By Shawn Siegel

shawn@collegehoops.net

July 6th, 2006

ABCD Camp: Day One - Mayo, Walker, Bonyton, Aldrich

Player capsules for ABCD Camp Day One.  Players are listed alphabetically, with biographical information and a short scouting report. Check back tomorrow for coverage of other players, and later in the week for the final camp rankings.

Cole Aldrich - #141 – Mavs - #16 Rivals.com (#3 C)

Bloomington, MN – 6’11” – 2007 - Kansas

I wasn’t really watching Aldrich’s game this afternoon, but I caught some of his play out of the corner of my eye. The Kansas recruit looks much fitter and stronger than when I last saw him.  To me, he’s the 2^nd best center in the class behind Love, and continues to improve.

Chris Allen - #46 – Bulls - #22 Rivals.com (#4 SG)

Lawrenceville, GA – 6’3” – 2007 – Michigan State

You would never have known Allen was such a highly touted prospect by the way he played.  He just seemed to be forcing things, probably because he was going against OJ Mayo in the game I watched, and was rarely successful.

Olu Ashaolu - #108 – Jazz – #19 Hoopmasters.com (’08)

Brampton, ON – 6’7” – 2008

I loved Ashaolu last year, but he was somewhat disappointing today.  His size is basically the same as before, though all his movements are much more fluid now and he moves better.  Last year, Ashaolu really focused on running the floor, rebounding and scoring down low.  This year, he seemed set on trying to show off a more well-rounded game, taking longer shots and handling more.  The problem is that his 3-pointers weren’t really close, and though he handles much better than before, he still was trying to hard and had two traveling violations.

Kodi Augustus - #125 – Jazz - #97 Rivals.com (#26 SF)

Pearland, TX – 6’9” – 2007

At 6’9”, Augustus has legitimate pro potential.  He’s a solid athlete, and has a variety of talents. He can hit the three, handles in the open court, and finishes.  Like so many forwards at camp though, sometimes they try and do too much to show off their perimeter game, and Augustus was a bit too trigger happy.  He has a lot of work left to do, but his physical talents alone should move him up the recruiting rankings.

Miles Beatty - #38 – Cavs

Newark, NJ – 6’3” – 2007

Beatty is not afraid to shoot, though his shot is oddly one-handed and was inconsistent.  He seemed to verge on the point of being selfish, or he just didn’t have any confidence in his teammates.  He could use more speed, though he does have a variety of stutters and moves to beat you off the dribble.  His head always looks down when he dribbles, but I cant tell if its just bad posture, or he’s really not looking around.  Young 2009 point guard Kenneth Boynton blocked Beatty with ease on one play and was clearly better than Beatty.

Charoy Bentley - #17 – 76ers

West Haven, CT – 6’0” – 2007

Though he’s not a top 150 player, Bentley could be a surprisingly effective college player.  Bentley has a lot of little nifty moves on offense, as he hit some floaters, finger rolls, etc.  Lacks size at 6’0”, but he’s not afraid to mix it up insize and plays bigger than his size.  He was playing off-guard here so I’m not sure about his point guard ability.

Melquan Bolding - #39 – Jazz

Brooklyn, NY – 6’4” – 2008

Bolding is a solid athlete for an ’08, who has some surprising hops, and finished one dunk with impressive power.

Kenneth (Kenny) Boynton - #35 – Jazz

Pompano Beach, FL – 6’2” – 2009

I’ve heard some say Boynton is one of the best handful of players in 2009, and he was even better than I expected.  He was already better than 2007 guard Miles Beatty, and he played with the confidence of a top 2007 point guard.  Physically, at 6’2”, he has size, his speed and ball-handling abilities are rock solid, and he can even shoot the ball.  Very impressive.

William Buford - #65 – Hawks - #4 SG Scout.com

Toledo, OH – 6’5” – 2008

Buford doesn’t look very big, but he’s got surprisingly good ups and finishes on the break and in the lane with great body control. I didn’t really get to see him shoot that much, so I’ll have to check back on him later in the week.

Junior Cadougan - #15 – Jazz

Toronto, ON – 6’0” – 2009

Young point guard who plays with Olu Ashaolu on Community Christian.  He came out shooting at first, and has good form on his shot, though for a point guard you’d like to see him work it around a bit more.  He’s got nice size already for an ’09er and plays with a lot of confidence.  I’ll need to watch more to see how he really runs things from the point.

