Who’s putting in work at the RBK Camp?
Olu Ashaolu, Brandon Jennings and Westchester’s own Mookie Jones, for starters. We’re getting good at this high school stuff, huh?
By Aggrey Sam
I’ve been at Rbk U. at Philadelphia University since Sunday—actually since Saturday night, when I participated in a media panel where the players asked the questions and the journalists were put on the spot for once—and while Nike’s LeBron thing got a lot of fanfare, there’s plenty of talent at Reebok’s thing, too. While I could give you game coverage, in-depth analysis and a breakdown of what coaches were watching which players (I saw Coach K, Al Skinner, Bill Self, Jay Wright, Jim Calhoun, Phil Martelli, John Thompson III, the list goes on), what you really want to know is who’s killing. I’m not usually someone big on rankings, but for a warm-up of what you can expect in the very near future, here’s the top 20 kids at the camp—based on performances that I’ve seen with my own eyes. Stay tuned for a recap of tonight’s chip and all-star game.
1. Brandon Jennings, 6-2 point guard, Oak Hill (VA), 2008: When Jennings chooses to be, the Arizona commit has been simply spectacular, looking like a video game with his rainbow treys, ridiculous dimes and yo-yo handle. As the photo shows, he can also get freaky around the rim. Most impressive to me, however, has been his competitiveness, commitment to defense and unselfishness, all with a big target on him.
2. Olu Ashaolu, 6-6 power forward, Christian Life (TX), 2008: While BJ’s the most talented kid here, Olu has been the most consistently dominant. Displaying solid ballhandling skills and the ability to make open shots, he’s done his most serious damage in the paint, where he’s owned the boards and has multiple victims of his aeriel assaults.
3. Elliott Williams, 6-4 combo guard, St. George’s (TN), 2008: Maybe I’m good luck for the smooth guard from Memphis, but he hasn’t had a bad game whenever I’ve seen him play. Playing with a pass-first point guard has allowed him to do what he does best—get buckets, from deep jumpers, slashing drives and in transition—but he’s also played great D and attacked the boards.
4. Malcolm Lee, 6-5 point guard, North (CA), 2008: Lee, a UCLA commit, has tremendous size for a point guard, and uses it to his advantage. Quick with a tight handle, Lee can get dimes or buckets with equal effectiveness, as well as use his length on D and help out on the boards.
5. Romero Osby, 6-8 combo forward, NorthEast (MS), 2008: Osby might be the most versatile prospect at the camp. He has point-forward abilities, solid court vision, a good handle and range on his J, but he’s also an athletic warrior around the hoop.
6. Renardo Sidney, 6-10 power forward, Artesia (CA), 2009: I compare Sidney, who many believe to be the top prospect in his class, to Derrick Coleman. Like DC, he’s talented enough to dominate in the post, handle the rock, rack up the assists and step out to hit jumpers, but he also likes to float on the perimeter a bit too much.
7. Terrence Jennings, 6-10 power forward, Mt. Zion (NC), 2008: This Jennings gets compared to Amare by most experts for his tremendous athleticism and motor. A run-and-jump athlete who dunks everything around the bucket, blocks shots and boards, he’s also showed signs of a face-up game.
8. Courtney Fortson, 5-11 point guard, Jefferson Davis (AL), 2008: No one at this camp plays harder than this floor general, who runs the show, gets his teammates involved and keeps the defense honest with his J. But his intense D, amazing rebounding ability for his size and determination to get to the rack set him apart.
9. William Buford, 6-5 shooting guard, Libbey (OH), 2008: Buford, who’s headed to Ohio State, is as smooth as they come. A great shooter off the catch or on the move, he’s a silky slasher and athletic finisher in transition, as well.
10. Maalik Wayns, 6-2 point guard, Roman Catholic (PA), 2009: Wayns, who I’ve been touting as the top prospect within Philly city limits since the high school season ended, is now, in my mind, the top point guard in his class nationally. The recent Villanova commit plays 94-foot defense, knocks down jumpers, runs the show to perfection and with his physical nature, bullies opposing points into submission.
11. Kenny Boynton, 6-2 combo guard, Ely (FL), 2009: Boynton struggled in his matchup with Brandon Jennings early on, but since then he’s done what people expect of him: score. The lightning-quick Florida native has also showed improved point-guard skills.
12. Verdell Jones, 6-4 point guard, Central (IL), 2008: Jones, a magician with the ball in his hands, is relentless when going to the hoop, despite his rail-thin frame. Possessing a great feel for the game, a pretty stroke and outstanding court vision, Jones makes good plays seem ordinary.
