Get the scoop on the
nation’s top young, under-the-radar prospects from RBK
Breakout Camp.
By Aggrey Sam
After I left the NBPA Top
100 Camp in Virginia, I headed to the RBK Breakout
Underclass Camp at the Joy of the Game facility in
Deerfield, Ill., right outside of Chicago. The camp was for
the top 2009, 2010 and 2011 (kids going into the ninth, 10th
and 11th grades) who excelled at the Reebok
Waverly Austin, 6-9 post,
Yuler (FL), 2009: A slender post player with developing post
moves, Austin showed good hands and the ability to finish
with his soft touch around the basket. While he needs to add
strength, Austin rebounded the ball well and also ran the
floor effectively. Headliner Tryout camps in their respective
cities, but didn’t quite make the cut for the elite RBK U.
camp, which will be held in Philly early next month. That
doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of talent present, as some
of the top young players in the country were at the event.
For a glimpse of the type of athleticism at the camp, check
out
this video of an
unofficial dunk contest put together by my man Nils Wagner
of www.hoopsmixtape.com. Also, thanks to RBK’s Chris Rivers,
Alonzo Weatherby, Greg “Shoes” Vetrone, Jason Fawcett, Joy
of the Game’s Mike Weinstein, the many coaches, parents and
others who helped make the event a success.
While only five players
and one alternate were selected to participate at RBK U.
(their names appear in italics), I was also impressed with
several others at Breakout.
Garland
Green, 6-5 wing, Hightower (TX), 2009: The
younger brother of the Celtics’ Gerald, Green was one of the
best athletes at Breakout, using his hops to rebound and
finish drives. While he’s not quite the shooter his brother
is just yet, he did show he couldn’t be left open on the
outside.
JJ
Richardson, 6-7 post, Hightower (TX), 2009:
An athletic big man with a lot of energy, Richardson was a
force on both ends of the boards. He finished extremely well
on the inside, and showed signs of being able to make the
transition to the wing, as he knocked down some jumpers.
Matthew
Staff, 6-8 post, Memorial (TX), 2009: With
good size and nice face-up skills, Staff took advantage of
the big men trying guard him when he got touches. The
Houston-area prospect also did a nice job on the boards.
Kevin
Williams, 6-3 wing, Pearland (TX), 2010: A
strong Houston-area wing, Williams was extremely aggressive
and wasn’t afraid to throw his body around. A good rebounder
for his size and effective at getting to the rim, he also
possesses a nice pull-up game.
