More DX Nike Hoop Summit Coverage:

Josh Jackson, 6' 7.75, SF, Kansas, 2016

Mike Schmitz



Strengths

-Good height for a wing at 6' 7.75

-Impressive athlete. Excellent in transition with or without the ball. Explosive leaper in space.

-Strong straight-line slasher. Fairly long strides with good body control. Doesn't have the tightest handle but he can play with the ball.

-Shows strong court vision both in the half court and transition. Not a selfish player.

-Active cutter. Moves without the ball.

-Doesn't shy away from contact around the rim.

-Plays with toughness. Likes to compete. Excellent rebounder for his position.

-Very willing defender. Can chase shooters. Good feet on the ball. Takes on the challenge of stopping his man. Impressive instincts and anticipation off the ball.



Weaknesses

-Doesn't have elite length relative to his height  6' 9.75 wingspan.

-Hasn't added much strength over the past year and a half. Doesn't have the widest frame.

-Funky shooting stroke. Relies on elevation, big dip of the ball. More comfortable shooting off the dribble than the catch. Limits his scoring in the half court.

-Comfortable with the ball but doesn't have the tightest handle.

-Can get a bit wild. Takes contested pull ups early in the clock.

-Emotional player who can be very outwardly demonstrative with his teammates at times



Outlook Jackson arrived late and missed about half of the practices (finishing up academic work) but was still able to make his presence felt. While he's not the most polished offensive player, Jackson's explosiveness, potential as a passer, defense, and toughness on the glass were all on display. For Jackson to maximize his potential and be seen by NBA executives as a future top draft pick he'll have to continue making strides as a jump shooter while finding more ways to score in the half court.

Jayson Tatum, 6'8, SG/SF, Chaminade Prep HS, USA, Committed to Duke

Jonathan Givony



Jayson Tatum had somewhat of an up and down week in Portland, as he was able to showcase his excellent scoring instincts and very high-skill level, but struggled at times to fit into the team concept USA Basketball was trying to implement.







Tatum has very good size for the wing, standing 6'8 with a 6'11 wingspan and a tremendous frame that continues to fill out nicely. He is more smooth than he is explosive as an athlete, even if he'll surprise you at times with his ability to finish around the rim in transition.



Tatum loves to operate in mid-range spots, where he often looks to overhandle and showcase his polished footwork, ball-handling ability, and very soft touch. He tends to overuse his dribble at this stage of his development, pulling up off a single bounce instead of taking wide open catch and shoot jumpers for example. He's very effective at making tough shots off the dribble, as he creates separation wonderfully, but seems to overcomplicate matters unnecessarily at times, leading to inefficient play.



Tatum struggled to finish around the rim in traffic at times throughout the week, particularly driving left, and didn't look all that interested in shooting 3-pointers either, preferring to operate in the mid-range area instead.



He wasn't the most willing passer on the team this week by any stretch, really looking for his own offense almost exclusively at times, even though he can execute some really creative passes when he shows the inclination.



Defensively, Tatum doesn't always show great intensity at this stage, but is capable of being very disruptive when locked in. He has both the tools, and the instincts to be a real playmaker in the passing lanes and as a shot-blocker, but will need to show better desire to utilize them more frequently.



