G-League Winter Showcase Standouts

James "I.V." Williams
Dec 27, 2025
17 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

The 2025 G-League Winter Showcase brought forth an culmination of some off the most intriguing prospects that our organization has been evaluating, analyzing, and following for the past three draft cycles. From former first round picks, to the the overlooked undrafted signings, the amount of NBA caliber talent on display at this event, further proved how much untapped potential remains, stowed away rom the average basketball fan. It was an absolute pleasure to see some of our favorite prospects from prior years, develop, and perform at a higher level than we could have ever imagined. We are proud to present our standout players, from this past weekend's event, and are ever more so appreciative for the NBA & G-League, for allowing us to cover the assemblage of talent, of the second best, domestic, league in the world.

Style of Play:

The G-League showcase is a chance for many under-the-radar players to prove

themselves and gain an opportunity at a two-way or roster spot. In this tournament,

teams ran a balanced offense featuring pick and roll, drive and kick free flowing offense

with cuts and catch and shoot threes, transition, and post ups when they had a skilled

back to the basket big. The players who stood out the most are those who can fill a role

as an off-ball player shooting catch-and-shoot threes and defending at a high level, or

bigs who had good activity in the paint running the floor well and providing an interior

defensive presence. These are the types of players who have the highest likelihood of

being promoted to the parent club and carving out a career for themselves.

Standouts:

Alijah Martin is a guard who has an off-ball playing ability. He moves well without the

ball and relocates to the open space where his teammates can find him. He is effective

as a catch and shoot three-point shooter. He has a quick release, fluid shooting

mechanics, and deep range. He is shot ready, doesn't hesitate, and shoots the ball

confidently when teammates get him looks off drive and kick and dribble penetration. He

has showcased a deeper range and more shooting consistency to start the G League

season than he did in college at Florida. When defenders closeout on him from the

three-point line, he has a quick and explosive first step to blow by and get to the rim or

he uses a shot fake to get defenders up in the air and off-balance opening up those

driving lanes. He is an athletic straight-line driver in the paint. His strength, physicality,

and athleticism make up for him being undersized. He is someone who has benefited

offensively from the extra spacing he now has compared to college. He creates looks

for his teammates off dribble penetration and drive and kick after getting deep into the

paint, attracting multiple defenders, and collapsing the defense. On the defensive end is

where his biggest impact lies. He gets through picks by moving well laterally through

them, showing defensive lateral quickness, and a low base, making it tough for the pick

and roll ball-handler to get to their spot. He is quick on rotations and closing out to

three-point shooters to contest the shot. He also picks up guards from the backcourt

and applies resistance, making it harder for the ball-handler to advance the ball up. One

of his best qualities on the defensive end is his quick, strong, and active hands, which

he can use to poke the ball away from ball-handlers or strip it from bigger players,

creating turnovers without fouling. He is emotional and vocal, giving his teammates

good energy that is contagious and elevates their level of play.

A.J. Lawson is a player whose offensive game is simple. He is a low usage role player

who gets his shots within the flow of the offense. In the open floor, he is a leak-out guy

or a trail guy. As a leak-out man, he is quick to get down the floor, allowing him to outrun

opposing teams for high-percentage layups or dunks and catch and shoot pull-up

threes. He can catch the ball after getting past half-court, take a few dribbles, and get to

the rim. In the half-court he is a three-point specialist as well. He spaces the floor with

his ability to take and make a good number of catch and shoot threes. He is constantly

moving along the three-point line and finding open space, making it exhausting for

defenders to chase him. He moves from wing to wing or corner to corner to avoid being

stagnant in one spot. He is fluid getting around off-ball screens, whether it is pindowns

or staggers. He can operate not only as a standstill shooter but also as a movement

shooter, with his balance and footwork getting him into his shot. When shooting catch

and shoot threes he has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He has lift and

elevates off the ground when shooting, allowing him to get his shot off with ease and not

be affected by contests. He is a player good enough to come off the bench in the NBA

and bring this skillset, but the Raptors currently have many forwards and wings,

including Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, Gradey

Dick, Jamison Battle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Ochai Agbaji.

Jack Clark's most intriguing skillset on the offensive end is his ability to make catch and

shoot three-pointers. He has a quick release, fluid shooting mechanics, and deep range.

