Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 6:50 pm  |  11 responses

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Reebok All-American Camp Recap

There were no videos confiscated here, but this camp didn’t lack for talent…or some controversy of its own.

by Franklyn Calle

If you were looking for a camp composed mostly of one and done type players then the LeBron James Skills Academy was your best bet. But if you were looking for solid 2-4 year college prospects then the Reebok All-American Camp may have been the camp for you to pay a visit to. Yes, everyone will admit to you that Nike took the best of the best, well at least just about, and everyone in Philly was still buzzing about the Jordan Crawford dunk on LeBron. But make no mistake. The Reebok camp did have a couple of blue-chip players that may be one-and-done caliber and overall had solid players and a whole lot of sleepers, and the top collegiate coaches did make their way to Philadelphia to check it out. Kentucky’ s John Calipari, Florida’s Billy Donovan, G Tech’s Paul Hewitt, Kansas’ Bill Self, Villanova’s Jay Wright, UConn’s Jim Calhoun and Indiana’s Tom Crean were some of the big names that were in the building. But one college coach that stood out from the pack was one that will begin his collegiate coaching career this fall: new Florida International University head coach Isiah Thomas. As soon as he walked in the building, it became clear that most of the attention in the stands was going towards him. I guess it was sort of awkward to see Isiah Thomas at a sneaker camp but it’s something we must get use to as he is now a college coach and will have to hit the gymnasiums during the live recruiting period just like any other college coach.

Now for the sort-of controversial part of the camp. It’s supposed to be an honor to be part of an All-American Camp. It’s supposed to be a bigger honor to be named to the All-Star Game of an All-American Camp. But none of the less, following Day 2 of the camp, players started to make their way to the airport and head either back home or to join their AAU teams in tournaments. Some of these kids who left were even picked to play in the All-Star game. Word spread quickly between members of the media and it didn’t take long for the rest of the crowd to hear about the exodus. Reasons for leaving? Well, there’s no clear answer. But some rumored that the kids didn’t like the competition at the camp and the way it was ran. Now I’m not going to sit here and write some names down of kids who left the camp because that’s not the point I’m trying to make. Instead I think the argument should be whether the players should get the blame or the camp itself. You can argue that the players should have made the commitment to stay throughout the camp’s entirety once they accepted the invitation to attend the camp in the first place. Or an argument could be made that if there was better competition, in other words more of the top-ranked players, then maybe the kids would have not left in the first place. Maybe the camp should have been run differently? Like I said, arguments could be made for either side. You be the judge. But one thing that is for certain is that it left many wondering about the future of the camp. Especially since Chris Rivers, who has been running the Reebok Camps, is now working for Reebok’s parent company, adidas.

But enough about all that. Lets talk some hoops. As I mentioned before, there was some good talent at the camp and some of the names you are about to read may sound familiar while others may be new to you. Either or, the players you are about to read on were some of the top performers or just kids that I thought should get mentioned after impressive performances. There are always sleepers out there!

So here we go…..

Joe Jackson, 5-11 guard, White Station (TN), Class of 2010 (right): In my personal opinion, the best guard at the camp and quickly became one of my favorites. The Memphis native played with lots of intensity on both ends of the floor. Although barely six foot, the strongest part of his game is his ability to get the basket with ease. His quickness and agility was a mismatch for just about any other guard at the camp. And the fact that he can handle the ball so well and be creative while at it, didn’t help them out much either. His quick first step is a killer. There wasn’t a defender out there that could stay in front of him. He does a good job at reading the defender and taking what they give him. His footwork seemed on point as well. After blowing by the defender, he will finish at the basket with just about any type of shot you can imagine. Anything from floaters and runners, to reverse lay-ups, switching hands, and even finishing right over the big man. Gets to the free throw line a lot thanks to his aggressiveness when driving to the hole. Oh, and did I mention that he was one of the best passers at the camp as well? He has good court vision and does a nice job at finding the open man and getting others involved. On the other end of the floor, his polished footwork allows him to stay in front of his man and be a peck. Although he can knock down jumpers around the perimeter area, it’s probably not as consistent as it should be. I can only begin to imagine how much bigger of a threat he would become once he gets that aspect of his game polished. Be on the look out for Mr. Jackson, you will be hearing about him much more often in the years to come.

Tre Bowman, 6-4 forward, St. Thomas More Prep (CT), Class of 2010: The Pennsylvania native was really impressive, especially on Day 1. He played with intensity and confidence. The kid is definitely a sleeper. He did a good job getting to the hole and finishing strong. A streaky spot-up shooter, Bowman was making it rain from behind the perimeter.  He plays with a lot of heart and intensity.

Victor Oladipo, 6-5 shooting guard, DeMatha (MD), Class of 2010: There is a whole lot of potential in this kid. He is very athletic and showed his leaping abilities on various occasions. Has a nice inside-outside combo game. Can knock down the jumper from any spot on the floor as well as finish strong at the basket. What impressed me the most was how patient he was on the court. He wasn’t forcing shots, neither was he trying make passes that weren’t there. Has a very smooth demeanor to his game.

