Gabriel has worked out Raptors, Grizzlies, 76ers, Hornets, Lakers, Jazz, Kings, Thunder, Bucks and Nets and has the look of a prototypical '3&D' guy in the NBA. Wenyen has the potential to be a 2nd round steal but could end up on a two-way contract base on what Calipari said in a recent interview...

"My hope is he goes somewhere in the second round. Either way, he's probably going to have to go through that G League," Calipari said. "At the end of the day, you're not tricking the NBA. You can't play around your weaknesses. I've had guys that have gone second round and had to play their way into the NBA and it's a great way of doing it. Two-way contracts are beneficiary to those kinds of kids too."

Special Thanks to Corey Frazier at Puresweat Basketball
https://www.instagram.com/coreyfrazierpuresweat

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The 10th annual Under Armour Elite 24 (August 22, 7 pm ET, ESPNU) will showcase many of the nation's top players in the Class of 2016 and 2017. Here's what to watch for on each team and our prediction of what might go down.

The one thing in an all-star/showcase game that always happens is -- the unexpected happens. There is always some unsung player that steps up and has a big game and/or the team that comes in as the prohibitive underdog plays inspired ball.

This year's Under Armour Elite 24, the elite outdoor event's 10th anniversary game, is filled with elite talent among all 24 participants (CLICK HERE for team rosters). With that much individual talent (all are ranked in the ESPNU 100 for Class of 2016 or ESPNU 60 for Class of 2017,) anyone on either roster is capable of playing well, but on paper it seems Team EZ Pass (named after 2008 participant and NCAA champion Kemba Walker) has the most firepower.

The Team EZ Pass starting lineup is likely to include 6-foot-8 small forward Josh Jackson of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), one of the game MVPs in the 2014 game after making 10-12 shots and finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists, 7-foot DeAndre Ayton of Balboa School (San Diego, Calif.), the No. 1 prospect in the ESPNU 60, and 7-foot Thon Maker of Orangeville Prep (Ontario, Canada), a top five prospect in the rising senior class after announcing he'll remain in the 2016 class for the duration of the 2015-16 school year.

Jackson, the highest ranked participant in the ESPNU 100 at No. 3, will be working alongside 6-foot-6 wing and recent Alabama commit Terrance Ferguson (ESPNU 100 No. 14) of Prime Prep (Dallas) on the wing with Trevon Duval of St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) and Troy Brown Jr. of Centennial (Las Vegas) running the show.

That's a lot of firepower and a lot of options for Team Doo Be Doo to deal with and attempt to slow down.

Duval, ranked No. 13 in the ESPN 60, is eager to prove he's one of the nation's best point guards regardless of class and Brown, ranked No. 6 in the ESPN 60, gained valuable experience participating in last year's game as a rising sophomore. Look for at least one of them to have a big game.

The starting lineup for Team Doo Be Doo (named after two-time UA Elite 24 game MVP Brandon Jennings) is likely to include 6-foot-9, 225-pound Edrice Adebayo of Northside (Pinetown, N.C.) and 6-foot-10, 280-pound Udoka Azubuike of Potter's House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.). That's a lot of beef for Team EZ Pass to deal with, so Kobi Simmons of St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Billy Preston of Prime Prep (Dallas) are going to have to get them the ball as much as possible to take advantage down low. If Team EZ Pass takes Adebayo (ESPNU 100 No. 8) and Azubuike (ESPNU 100 No. 19) out of the game by taking advantage in transition, Team Doo Be Doo will have to make adjustments and perhaps go with a smaller lineup to keep up with the pace of the game.

Simmons, ranked No. 6 in the ESPNU 100, and Preston, ranked No. 20 in the ESPN 60, are versatile talents whose production will be key for Team Doo Be Doo. Simmons can break down defenders and create, but similar to Preston, he often times hunts his own shot. Those two are going to have to be cognizant of when to attack or look for advantages on the block. If Simmons has an efficient game, Team Doo Be Doo will be in good shape.

Team Do Be Doo will also benefit from the late addition of 6-foot-9 Michael Porter Jr. of Father Tolton Catholic (Columbia, Mo.). Porter is ranked No. 2 in the ESPN 60 and is one of the most talented scorers in the country.

Simmons can slide to the two when 6-foot Shamorie Ponds of Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is in the game or Ponds can work with 6-foot-5 Rawle Alkins of Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) on the second shift. Where Doo Be Doo might have an advantage is when it brings in that second line. Ponds, ranked No. 66 in the ESPNU 100, is a creative playmaker suited for the UA Elite 24 atmosphere while Alkins, No. 22 in the ESPNU 100, was arguably the most productive performer on the summer grassroots circuit and likely on the rise in the next rankings shuffle.

Another player surely on the rise in the rankings is No. 83 Wenyen Gabriel, a 6-foot-9 power forward out of Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Manchester, N.H.). Like Alkins, he finished out the summer evaluation period looking like a top 10 national prospect and is likely to be on the court with Ponds and Alkins a lot of the time. The Brooklyn Bridge Park crowd is likely going to get behind Team Doo Be Doo because of the hometown products on that team.

The crowd getting behind Ponds, Alkins and company is not the only factor that could play into Team Doo Be Doo's favor. Players on the team such as Ponds, Gabriel and 6-foot-9 Jarrett Allen of Saint Stephen's Episcopal School (Austin, Texas), ranked No. 17 in the ESPNU 100, don't have the national reputations that the top players on Team EZ Pass do.

