Deron Williams skills academy. Amare. Durant.
https://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/32452/letters-from-camp-emptying-the-notebook
Couple snippets that may be relevant to our picks.
•Kentucky freshman Marquis Teague has been hailed as the latest in Kentucky coach John Calipari's long list of successful freshman point guards, a legacy that includes Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and, most recently, Brandon Knight. There's no reason to think Teague can't live up to that billing. During Saturday's full court five-on-five session -- in which guards from the Deron Williams Skills Academy played with forwards from the Amar'e Stoudamire camp -- Teague sliced and diced opposing defenders, found his way into the lane with relative ease, and showcased an intuitive understanding of the various ways to attack off a ball screen. One play in particular stood out: About 30 feet from the hoop in the corner of the court -- picture where Duke ran its spread high-screen sets for Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith this season -- Teague got a screen from fellow Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis. The guard split the two defenders, took off toward the rim, saw help arrive and dished a nifty little bounce pass to Davis, who crashed toward the basket and finished with a ferocious dunk. The play was as impression a piece of team basketball as I saw all weekend, and Teague deserved the credit for its creation.
•Duke guard Austin Rivers, meanwhile, did not do as much to impress. The son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers is obviously talented, and he might already be the quickest player in the country with the ball in his hands. But he didn't have much success breaking down defenders and creating his own shot, his main calling-card as a player to date. Of course, Rivers didn't have much opportunity; the only time he faced actual defenders Sunday was during those structured five-on-five scrimmages. Still, it will be interesting to see if Rivers suffers some early struggles adjusting to the strength and speed of the college game.
•Washington guard Tony Wroten, Jr. might have been the most impressive player during scrimmages Saturday. He hit outside shots. He beat defenders off the dribble. He ran the fast break with impressive ease, and on several occasions -- including one lightning-quick, no-look pass perfectly placed in the arms of a rim-running forward -- he got the NBA scouts in the audience murmuring about his court vision and decision-making.
https://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/32452/letters-from-camp-emptying-the-notebook
Couple snippets that may be relevant to our picks.
•Kentucky freshman Marquis Teague has been hailed as the latest in Kentucky coach John Calipari's long list of successful freshman point guards, a legacy that includes Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and, most recently, Brandon Knight. There's no reason to think Teague can't live up to that billing. During Saturday's full court five-on-five session -- in which guards from the Deron Williams Skills Academy played with forwards from the Amar'e Stoudamire camp -- Teague sliced and diced opposing defenders, found his way into the lane with relative ease, and showcased an intuitive understanding of the various ways to attack off a ball screen. One play in particular stood out: About 30 feet from the hoop in the corner of the court -- picture where Duke ran its spread high-screen sets for Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith this season -- Teague got a screen from fellow Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis. The guard split the two defenders, took off toward the rim, saw help arrive and dished a nifty little bounce pass to Davis, who crashed toward the basket and finished with a ferocious dunk. The play was as impression a piece of team basketball as I saw all weekend, and Teague deserved the credit for its creation.
•Duke guard Austin Rivers, meanwhile, did not do as much to impress. The son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers is obviously talented, and he might already be the quickest player in the country with the ball in his hands. But he didn't have much success breaking down defenders and creating his own shot, his main calling-card as a player to date. Of course, Rivers didn't have much opportunity; the only time he faced actual defenders Sunday was during those structured five-on-five scrimmages. Still, it will be interesting to see if Rivers suffers some early struggles adjusting to the strength and speed of the college game.
•Washington guard Tony Wroten, Jr. might have been the most impressive player during scrimmages Saturday. He hit outside shots. He beat defenders off the dribble. He ran the fast break with impressive ease, and on several occasions -- including one lightning-quick, no-look pass perfectly placed in the arms of a rim-running forward -- he got the NBA scouts in the audience murmuring about his court vision and decision-making.