Corey Chandler - #8 – Suns - #76 Rivals.com (#20 SG)

Newark, NJ – 6’1” – 2007 – Rutgers

Chandler was even better than his #76 national ranking.  Though a natural scorer, Chandler was playing point guard, and he was even better than a similar ranked player like Corey Fisher today.  Chandler flashed his 3-point range, though overall he did miss a bit too many shots, and even got up to block a 6’10” player’s (JuJuan Johnson) shot.  Plus the kid is an explosive finisher.

Anthony Crater - #32 – Jazz

Flint, MI – 6’2” – 2008

Crater is a legit big-time talent.  His most noticeable skill is his great vision, both on the break and in the half-court.  When he gets the ball after the defensive rebound, he finds and makes the right outlet pass immediately.  I don’t see Crater ranked on the Hoopmasters.com Top 40 for 2008, but he should be.

Devin Ebanks - #99 – Jazz

Long Island City, NY – 6’7” – 2008

Ebanks is a rock-solid player, who was very active despite not dominating the action like some other players try to do.  He was one of the few players who was noticeably working hard on defense as well, and with his nice 6’7” frame, he projects to be a solid though not spectacular forward at the elite level.

Greg Echenique - #123 – Celtics

Ridgewood, NJ – 6’9” – 2009

A local product, Echenique is a big boy who carries around 265 pounds.  Still, he doesn’t look fat necessarily, though he does have a lot of baby fat that he’ll eventually lose.  He doesn’t jump very well, but he still is able to finish because he loves to use his elbows to make himself wide.  He was definitely better than I expected, and is more talented than some other raw big men of similar ilk.

Corey Fisher - #34 – Celtics - #71 Rivals.com (#13 PG)

Bronx, NY – 6’2” – 2007 - Villanova

Fisher had the misfortune of going up against Derrick Rose to start play.  He looked kind of chubby, in the same sense that Kyle Lowry was thick too.  At first, Rose owned him, blocking his shot and forcing the Villanova recruit into a charge, but Fisher got better as the game went on.  He’s not the fastest guy out there, but he plays with a lot of energy, and he’s explosive heading to the basket.  His shot was off today, and his form isn’t pretty either.

Timothy Flowers - #75 – 76ers

Chicago, IL – 6’5” – 2007

Flowers is here because he’s Derrick Rose’s high school teammate.  The kid is as round as a globe (another way of saying he’s fat), but he does have some game within 5 feet. He’s got good footwork, a good touch down low, and manages to get the ball in the hole despite lacking height.  On defense, he’s a step slow though, and outside of 5 feet from the rim he doesn’t have much of a game on offense.  Still, with that wide body (listed generously at 235 lbs), he can cause some problems in the paint.

Johnny Flynn - #13 – Bulls – #29 Rivals.com (#7 PG)

Niagara Falls, NY – 6’0” – 2007 – Syracuse

This year, Syracuse has physical freak Paul Harris coming in, and next year they have Flynn, who is like a smaller version of Harris, coming in.  Flynn is amazingly quick, has huge calves, and is like a track and field star.  On the plus size, he was unselfish, showed toughness outrebounding opposing guards for rebounds, and even got up to block 6’9” Aaron Pogue’s shot.  On the negative side, he didn’t really dominate play like you’d expect for such a highly ranked player, and he could have finished better in the paint.

Angel Garcia - #112 – Cavs - #25 Hoopmasters.com ‘08

Levittown, PR – 6’8” – 2008 (?)

Looks taller than 6’8”, his legs are very long and string-bean like.  Surprised by hitting a pair of threes in the same half, causing the opposing coach to scold his man for not stepping out.  Garcia looks like he will grow even more, because he currently has an awkward body, and his movements are not that fluid from his legs down.  I was unfamiliar with Garcia before, but he was the most impressive player on a weak Cavs team.

Chris Gradnigo - #97 – Suns

Lake Charles, LA – 6’7” – 2007

I was unfamiliar with Gradnigo coming into camp, but he surprised me with his ability.  He’s very mature physically, and has a real nose for the ball and getting himself near the rim.  He even was one of the rare player to hit a couple of mid-range shots.

James (JJ) Hickson - #129 – Bulls - #14 Rivals.com (#3 PF)

Marietta, GA – 6’9” – 2007

Perhaps the highest rated player I hadn’t seen yet before this week, Hickson is a monster finisher.  He’s basically a better version of camp teammate Tracy Smith.  Outside of some monster dunks (including one where he got fouled and still threw it down with ease), he didn’t show much. Still, what he did show was enough to solidify interest from the biggest schools.

