This 12 months’s Nike Hoop Summit occurred over the week of April April 8-14th. The setting was Tigard, Oregon and Portland for the Hoop Summit Practices and recreation. The week of practices provides a singular alternative for scouts to watch gamers from each squads, receiving instruction, training, taking pictures and scrimmaging. This has advanced into the premiere scouting occasion for NBA prospects, with an illustrious alumni. The World crew had some main expertise and hung powerful for many of the first half of the sport. In the long run, Group USA ran away for a large victory. Here’s a take a look at how the World Group prospects carried out within the week of practices, scrimmage (shortened) and recreation over the Nike Hoop Summit.
AJ Dybantsa G/F 17 Prolific Prep Jamaica & Republic of Congo / 6’9 peak, 6’11 wingspan, 8’10 standing attain, 201 lbs
AJ is billed as the highest prospect in highschool no matter class, and was pretty much as good as marketed. He impressed all week together with his excessive motor and ability stage. He’s the most effective prospect in quite a few seasons on the highschool stage. He has a really mature recreation and angle and was the most effective participant all week regardless of being a 12 months youthful than the opposite prospects. He impressed after I interviewed him with maturity past his years. In apply and within the recreation, he flashed his nice taking pictures stroke and talent to freeze defenders of their tracks with pump fakes and blow by them with an extremely quick first step. Within the recreation he was very impactful with a crew excessive 21 factors on 7-14 taking pictures, struggled from three (2-7) however had 7 boards and three assists and a pair of steals. The expertise stage is paying homage to a younger Tracy McGrady, with a little bit extra a nastiness to him. It’s uncommon to discover a participant his age with the bodily attributes and superior ability set, a testomony to his focus and arduous work. He’s about as can’t miss because it will get for a 17 12 months outdated highschool prospect. He will certainly have groups contemplating their tanking choices in two seasons, when the 2026 NBA draft rolls round.
VJ Edgecombe PG/SG 18 Lengthy Island Lutheran Baylor Bahamas / 6’5 peak, 6’6 wingspan, 8’3 standing attain, 188 lbs
Edgecombe impressed all week in apply together with his supreme athleticism, focus and excessive motor. He’s come a good distance in a 12 months and a half since we first noticed him on the Hoop Corridor West in Phoenix, when on the time he was simply climbing recruiting lists as a prime 50 participant. He’s a constant jumper away from being completely particular. He has loads of charisma and maturity for such a younger participant. He reveals a confidence and dedication that’s paying homage to Jimmy Butler. Extraordinarily quick and explosive attacking the basket, his handles are a energy to his recreation and will permit him to play on the ball on the highest stage. In drills and within the recreation, he was streaky taking pictures the ball. On the constructive facet, Edgecombe impacted the Hoop Summit recreation together with his anticipation defensively and athleticism. Regardless of a nasty taking pictures evening, he flashed his expertise within the recreation, getting out on the break for quite a few excessive flying finishes. He struggled taking pictures within the recreation, hitting simply 1-7 from three, ending with 17 factors however on a excessive quantity, 6-19 taking pictures. If he continues to progress, Edgecombe can turn into a combo guard in a Russell Westbrook mildew.
Nolan Traore G 17 Centre Federal Du Basket-Ball France / 6’4.5 peak, 6’6 wingspan, 8’5.5 standing attain, 184 lbs
Traore is an explosive lead guard with stable scoring skill. He was wonderful all week in apply, however completely particular within the Hoop Summit recreation. He displayed not solely elite velocity and quickness to get by opponents off the dribble, however the skill to attain in ISO off pulls ups and get to the rim. He additionally confirmed polish enjoying the purpose guard place. He’s bought the scale of a 2 on the level guard place. He likes to assault the basket off the bounce. Persevering with to hone his level guard expertise and bettering his playmaking for others plus slicing down on turnovers would be the key to unlocking his excellent long run potential. He starred for the World crew, trailing simply AJ with 18 factors on an efficient 8-14 taking pictures, hitting 2-4 from 3 and 4 assists.
Ulrich Chomche PF 18 NBA Academy Africa Cameroon / 6’11.5 peak, 7’4 wingspan, 9’1.5 standing attain, 240 lbs
Chomche is a participant that we had been very excessive on, coming into the occasion, from his spectacular clips enjoying for NBA Academy Africa. In apply, his lack of really feel was obvious as he loses his assignments defensively and sometimes struggles to make the proper rotations n order to remain in between opponents and the basket. He additionally appears to fall off stability after making performs and loses his equilibrium simply. He’s very uncooked and nonetheless in want of loads of time enjoying at a decrease stage, structured and aggressive surroundings. He will get annoyed with himself simply and reveals his feelings on his sleeve. He clearly continues to be selecting up a few of the fundamentals of the sport with regard to spacing and making basketball selections within the move of a recreation. Regardless of this, what’s intriguing about him is his wonderful taking pictures stroke, mixed with a super NBA physique. it’s not usually that you just discover a participant with a pleasant taking pictures stroke like his in a close to seven foot athletic physique, so there’s some intrigue in him, however he doubtless wants to tug his identify out of the draft and additional develop or doubtlessly danger going undrafted. Shot an ideal 2-2 from the ground in 19 minutes of motion, exhibiting his contact from the ground.