13. Tyshawn Taylor, 6-3 combo guard, St. Anthony (NJ), 2008: The least heralded of the mob talented seniors at the Jersey powerhouse, Taylor has really opened some eyes here. More of a slashing wing for his high school team, Taylor has shown he can run the point and hit outside shots, while still playing that trademark tough St. Anthony D.
14. John Wall, 6-4 combo guard, Word of God (NC), 2009: When I first saw Wall play at Breakout a few weeks ago, I knew I saw a real sleeper. He’s proved it at Rbk by getting to the rack at will, nailing jumpers, playing hard defense, dishing the rock and changing the game with his speed.
15. Jio Fontan, 5-11 point guard, St. Anthony (NJ), 2008: For his high school squad, Jio’s focus is running the show and playing pressure D. While the Fordham commit has done that here, he’s also shown he can be a highly effective scoring point.
16. Quincy Acy, 6-8 power forward, Horn (TX), 2008: A high-energy player, Acy brought the house down numerous times with his high-flying and powerful dunks and blocks. The Dallas native also runs the floor like a guard, attacks the boards with passion and is pretty good offensively in the paint.
17. Mookie Jones, 6-6 wing, Peekskill (NY), 2008: Jones, a long and athletic swingman, has the complete package, as far as what colleges are looking for on the wing. Hailing from Elton Brand’s alma mater, Jones can slash with the best of them, play well above the rim, rebound at a high level, handle the rock and shoot it from out to 3-point range.
18. John Henson, 6-9 power forward, Round Rock (TX), 2009: A long, slender, face-up big man, Henson is active on the boards, runs the floor and is a presence on D. His best asset, however, is his J, which he can bury from mid-range or behind the arc.
19. Mike Rosario, 6-3 combo guard, St. Anthony (NJ), 2008: The highest-rated of Bob Hurley’s senior guards, a Rutgers commit, has been his usual solid self. While his J hasn’t been as automatic as usual, his intensity, ability to drive or distribute and intangibles have made him stand out.
20. Tristan Thompson, 6-8 combo forward, St. benedict’s (NJ), 2010: Another kid who was invited off the Breakout camp, Thompson has seemingly limitless potential, the big Canadian has knocked down jumpers, hit the boards and played like a vet at Rbk.
37 Responses to “Who’s putting in work at the RBK Camp?”
Jul.10 at 7:20 pm
me says:
First!
Jul.10 at 7:28 pm
jon wiener says:
renardo sydney’s filthy good. he does have that mississippi ‘laziness’ thing working though. he’s a matchup nightmare, like a college lamar odom, but better in the post. watch out for renardo
Jul.10 at 7:44 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I’d kill for a “Word of God” high school jersey.
Jul.10 at 8:01 pm
Homie says:
tell Olu to quit pissing around and play for Canada already! He should be leading the FIBA U-19 team this summer…
Jul.10 at 10:46 pm
Bucknasty says:
Dont 4get about st.Anythonys other d1 senior guard travon woodal,who by the way is headed 2 pitt. And just in case u lost count thats 4 D1A guards in one hs. if st. ants aint ranked in the right behind oak hill somebody needs 2 get coofy smacked
Jul.10 at 11:04 pm
Bucknasty says:
AND dominic cheeks who is a top 10 player in 09
Jul.11 at 12:30 am
DP says:
MISSISSIPPI LAZINESS! HEY, I LIVE IN MISSISSIPPI AND MY STATE IS NOT LAZY. I PLAYED AGAINST SIDNEY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HE BLOCKED MY SH#T AGAINST THE BACKBOARD. HE WAS LIKE 360 POUNDS THEN BUT HE WAS NOT LAZY. HE WAS DUNKING ON OUR WHOLE TEAM THE WHOLE GAME! SIDNEY PLAYS THAT GOOD CUZ HE IS FROM THE CROOKED I!RECOGNIZE WE ARE NOT LAZY WE PUT OUT NBA TALENT. SHOUT OUT TO MONTA AND MO WIILIAMS AND JAMONT GORDON. MISSISSIPPI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLAY WIT IT.
Jul.11 at 1:38 am
Boing Dynasty says:
You mean THE Jamont Gordan?
Jul.11 at 1:46 am
DP says:
HELL YEAH I DO! HE IS GOING TO BE A FREAKIN LOTTERY PICK NEXT YEAR SO GET READY. SCOTTY HOPSON AND ROMERO OSBY ARE COMING NEXT AS WELL AND BOTH OF THEM ARE FUTURE NBA PLAYERS. MISSISSIPPI STAND UP! PLAY WIT IT.