Evan Roquemore, 6-3 shooting guard, Foothill (NV), Class of 2010: One of the many kids who didn’t get to Philly by the fashionable invitation way, instead he won a spot at the All-American camp through the headliner tryout camp. He was very active on the floor, as he seemed to be all over the place. Did a good job with not giving up on the plays and giving his team second shot opportunities, including a couple of tip-ins. Can definitely get up in the air. The 6-3 combo guard made some nice solid moves to get him to the basket.

LeBryan Nash, 6-7 power forward, Lincoln (TX), Class of 2011 (left): The talent just pours out of him. Once he gets into a rhythm, he can become deadly from the perimeter. At 6-7, Nash can handle the ball pretty well and uses his quickness to get to the basket. He has nice body control and can finish with either hand. The rising junior is very athletic, agile and possesses a strong body frame.

Myles Mack, 5-10 point guard, Paterson Catholic (NJ), Class of 2011: Another rising junior, Myles is a pretty tough guard. Although only 5-10, he has lighting speed to help him get to the basket. Did not show any fear in finishing on bigger guys when driving to the hole, even in traffic. The Jersey native has quick hands and does a good job running the floor.  Mack did a nice job in setting up shots for others and getting everyone involved. His nice footwork allows him to stay in front of his man on the defensive end.

Pe’Shon Howard, 6-3 point guard, Oak Hill Academy (VA), Class of 2010: In the short time I saw him, he did a great job distributing the ball and getting others involved. The 6-3 Virginia native has great court vision and runs the floor well. This combo guard showed he could knock down the jumper at any given time. Expect to hear his name this upcoming season while traveling around the country with Oak Hill.

Royce Woolridge, 6-2 shooting guard, Sunnyslope (AZ), Class of 2010: The Jayhawks-commit took the opportunity to show his all-around game. While he can score off the dribble very affectively, he took the time to also showcase his passing ability and court vision. The 6-2 guard had some pretty assists while also not trying to force any.

Fuquan Edwin, 6-6 small forward, Paterson Catholic (NJ), Class of 2010: The 6-6 Seton Hall-bound small forward has lots of athleticism. He has hang-time, which helps him adjust his shot. His body control also stood out. The Jersey kid had some strong drives to the basket.

Davontay Grace, 6-1 point guard, Thomas Jefferson (NY), Class of 2011: The Brooklyn native has a strong body frame to go along with his great ball handling skills.  Grace did a great job going right through traffic to get to the basket. Has descent speed and can do a great job in running the offense.

Tony Chennault, 6-2 point guard, Neumann Goretti (PA), Class of 2010: A hometown kid, Chennault showed his agility and quick ball-handling skills.  He did a good job distributing the ball and finding the open man.  Seemed to have little trouble in driving to the basket or even creating a shot for himself. The combo guard will be a nice addition to the Wake Forest roster.

Joseph Young, 6-1 point guard, Jack Yates (TX), Class of 2010: The lighting quick Houston native played with a whole lot of energy in the short time I got to see him. In one particular game, he scored 18 points in a matter of minutes. Joseph can knock down the 3-pointer if left open and is very good at getting himself a good shot off when around the basket. He is very creative and can finish with either hand.

Devon Collier, 6-8 forward, St. Anthony (NJ), Class of 2010: A very skilled forward, Collier can scored in many different type of ways while having his back against the basket when in the post. He can muscle his way inside, pull one of his spin-moves to the rim or even hit a turn-around jumper. If given the room, the 6-8 Bronx, NY, native showed he could knock down shots from behind the perimeter. He was very active on the defensive end.

Stacy Poole Jr., 6-5 shooting guard, Andrew Jackson (FL), Class of 2010: Definitely another sleeper. Poole played very hard in Philly. The 6-5 small forward ran the floor well and showed his athleticism and agility. The Jacksonville native demonstrated good body control and plays with a lot of emotion and aggressiveness. He drove strong to the basket. His leaping ability and airtime stood out. Poole had a few highlight dunks, including one in which he poster-ized someone and another on a nice catch in the receiving end of an alley-oop.

Aaron Brown, 6-3 small forward, St. Benedict (NJ), Class of 2010: Another sleeper. St. Benedict’s Brown has nice athleticism and leaping ability to go with his strong body frame. Is effective in the paint as well as on the perimeter. Capitalized on a couple of nice spin moves to the basket. His explosive to the basket was very impressive. Can turn up the speed at any time.

Patric Young, 6-9 power forward, Providence School (FL), Class of 2010:  Young was hands down the best big man at the camp. It was just complete domination from his part for three days. The future Gator showed off his hops and athleticism. The kid can jump just as high as anyone in the 2010 class, if not higher. I have no idea how many dunks he had by the time the camp was over, but just know it was many. The same thing can be said about the number of blocks. He is very agile for someone of his height and size and did a great job running the floor. He also did a great job in using his strength to his advantage in the post.