He is a tall shooter and stretch 4, spacing the floor and forcing the defense to close out

on him, opening up driving lanes to the rim. He puts the ball on the floor for either a 2-

dribble pull-up mid-range shot or gets all the way to the rim. When matched against size

and physicality, he can absorb contact and get to the free-throw line. Even though he

doesn't cut often and it isn't his role at the G League level, he shows flashes of being

effective when he does. He is quick, mobile, and moves fluidly enough to beat the off-

ball defender and find the open space in the paint for a high percentage shot. He is also

an aggressive rebounder, jumping high for rebounds, grabbing tough contested

rebounds through traffic, and chasing rebounds out of his zone. He has a tight enough

handle at his size to push the pace and operate as a ball-handler in transition, where he

gets to his spot for a pull-up jumper. On the offensive end, he has a knack for tracking

down his missed shots and getting the possession back. On the defensive end, he can

anticipate and play the passing lanes, getting steals and deflections, creating offense

from his defense. A defensive area for improvement is getting out to three-point

shooters. He has the length to contest their shot, but is either slow on rotations,

hesitates on them, or indecisive between playing for the drive or the shot. He is also a

step slow getting through picks and is too upright, but he has the length to recover and

gives effort to get back into the possession.

Johni Broome is a skilled offensive big. He can operate in pick and pop actions and spot

up situations. He has a quick release, fluid shooting mechanics, and high release point.

Teams sagged off him and dared him to shoot, and he showed a willingness to take

them and not be afraid to shoot them. With him starting aggressively shooting the ball

and shooting well, he began drawing hard closeouts, showing his ability to put the ball

on the floor and get to the rim to finish inside. He is effective at attacking mismatches in

the post. He either faces up on the smaller defender, spins off and gets all the way to

the rim, does step-throughs in the post, or gets to a turnaround shot. He is more of a

finesse player with good footwork than someone physical, imposing, and going to back

you down to get to a hook shot. He has a variety of finishes and upfakes he gets to in

the post, keeping the defense on its heels and off-balance. He moves to the high post

offensively for a push shot. He is hard to match up with one on one in the post, so he

attracts double teams, where he either sets up cutters or catch and shoot three-point

shooters for high-percentage shots. He initiates dribble handoffs with a good enough

handle to protect the ball and set a screen to free up the shooter. On the offensive end,

he needs to improve his conditioning. He starts aggressively and gets fatigued as the

game progresses, slowing down significantly. Keeping up with NBA pace might be

challenging for him. Defensively, he struggles the most and needs to improve. He is

someone teams hunt in the pick and roll, trying to get switches so the pick and roll ball-

handler can attack. He struggles to move laterally and stay in front of guys. He is slow

on rotations, getting out to shooters and contesting their shots. He has trouble against

more physical players posting him up giving deep post positioning and getting backed

down. He is not used to matching up against players with more size and physicality, so

this will have to be an adjustment period for him.

MarJon Beauchamp was one of the primary scorers on his team. He can play both with

the ball in his hands and off the ball. In the half-court, he would operate as a pick and

roll ball-handler getting to his spot for a three-pointer off the dribble or getting a switch

into a favorable matchup where he uses his speed to blow by them and get all the way

to the rim on a straight-line drive. As an off-ball player he moves well without the ball

and relocates to the open space after giving up the ball as one of the primary ball-

handlers. When getting into his catch and shoot three-point shot, he has a big dip

bringing the ball down and a hitch in his shot, making him a less efficient and effective

shooter than off the dribble. He is an effective cutter, either cutting backdoor to get to

the open space and finish inside or coming around an off-ball screen and cutting from

the top of the key. In the open court, he is quick, beating other teams down as a leak-

out man, filling the lanes well, and showing flashes of being an athletic above the rim

finisher. On the defensive end, he can fight over picks, moves well laterally through

them, and takes away driving lanes for the pick and roll ball-handler, limiting the number

of switches and help defense his team executes. He also has the length to contest

three-point shots. The reason he was slow on rotations was that his team was

overhelping, and it was a really long closeout where he had to cover a lot of ground. On

the shorter closeouts, he was able to use his length more successfully to contest the

shot. After his play at the G League showcase, he earned himself a two-way contract

with the Philadelphia 76ers. For him to have a chance to stick at the NBA level long

term, he really has to embrace the three-and-D role and improve the consistency of his

catch-and-shoot three-point shooting. He won't get the opportunity at the NBA level to

be a pick and roll ball-handler all game and create his own shot off the dribble.