Jul.11 at 2:00 am
Boing Dynasty says:
Mississippi, imfamous territory for imbreeding, no?
Jul.11 at 2:00 am
Boing Dynasty says:
Also, Romeo Miller is the future of the NBA.
Jul.11 at 2:57 am
DP says:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 ROMEO? DEMAR IS WAY AHEAD OF THAT GUY! HE ISN’T A TOP POINT IN THE NATION! PLAY WIT IT.
Jul.11 at 7:00 am
Ben Osborne says:
Boing, I’m afraid your 0 for your last 2 from the field.
Jul.11 at 8:51 am
Ryan Jones says:
Also, Boing, regarding your infamous territory comment — I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of Kentucky. Obviously.
Jul.11 at 8:59 am
Ryan Jones says:
Also, Aggrey, I really don’t appreciate your whole “I’m gonna be thorough and actually rank the players at my camp” thing. Don’t you know this is a union gig? You start making the rest of us look bad, you might end up with broken thumbs…
Jul.11 at 12:27 pm
Coach JOhn says:
MOOKIE JONES…….OF..(PEEKSKILL) WILL BE A NAME TO REMEBER FOR THE BOOKS……….HE CAN RUN THE 1 THE 2 AND THE 3………….HE MAKES HIGHSCHOOL GAMES LOOK EASY………..DONT BELIEVE? CATCH A FILGHT TO WESTCHESTER, NY (PEEKSKILL HIGH SCHOOL)
Jul.11 at 12:37 pm
Ben Osborne says:
NY Times has a decent story on some of the background of this camp (registration may be required): www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/sports/basketball/11camp.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Jul.11 at 2:56 pm
Sammy says:
Hey any Boston cats there?
Jul.11 at 4:19 pm
Ryan Jones says:
The Times story is excellent, nice catch Ben. Glad to see such a rare balanced take on the sneaker camp scene; if they’d sent Selena Roberts down to Philly, we would’ve read a well-written but incredibly sanctimonious piece about how everyone in sports is evil and greedy (even if that is mostly true).
Jul.11 at 5:20 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Its okay Ben ive had worse days, plus i have never done a full length feature on Lil Romeo in a Basketball Magazine. That alone makes me feel better.
Ryan, i think the actual act of imbreeding is preformed in MS, and the after math is later shipped to the KU, where they are then brain(?) washed into being boosters for the basketball team. Its not like Ms has any worth while basketball teams.
Jul.11 at 5:42 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Boing, re: your Lil’ Romeo comment to Ben: Neither have we. But we DID do a story on Romeo AND his dad (which, considering there are, to the best of my knowledge, exactly ZERO other multiplatinum rappers coaching successful AAU teams, seemed noteworthy) AND Demar DeRozan, who Rivals.com currently lists as the No. 4 player in the nation in class of 2008. So don’t be too proud of yourself.
That said, your Miss/KY equation does make perfect sense, so I forgive you.
Jul.11 at 6:21 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
My way sounded cooler.
Appologies in advance to DP, for the MS hate. I’m playin wit it.
Jul.11 at 6:38 pm
H to the izzo says:
Boing:You found the perfect explaination for UK “fans”.I think you’ll agree that they’re one cousin away from a good time.
Jul.12 at 12:13 am
DP says:
You right about one thing Boing, we don’t have any good high school or college teams. Besides Miss. State, I hate basketball around here. The only good team still left is Monta’s alma mater Lanier. They still got some good players that would be making some noise right now but their grades are booty. The only guy ballin right now in are state is Romero Osby and he going to State. I guess no one cares about basketball here because this is a football state. Brett Farve, Steve Mcnair, Eli Manning(The Ole Miss Eli Manning), Jerry Rice, and Mr. Norwood(now on the Atlanta Falcons. but anyway apology accepted boing. play wit it.
Jul.12 at 12:32 pm
jon says:
DP! mississippi in tha house! i only said that ‘mississippi laziness’ thing because i’m from mississippi, and i have it (and love it) too. murrah high school big-ups…mississippi state big-ups…jack-town holla!…and yea, we got a few guys still in the state right now that are REALLY gonna shake the bball world. charles rhodes most slept on F in the country, also from Monta’s Lanier High School
Jul.12 at 12:34 pm
jon says:
and yea, watch out for the Bulldogs next year, that squad is going to the Final Four. ‘play wit it’ as they say
Jul.12 at 12:37 pm
jon says:
ohh yeah, dp, u left out Walter Payton. only the greatest RB ever to lace ‘em up.
