Editor's Note: For schedules, brackets and more tourney info, please visit: tarkanianclassic.com

1. Point Guard Matchups In Prep Division
There are over 70 teams in the prep division at Tark and there is an abundance of quality lead guards. Scouts and NBA personnel will want to lock their eyes on the matchup between SoCal Academy (Valencia, Calif.) and Canyon International Academy (Chandler, Ariz.) on Dec. 17 at Gorman. That game will pit Creighton-bound 6-foot-3 2024 Larry Johnson of SoCal Academy vs. Miles Sadler, a 5-foot-10 2026 from CIA who is a blur with the ball. Johnson is a combo downhill scoring threat and will be the one of the best individual talents in the prep division. Sadler is getting hands-on training playing in the EYBL Scholastic high school league and Tark will be a big platform for him to shine. A FAB 50 showdown will take place Dec. 16 between No. 4 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and No. 15 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). That will pit Prolific Prep's Zoom Diallo, a 6-foot-4 do-it-all performer who is still undecided and looking to earn a McDonald's All-American berth, vs. 6-foot-2 2025 Jeremiah Fears, a fearless competitor who played well versus No. 1 Montverde Academy in a recent EYBLS game. Fears can be considered more of a combo, but most colleges are playing with three guards or their two best guards, regardless of position, nowadays, so he'll be highly-coveted when its time to choose his next level destination.

2. Will A Vegas High School Team Step Up?
There is no secret that, talent-wise, teams in the Las Vegas Valley are down this year. No NIAA team came close to cracking the preseason FAB 50 and in recent seasons two or three teams were always on the cusp of the rankings. Host Bishop Gorman, which fell in last year's Platinum Division title game to West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) and won the title three times in four tournaments prior, is one of the dark horses that feels it has a chance. If the Gaels can get by Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), they like their chances between the winner of Desert Mountain (Ariz.) and Campbell Hall (Calif.). Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) is a slight underdog against St. Pius-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.), as the Cougars must slow down the inside-out combination of 6-foot-5 San Francisco-bound wing Tyrone Riley and 6-foot-8 2025 power forward Doug Langford. Arbor View (Las Vegas) might be the best local team, but it will have its hands full with FAB 50 No. 19 Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.). San Diego St.-bound Pharaoh Compton is a load to handle, but it will take a player such as 6-foot-1 2025 Trammell Darden, Jr. or 6-foot 2024 Maximus Romero stepping up big-time in order to pull off the upset of the tourney's highest-ranked team. Gorman has the best chance to advance in the winner's bracket of the three local clubs.

3. Will Bishop O'Connell (Va.) Live Up to Expectations?
For the first time since perhaps the 2015 Tark Classic, when Overland (Aurora, Col.) took the top division title, the field in the Platinum Division is wide open. As many as 10 teams should feel they have a legitimate shot at capturing the Platinum title, with O'Connell the slight favorite. Still, outside of Overland, no other teams besides Gorman and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) clubs have won the championship since the tourney began in 2012, so the Knights have something to prove. They also have to bounce back from a 59-58 loss on Dec. 14 at the Western Maryland Hoops Classic to FAB 50 bubble club and EYBLS member Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.). Bryson Tucker, a 6-foot-6 2024 small forward, missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer vs. Brewster, but he'll be one of the difference-makers in the Platinum bracket. Jayden Harris, another unsigned 6-foot-6 2024, has been getting things done for coach Joe Wootten's club while Quincy Wadley, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, will be one of the best sophomores in the event. O'Connell could meet FAB 50 No. 44 Alta (Sandy, Utah) in a semifinal contest, but first the Utah club has to worry about handling the pressure defense of two-time defending Tark divisional champ Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), which is in the main division for the first time. Clovis West-Alta gets our vote as the best first round matchup.