Tatum is undoubtedly a tremendous talent who will benefit substantially from the jump in competition and coaching he'll find at the college level. He has all the tools to be an incredibly versatile player, but is still figuring out how to make the most of them at this stage. Jayson Tatum had somewhat of an up and down week in Portland, as he was able to showcase his excellent scoring instincts and very high-skill level, but struggled at times to fit into the team concept USA Basketball was trying to implement.Tatum has very good size for the wing, standing 6'8 with a 6'11 wingspan and a tremendous frame that continues to fill out nicely. He is more smooth than he is explosive as an athlete, even if he'll surprise you at times with his ability to finish around the rim in transition.Tatum loves to operate in mid-range spots, where he often looks to overhandle and showcase his polished footwork, ball-handling ability, and very soft touch. He tends to overuse his dribble at this stage of his development, pulling up off a single bounce instead of taking wide open catch and shoot jumpers for example. He's very effective at making tough shots off the dribble, as he creates separation wonderfully, but seems to overcomplicate matters unnecessarily at times, leading to inefficient play.Tatum struggled to finish around the rim in traffic at times throughout the week, particularly driving left, and didn't look all that interested in shooting 3-pointers either, preferring to operate in the mid-range area instead.He wasn't the most willing passer on the team this week by any stretch, really looking for his own offense almost exclusively at times, even though he can execute some really creative passes when he shows the inclination.Defensively, Tatum doesn't always show great intensity at this stage, but is capable of being very disruptive when locked in. He has both the tools, and the instincts to be a real playmaker in the passing lanes and as a shot-blocker, but will need to show better desire to utilize them more frequently.Tatum is undoubtedly a tremendous talent who will benefit substantially from the jump in competition and coaching he'll find at the college level. He has all the tools to be an incredibly versatile player, but is still figuring out how to make the most of them at this stage.

Isaia Cordinier, 6-5, Shooting Guard, France, 1996





Mike Schmitz



Strengths

-Very good athlete. Able to play above the rim in the half court or in transition. Can leap off of one or two feet. Solid straight-line burst with the ball.

-Decent length relative to his height  6' 8 wingspan.

-Can make a spot up three. Gets good rotation on the ball. Sound wrist action. Soft touch.

-Shows potential as a slasher. Handle is loose but he's shown improvement in that area. Can play some pick and roll. Tries to play at different speeds/change direction.

-Good vision. Very willing passer on the move.

-Active cutter.

-Doesn't shy away from contact. Will try and dunk on weakside defenders.

-Competes defensively. Not overly rangy but has good feet.

-Tremendous teammate. Big time worker. Constantly high-fiving his teammates. Vocal despite language barrier. Plays with a high motor.



Weaknesses

-Thin upper and lower body  177 pounds. Fairly narrow frame. How much more room does he have to fill out?

-Doesn't have elite size and length for a traditional two guard.

-Catch and shoot jumper is very streaky. Shoots a set shot with a ton of arc. Doesn't have a lot of room for error with his mechanics.

-Struggles to create space off the dribble. Much better off the catch at this stage. Not a very versatile shot maker overall. Lacks step backs and dribble moves to set up his jumper. Has to have his feet under him.

-A bit hunched over with the ball. His ball handling limitations hurt his ability to use his athleticism in the half court. Shows potential but needs more polish.

-Gets sped up vs pressure. Turnover prone.

-Competes on defense but isn't overly rangy. Lacks the body to consistently contain. Can be a little bit jumpy, bites on fakes.

-Still very inexperienced overall.



Outlook Having played exclusively in the fairly weak French second division the past two seasons, it's perhaps no surprise that Cordinier had his struggles adjusting to the level of competition he found against a loaded US squad. He's not a ready-made prospect and will require a few more years of experience before being ready to make an impact in an NBA game. With that said, Cordinier's athleticism, shooting potential, passing ability and overall intangibles still make him an intriguing long-term prospect and an attractive draft and stash option in the late first or early second round. Down the road Cordinier could carve out a role similar to Tyler Johnson's of the Miami Heat as an attacking, athletic guard who competes, can pass and make a shot. This week in Portland did not help his stock, though, and he'll likely have to either do well in private workouts or the adidas EuroCamp to get himself back into the first round mix. -Very good athlete. Able to play above the rim in the half court or in transition. Can leap off of one or two feet. Solid straight-line burst with the ball.-Decent length relative to his height  6' 8 wingspan.-Can make a spot up three. Gets good rotation on the ball. Sound wrist action. Soft touch.-Shows potential as a slasher. Handle is loose but he's shown improvement in that area. Can play some pick and roll. Tries to play at different speeds/change direction.-Good vision. Very willing passer on the move.-Active cutter.-Doesn't shy away from contact. Will try and dunk on weakside defenders.-Competes defensively. Not overly rangy but has good feet.-Tremendous teammate. Big time worker. Constantly high-fiving his teammates. Vocal despite language barrier. Plays with a high motor.-Thin upper and lower body  177 pounds. Fairly narrow frame. How much more room does he have to fill out?-Doesn't have elite size and length for a traditional two guard.-Catch and shoot jumper is very streaky. Shoots a set shot with a ton of arc. Doesn't have a lot of room for error with his mechanics.-Struggles to create space off the dribble. Much better off the catch at this stage. Not a very versatile shot maker overall. Lacks step backs and dribble moves to set up his jumper. Has to have his feet under him.-A bit hunched over with the ball. His ball handling limitations hurt his ability to use his athleticism in the half court. Shows potential but needs more polish.-Gets sped up vs pressure. Turnover prone.-Competes on defense but isn't overly rangy. Lacks the body to consistently contain. Can be a little bit jumpy, bites on fakes.-Still very inexperienced overall.Having played exclusively in the fairly weak French second division the past two seasons, it's perhaps no surprise that Cordinier had his struggles adjusting to the level of competition he found against a loaded US squad. He's not a ready-made prospect and will require a few more years of experience before being ready to make an impact in an NBA game. With that said, Cordinier's athleticism, shooting potential, passing ability and overall intangibles still make him an intriguing long-term prospect and an attractive draft and stash option in the late first or early second round. Down the road Cordinier could carve out a role similar to Tyler Johnson's of the Miami Heat as an attacking, athletic guard who competes, can pass and make a shot. This week in Portland did not help his stock, though, and he'll likely have to either do well in private workouts or the adidas EuroCamp to get himself back into the first round mix.

