The Nike EYBL is one of the biggest AAU events of the year. College coaches are all in attendance trying to sign the next great one-and-done player.
Some of the top rated recruits took the floor earlier this week at the Nike EYBL tournament. The session took place in Dallas with point guard Cole Anthony, and son of Greg Anthony, really shining in the spotlight.
These AAU tournaments are a great opportunity to get a first look at some of the top prospects that more likely than not will be playing in the NBA. Here are some thoughts and impressions of three of the top future high school seniors at EYBL.
James Wiseman, C — No. 1 in ESPN 60
Wiseman plays for an absolutely stacked Bluff City Legends team with Kentucky commit D.J. Jeffries and Chandler Lawson (26 in ESPN 60). Overall it is very easy to see the allure with Wiseman. He has incredible measurables, standing at 6’10” with a 7’4″ wingspan. He also moves extremely well for his size and showcases some leaping ability.
I was very impressed with just how fundamentally sound Wiseman played in this setting. He was constantly boxing out and making good rotations on defense. Offensively, Wiseman showed some flashes with a right handed hook and a fadeaway jumper in the high post. It is still very early in the process of his development, but Wiseman looks like your typical rim-running and shot-blocking big man given all his athletic and physical tools.
Cole Anthony, PG — No. 6 in ESPN 60
Cole Anthony was by far the most impressive player at this event. Earning first team all session honors, he averaged 27.8 points,7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Athletically, Anthony is superb with a lightning quick first step and quality leaping ability. This athleticism helps him get to the lane and fearlessly go up strong with any big man in front of him.
He really thrives in the up-and-down transition game where he can make plays for his teammates. Anthony had one pass to a teammate trailing in transition that he saw before the camera man even did. Anthony also flashed some shooting off of movement, which was very encouraging.
I could go on and on about how impressed I was with his game. However, the bottom line is that Anthony’s combination of IQ, passing vision, handling, scoring ability and athleticism make him already able to dominate the college game, even though he is only heading into his senior year of high school.
Vernon Carey Jr., C — No. 2 in ESPN 60
This is actually my second time getting to watch Vernon Carey after a very impressive Hoophall Classic performance. Similar to Wiseman, Carey plays on an absolutely stacked team featuring high level younger players like Scottie Barnes and Noah Farrakhan. Carey stands at 6’10”, already possessing a grown man’s body in high school. His combination of strength and athletic ability are a rare combination to find with a player so young.
Carey just simply overmatched everyone physically in the game I watched against The Family Detroit. He was a monster on the offensive glass early on and continued to get to the free throw line all game. Carey seems to fit in perfectly with the up-and-down pace that the NBA plays at. He has some handling ability on grab-and-gos, can already attack closeouts, and can make passing reads in the open floor.
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He did have his share of struggles from the foul line in this game, but I would not read too much into that because he showcased his shooting touch on the perimeter at Hoop Hall earlier in the year. I anticipate continued success from Carey wherever he decides to go to school and look forward to seeing him play in college.