Flory Bidunga C 18 Kokomo H.S. Kansas Dem Republic Congo / 6’8.5 peak, 7’2.5 wingspan, 9’1 standing attain, 216 lbs
Bidunga makes use of his size and athleticism extraordinarily properly across the rim. He reveals some contact across the basket, regardless of not having a lot vary on account of a clumsy taking pictures movement. He has a hitch in his shot and he takes time to get his shot off as the discharge is extra of a push shot. Regardless of that he reveals stable contact in drills with photographs within the paint. He performs with a brilliant excessive motor and might be issue on the boards and defensively together with his size. There’s so much to love about Bidunga as a possible function participant if he fills out his physique with good weight. He’ll have an opportunity to be a standout straight away at Kansas, and if sufficient enchancment occurs together with his taking pictures, there’s path to being a one-and-done. Began, however had a unimpressive stat line with 2 pts (1-2 fg), 2 reb, and a pair of blocks.
Annor Boateng G/F 18 Little Rock Central Missouri Ghana / 6’5.5 peak, 6’11 wingspan, 8’7 standing attain, 214 lbs
Boateng has a properly constructed physique and excellent explosiveness. He has good size with a 6-11 wingspan and broad shoulders. His ball expertise and taking pictures stay a piece in progress however he performs with good vitality and energy. His shot nonetheless wants loads of work, however he’s a participant with some actual upside on account of his muscular physique sort and explosiveness. Search for him to make a constructive contribution at Missouri over the following few seasons as he positive factors a greater really feel for the sport and provides extra to his repertoire. Acquired starter minutes with 26 within the recreation, and held his personal on the defensive finish and scored 4 factors on 2-5 taking pictures.
Zoom Diallo SF 18 Prolific Prep Washington Ivory Coast / 6’5 peak, 6’7 wingspan, 8’4 standing attain, 187 lbs
Diallo is a bodily mature, prime 50 prospect who has been on the radar for just a few years. He doesn’t have nice size however reveals a properly developed physique and a few scoring skill. Whereas has recreation hasn’t progressed a ton prior to now 12 months or so, he’ll have loads of time to enhance his ability set enjoying at Washington over the following few seasons. He’s competed in occasions akin to Treviso Eurocamp in entrance of scouts prior to now. Went scoreless in slightly below 4 minutes of motion, lacking his solely shot. Has an outdoor likelihood to turn into an NBA man in time, however most likely a 4 12 months participant in faculty.
Kasparas Jakucionis G 17 Barca Lithuania / 6’5.5 peak, 6’6 wingspan, 8’3.5 standing attain, 190 lbs
The Lithuanian guard has a easy jumper with vary. He’s scorer, however his lack of velocity is evident. He had some moments in apply, at instances exhibiting some sneaky athleticism and leaping skill, and appeared actually good taking pictures the ball from distance in casual settings. Performed simply 10 minutes within the recreation knocking the one shot he took down, a 3 pointer.
Khaman Maluach C 17 NBA Academy Africa Duke South Sudan / 7’1.5 peak, 7’6 wingspan, 9’6.5 standing attain, 250 lbs
Maluach has unbelievable dimension and strikes fairly properly for a 7-2 man. He’s very properly constructed with a robust higher physique and powerful legs at a younger age. He performs with a no nonsense fashion, trying to dunk the ball each alternative he will get and had some spectacular put backs within the practices. He performs a bodily fashion and handles contact properly. Capturing from the surface just isn’t a energy, as he lacks nice kind and contact, because the ball comes off inconsistently and with some facet spin, probably on account of his big arms. If he can work some on his shot, there’s some intrigue over time in faculty. However he didn’t appear to be a man that will likely be a one and achieved first spherical primarily based on his week in Portland. Began the sport however struggled going for simply 2 factors 1-6 taking pictures and three boards in 14 minutes.
Hamad Mousa G/F 18 NBA World Academy Qatar / 6-7.5 peak, 7’1 wingspan, 8’9.5 standing attain, 182 lbs
Mousa was one of many get away gamers from the Indiana BWB throughout All Star weekend. The Qatari nationwide has a surprisingly American recreation with really feel for scoring and creating off the dribble. His jumpshot is a little bit low, however environment friendly. he must proceed to placed on energy on his skinny body. Mousa struggled within the recreation with no factors on 0-2 taking pictures in simply 4 minutes. This can be a man to trace in future years because the upside is evident, however most likely a 12 months or two away from realizing his potential and actually standing out as a prospect.
Qingfang Pang F 19 Christ The King H.S. China / 6’9 peak, 6’8 wingspan, 8’7.5 standing attain, 234 lbs
Qingfong reveals construct and first rate explosiveness, however just isn’t very fast laterally. He’s tailored to performed within the US over the previous few seasons. Went scoreless in below 3 minutes of gametime on 1 shot. Whereas his probabilities of enjoying on the NBA stage are restricted, he ought to curiosity from Mid Main NCAA groups and may very well be a contributor over time.
Will Riley F 18 The Phelps Faculty Canada / 6-8.5 peak, 6’8 wingspan, 8’8 standing attain, 172 lbs
The Basketball With out Borders (in Indianapolis) MVP didn’t stand out in Portland however reveals some first rate long run potential. He’s a excessive vitality wing who performed arduous all through the week of practices. Nonetheless very skinny and in want of weight, and never very lengthy, however has some constructive attributes. He has a stable launch on his shot and reveals good contact on his jumper. Had 4 factors on 2-9 taking pictures within the recreation. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how a lot his athleticism improves with added energy over the following few seasons. In want of loads of weight, he has the look of a 3-4 12 months faculty participant.
