressive combination of skills and long-term upside, Umar Lawson. He’s a muscular, athletic guard prospect with terrific strength and overall feel for his position. Lawson was constantly making a play above the rim, mainly on dunks and rebounds, and displayed phenomenal polish when attacking downhill. He scored the ball nicely from all three levels and finished nearly every opportunity he had around the basket. Lawson was a noticeably strong rebounder and outworked most backcourt players in that department. He’s an active, rangy defender with potential versatility to add. Next in his development process is working to tighten his handle, as it would make him even more poised on offense. Coach Hunter on Lawson: “Umar has a high motor and provides great energy. He was very coachable throughout the day and can score on all three levels. He’s very long and quite rangy on defense. He can disrupt offenses with his defensive ability if applied. Umar does everything well and should be one to keep an eye on in the Class of 2021. He was my vote for Mr. Station.” Lawson turned a lot of heads during his time at camp and should definitely have a strong sophomore campaign.
#82: 6’4 ’21 Malachy McGuirt (Rock Hill, SC)
Continuing onto a player that possesses a strong amount of versatility on both sides of the ball, Malachy McGuirt. He’s a pretty intriguing forward prospect with nice size and strength to pair with his long arms. Offensively, McGuirt knows how to play within his role while applying constant pressure as a scorer. He’s able to knock down shots from all three levels and finish strong through contact. McGuirt rebounds really well and has the ability to push the break himself. He’s quite useful on defense and shows a willingness to switch between every position when necessary. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his ball-handling skills, as it would allow him to do much more on the offensive side of the floor. Coach Hunter on McGuirt: “Malachy can finish around the rim with ease. He plays above the rim on most plays and has the ability to score from all three levels. Malachy has decent range but needs to work on getting his shot more consistent. He has a great attitude and was very coachable throughout the day.” McGuirt has a nice feel for the game and does a great job of contributing at all times. Given his age and pretty advanced skillset, it’ll be interesting to see how he progresses over the next few years.
#85: 6’4 ’19 Travis Thompson (Columbia, SC)
Next, we look at a player that coaches will always be delighted to have on their roster, Travis Thompson. He’s somewhat positionless and a jack-of-all-trades, which goes hand-in-hand with his seamless ability to contribute on both sides of the floor without needing the ball in his hands. Thompson is a tireless worker that deserves a lot of recognition for his unselfish, hard-nosed approach to the game. Offensively, Thompson can usually be found filling in the gaps, whether through cutting, securing second-chance opportunities, or spotting-up around the perimeter. He has an excellent feel for the game and simply exudes a winner’s mentality. Thompson is an absolute beast on defense, where he easily toggles between three or four positions and shuts down whoever is in his path. He’s an incredibly gifted rebounder for his size and will have continued success in every setting. Next in his development process is working on his ball-handling ability, as it would allow him to create for himself with less resistance. Coach Hunter on Thompson: “Travis is a high-energy player that lovesto play defense! He has the ability to score from all three levels, despite not being super-athletic. He can play three positions and possesses a strong body that absorbs contact well. He likes to mix it up and is a very physical player. Travis is team-oriented and shows tremendous effort on defense. Motor, motor, motor! He plays with a great zeal and passion for the game. He’s a true winner that could help a lot of DII, DIII, or NAIA programs. He was my vote for the Mr. Hustle award.” Every Division II program in the country should have Thompson as a priority, considering his impact is truly unmistakable.
#102: 6’6 ’21 Keyan Mims (Fort Mill, SC)
Moving onto a player that arguably possessed the most versatility of any prospect at camp, Keyan Mims. He’s an athletic, all-around forward with sharp wits and the ability to dominate any given contest. Offensively, Mims is pretty close to unstoppable, considering his IQ, unselfishness, ball-skills, and clear willingness to make the right play whenever possible. He scores efficiently from all three levels, but does a great job of picking and choosing his spots. Mims displays a natural feel for the game with the ball in his hands and has no real insecurities on offense. That being said, his defensive prowess is what coaches will always notice first, especially when he’s switching across all positions and making life miserable for opponents. Mims is a suffocating defender with quick feet and the ability to force turnovers in abundance; he pursues the ball extremely well and has no problem making his presence felt as a two-way rebounder. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his low-post arsenal, as it would allow him to really annihilate smaller opponents. Coach Hunter on Mims: “Keyan has a high motor and plays with energy and effort. He rebounds well with a knack for finishing plays. He attacks well off the dribble and has some range to his shot. Keyan can shoot the three-pointer, but needs a little more consistency to be a constant threat. He’s a high-level player with tremendous room for growth. Keyan was my choice for Mr. Top 80 and he’ll be one to watch for in the Class of 2021.”
#108: 6’7 ’19 Davis Guyton (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Finishing things up, we look at a player that has certainly earned his reputation as a three-point massacre, Davis Guyton. He’s big and very skilled for his size, which tends to catch every opponent off-guard for a few consecutive plays. Offensively, Guyton loves to set up around the perimeter and feast on potential opportunities to launch his signature shot from distance. He’s a great pick-and-pop option with the ability to apply incredible pressure as the trail-man in transition. Guyton is a willing passer that does a great job of playing within himself and scoring throughout flow of the game. He works hard on defense and secures numerous rebounds in each contest. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his defensive mobility, as it will ultimately determine his ceiling at the collegiate level. Coach Hunter on Guyton: “Davis is very coachable. He uses his body well on defense, despite a lack of athleticism. He can shoot the ball from deep three-point territory with accuracy. Davis knows how to use his body to his advantage. He’s a decent defender, despite not being a shot-blocker. Davis needs to improve his footwork to get better on defense.” Guyton is an intriguing college-level prospect that should be one to watch throughout his senior season.