The July viewing period officially came to a close Friday, but not before NCAA Division I coaches from all over the country had one last chance to check out some of the top talent on the West Coast at the Fullcourt Press Summer Showcase presented by Pangos.
The day-long event was held at Jordan High in Long Beach, CA., and there were several prospects who took advantage of the added exposure, playing well in front of some of the nation’s top scouts. Here’s a look at some of the standouts, the top 10 players.
Keala King: The 6-foot-4 senior point guard has a laundry list of potential suitors. Powerhouse programs such as UConn, Kentucky and UCLA have expressed interest in him, and after seeing him in action, it’s easy to understand why King is high on everyone’s list.
Norvelle Pelle: All eyes were on him once he set foot the gym. At 6-foot-9, the junior forward is hard to miss, he sticks out in a crowd. Rumor is, Washington is one the front-runner for a commitment from Pelle and it just so happens that Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar was in attendance.
Deonte Burton: Has flown underneath the radar for a while now, but make no mistake, the 6-foot-1 point guard is going to make some college coach very happy once he reaches the next level. Burton is great with the ball in his hands, a true playmaker in every sense.
LaBradford Franklin: A bit tentative at times, but when he’s determined, look out because he makes things happen with clever passes or timely jumpers. He’s 6-foot-2, and if Franklin puts on some more weight, he could end up shedding the notion that he’s only a mid-major recruit.
Ryan Anderson: There’s plenty to like about this 6-foot-7 post. He dominated in the top 20 Rising Junior game, outplaying most of peers, Norvelle Pelle included. Anderson runs the floor well, plays big underneath the basket on both ends of the floor and has some range out on the perimeter.
Jerome Seagers: North Carolina product might have been out of his element, being far away from home, but one would have never noticed after watching him in action. Appeared a beat faster than most, always thinking one step ahead. The 6-foot-2 guard is as instinctive as they come.
Stephen Maxwell: No question about it, the 6-foot-5 junior was the best finisher out on the fast break. Has tremendous bounce off the floor and an aggressive nature once he gets to the rim, and above it. Very few opponents were brave enough to challenge Maxwell’s left-handed dunks.
Amartej Deol: A relative unknown before play began. All of that, however, changed once things got started. The 6-foot-5 senior, who can play guard or forward, opened plenty of eyes with his uncanny knack for making things look easy. Moreover, Deol has a great touch from the outside.
Gabe York: He’s the baby of the bunch. Only a 10th grader, York was the premiere player in the top 20 Rising Sophomore game. No one could touch him, no one was even close. The 6-foot-2 youngster could have played with the big boys and held his own against the upperclassmen.
Byron Wesley: Does a little bit of everything, most of it extremely well. The 6-foot-4 junior made some nice passes, consistently shot well from the field, and surprisingly, was one of the few prospects to actually get down and dirty and play some defense. Great all-around game.