4. Can Desert Mountain (Ariz.) Keep Up its Momentum?
If anything, the Wolves are exciting to watch and are also an excellent team despite their youth. This Scottsdale, Ariz.-based club has a never-say-die attitude and terrific perimeter scoring punch. This team has only one senior starter (5-foot-8 Ryan Dick) and he didn't take a field goal shot in Desert Mountain's overtime victory over highly-regarded Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) that knocked that club out of the FAB 50. The Wolves' first-round game vs. Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) will be a track meet with the quality guards on display for both teams. Campbell Hall is looking to stop a three-game slide against national level teams and must slow down the brother combination of 6-foot-3 2026 sophomore Kaden House and 6-foot-2 sophomore Kalek House. The opposition is going to find out 6-foot Jabron Bardwell and 6-foot-3 Javon Bardwell, freshmen (2027) brothers, are difference-makers, as well. If Desert Mountain can keep the turnover count low, it would give itself a solid chance to make the semifinals.

5. There are Plenty of Prospects To Scout In The HS Division
With 126 high school teams from across the country, there is plenty of talent for college coaches and pro scouts to evaluate. NBA scouts will mostly be intrigued by the underclassmen to track down the line. In addition to the previously mentioned names, the Platinum Division contains a plethora of prospects that have the ability to play at some level of D1 ball. Those players include: 6-foot-7 2026 Kevin Thomas and 6-foot-6 2025 Patrick Liburd of Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), Illinois-bound 6-foot-4 2024 Jase Butler and 6-foot-1 2025 Semetri Carr of Branson (Ross, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2024 Kendyl Sanders, 6-foot-7 2026 Tajh Ariza, 6-foot-2 2025 Caleb Versher and 6-foot-7 2026 Christian Malachi Collins of St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2024 Shon Abaev of Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Arizona-bound 6-foot-9 2024 Carter Bryant and a trio of sophomores from Centennial (Corona, Calif.), including 6-foot-3 2026 Isaiah Rogers, UC San Diego-bound 6-foot-3 2024 Ryder Elisaldez and 6-foot-1 2025 Nick Jefferson of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 6-foot-4 2024 Tanner Jones and Cal Poly SLO-bound 6-foot-2 2024 Aaron Powell of Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 6-foot-3 2024 Josiah Cunningham and 6-foot-10 2025 Tee Bartlett of Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), Utah-bound 6-foot-8 2024 Jaxon Johnson and 5-foot-11 2024 Ace Reiser of Alta (Sandy, Utah), 6-foot-1 2025 D.J. Stickman of Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), Cal-St. Fullerton-bound 6-foot-2 2024 LoLo Rudolph and 6-foot-1 2026 Jaden Bailes of St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) and 6-foot 2025 Anthony Knowles and 6-foot-5 2024 Christian Reid of Mater Lakes (Miami, Fla.).

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Tark Classic: 5 Things To Watch For appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Let’s recap what I saw and hand-out some evals.

Larry Johnson, DeMarco Johnson Shine With The Cali Stars

Premier players in their respected class, Larry Johnson (2024) and DeMarco Johnson (2025), suited up with the Cali Stars at the Elite 64. It’s interesting watching Larry Johnson play. A right-handed guard that heavily prefers attacking left. He thrived in transition as a ball handler, passer and finisher. Holds a quick first step and can get to the rim and finish. Larry Johnson's pull-up game is solid and can connect when the defender plays the drive. Like his length, athleticism and rim pressure he hands out. One of the shiftier guards I got to evaluate this weekend was DeMarco Johnson. Can really break his defender down off the bounce and finish around the rim in an array of ways. Wide cross-overs, split double teams and can just generate his own look. DeMarco Johnson received an offer from Illinois and Virginia Tech after his performances. 

Isaiah Harwell Puts On Show

I enjoy watching the Utah Prospects group because they play the right way. They move the basketball, team defend, communicate and most importantly they make shots. All were the ingredients in their successful Summer with a Adidas 3SSB Title and a championship game appearance at the SportsRadar Showdown. The main player to note is five-star 2025 guard Isaiah Harwell. His game keeps polishing up each time I see him. The passing is what caught my eye, as he set-up his teammates to be in ideal scoring opportunities in the half-court and in transition, advance the ball to get easy and quick buckets. Harwell also exhibited his scoring prowess. Coming off a pick-n-roll and connect, in isolation, or use height and size advantage in the mid-post. I also like his offensive versatility and growth in his handle and decision making.

Sportsradar Showdown Evaluations

Derik Queen, 6’9 2024 PF - Team Thrill: Was a man amongst boys. Best player/performer at the event. Led his team to a championship this weekend. Couldn’t stop him on the block from scoring or when he’s facing up because of his advanced footwork, touch, passer vision and I.Q. Not a whole lot that needs to be said about him. Was one of, if not the most, dominant player I’ve seen this summer.