Kennedy Chandler is one of the quicker and more explosive guards at the G League

showcase. He showed this blow by speed in one on one isolation situations and in the

pick and roll when he gets a switch onto a slower and more flatfooted big. He

reconstructed his game to include more change of speed and direction, displaying more

poise, making it more challenging to stay in front of him than in previous seasons, when

he used to rely on his speed to blow by players and be a straight-line driver. He doesn't

shy away from contact, is crafty at seeking and initiating contact, and the rim pressure

he puts on the defense gets him free-throw opportunities. He can play off the ball and

cut to the rim or operate as a spot up as a catch and shoot three-point shooter. As a

cutter he has a 2 man game with the big out of the high post where the big finds him

cutting to the rim. When cutting to the rim, he hesitates briefly before using his

quickness and explosiveness to make it hard for the off-ball defender to stay in front of

him. He is one of the best passers in the G League. He is a willing passer and can find

the open man. He can execute passes and make reads in the pick and roll, drive and

kick and off dribble penetration, and in transition. In the pick and roll, he is quick finding

the roller who is either short rolling for a push shot or rolling hard to the rim for a high-

percentage shot inside. In transition, he is more pass-first than looking for his own

offense, either finding the shooter for a catch and shoot pull-up three or rim-running big

for a shot inside. When executing passes on drive and kick and off dribble penetration

he can get deep into the paint, collapse the defense, and make the right read. On the

defensive end, his biggest strength is forcing turnovers, by either anticipating passes or

using his hands to poke the ball away. He has made massive strides in closing out to

three-point shooters, being quicker on rotations, challenging shots better, and staying in

front of the player attacking the closeout, guiding him or funneling him towards rim

protection.

Dain Dainja has an intriguing skillset as a pick and roll big. He sets hard picks, then he

is mobile and quick rolling to the rim, or he frees up the pick and roll ball-handler to

score, getting a screen assist. He is an effective cutter who can find open space in the

paint and get to it for a high-percentage shot. He can play back to the basket and spin

off defenders, getting to the rim and finishing inside. He isn't an athletic player, but he

finishes with touch in the paint and is an interior presence. As a rim running big, he has

shown flashes of fluidity getting up the court, but he lacks quickness and struggles to

keep up with the pace, trailing the play most of the time and taking a few dribbles rather

than just catching and finishing inside. His biggest downside is being an undersized big

who can't shoot, and everything he scores is in the paint. His lack of athleticism makes it

hard to be a lob threat and give that vertical spacing, while his lack of shooting makes it

hard to give floor spacing. On defense, he is a rim protector and shot blocker. He has

timing, instincts, and covers ground when blocking shots. He can get overaggressive at

times, trying to block everything, which can get him into foul trouble.

Ben Saraf is a guard who scores at all three levels. He could score in the open floor and

in the half-court. In transition, he could operate as a ball-handler and a leak-out player.

As a leak-out player, he fills lanes well, understands spacing, and gets to the open spots

for quality shots. As a ball-handler, he plays more at a slow controlled pace. In the half-

court, he manipulates ball-screens as a pick and roll ball-handler and gets to his spots

for a dribble pull-up jump shot. If he gets a switch into a favorable matchup, he blows by

them and gets to the rim. When driving to the rim, he is a crafty finisher with good

footwork. Off the ball, he operates as a catch and shoot three-point shooter with a quick

release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is more of a score-first guard and looks for his

shot, but when he sees pressure and attracts multiple defenders, he can find shooters

in drive and kick situations or find the roller at the rim with an accurate lob pass or

pocket pass. He can make passes in mid-air and jump passes through tight windows

and angles, allowing him to pass through length and size. His best defensive skillset is

anticipating and getting into passing lanes, allowing him to create offense from defense.

His struggles defensively come from guarding in space where he at times struggles to

stay in front of guys, move well laterally, and gets handsy giving free-throw

opportunities.

Dink Pate is a big guard who is at his best in transition and on the open floor. He can

operate as both a ball-handler and on leak-outs. As a ball-handler in transition, he

changes speeds and directions, and has a tight, deceptive handle, making it tough to

stay in front of him or force him into turnovers. On leak-out, he is quick and explosive,

getting down the court and outrunning the opposing team. In the half-court, he is best

with the ball in his hands, creating an advantage. Off the dribble, he is a three-level

scorer, creating his own shot from inside, mid-range, and three-point range. He creates

a good amount of separation from his defender with a step-back or side-step jump shot.

He executes step-throughs with good footwork after baiting the defenders into a shot

fake. He plays at his own pace and doesn't get sped up. As an off-ball player, he

struggles the most. He is someone who needs the ball in his hands to showcase his skill

and score. He isn't an effective catch and shoot three-point shooter. He has a hitch in

his shot, has a wide base, and lacks footwork and balance when shooting on the catch.

His base narrowed and improved a bit from the last time he went through the draft

process, but at times, he still reverts to a really wide base. His path to the NBA level is

harder now that he's not on a 2-way contract and is an undrafted player, where teams

will expect him to fill a role. Teams may put him in a box, wanting him to play a reduced

role as a wing and catch and shoot guy rather than letting him create off the dribble and

be that big guard. He isn't an elite passer, but he's good enough to be a big guard. His

passing comes in transition, on drives and kicks, and in finding cutters in the half-court.

