LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – My “The Best of the Spring and Summer of 2014” selections, Part II:
What follows are the choices for my “All-Class of 2016”, based on the way these guys played over the course of the spring and summer, during the “national” events I watched.
It’s the same deal as with my all-2017 choices (and will be with the all-2015 selections later):
These are not ratings based strictly upon “potential” or how I project them as college and (in some cases) NBA players.
These choices are all about how they played, and how they contributed to their teams’ performances, when I watched them in the spring and summer.
Picking a “most outstanding player” among the group is extremely tough – I could make a solid case for each of the first-team selections.
But the choice is Miles Bridges, from Flint (MI) but by way of Huntington Prep (WV).
The left hander was nothing short of terrific at every venue I watched him, with The Family during the first two sessions of Nike’s EYBL, to the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas and, with the Michigan Mustangs, during the adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas.
A player a lot of folks believe is the best prospect in the class – Harry Giles (Winston-Salem, NC, Wesleyan Christian) – isn’t included in this group because I didn’t watch him play in the spring or summer.
Here is the list of the events used in forming these choices, followed by my “All-2016” selections:
SPRING:
*Nike EYBL (Sacramento/April 25-27 and Dallas/May 10&11)
*Under Armour Invitational (Houston/May 16-18)
SUMMER:
*Pangos All-American Camp (Long Beach, CA/May 30-June 1)
*LeBron James Skills Academy (Las Vegas/July 9-12)
*Pangos Sweet 16 (Long Beach, CA/July 13)
*Asics Double Pump Best of Summer (Anaheim, CA/16-20)
*Battle at the Beach (Redondo Beach, CA/July 16-18)
*Fab 48 (Las Vegas/July 23-27)
*adidas Super 64 (Las Vegas/July 23-27)
*Bigfoot Classic (Las Vegas/July 23-27)
*adidas Nations (Garden Grove and Long Beach, CA/Aug. 1-4)
CLASS OF 2016
FIRST TEAM
Post: Thon Maker 7-0 205 Martinsville, VA (Carlisle)
Post: Miles Bridges 6-7 225 Huntington, WV (Prep)
SF: Jayson Tatum 6-6 175 St. Louis (Chaminade Prep)
SG: Josh Jackson 6-5 190 Detroit (Consortium)
PG: Dennis Smith 6-2 180 Fayetteville, NC (Trinity Christian)
SECOND TEAM
Post: Udoka Azuike 6-10 250 Jacksonville, FL (Potter’s House Christian)
Post: Tony Bradley Jr. 6-10 230 Bartow, FL (Bartow)
SF: Dedric Lawson 6-8 200 Memphis (Hamilton)
SG: Malik Monk 6-3 190 Bentonville, AR (Bentonville)
PG: Derryck Thornton 6-2 170 Henderson, NV (Findlay Prep)
THIRD TEAM
Post: Michael Cage Jr. 6-9 220 Santa Ana, CA (Mater Dei)
Post: Omari Spellman 6-8 250 Granby, MA (MacDuffie School)
SF: Terrence Ferguson 6-5 170 Dallas (Prime Prep)
SG: De’Aaron Fox 6-3 165 Cypress, TX (Cypress Lakes)
PG: Lonzo Ball 6-5 170 Chino Hills, CA (Chino Hills)
FOURTH TEAM
Post: Abdulhakim Ado 6-10 230 Chattanooga, TN (Hamilton Heights Christian)
Post: T.J. Leaf 6-9 205 El Cajon, CA (Foothills Christian)
SF: Mustapha Herron 6-5 205 Wilbraham, MA (Wilbraham & Monson)
SG: Rawle Alkins 6-3 190 New York City (Christ the King)
PG: Devearl Ramsey 5-10 165 Chatsworth, CA (Sierra Canyon)
FIFTH TEAM
Post: Marques Bolden 6-10 230 DeSoto, TX (DeSoto)
Post: Vance Jackson 6-8 200 Bellflower, CA (St. John Bosco)
SF: Maverick Rowan 6-5 185 Midland Park, PA (Lincoln)
SG: Frank Jackson 6-3 185 Highland, UT (Lone Peak)
PG: Kobi Simmons 6-3 165 Alpharetta, GA (St. Francis)