V.J. Edgecombe, 6’5 2024 SG - Southeast Elite: There’s an argument that he may be the best 2024 player in the country. A legit one. Now that may not be the case right now, but V.J. is a player! Athletic guard with powerful finishes. Can create and score, embraces playing defense and is disruptive as an on-ball and team defender. He plays with an edge, and has polished up his game immensely since my first viewing of him last September. 

Jamie Vinson, 2024 6’10 PF/C - Southern Assault: Talk about improvement, Vinson has figured out how to consistently be productive on the floor. A stretch big that’s a reliable shooter as a pop-trail guy. He has solid length to his frame and that allows him to alter shots at the rim or when he’s closing out on a shooter. He still could get tougher and get his motor up in larger spurts, but his presence is showing more in games than it has been in the past. 

Dillon Battie, 2024 6’6 Tweener - Team Trae Young: Can impact games without even scoring the ball. Athletic, tough 4/3 tweener that’s a capable, switchable defender, above the rim finisher and an improved ball handler that looks to attack and score at the rim from the wing. Shooting is still in the works and needs improvement, but he’s a more comfortable shooter compared to the past. 

Modou Thiam, 2025 6’5 Guard - NBA Academy: I like the lefty two-guard’s game. Capable shooter from the outside, holds quality length and vertical pop. Showed off on-point passes and nice reads when driving to the cup. I believe there’s upside with the playmaking down the road. 

Khaman Maluach, 2025 7’1 C - NBA Academy: The big fella was a rim deterrent. Any shot in the paint, he was looking to reject. Mobile, quality vertical athlete that communicates well on defense and is fine guarding ball screens. Offensively has some ways to go, but was effective as a finisher on the dunker spot and as a lob threat. 

Efeosa Oliogu, 6’6 Wing - Canada Elite: Big time athletic wing that is a terror when he can get a sniff of the rim. Strong finisher off two feet that embraces contact on drives and draws fouls because he can keep a defender on his hip. He can hit the open three or mid-range pull, which allows him to be able to get to the rim and score because the defender can’t give him too much space. 

Sir Mohammed, 6’6 Wing - Team Curry: Son of former NBA player Nazr Mohammed. Sir Mohammed is a big, playmaking wing with a strong frame. Uses a mix of drives, drive to post-ups to get to his spots, survey the defense and make a play. Can thread the needle on passes, zips the ball to his teammates and as he improves as a shooter, I think his game can open up even more.

Flory Bidunga, 6’9 C - Indiana Elite: Athletic, lefty big man that’s quick twitched. Looks to dunk everything,can catch everything in his area, block anything he could. The overall skill-set is still a work in progress, but Flory still is a hard-working athletic finisher that’s one of the best players in 2024.

Sunday Night At Big Time Was One To Remember

Kiyan Anthony/Bryce James Eval

Bishop Gorman High School was the place to be on Sunday night as the gym was packed to see 2025 Bryce James (LeBron James’ son) and Kiyan Anthony (Carmelo Anthony’s son) team up with Strive for Greatness to play JSizzle (Jalen Sugg’s program). Every time I’ve seen either Bryce or Kiyan play, I bank on them attracting a large crowd on the court and this game was no different.  I want to take a dive on their performance and overall game so let’s get to it.

Bryce, who’s really 6’4 (maybe 6’5) but has a body of a kid that’s still growing so the current exaggeration of the 6’6 billing, I do believe he could reach or surpass as he gets older. Anyways, he started out hot, pushing the ball in transition and getting to the rim and completing with finesse finishes. He splashed his mid-range game and spot up shooting. When his feet and balance and right, he can connect on pull-ups and catch-n-shoot threes. In the second half he wasn’t as productive offensively, as the ball pressure applied got tighter. His handle currently isn’t great versus pressure, translatable length and physicality, so it limits his ability to generate his own look but I feel that’s fine because he’s better as an off-ball cutter and spot-up guy plus he has an understanding of trying to do other things when he’s not scoring.