Jul.12 at 2:24 pm
DP says:
yeah u right jon, my bad on Walter Payton and Miss State is goin to be big next year. play wit it.
Jul.12 at 4:05 pm
Jon says:
monta ellis broke my ankles in 8th grade. i pretty much quit after that.
Jul.16 at 9:08 pm
louie says:
brandon jennings is sick!!!!
Jul.19 at 8:36 pm
CCB says:
SLAM and other hoops websites don’t cover the small camps and that is understandable but I had a player in my camp a week ago who may be the best player to come out of Mississippi in a while. His name is LeAntwann Luckett. He is a 6-4 c/o 2011 player. As far as the next big thing out of Mississippi is concerned possibly the south he has the potential be the next Monta Ellis. Don’t take my word for it, check out the camp video of him: www.centercourtbasketball.com. Go to the site and click on 2011. I only had two 2011 invites and the other one was a 5-9 PG named Donovan Bridgeforth from Jacksonville, Texas. Kid ran point at the camp for JUCO team and held it down. Reebok has the name and funds to do it a lot bigger than SHO-SHOT of course but this is the second year in a row that I operated the camp and last year I had Latavious Williams, Malcolm White and Terrence Joyner in the camp before they gained national recognition. Mississippi has talent hidden everywhere and this time Reebok missed one.
Jul.25 at 3:56 pm
a. sam says:
Ryan: I had to be thorough to make up for posting once a month.
Bucknasty: I agree, Travon is definitely nice and St. Anthony is seriously loaded for next season.
Sammy: One kid from Boston who stood out was Stevie Meija, a small point guard who could really shoot and is committed to Rhode Island.
CCB: Keep helping those kids get exposure.
Aug.12 at 1:40 am
sef 22 says:
Hey ccb I c u r on da hoops cene! I coached da kid leAntwann and you are correct about him being da next star but update he is only one of da legit ballplayers down here. as mentioned romero osby, renardo sidney, laquinton ross,dondrecus nelson,rashanti harristhat’s da high school talent pooljeremy wise c-usa frosh of year,charles rhodes MS State,Charles thomas AR razorbacks,kevin sims tulane,monta ellis, mo williams,trey johnson Jackson State U was second in nation in scoring, lindsey hunter,james robinson othella harrington,justin reed MN timberpups, we have a prep school down here (genesis one,mendenhall,MS)that boasts some of the top prep talent in the nation brandon crooks, michael white, just ask brandon jennings he had a tough time with their point guard,b4 you speak on something do your homework first MS been ballin I played here and went 37-2 my senior year of high school and if you think we can’t play down here come find out!!!!
Aug.24 at 8:30 pm
CCB says:
I will be down in Mississippi this Saturday September 1st and I will video tape everything for a 50 player camp. I am bringing in about 10 JUCO guys with that group. I think the more coverage our region gets the more serious Slam, rivals, etc will begin to take what I’m doing as well as the other coaches and programs are doing down here. I will be posting rosters for the this week. It should be good. All of the names you are mentioning as players the funniest thing is I probably found the most athletic cat in Mississippi last year… his name is Donovan Jernigan. He will be playing at Holmes CC this year. Dude is sick
Check out these clips:
http://www.centercourtbasketball.com/2007%20Donovan%20Jernigan%206-4.wmv http://www.centercourtbasketball.com/Donovan%20Jernigan.wmv I will make sure I find more guys that need the looks. I should have all of the articles and vids up by the following Monday. Thanks to Slam for giving us this forum to further blow up Mississippi and southern hoops.
Sep.8 at 8:10 pm
CCB says:
Finished the camp this past weekend and I have a few names to put out there but you can browse the site for those. I have two words: Rashad Jenkins
Unreal. 15 years old 6-5 and 200 lbs. Incredible young prospect that can flat out get it done. I don’t think Mississippi needs to worry about Renardo being in LA with this sophmore from Starkville.
http://www.centercourtbasketball.com/2010_files/Page1311.htm I start the video out with a couple of slow plays, but when it picks up…wow. A few other names:
Jeverik Nelson 6-7 2010
Jeff Stubbs 6-2 2009
Isaiah Canaan 5-11 2009
Montell Walters 6-4 2010
Demarcus Lewis 6-4 2010
Deshun Carter 6-5 2009
Leantwan Lucket 6-4 2011
I think these dudes are underrated by the people who do rankings in Mississippi and nationally. They are all on the site. It was a good day overall.