The motivation to become a household name, and earn a bigger national reputation, just might be what many of the players on Team Doo Be Doo need to offset the advantages Team EZ Pass has on paper.

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

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RELATED: Unselfish Play Propels Team Rose Into Title Game | Dennis Smith Bangs Over 6'10 Player

He didn't start, he only played half the game and didn't play many minutes with running mate Lonzo Ball, but nothing was going to stop 6-foot-4 shooting guard Rawle Alkins of Team Rose from completing his summer mission. Alkins, a charismatic New Yorker likely on the move for his senior season, wanted to show national scouts, as well as a national television audience, that he's a national top 10 prospect in the Class of 2016 and in the conversation as high school basketball's top shooting guard prospect.

Mission accomplished.

Alkins completed his dominant run through adidas Nations by leading Team Rose to a 113-93 win over Team Wall in the championship game played at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif. With the game in the balance in the fourth period, Alkins hit three consecutive 3-pointers to give Team Rose the cushion that it needed to cruise to victory. The score was 77-70 in favor of Team Rose entering the fourth but when Alkins' barrage was completed, it was 97-77.

"I want to be known as the best shooting guard in the class," said Alkins, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field. "I started as an unknown and unranked player. In ninth grade, I was like No. 45. Then I went to No. 22 and now it's like No. 7.

"Cali is a good luck charm to me."

Alkins was referring to his dominant showing at the Pangos All-American Camp in Carson, Calif. back in early June, when he took home MOP honors before catching a quick flight back to New York.

"Winning is the only option," Alkins said about his team's unbeaten run through the event.

In Monday's adidas Nations title game, he hit 6-of-8 3-pointers. As a team, Team Wall made 12-of-22 3-pointers. The game's out come was decided by the difference in shooting between the two teams made up of American 2016 prospects. Team Rose made 50.6 percent of its shots from the field (43-of-85), while Team Wall shot 39.2 percent (38-97).

Markelle Fultz, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), led Team Wall with 16 points. He made 7-of-25 shots from the field and didn't connect from 3-point range on five attempts.

To offset the knee injury suffered by point guard Dennis Smith Jr., of Team Wall on Sunday evening, guard Frank Jackson of Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) was moved from Team Rose to Team Wall for the title game. It affected Team Rose's normal rotation, but it did not change the outcome of the game.

Alkins was not going to be denied.

"He's for real," Alkins said about Ball, a 6-foot-5 point guard out of Chino Hills, Calif. "He's a lot like Andre Iguodala. He does a lot of things that sometimes don't show up in the stat sheet."

Ball led the team in minutes in the title game (28) and didn't score much (4 points, 2-of-5 shooting), but did the little things to make a difference just as he had all week. He finished with game-highs in rebounds (11) and assists (8).

Mario Kegler, a 6-foot-7 forward out of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), added 19 points for Team Rose. Guard Kobi Simmons of St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.) also finished with 19 points, while Mustapha Heron of Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) made all three of his 3-point attempts and added 15.

"I don't get to play with players like this very often, so I wanted to cherish it and win a championship," Ball said. "It was a great experience playing with this group. I don't have to do as much as I do with my travel team, but I could do more if we needed it.

"It took a little time for the guys to warm up to what I do, but that's normal. I would do the same to guys I didn't trust."

Alkins and his teammates undoubtedly trust Ball now.

Team Africa Closes Strong

In the third place game, Team Africa closed out an impressive run at the event with a 89-85 victory over Team Lillard, which was made up of American 2017 prospects.

Team Lillard led 49-39 at halftime, but Team Africa used a big third quarter to take control of the game. They outscored the Americans 27-10. Lillard lowest point total in any of the other three quarters was 24 points.

Alpha Diallo, a 6-foot-7 2016 wing out of Lincoln (Denver, Col.), tied the game at 52-52 on a steal and flush with 5:40 remaining in the third period and Team Africa took control thereafter. A highlight finish by Mamadi Diakite, a 6-foot-9 2016 forward out of Blue Ridge (St. George, Va.), off a push up the court and pretty pass by Wenyen Gabriel, a 6-foot-9 power forward out of Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Manchester, N.H.), made it 58-54 late in the third period. The score was 66-59 Team Africa leading entering the fourth period.

Team Africa's athleticism and ability to finish created problems for foes all weekend and Team Lillard was no exception. Lillard especially had trouble slowing down Diallos, as the two on Team Africa combined for 56 points. Alpha Diallo netted 30 points (even though he missed seven three throws) and added 13 rebounds. Hamidou Diallo, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Woostock Academy (Queens, N.Y.), added 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field.

Gabriel didn't shoot particular well (4-of-14) but he continued to show an all-around skill level that make him a bonafide Top 10 long-term prospect in the Class of 2016. He finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Diakite added eight points.

Team Lillard kept within range and had opportunities down the stretch to potentially tie the game. When guard Trevon Duval of St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) converted a lay-up with 1:46 to go, it cut Team Lillard's deficit down to four points (84-80), but Team Africa made enough free throws down the stretch.

Duval was one of three Team Lillard players in double figures with 11 points. E.J. Montgomery, a talented 2018 power forward prospect out of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), had 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Gary Trent Jr., a 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Apple Valley (Minn.) and the son of the former NBA player, led Team Lillard with 24 points.

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

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