Kiyan was more assertive with the ball and excels as an outside shooter. Utilized size advantage when he could, as he used his length and improved vertical bounce to finish over smaller defenders. The outside shooting is real as he can connect from beyond the 3-point line and his handle, albeit still has some ways to go in regards to being a primary ball handler and be more efficient getting to spots, has improved and he looked more comfortable on Sunday being the main ball handler and initiating offense. Overall, an improvement from what I saw in the Atlanta and Dallas EYBL Sessions.

With the legacies of their father’s, the limelight will always be on this duo, especially when they get on the court. They are both Division 1 prospects, where their game gets to at the end, time will tell. I do believe it’s not wise to heavily critique their games, as it’s not smart to herald them as future bonafide pros. They got some ways to go like a lot of rising juniors do, some are just further along than others, plus the 2025 is a loaded crop and there is a strong depth of guys that can really play and have a lot of upside, too. So let's just wait and see how it pans out for them like we do for the majority of prospects.

Now To The Game

I talked about the hot start Kiyan and Bryce had in the game as the SFG leas was extended to 18 points. 2025 Brayden Burries played a huge role for SFG as he’s a big guard that rebounds very well for size and position. He’s assertive with the ball in his hands and gets paint touch after paint touch. His motor mixed with his ball-skills, rebounding instincts, finishing prowess and passer vision was on display.

JSizzle didn’t give up though and this game was decided by only one point at the end. 2026 Jayden Moore played a big-part in his team's comeback as he constructed a phenomenal performance. A speedy guard that scored it in multiple ways. Has a big-time first step, strong floater and runner game, capable to streaky 3-point shooter and overall, he's unselfish. Knows when to let his teammate operate and score, as he communicates and gives them the confidence to believe the next shot is going in. Just me nit-picking, I did want him to take over more with his scoring in the last 4-5 minutes of the game, but I like how poised he was for a rising sophomore in a packed gym and his understanding of time and possessions is advanced for a player his age. 

One player I did want to note that I thought was very solid in this matchup was 2025 Bryce Cofield. A physical wing prospect at 6’6 that finished through contact. He had timely makes inside the arc, offensive rebounds that allowed his team to get second and third chance opportunities when the opposition was making a run. Little things he did impacted the outcome in my opinion. 

NightRydas 16U vs Phenom United 16U

I normally wouldn’t be at the gym at 8:50pm on a Sunday, but if Cam and Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Jalen Haralson are going to be on the court at that time, I’m sitting on the bleachers. NightRydas had control of the game for the most part with Phenom making runs to keep themselves in striking distance. Cam Boozer is one of, if not the most efficient and complete player in high school basketball regardless of class. Rebounding, handles it well for size, shoots it, posts up and scores, a helluva outlet passer and overall passer period. Oh, and he just turned 16. It looks like the game comes easy for last season's Mr. Basketball USA. His brother Cayden played well, too. He’s a strong guard that uses contact as an advantage to create space and score around the rim. He’s also a guard that can make defenses pay when going under on ball screens, as Cayden has made a name for himself with his play. Alexander Lloyd I was very impressed by. NightRydas play fast and in transition, Lloyd is a common target of Cam’s outlet passes that lead to finishes. Runs the floor, plays with length on both ends, can make open shoots from deep and knows how to play off the ball. Excels in his role and plays to his strengths. 

On the other side, I thought Peterson was very impressive. A big guard at about 6’5 that can score and play-make. Operates comfortably as the primary ball-handler and gets to his spots effortlessly to gain a shot he wants. He enjoys making plays for others, but understands his passing will lead to easier scoring opportunities for himself later in the contest. Top point guard in the class of 2025 and one of the top tier of prospects in the country. There’s much to like with Haralson’s game as he has good size, long arms, and a strong frame. A play-maker on the wing. Good decision maker coming off ball-screens, can get to the rim in isolation and overall a tough cover with size, advanced handle and feel for the game.

The post Stars Out In Las Vegas: July Live Period Recap appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Every season there are prospects that quickly rise in mainstream national player rankings, but it's not often a somewhat unheralded player can rise to the top five and into the conversation of best overall long-term prospect in his class.