Jul.9 at 9:22 am
SLAM ONLINE | » Live from the Reebok All-American Camp says:
[…] Just like last year, I’m in Philly (feels funny staying in a hotel here; thanks, Mandy) covering the Reebok All-American Camp (formerly Rbk U), but there are a few changes. First of all, more kids. The camp is up to 150 campers (120 last year), which leads to a constant stream of games (today the first game starts at 8:30 and the last game starts at 9:30; no breaks), as there are 14 teams here. Also, while the camp has quite a few of the requisite national name players in attendance (although they have to compete with the adidas It Takes Five tourney in Cincy and the LeBron James Nike US Skills Academy in Akron, not to mention the trials for the USA Basketball Under-18 team), a lot of relatively anonymous kids also have the opportunity to be seen by the scores of college coaches observing. Reebok (shout out to Chris Rivers and Co.) put together two teams of players who were selected to the camp through their Breakout and Headliner camps (where underclassmen and regional prospects, respectively, can earn invites to the big camp), which was interesting. I saw a lot of ball yesterday–much of it sloppy, as first days of camps tend to be–but here’s a dozen (in no particular order) of the kids who impressed me (I left some players out who I’ve seen a lot of) so far: Lenzelle Smith, 6-4 wing, Zion-Benton (IL), 2010: A husky Chicago-area wing who consistently plays hard, Smith’s toughness, ability to push the ball, get to the rack and finish made him stand out early. Myck Kabongo, 6-0 point guard, St. Patrick’s (NJ), 2011: Through Monday’s scrimmages and his first game yesterday, the native of Canada was playing like the best pure point guard here, using his tremendous quickness, handle and court vision to set teammates up for easy buckets. Guy Landry-Edi, 6-7 combo forward, Van Nuys (CA), 2009: The diesel Frenchman isn’t a straight 3 or strictly a power forward (he’s also probably closer to 6-5), but his combination of athleticism, hustle, intensity and versatile (if unpolished) offensive skills makes him a hot commodity. Abdul Gaddy, 6-3 point guard, Bellarmine (WA), 2009: One of the top point guards nationally in his class, the silky-smooth former Arizona commit makes the game look incredibly easy with his ball-on-a-string handle, dimes from any angle and his efficiency in transition, but I was most impressed with how he utilizes his length on D. Avery Bradley, 6-3 combo guard, Bellarmine (WA), 2009: You can’t mention one without the other, but Bradley (who is highly touted in his own right) stood out individually with his strong drives, perimeter shooting and willing to mix it up with the big men inside. Thomas Robinson, 6-8 combo forward, Brewster (NH), 2009: A DC native who is headed to prep school, Robinson’s versatility–he can post up, handle the ball well for his size and hit the occasional outside J–but his motor, athleticism and toughness on the inside made him one of the top post prospects in attendance early on. Aaric Murray, 6-10 post, Glen Mills (PA), 2009: No longer a hidden gem, Murray’s inexperience shows, but his natural tools–he runs the floor hard, is a defensive presence, has good footwork and a nice touch–makes an impact guy, as many college coaches were whispering in the stands. Brandon Knight, 6-3 combo guard, Pinecrest (FL), 2010: Paired with AAU running mate Kenny Boynton (the 2009 standout also balled, but I’m pretty sure I’ve covered his game ad nauseum on this site), Knight continues to step his game up from nice young prospect to dominating scorer/distributor. Renardo Sidney, 6-9 combo forward, Fairfax (CA), 2009: The pros (unbelievable skills) and cons (questionable motivation) of Sidney’s game are obvious to anyone who’s ever seen him play, but yesterday the big fella played hard for the most part, scored on the inside and outside at will, rebounded well and showed off his guard-like ability–when conditioning wasn’t a factor. Arsalan Kazemi, 6-8 combo forward, Patterson (NC), 2009: A native of Iran by way of Houston, the raw Kazemi might be the story of the camp so far, as he had the whole gym buzzing with his ridiculous high-flying dunks, boundless energy and overall fearlessness. Joe Burton, 6-8 post, West Valley (CA), 2009: A massive presence in the Derrick Caracter/Tractor Traylor/Kevin Love mold, Burton isn’t a big-time leaper, but is extremely effective (and fun to watch) due to his uncanny agility, passing skills, ballhandling and rebounding. Mike Marra, 6-5 wing, Northfield-Mount Hermon (MA), 2009: Possibly the best shooter at the camp, Marra is lights-out from deep, but the Louisville commit is also a solid athlete who can finish at the cup or pull up from mid-range. […]
Jul.9 at 5:28 pm
guest says:
I guess Jerry rice and Brett Favre have that same “mississippi laziness” Renardo didnt become out of shape and lazy until he left mississippi.