Handing out LeBron James Skills Academy kudos

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LAS VEGAS – The 2013 LeBron James Skills Academy was a wrap Monday night at the Cashman Center in the northern part of this sun-baked city.

But – unfortunately — for a couple of reasons, the camp ended with a bit more chill than sizzle.

A plethora of pre-camp and in-camp injuries of various degrees robbed the event of what promised to be some very deep and gifted team rosters, and some terrific individual matchups.

By the time “Florida”, led by point guards Lourawls Nairn and Quentin Snider, had held off Duke (and Chris McCullough and outstanding underclassmen Ivan Rabb and Isaiah Briscoe), 59-53, for the championship, Monday night, the numbers of those watching and those playing had dwindled considerably.

Those banged up and unable to perform when they got into town included Josh Perkins and Devin Booker. Two of the five best “5s” in 2014, Texans Myles Turner and Elbert Robinson, were ruled out after drills and before games started with injuries. And James Blackmon Jr., Thomas Bryant, Goodluck Okonoboh and Moustapha Diagne were also shut down, barely into the start of games on Sunday, because of injuries.

But there were more than enough healthy and motivated players to keep the competition mostly lively, entertaining and informative.

And now, accompanied by a figurative drum roll, please . . .

My choices as the most impressive (and productive) players for the three days of drills, practices and games were (among seniors-to-be) Cliff Alexander and (among the underclassmen) Cheick Diallo.

They are “power personified” and, appropriately enough, are the top power forward prospects in the respective classes of 2014 and 2015.

The best playmakers/floor leaders were, again IMHO, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Joel Berry.

The best jump shooters, again from my POV, were Justin Coleman and Robert Johnson.

Again, from my perspective, the best “scorers” were Rashad Vaughn and Stanley Johnson.

And, lastly but anything-but-leastly, my choices as the best defenders were Diallo (post) and Berry (perimeter).

The following are my selections for the 15 seniors who most consistently impressed me, as well as the same for five more seniors who didn’t come into the camp with quite the “national reps” that most others arrived toting.

Wrapping it are the 10 underclassmen I felt performed best, from start to finish:

TOP 15 SENIORS

Cliff Alexander (6-foot-8/Chicago Currie)

Joel Berry (6-1/Orlando, FL, Lake Highland Prep)

Kameron Chatman (6-6/Long Beach, CA, Poly)

Jakeen Gant (6-6/Springfield, GA, Effingham County)

Parker Jackson-Cartwright (5-8/Los Angeles Loyola)

Justin Jackson (6-7/Houston, home-schooled)

Stanley Johnson (6-6/Santa Ana, CA, Mater Dei)

Kevon Looney (6-7/Milwaukee Hamilton)

Chris McCullough (6-9/Wolfeboro, NH, Brewster Academy)

Dewayne Morgan (6-7/Baltimore St. Francis)

Kelly Oubre (6-6/Henderson, NV, Findlay Prep)

D’Angelo Russell (6-3/Montverde, FL, Montverde Academy)

Quentin Snider (6-2/Louisville, KY, Ballard)

Reid Travis (6-7/Minneapolis, MN, De La Salle)

Rashad Vaughn (6-4/Robbinsdale, MN, prep school to be determined)

 

TOP 5 SENIOR SURPRISES

Justin Coleman (5-9/Birmingham, AL, Wenoah)

Robert Johnson (6-2/Richmond, VA, Benedictine College)

Terry Larrier (6-6/Malvern, PA, Phelps School)

Lourawls Nairn (5-11/Bel Aire, KS, Sunrise Academy)

William Lee (6-8/Plantersville, AL, Dallas County)

 

TOP 10 UNDERCLASSMEN

Isaiah Briscoe (6-3/Newark, NJ, St. Benedict’s/2015)

Jalen Brunson (6-1/Lincolnshire, IL, Stevenson/2015)

Eric Davis (6-2/Saginaw, MI, Arthur Hill/2015))

Cheick Diallo (6-8/Centerreach, NY, Our Savior/2015)

Austin Grandstaff (6-3/Rockwall, TX/2015)

Thon Maker (7-0/Martinsville, VA/Carlisle School/2016)

Charles Matthews (6-4/Chicago St. Rita)

Malik Newman (6-2/Jackson, MS, Calloway/2015)

Ivan Rabb (6-8/Oakland, CA, Bishop O’Dowd/2015)

Diamond Stone (6-9/Milwaukee, WI, Dominican/2015)