Blake Hoffarber - #150 – Magic

Minnetonka, MN – 6’4” – 2007

Hoffarber really impressed me last year with his shooting touch. This afternoon, he didn’t really have a chance to show off his range, but instead was playing more of a point guard role where he appears to have improved his confidence on the ball.  Hoffarber is a fine enough passer, but he doesn’t really have the quickness or moves to beat top opposing point guards off the dribble or the strength to finish down low.  Still, he’s got good size, can shoot the ball and handle it as well.  Though he’s been offered by a lot of mid-major schools, Hoffarber can definitely contribute (off the bench only) at the high-major level.

Elijah Holman - #136 – Jazz

San Pablo, CA – 6’10” – 2007

I wasn’t focused on Holman, but usually a player will do something during a game that makes you notice them.  Holman was pretty quiet though.

Zane Johnson - #81 – Celtics - #81 Rivals.com (#17 SF)

Phoenix, AZ – 6’6” – 2007 – Arizona

Johnson has a sweet stroke, and sometimes its almost as if the three-point line is too close for him.  His range is endless, but unlike some other players (ie Taylor King), Johnson doesn’t have the urge to shoot every time.

Verdell Jones - #28 – Magic

Champaign, IL – 6’2” – 2008

Last year, Jones was a stick thin 6’2”, 140 lb guard who showed flashes on the fast-break, but did little to contribute in the half court. This year, Jones was basically the exact same player with about 3 lbs added to his frame.  Not my favorite player, but maybe he’s just not suited for this type of up and down street-ball like setting.

Nalaey Kashwal - #118 – Cavs

Chicago, IL – 6’8” – 2007

I was unfamiliar with this player.  He’s got a very strong looking body, and is a nice athlete. I’ll be watching him more as the week progresses.

Taylor King - #154 – 76ers - #40 Rivals.com (#7 SF)

Huntington Beach, CA – 6’8” – 2007 - Duke

It seems like King has been around longer than Julio Franco.  He hasn’t really grown in the past year, and his speed is the same, though he does appear to be thicker and stronger.  King still loves to bomb, and it’s almost a victory for his teammates when he passes the ball.  Some people think he’s just selfish shooting the ball so much, but the fact is, the kid has a knack for scoring and ultimately the name of the game is putting the ball in the basket.

Alex Legion - #66 – 76ers - #38 Rivals.com (#11 SG)

Southfield, MI – 6’5” – 2007

I wasn’t really paying attention to Legion today, but you can’t help but notice he’s a rock-solid off-guard, who has no noticeable weaknesses in his game.

OJ Mayo - #73 – Hawks - #1 Rivals.com

Cincinnati, OH – 6’5” – 2007

Mayo was mediocre in the afternoon session, perhaps preoccupied by his impending college decision.  I was disappointed that he was playing off-guard, letting Isaiah Thomas handle the point guard duties.  Mayo is trying to show he’s a combo guard in the mold of Dwyane Wade, but all this does is minimize his great on-the-ball skills.  He flashed some devastating blow-by moves on offense, but his shot wasn’t really falling.  For whatever reason though, I don’t seem to ever catch him on days when his jumper is really “on.”  He was obviously still solid, but id you didn’t know who Mayo was, he would basically have just seemed like a good but not special player this afternoon.

Carter McMasters - #135 – Cavs

Chattanooga, TN – 6’10” – 2008

McMasters is a very raw, long player who was effective on defense with his long arms.  Despite the length, he doesn’t get off the ground very well, and needs work on offense.

Dwan McMillan - #9 – 76ers

Hempstead, NY – 6’0” – 2008

Quick point guard, who looks kind of awkward when he runs.  Likes to get up and down on the break, but he’s not the best finisher. Could use more strength and a bit more hops.  Need to watch him more.

Marshall Moses - #107 – Cavs - #122 Rivals.com (#35 PF)

Greensboro, NC - 6’7” – 2008

Seemed to be forcing the action early on.  Not his best today.

Roberto Nelson - #42 – Celtics

Santa Barbara, CA – 6’4” – 2009

Nelson looked mediocre and somewhat shaky as a point guard.  But then you realize he’s only in the class of ‘09”, and then his great size and ball-handling skills suddenly seem more impressive.  He needs to be more conscious of players come from behind and picking his pocket, and to stop and slow the pace at times.