That is the current scenario of 6-foot-10 Jaden McDaniels, who went from a solid Top 100 prospect after a productive junior campaign at Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.), to the talk of the summer recruiting scene and exploding into a top five prospect after starring for Seattle Rotary on the EYBL circuit.

It's easy to see why national scouts like his long-term potential: a sinewy frame with a quick second jump to alter shots, soft hands, good ball-handling ability at his size that he uses for dribble pull-ups and the ability to post up and create space near the elbows.

That ability was on full display during the first round of the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, as the Eagles opened the Platinum Division with a hard-fought 54-45 victory over Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.). Federal Way, currently No. 24 in the FAB 50 National Rankings, remained unbeaten despite McDaniels' major foul trouble.

It's just another learning experience for a young man with a quiet demeanor who has been thrust into the national spotlight in the past six months. He's also still undecided for college, with Kentucky, San Diego St., Texas,?UCLA, Washington as his finalists, and that can easily add to the constant questions and distractions during the high school season.

"I'm just worried about getting better and not focused on recruiting...just focusing on us playing well as a team," said McDaniels following Federal Way's first round victory. "All my official visits went well, it was a good experience."

The road to the top is bound to have some bumps, and McDaniels is far from a finished product, but that's what national scouts are most excited about. With hard work, his best days are ahead of him.

McDaniels' foul trouble versus Bishop O'Dowd meant two long spells on the bench. He did block a couple of shots, but when he re-entered the game with 7:46 remaining and his team leading 46-38 he didn't score again, finishing with six points and four rebounds, as he fouled out with 3:01 remaining on a bang-bang charge-block call in the backcourt.

McDaniels' teammates, particularly senior guard Jishai Miller and athletic junior forward Tari Eason, picked up the slack as the Eagles advanced to play Chino Hills (Calif.) and highly-regarded USC commit Onyeka Okongwu. And that's what matters most to McDaniels right now, his team advancing and getting another opportunity.

The No. 4 prospect in the 247Sports.com rankings does get knocked off his desired spot by smaller defenders that can get under him and he could attack the glass with more fervor, but there is plenty a veteran evaluator can point out about a majority of the top prospects. It's about recognizing any shortcomings and addressing them, and McDaniels has a solid idea of how to keep things in perspective and where to go from here.

"I feel I'm more assertive of defense and I'm just trying to be a better teammate all-around," McDaniels said about what he's worked on to improve the most.

McDaniels was ranked No. 89 by 247Sports.com following his junior season then moved up to No. 10 in mid-May. He then went to?No. 4 in August following the July live evaluation period. Was it a case of increased exposure or an improvement in overall game when it came to McDaniels?

"It wasn't a case of exposure...everything improved, from his body, athleticism and skill," said Evan Daniels, 247Sports.com Director of Scouting.

It's not as if a meteoric rise is unprecedented in grassroots basketball or if McDaniels came out of nowhere, as he averaged 21.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, 3.3 bpg for a Class 4A state-runner up team in 2017-18. Ironically, McDaniels doesn't really know the history of the fast-rising prospects in grassroots history, but if his career comes even close to following the trajectory of the terrific players chronicled below, he'll be just fine.

"No, I don't know the history of guys like Tracy McGrady, but the exposure (as a highly-regarded prospect) has been really fun," McDaniels said. "Just playing against the top players, getting that opportunity, is what it was all about."

Below are five terrific players who "blew up" at various times in their high school careers. All five went on to great success at the next levels of the game:

Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter, Chicago) 6-9 PF '11

Prior to the spring of 2010, no one outside of Chicago really knew about this budding prospect, as Davis did not play in the traditional grassroots system until he was a rising junior. He was a thin 6-foot-4 prospect as a sophomore and grew three inches going into his junior year. It wasn't until the spring of 2010 that the 6-foot-9 Davis showed the country glimpses of what he is today: one of the NBA's best players with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Before a spurt that saw him grow 7-8 inches over two years, Davis was toiling at a small charter school in the Chicago Public League. By the first session of Nike EYBL for Meanstreets at Boo Williams, Davis' name was quickly spreading across the country as a franchise-type talent. He went from national obscurity in March 2010 to "he's a Top 5 national prospect" at the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-n-Slam All-Star Classic in Indiana in early May.

