John Vrdoljak (6’11/PF-C/Canada) has length and athletic ability that is off
the charts and he excels and plays above the rim in transition but what will
surprise people is his skill level and athletic ability. John displayed that
consistent ability to knock down mid-range shots and trailer three’s off the
catch or dribble. In the post he can score on jump hooks with either. He crashes
the offensive boards and eats defensive rebounds always using both paws at hoop
level already. He can actually lead a fast break and he is a willing passer at
all times. Vrdoljak was very unselfish and gave up the ball several times to
teammates when he could have scored or attempted to get a bucket. He simply
dominated the game without scoring and is one of the most skilled players at
his size in the class; he has potential to be a stretch or even possibly a big
wing in the future if he improves his ball handling. He will need to add
strength to be an immediate impact at the highest level but as far as talent
and skill go he is ready to play right now.
Jeffery Woodward (6’9/PF-C/PA)
is a strong and physical wide body who is
surprisingly explosive around the rim. He went over or around defenders when he
received drop off passes created by guard penetration. He has good hands and
runs the floor very well for a player his size. He beat most of the bigs and
some of the forwards down the floor for early post up opportunities When he
anchors down in the low post he is a huge target that likes to shoot the right
handed jump hook over his left shoulder. Woodward has a soft touch and elevates
over the defense with ease. He has a nice stroke at the free throw line where
he executes a high release and good follow through. A powerful rebounder on
both ends as he snatches the ball with two hands and rim level or above on
defense he is also a high level shot blocker finishing 2
nd in the
combine overall in total blocks and blocks per game. With continued additions
to his post move package and work to lean up and strength his 235lbs frame he
will continue his dominate ways when he gets on the high school level and
beyond. It is fun to watch him attack the game with an attitude.
Justin Lewis
(6’8/PF/MD) has continued to improve and was extremely productive on both ends
of the floor during the UA Next Combine Series.
Lewis is long enough to scratch his knees without bending over and
watching him he simply floats down the court in transition and he is finishing
easily at the rim and putting people on the basketball – he will be producing
posters real soon. Lewis exceptionally skilled and very athletic we witnessed
his quick spin moves in the low post and ability to elevates over defenders. He
can step out on the perimeter and knock down the mid-range jumper off the
catch
and with time and space even hit
the three ball going 2 for 2 and shooting 1.000% on the weekend to lead the
combine in percentage. On defense Lewis changes shots he doesn’t block, at his
1.3 bpg was good enough to be top 4 in the combine. He can start the fast break
with his excellent timing on or away from the ball. Also Lewis showed he could
be a multiple position defender because of his length and great lateral foot
speed. Lewis has great core strength and super strong base making him one of
the most athletic, complete, and skilled bigs in the 2020 class.
Elijah Taylor (6’9/PF/PA) is a high energy,
finisher, rebounder and shot blocker. His defense and rebounding separate him
and he is so strong in these areas that he single handedly can impact games
with these high level skills. Well trained he extends his elbow on every
rebound, throws excellent outlet passes, requires no play be ran for him and
relentlessly attacks the offensive board for put back and second chances for
his team.
He has a motor and skill set
that translate at every single level and with a few more inches and continued
work on his status-quo skills he is a high major recruit period.
He will need to continue to work to add some
offense to his game but he competes at a high level and can dominate the game
defensively. He is a sure shot high major power forward with off the charts
upside – if the offense catches up with the other aspects of his game “oh
boy”!
Cameron Byers (6’6/PF/MD) is an
absolute horse inside the paint. He's incredibly strong with a tremendous
work-ethic, and unmatched toughness and aggressiveness. He's rebounded well
during the combine and this is an area where he can continue make a name for
himself. The vast majority of his point production (3
rd in combine/
11.7ppg) comes by the rim albeit in a number of different ways: he runs
diligently in transition; knows how to seal and score on the block; goes by or
overpowers defenders on his way to the bucket; and finishes everything through
contact. We see developing perimeter skills and while his shooting range now
extends to about 18 feet and his handle is solid, pulling him away from the
basket takes away from what he does best. Despite being somewhat undersized,
he'll have no problems playing the 4 at the next level thanks to his athleticism,
and physical prowess, getting used to spacing against length takes his game to
the next level but there were lots of indicators that Byer is ready, willing,
and able to make said transition. Defensively, he's a good on-the-ball post
defender thanks to his low center of gravity and also effective from the
weak-side because he's so active and quick to rotate.
Shot-blocking is an area we think Byers can
also impact but as a 2020 top player it likely not an if simply a when as it
pertains to his mastery of this aspect of his game.
Jahkiesh Demby (6’6/PF/DE)
has a very diverse, mature offensive
skill-set, which makes him tough for opposing big guys to guard, especially
when they will not leave the paint to guard him. He has the ability to connect
on jumpers with range that extends out to the 3-point line. We saw Dembry give
defenders a head fake, take one or two dribbles, then pull up for short
mid-range jump shot. He could make a living as a pick-and-pop big man or as a
trailer on the break for jumpers or with some serious work possibly get some
quality minutes at the three spot with hard work and dedication.
Andrew King (6’8/PF/PA)
had a great weekend and dominated in multiple
statistical catagories and looked excellent each time he stepped on the floor –
the upside is clear and apparent with King.
Andrew
has a skill set which
allows him to operate effectively from almost anywhere on the floor. He has the
ability to connect on jumpers with range that extends out to the 3-point line. King
can also dominate and score the ball from the paint, he is already at this level
able to establish and hold position on the low block versus anyone. He has good
footwork on the low block when he gets the ball and looks comfortable executing
those moves and counters. When he gets the ball on the low block, he has a
propensity to fade on jumpers, even when he has a considerable height advantage
over his defender. Increasing his base strength will help to resolve this
issue. However, when he gets a chance to show it, his turnaround jumper is
lethal. A very team oriented player if may do King some good to be a little
more selfish due to his immense efficiency (14-24/.583 FG%) and become more
aggressive in his approach on the court, especially given his plethora of
offensive tools.
Abilash Surendran (6’7/PF/Canada)
may have been the breakout surprise of the combine (11ppg/15-18/83FG%) has very
good skills at this point, but he also has a ton of untapped potential.
Although he does not have a muscular, chiseled frame, he has rather wide
shoulders and developed legs, which signals that he has the potential to
develop into a monster. At this point, Surendran relies on finesse and skill
for effectiveness. He has very solid footwork and post moves, which makes him a
good back-to-the-basket post player, though he prefers to play in the mid-post
or away from the basket on the perimeter, where he can get off his jumper that
he shoots out to 3-point territory. On the block, Surendran has a deadly
turn-around jumper. A right-hand dominant player, he has the ability to use
counter moves in the post and finish with his left hand around the rim. He runs
the floor very well and can also pass out of double-teams when he encounters
them in the post. With added strength, Abilash will have the tools needed to
hold his position in the post, which will make him a better rebounder, post
defender and even better scorer in the paint than we saw and at the rate he is
producing doing so would move him into rare air in the 2020 class.

Kekoa
McArdle (6’9/PF/MA) has a nice looking frame with long arms and broad shoulders.
The game seems to come very easily to him and he has a variety of skills. He
has a soft shooting touch out to 17feet, is an excellent passer, and he can
finish with either hand in transition. Loved his ability to find opening and to
take advantage of gaps and angles very smart at making reads and is a player
that when strength and athleticism become more prominent the fact that he has
the other intangible and tools you can see him really advancing far in the
game.
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