NIKE HOOP SUMMIT - 2019
The 2019 Nike Hoop Summit took place April 8-12 in Portland, Oregon at the Moda Center. The Hoop Summit showcased a group of highly touted rising college freshman and international prospects who play both domestically and abroad. I was in attendance along with a contingent of NBA Personnel and national media outlets. Listed below are some of the standouts from the event.
TEAM USA
Cole Anthony | 6'3 175 pounds | Age 18 | North Carolina | USA
Cole was by far the most competitive player on the floor the entire week. He was great in PnR coverage, he contested jumpers and played the passing lanes well. He made tough shots in the paint, knocked down the 3pt shots and found open teammates. He is very athletic and is known as a shoot first pg but I was most impressed with his willingness to get his teammates involved throughout the week and when his team needed him during the game he made big timely shots.
Tyrese Maxey |6'4 185 pounds | Age 18 | Kentucky | USA
Tyrese is a dangerous player in transition, he likes to put pressure on the defense by not allowing them to set up. He was impressive in getting into the lane and knocking down pull-up jumpers and floaters. I was also pleasantly surprised with his ability to run the team and get them into the offense.
James Wiseman | 7'1 240 pounds | Age 18 | Memphis | USA
James is long, athletic and skilled. He runs the floor exceptionally well which allows him to continually beat his defender down the floor. He has good footwork on the block and has decent touch on his jump shot. But what makes him special is the ability to cover a lot of ground on the defensive end, coupled with his ability to guard multiple positions and challenge & block shots at a high clip.
WORLD SELECT TEAM
Marcos "Didi" Louzada Silva | 6'6 203 pounds | Age 19 | SESI/Franca | Brazil
Marcos plays hard every possession, he likes to get downhill and attack our of PnR in a hurry. He has a solid shooting stroke and a good frame for a kid his age. He will be a problem at the next level as he's entered his name in the upcoming NBA Draft. I can see being taken in the Mid to Late 1st round but would be an absolute steal in the 2nd round.
Precious Achiuwa | 6'9 223 pounds | Age 19 | Montverde Academy | Nigeria
Precious is an athletic wing with a long wingspan that is a disruptor on the defensive end, he can defend on the ball, get into the passing lanes and is a good weakside shot blocker. Offensively he is really good creating his own shot off the bounce and finishing above the rim. He hasn't decided where he'll attend school next season but whoever gets him can expect an immediate impact.
Nico Mannion | 6'3 179 pounds | Age 18 |Arizona | Italy
Nico struggled a bit during the practices but when the lights came on during the game he shined bright. He was efficient shooting the ball both from the perimeter as well as in the lane, he was also very pesky on the defense picking up full-court to impact the ball handler.
In closing, my first trip to Portland was very eventful, to say the least. I was able to explore a very vibrant city while, I also had the oppurtunity to vist the Nike Employee Store in Beaverton, I didn't do as much damage as I would have liked to but I guess there is always next year. Not to forget the reason why I was in Portland, I was able to get eyes on some of the best young basketball talents in the world. I must say I absolutely Love What I Do. Until next time........
PHOTO CREDIT: Cameron Browne/USA Basketball