Davis was ranked by HOOP SCOOP as the top performer at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp in June, and a top three player at both the LeBron James King City Classic and NIKE Peach Jam. He was the player of the summer in 2010, but by the end of it, it wasn't hard to see Davis was the best player in the country.

Larry Johnson (Skyline, Dallas) 6-5 PF '87

Thirty years ago club and high school basketball in Texas just didn't have a tremendous reputation as a talent-laden region that it does today. Football was (and still is) king, but even spring football rated above hoops in the eyes of many Texans back then.

Johnson was a man child at Skyline, but the rest of the country simply hadn't seen him. Legendary Skyline head coach J.D. Mayo started the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder on the freshman team for the first game, but that same day he decided to insert him into the varsity lineup and immediately knew he had something special on his hands. Johnson started every game of his four-year career and Mayo desperately wanted the nation's most respected talent scouts to come check out Johnson.

Longtime talent scout?Bob Gibbons of All-Star Sports had Johnson at No. 49 in the country based on his reputation. Guard LaBradford Smith of Bay City had the big reputation in Texas' 1987 class and forward Marcus Liberty of King (Chicago) had the biggest reputation nationally and big guard Eric Manual of Southwest (Macon, Ga.) was also in the discussion as the top prospect. Johnson's rep, however, was spreading like wildfire in the spring and summer of 1986.

In a poll of top evaluators that summer, Rick Bolus of High Potential Recruiting Service had Johnson No. 19, Chris Wallace of The Blue Ribbon Yearbook had him No. 6, Brick Oettinger of ACC Poop Sheet and Clark Francis of the Hoop Scoop pegged him at No. 7. The Hoop Scoop later named him its "Sleeper of the Summer" but it's kind of comical to label a top 10 prospect a sleeper. Gibbons' logic seemed to permeate Johnson's meteoric rise; he later confided to Johnson and others the powerful kid from South Dallas was probably the best player in the country, but how good could any recruiting list be if a player went up 50 spots to No. 1 in one single glimpse?

Johnson lived up to his tremendous billing, averaging 29 points and 19 rebounds as a Skyline senior after signing with SMU during the early period. He was later named Mr. Basketball USA over Liberty and Manual before being a two-time National JUCO Player of the Year after fallout of his SAT score in light of SMU's Death Penalty ruling in football.

He was being touted as a sure-fire NBA prospect as a junior college player, led UNLV to the NCAA title in 1989-90 and was the NCAA Player of the Year the following season. He was also NBA Rookie of the Year in 1991-92 after being selected No. 1 overall by the Charlotte Hornets before back injuries slowed his pro career.

Tracy McGrady (Mt. Zion Christian, Durham, N.C.) 6-7 SF '97

T-Mac is the poster child for using a grassroots game or event to springboard from unknown to top of the class. In the case of McGrady, he truly wasn't on anyone radar during his junior season at Auburndale High in Florida. Forget Top 100, he wasn't in anyone's Top 500 prior to getting an invite to attend Sonny Vaccaro's?adidas ABCD Camp in July 1996. Vacarro, the camp founder and director, was pestered by Florida talent scout Alvis Smith to take a chance on the unknown talent by extending him an invite to the prestigious camp. Vaccaro was a bit leery, but the rest, as they say, is history.

No. 175 was the talk of the camp. Veteran talent scouts couldn't believe their eyes. The myth lives on that McGrady was the No. 175 ranked player in camp and the last player to get a jersey, but the reality is he wasn't even in the Top 500. Five days later, he was the No. 1 overall prospect in the country.

McGrady was No. 5 in the camp in scoring (16.5 ppg), tied with Lamar Odom at No. 3 in rebounding (7.8 rpg), No. 2 in steals (2.1) and No. 1 in blocked shots (2.1). He simply was the best player in a talented camp from start to finish. For his senior season, he transferred to Mt. Zion and continued the dominance in a major high school basketball setting.

Odom, who was rated the No. 1 player in the country before ABCD and the other player nationally who could match McGrady talent-wise, was the only other serious National Player of the Year candidate as Mt. Zion won a major tourney title (Las Vegas Holiday Prep Invitational) in which Odom’s team also was involved and lost to T-Mac's team.