On the defensive end, he moves well laterally and cuts off driving lanes. He is quick on

rotations and closing out to three-point shooters. He has a positive wingspan and length

to contest and alter three-point shots. On defense, an area for improvement for him is

getting through picks. He is slow navigating through picks, but he has the length to

recover and get back into the possession. He is putting more effort into getting through

picks and relying less on help and switch defense than he did with the Mexico City

Capitanes, which is an area he should keep working on. He should be a player who

explores the college route to play in a more competitive environment, in a different

setting, and in a situation where he can be that big guard and showcase more of his skill

on a consistent basis, which could speed up his path to the NBA.

Enrique Freeman is a player who gives his team an interior presence and has offensive

versatility being able to fill a variety of roles and play multiple positions. He is an inside-

out player, letting his inside shot set the tone. He is a rim running big in transition. He is

quick and fluid, allowing him to beat opposing teams' bigs down the floor. In the half-

court, he can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim after catching it from the three-

point line. He has an effective handle, big strides, and uses his big body to shield off

smaller defenders and protect the ball. He can spin mid-drive and get to a hook shot

with good touch and footwork. When stepping out to take three-point shots, he has a

quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is shot ready and shoots the ball

confidently without hesitating. He is a capable rebounder, but playing with a team full of

size and aggressive rebounders affects his rebounding numbers, making him more of a

wing player. He can grab extra possessions and second-chance opportunities by

fighting for positioning and keeping the defensive rebounder off the glass. He can get

better at converting putbacks. He rushes shots, affecting his poise and touch in the

paint. His shooting ability allows the Iowa Wolves to run a more physical big and play

with more size. He is more of a forward with the ability to play small ball 5 in spurts. On

the defensive end, he can stay in front of guys moving his feet well at his size and using

his length to block shots, or he can rotate after teammates get beat and block shots.

When blocking shots, he is disciplined jumping straight up without fouling. He has

defensive versatility, being able to guard multiple positions.

David Jones García is a very efficient, analytically favored guard in the way he plays.

He operates on minimal dribbles as a downhill driver and three-point shooter. When

attacking the rim, he thrives as a straight-line driver, being a more physical guard who

uses his body to keep defenders off him and on his hip, rather than relying on quickness

and athleticism. He plays at a slow controlled pace. He can operate in transition running

the floor on leak-outs and being quick to beat opposing teams leading to many easy

shots. When shooting threes, he can take and make them off the dribble and on the

catch. Off the dribble, he can create separation from the defender with a step-back

jumper. As a catch and shoot three-point shooter, he has a quick release and fluid

shooting mechanics. He is the go-to scorer on his team, wasn't afraid of the moment,

and showed the ability to make clutch shots when his team needed a basket. On the

defensive end, he picks up the ball-handler from the backcourt and applies resistance,

making it tougher for them to bring the ball up. When defending three-point shooters, he

is quick on rotations, aggressive on closeouts, and ensures a good contest on shots. He

plays the three-point line tightly and is willing to make players put the ball on the floor

and sacrifice twos, trusting his rim protection rather than giving up three-point shots.

Another skill set he has is moving laterally and quickly through picks, making it tough on

the pick and roll ball-handler and forcing them into a tough shot. He can create runout

opportunities in transition from his defense using his quick, strong, and active hands to

poke the ball away.

Bronny James scores the ball as an effective off-ball guard who moves well without the

ball and is constantly moving to get into open space. He is effective as a catch and

shoot three-point shooter, stepping into shots, being in rhythm, having a quick release,

and fluid shooting mechanics. He also shoots the ball confidently, doesn't hesitate, and

is shot ready. He is more of a three-point shooter, but he can put the ball on the floor

and get to the rim. When he makes his threes, it forces closeouts and opens more

driving lanes for him. He is an effective cutter as well, either cutting backdoor and

finding open space in the paint, or being involved in a 2-man game with the big, where

he is part of give-and-go actions, passing to the big and then cutting to the rim to get it

back. As a passer, he makes the right reads, finding cutters or executing crosscourt

passes to shooters. He is a willing passer and finds the open man. He has a good

balance between hunting for his shot and setting up other teammates. On the defensive

end, he can get out to shooters quickly on rotations and force them to rush their shots,

affecting their shot quality. When they try to attack him on closeouts or the ball-handler

tries to blow by him, he is physical and cuts off driving lanes. Being able to play this role

without needing the ball in his hands makes him a more intriguing prospect at the NBA

level, where he can fit into a system, make threes, set up teammates as a bench

playmaker, and play well defensively. It is just about doing this consistently and making

his shots.

Contributors: Layth Dahman & Jamil Mendoza

G-League Winter Showcase Standouts

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