LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – There was no shortage of options that presented themselves as I tried to come up with my choice for the “Most Outstanding Player from the Class of 2016” based upon what was accomplished during the multitude of summer events.
In fact, I could have tabbed any of six or so players and none of the choices, from my perspective, would have been “wrong”.
But from start (the Pangos All-American Camp) to the end (the adidas Global Nations) one player, from my point of view, stands out – if only by the slightest of margins.
And that player is Rawle Alkins, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound (give or take) standout at Christ the King in New York City for the past couple of seasons who will be spending his senior year at an as-yet-to-be-determined prep school.
Alkins dominated a strong group of prospects and was easily the Most Outstanding Player during the Pangos All-American Camp (May 29-31) in Southern California.
He then helped New York’s “Team Ren” to an 80-66 victory over the Atlanta Celtics – scoring 34 points – during the adidas Uprising Gauntlet Finale championship game in Atlanta on July 10.
Alkins averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists during the three games he played at the adidas All-American Camp in New York (July 15&16).
And then he wrapped up his summer in just-as-overwhelming fashion during the adidas Global Nations event in Southern California, averaging 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals as Team (Derrick) Rose rolled to a 5-0 record after knocking off Team (John) Wall, 113-93.
Others I gave strong “Player of the Summer” consideration to for the Class of 2016 were Harry Giles, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Dennis Smith and Malik Monk.
Giles is the best “power forward” prospect in the class and another first-team choice, Omari Spellman, is as good as it gets at the position in the class.
Smith is the best overall point guard in the class and is joined by the next-best prospects, Lonzo Ball and De’Aaron Fox, on the first team.
Another very good shooting guard (joining Alkins) on the first team is Malik Monk with Jackson, Tatum and Miles Bridges the three best “wings” (small forwards/big guards-types) in the class.
Please be aware that these selections – including Alkins’ as the class Player of the Summer – are based upon how the athletes performed at the various events not strictly on “college (or NBA) potential”.
My First and Second Team selections, as well as five “honorable mentions” follow, as does a list of the national events I attended during the summer:
FIRST 10
Name Ht. Pos. City/School
Rawle Alkins 6-4 SG New York City/To Be Determined
Lonzo Ball 6-5 PG Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills
Miles Bridges 6-7 SF Huntington, WV/Prep
De’Aaron Fox 6-4 PG Katy, TX/Cypress Lakes
Harry Giles 6-9 PF Mouth of Wilson, VA/Oak Hill Academy
Josh Jackson 6-8 SF Napa, CA/Prolific Prep
Malik Monk 6-4 SG Bentonville, AR/Bentonville
Omari Spellman 6-9 PF Granby, MA/MacDuffie School
Dennis Smith 6-2 PG Fayetteville, NC/Trinity Christian
Jayson Tatum 6-8 SF St. Louis/Chaminade
SECOND 10
Name Ht. Pos. City/School
Edrice Adebayo 6-9 C Pinetown, NC/Northside
Terrence Ferguson 6-6 SF Dallas/Prime Prep Academy
Markelle Fultz 6-4 SG Hyattsville, MD/DeMatha
Wenyen Gabriel 6-9 PF Wilbraham, MA/Wilbraham & Monson
Kyle Guy 6-3 SG Indianapolis/Lawrence Central
Jonathan Isaac 6-9 PF Bradenton, FL/IMG Academy
Frank Jackson 6-3 SG Highland, UT/Lone Peak
Shamorie Ponds 6-2 SG Brooklyn, NY/Thomas Jefferson
Kobi Simmons 6-4 PG Alpharetta, GA/St. Francis
Xavier Simpson 6-0 PG Lima, OH/Lima Senior
THIRD 10
Name Ht. Pos. City/School
Udoke Azubuike 6-10 C Jacksonville, FL/Potter’s House
Tony Bradley 6-9 C Bartow, FL/Bartow
Bruce Brown 6-4 SG Saxtons River, VT/Vermont Academy
Javin DeLaurier 6-9 PF Charlottesville, VA/St. Anne’s-Bellfield
Jayce Johnson 6-11 C Santa Monica, CA/Santa Monica
Sacha Killeya-Jones 6-10 C Lynchburg, VA/Virginia Episcopal
V.J. King 6-7 SF Fairfax, VA/Pius VI
Myles Powell 6-1 SG South Kent, CT/South Kent School
Brandon Robinson 6-4 SG Douglasville, GA/Douglas County
Jethro Tshisumpa 6-9 C Grundy, VA/Mountain Mission
Honorable Mention: Tyus Battle 6-5 Gladstone, NJ/Gill St. Bernard’s; Temple Gibbs 6-2 West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep; T.J. Leaf 6-9 El Cajon, CA/Foothills Christian; Payton Pritchard 6-2 West Linn, OR/West Linn; Taurean Thompson 6-9 Jersey City/St. Anthony.
“National” Summer events I attended and evaluated:
*Pangos All-American Camp (May 29-31/Carson, CA)
*NBPA Top 100 Camp (June 17-21/Charlottesville, VA)
*Nike Basketball Academy (June 26-30/Santa Monica, CA)
*Asics Double Pump Summer Tip-Off (July 8-12/Anaheim, CA)
*West Coast Elite 100 All-Star Camp (July 8-12/Claremont, CA)
*Pangos Summer Sweet 16 (July 10-12/Norwalk, CA)
*Asics Double Pump Best of the Summer (July 15-19/Anaheim, CA)
*The Big One Tournament (July 15-19/Irvine, CA)
*Fullcourt Press Cream of the Crop Challenge (July 17-18/Garden Grove, CA)
*Pangos Stars of the Future (July 19/Norwalk, CA)
*adidas Uprising Summer Championships (July 22-26/Las Vegas)
*Big Foot Las Vegas Classic (July 22-26/Las Vegas)
*Fab 48 (July 22-26/Las Vegas)
*Nike’s The 8 Bracket (July 23-25/Las Vegas)
*adidas Global Nations (July 31-Aug. 3/Garden Grove and Norwalk, CA)
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