McGrady finished his senior season with numbers of 22.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game for a team that finished 26-2 and No. 4 in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor). McGrady was the No. 9 pick of the 1997 NBA Draft and during his NBA Hall of Fame speech 20 years later talked about his No. 175 at ABCD and personally singled out and thanked Vaccaro for the opportunity.

Shaquille O'Neal (Cole, San Antonio, Texas) 6-11 C '89

Similar to Larry Johnson, O'Neal was unknown nationally prior to the Houston Shootout following his junior season. Talent scouts had a chance to see O'Neal the summer prior at the BCI Tournament in Tempe, Ariz., and if they happened to take a look what they saw was a 6-foot-7 nondescript power forward. Nobody paid attention, but all that quickly changed.

"Shaq was 6-foot-7 as a rising junior going into BCI, but he grew four inches and all of a sudden you had something, and he kept growing," said veteran scout Van Coleman at Tarkanian Classic, who attended BCI in the summer of 1988 as the recruiting world awaited O'Neal's games.

By all accounts, O'Neal was terrific at the Houston Shootout and had heavyweight college coaches such as Eddie Sutton (Kentucky), Joey Meyer (DePaul), Dean Smith (North Carolina) and Digger Phelps (Notre Dame) following his every move at BCI. Nobody was disappointed who saw him as the skinny 6-foot-11 prospect who wore a size 18 shoe and was still 16 until January 1989 quickly ascended to No. 2 in the national class, behind New York City point guard legend Kenny Anderson, in a matter of two events.

In reality, all the college coaches that clamored for O'Neal services were late to the ball game. LSU's Dale Brown first saw him two years earlier at a coaching clinic and mistook the 14-year old for an active serviceman. The relationship Brown forged with the youngster paid off, as O'Neal went to LSU and was a two-time All-American and the No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft after being named MVP of both the McDonald's All-American Game and Dapper Dan Roundball Classic following his senior season. He realistically could have been the No. 1 pick in both 1990 and 1991 and went on to become the most dominant center of the "modern" NBA.

Bill Walton (Helix, San Diego, Calif.) 6-11 C '70

There wasn't a complex grassroots system in place in the summer of 1969 or Walton might have blown up in similar fashion to T-Mac or Anthony Davis. He had a good junior season for Helix, but Reseda (Calif.) guard Greg Lee, who was the big name in California at that time and on the cover of Cal Prep Basketball Magazine, and forward Keith Wilkes of Santa Barbara (Calif.),who was the 1969 State Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports as a junior, also received a good amount of hype. That all changed early in Walton's senior year when Helix went to challenge some of Southern California's best teams in the Covina Tournament of Champions.

Against a very good Pasadena (Calif.) team in the title game, Walton had tournament single-game records of 50 points and 34 rebounds in a 110-68 rout. Walton made 18-of-24 shots from the field, 14-of-16 free throws and added nine blocked shots. Nobody in attendance could believe how good the tall kid from San Diego was. One of the coaches in attendance was UCLA assistant Denny Crum, John Wooden's chief recruiter who later led Louisville to two NCAA titles. What transpired was one of the most famous conversations in grassroots history.

“I just saw the greatest high school player I’ve ever seen,” Crum told Wooden.

“Better than Lewis (Alcindor)?” Wooden asked.

“Yeah,” Crum said.

“Keep your voice down and close the door,” Wooden snickered.

Crum's evaluation turned out to be not far from the truth, as Walton had a senior season for the ages. He averaged 29 points, grabbed 825 rebounds (still a state record), good for a 25.0 average, as Helix finished 33-0 and extended its winning streak to 49 consecutive games with Walton in the lineup. Tom McMillen of Mansfield (Pa.) garnered most of the national headlines and was the Sports Illustrated cover boy as a high school player, but it wasn't a secret among college coaches that Walton was the real deal. He went on to immortality at UCLA, leading the Bruins to two NCAA titles before going on to win NBA Championships with Portland in 1977 and Boston in 1986.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Chronicling Jaden McDaniels Meteoric Rise! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

20 years ago today, one of the greatest NBA fights of all-time happened...despite ZERO punches landing. The two main fighters in the ring were the Knicks' Larry Johnson and Heat's Alonzo Mourning. The two former Hornets teammates were more than just star players on rival teams, they were two of the league's biggest badasses and they really hated each other.