Tyreek Duren, 6-1 point guard, Neumann Goretti (PA), Class of 2010 (left): Another sleeper? The 6-1 guard looks to find the open man before looking for his own shot. He did a good job distributing the ball, getting other involved and dishing out some good entry passes. Duren was consistent with his 3-point shots and used his quickness and ball handling skills to get to the rim.

Ricardo Ledo, 6-5 shooting guard, St. Andrew’s School (RI), Class of 2012: This 6-5 guard was one of the youngest players at the camp. Personally, I think he got snubbed from a spot at the all-star game. On the last day of competition specially, Ledo gave everyone an all-around look into his game.  He ran the floor very well and was very active and involved in every possession. He can get off the floor in a hurry. Has good upside and very athletic. The Providence native did a nice job in changing speeds and had some terrific strong moves to the basket.  Is not afraid of stepping back and knocking down some 3-pointers and was successful in drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. Put his name on your memory bank, he is only a rising sophomore.

Patrick Lucas-Perry, 5-11 point guard, Powers Catholic (MI), Class of 2011: This rising junior has good court vision and did a great job moving the ball up the floor. He made a couple of impressive entry passes and also found a way to get himself to the rim. Patrick can knock down the 3-ball and also does a nice job in getting to the free throw line. He is definitely a sleeper!

Sterling Gibbs, 6-1 point guard, Seton Hall Prep (NJ), Class of 2011: Younger brother of Pittsburgh’s Ashton Gibbs, this Jersey native has lighting speed and is a great ball handler.  He did a good job finding the open man in everything ranging from alley-oops to terrific entry passes. His run-in lay-ups seemed to be working for him.

Danny Lawhorn, 5-10 point guard, South Kent (CT), Class of 2010: Another guard under six feet that has great speed and ball handling skills. Created some nice shot opportunities for himself and was able to blow by defenders on his way to the basket. But what impressed me the most was his ability to distribute the ball and deliver some crispy passes. I counted seven assists for one particular game. That is outstanding for an occasion like an All-American camp. Especially when having minutes shared equally among all players. If given the space, he has no problem knocking down a jumper. Keep a close eye on this Boston College-bound guard, definitely a good all-around point guard.

Donte Williams, 6-9 power forward, Miller Grove (GA), Class of 2010: This 6-9 Georgia native caught my attention after noticing how active he was while on the floor. He was very active on the glass, defensively and offensively, giving his team second shot opportunities. Williams also did a great job contesting shots and as a result of his effort ended up with some blocks. Shot a couple of nice turn-around jumpers in the paint.

Deville Smith, 5-11 point guard, Madison (MS), Class of 2011: A Philly kid, Smith is an explosive guard that plays at a very fast pace. He is very quick and has nice ball handling skills. If he doesn’t get by you with his speed then he’ll loose you with his entire bag of tricks of crossovers he got. He can hit the 3-ball and moves the ball around pretty well.

Jesse Morgan, 6-5 shooting guard, Olney (PA), Class of 2010: Jesse showed good hands on defense. He has a quick and slick step to his game. Smith has good body control and therefore had very little problem hitting fade-away jumpers on various occasions. He has a nice smooth release.

Rodney Hood, 6-8 small forward, Meridian (MS), Class of 2011: This rising junior has a whole lot of talent and potential. At 6-8, he did a nice job passing the ball and getting other involved. Hood can knock down the 3-pointer if given room. He did a great job crashing the boards and being active in the paint.

LaQuinton Ross, 6-8 small forward, Murrah (MS), Class of 2011 (left): The potential for Ross is also unlimited. At 6-8, he can handle the ball pretty well and has a quick and effective first step. He has a smooth and paced game. He likes to shoot 3’s and can very well hit them. His athleticism and agility is not often found in someone of his size.

Tyrone Garland, 6-1 point guard, John Bartram (PA), Class of 2010: Another hometown kid, Garland committed to Virginia Tech on Day 2 of the camp. He should be a nice fit to the ACC school and will really help them, especially from behind the perimeter. His range is well beyond the 3-point line and is a very streaky shooter. The Philly native also has nice leaping ability. On defense, he is a very aggressive man-to-man defender. Plays with a lot of heart and intensity. Plays more like a shooting guard.

Kevin Williams, 6-0 point guard, Pearland (TX), Class of 2010: He did a great job in getting to the basket by recognizing what the defense was giving him. Williams can knock down mid-range jumpers. And showed a good first step. His court vision also seemed to be on point.

Jabarie Hinds, 6-0 guard, Mount Vernon (NY), Class of 2011: This scoring guard out of Mount Vernon is very quick and likes to drive to the rim strong. He can beat defenders off the dribble and hits 3-pointers consistently. Hinds is a good on-ball defender and can find the open man.

Michael Cobbins, 6-9 center, Palo Duo (TX), Class of 2010: A Texas native, Cobbins was very active and effective around the basket and did a good job creating second shot opportunities. He contests shots and is a leaper.

I would like to thank Aggrey Sam and Dave Hargrove for all of their help and making my time in Philadelphia as smooth and easy as it went. I really appreciate you making me feel so welcome.