Ed Nixon - #57 – Suns

St Petersburg, FL – 6’4” – 2007

I wasn’t really paying attention to Nixon, but I constantly found him sticking out with good hustle, quick hands on defense, and solid finishes.  For a two-guard, I didn’t see him shooting or scoring that often, but I need to watch him more as the week progresses.

Derrick Rose - #50 – 76ers - #3 Rivals.com (#2 PG)

Chicago, IL – 6’3” – 2007

Since Mayo wasn’t playing point today, Rose was easily the best PG in camp this afternoon.  He was matched against Villanova recruit Corey Fisher, and absolutely dominated him at the start, blocking Fisher’s shot and even taking a charge.  I love how Rose catches the inbounds pass after made baskets at full speed, and he constantly puts pressure on the defense when the ball is his hands.  As the afternoon game went on, Fisher started to get the better of Rose, and he missed some shots that you’d usually expect him to make.  I would give his performance a B for the day.

Zach Rosen - #41 – Cavs

Colonia, NJ – 6’2” – 2007

Struggled to beat people on the dribble, despite many attempts to beat them on the left.

Corey Stokes - #84 – Celtics - #54 Rivals.com (#13 SG)

Bayonne, NJ – 6’5” - 2007

Unlike his camp and future Villanova teammate Fisher, Stokes came out with his A-game from the opening tip.  He shoots the three with ease, and can stop on the dime and shoot, even when he’s off-balance.  He played better than other players ranked even higher in the class.

Dane Suttle - #77 – Celtics

Los Angeles, CA – 6’6” – 2007

Suttle’s dad had a short NBA stint after an impressive career at Pepperdine. Here, he showed he can play with the big names, but appeared to be a bit selfish.  At one point, his team was on an easy 3 on 1 break, but instead of dishing for an easy layup, he’ll pulled up for the 10 foot jumper.

James Tyler - #156 – Bulls

Murfreesboro, TN – 7’2” – 2008

Tyler is a young, raw talent who is absolutely huge (330 lbs).  Unfortunately, after about 40 seconds of play, he was huffing and puffing like he ran a marathon. At this point he cant jump, and has a lot of work to do. His best moment was a nice baby hook down low.  6’9” Terrence Jennings, who weighs about 100 lbs less and is twice as fast and experienced, was an unfair matchup for the biggest player in camp.

Alex Tyus - #151 – Mavs - #41 Rivals.com (#12 PF)

St Louis, MO – 6’8” – 2007

Tyus played his usual, energetic, athletic game this afternoon.  Always runs the wings with reckless abandon, and he threw down one sweet alleyoop from Illinois signee Demetri McCamey.

Terrell Vinson - #79 – Celtics

Baltimore, MD – 6’6” – 2009

Vinson is an intriguing power forward talent, who has a lot of room to improve. He runs well, particularly north-south, but he lacks the strength right now to finish well in the paint.  At first, he looked good with some back to the basket scores, but then you realize he always turns his back to the rim because he’s just too weak right now to finish with power.  Vinson’s future will strongly depend on how much he grows, with the game he has now, he’ll need an extra 2-3 inches to make it work at the premier level.

Eric Wallace - #82 – Celtics - #105 Rivals.com (#29 SF)

Winston-Salem, NC – 6’6” – 2007 – Virginia

Wallace was once a premier player in this class, but fell out of style as other players caught up physically.  Somewhere along the line, he went from being overrated to being an underrated talent.  His game has been the same for some time now, showing occasional flashes of greatness mixed in with some quiet stretches where he’s silent.

Bill Walker - #86 – Hawks - #2 Rivals.com

Cincinnati, OH – 6’6” – 2007

The super-freak showed off his usual array of absurd dunks this afternoon.  His big highlight was throwing it to himself off the backboard and dunking it.  His jumper is improving, but still inconsistent. It’s got such a tight spiral, that when it falls, his shot looks perfect, but he still sprays it around sometimes.

Bradley Wanamaker - #61 – Cavs

Philadelphia, PA – 6’4” – 2007

Wanamaker is simply ripped.  He has the shoulders and biceps of an NBA player, and he is really quick getting up and down the floor.  I wasn’t really paying attention to his fivesome, so I’ll need to check back in on him later.

* - Due to player injuries or last minute decisions, the attendance of a given player can not be guaranteed.

More ABCD Camp stories and archived coverage of previous years.

2006 ABCD - Day Two