The drama goes back to their Charlotte days, when Zo would publicly complain about how much money LJ was making (his $84 million contract in 1993 had the shock value of a 2016 Grizzlies signing) while LJ was slowly seeing fewer touches and shots as Zo became one of the premier centers in the league and the Hornets' best offensive and defensive weapon. You would think a fight between LJ (who used to box in the Police Athletic League and had the body of Men's Health cover model) and Zo (who had the body of the guy who should have been on the Men's Health cover but didn't get it because he's not likable) would be a fight that Charles Barkley and Oakley would be proud of. That wasn't the case at all.

In the final quarter of Game 4 of the 1998 series between the Knicks and Heat, the two got tangled up and took turns throwing punches and missing by inches. Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy and player Charles Oakley tried to restrain Zo; Oakley took the top and Gundy took the bottom -- by hanging on to his leg as my dog does to house guests or as Chris Mills said: "like a jockey who fell off his horse and held on for dear life."

''Jeff was doing what every other coach in this league does, going in there trying to break up a fight,'' Knicks GM Ernie Grunfeld said. ''Unfortunately, he got stuck in the land of the giants.''

Equally funny to Van Gundy riding a giant's leg was commentator Doc Rivers (known for fighting Celtics in the 80s) hilariously saying, "Fortunately for these guys, they are both awful fighters" during the live telecast.

The Knicks did win the game but were told by the league they were going to lose LJ for their next two and also Chris Mills, who got a one-game suspension for leaving the bench. The suspension left the Knicks with just nine available players. Lucky for them, the league also suspended Zo for two games.

Thanks to a big game from Allan Houston (30 PTS) and a throwback performance from John Starks (22 PTS), the Knicks easily beat the Heat 98-81. If you were wondering how Zo's starting replacement did in the game, Duane Causewell finished with 0 points and 2 rebounds.

VAN GUNDY

This wasn't the only time Van Gundy had an embarrassing moment trying to break up a fight. In 2001, Van Gundy jumped in front of Marcus Camby as he threw a wild sucker punch at Danny Ferry. Van Gundy took a head butt from Camby but prevented what could have turned into a Kermit Washington situation.

Camby was suspended five games and fined $25,000. Ferry was hit with a one-game suspension and $7,500 fine.

BONUS VIDEOS

The post Remembering The Awful Larry Johnson vs Alonzo Mourning Fight aka The Van Gundy Leg Game appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

When Jerry West was asked back in 1992 to pick the best passer, rebounder, scorer, etc. for a special series Upper Deck trading cards, The Logo selected Larry Johnson as the "Future Best All-Around Player."

In his second season, the NBA Rookie of the Year showed he was well on his way as he made All-NBA 2nd Team Honors and earned a starting spot in the NBA All-Star game. Slam Magazine even put him on the cover of their debut issue.

Then two months after signing the biggest deal in NBA history (12 years/$81 million), he injured his back and ended his road to becoming the best all-around player in the league. The UNLV great and coolest grandma ever still played a decade in the NBA and will always be remembered by Hornets, Knicks and most basketball fans lucky enough to see him in his prime as one of the best basketball talents ever.

Here's what former Charlotte teammate Kendall Gill had to say about his ex-partner in crime.

? I played with a lot of great players in my day. But Larry Johnson before he hurt his back was the best I've ever played with. His combination of size, strength, athleticism and Intelligence was unsurpassed. I have not seen anyone like him since. He could take you outside and then beat you up inside. Think Lebron with Hakeem Olajuwons footwork and Shaq's strength. Damn he was beautiful to watch man! At 6'7 250lbs I saw first hand how he dominated Barkley, Malone, Robinson just to name a few. If not for the injury LJ would have gone down as one of the best to do it! Looking back I wished I would have played my whole career with him.

The post Larry Johnson Tribute appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Check out Savon Goodman punishing defenders and rims during his final summer before UNLV. This kid is going to be a monster. I don't think the west coast is ready. Special thanks to the CHOSEN LEAGUE and Dwight Bishop for voice over. #GetDunkedOn. via Shooters Touch Online

The post Savon Goodman aka "Larry Johnson Jr" LOVES TO JAM!!! Sick Mixtape! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.