Terrance Ferguson, 6' 7, SG, Uncommitted, 2016

Mike Schmitz







Strengths

-Good size for a wing at 6' 7. Decent length  6' 9.5 wingspan.

-Big-time leaper in transition. Best off of one foot.

-Can really get going from the perimeter with his feet set. Excellent when he's able to step into it in transition. Catches on the hop. Gets his feet set quickly. Nice elevation. Can run off of screens a little bit. Solid rotation and wrist action.

-Can make a one-dribble pull up.

-Capable of attacking a closeout.

-Outstanding feet on defense. Tremendous on ball defender when he digs in. Does a great job keeping the ball contained. Has the size and length to recover and contest.



Weaknesses

-Doesn't have a great frame  186 lbs.

-Super bouncy but doesn't quite know how to use his athleticism in the half court. Very rigid ball handler. Offensive game is a little vanilla. Right-hand dominant.

-Can improve his ability to get to his jump shot vs a set defense.

-Dangerous when he gets going but can be very streaky as a shooter.

-Not much of a playmaker.

-Has some lapses as an off ball defender.



Outlook Ferguson had an up and down week of practices before exploding in the game for 21 points on seven threes. He plays with a lot of confidence and proved how he can change a game when he gets going from three. There's not a whole lot to Ferguson's game but with his size, shot-making ability, and on-ball defense, there's most certainly a role for him at the NBA level in time. -Good size for a wing at 6' 7. Decent length  6' 9.5 wingspan.-Big-time leaper in transition. Best off of one foot.-Can really get going from the perimeter with his feet set. Excellent when he's able to step into it in transition. Catches on the hop. Gets his feet set quickly. Nice elevation. Can run off of screens a little bit. Solid rotation and wrist action.-Can make a one-dribble pull up.-Capable of attacking a closeout.-Outstanding feet on defense. Tremendous on ball defender when he digs in. Does a great job keeping the ball contained. Has the size and length to recover and contest.-Doesn't have a great frame  186 lbs.-Super bouncy but doesn't quite know how to use his athleticism in the half court. Very rigid ball handler. Offensive game is a little vanilla. Right-hand dominant.-Can improve his ability to get to his jump shot vs a set defense.-Dangerous when he gets going but can be very streaky as a shooter.-Not much of a playmaker.-Has some lapses as an off ball defender.Ferguson had an up and down week of practices before exploding in the game for 21 points on seven threes. He plays with a lot of confidence and proved how he can change a game when he gets going from three. There's not a whole lot to Ferguson's game but with his size, shot-making ability, and on-ball defense, there's most certainly a role for him at the NBA level in time.

Wesley Alves da Silva, 6'6, SG/SF, Paulistano, Brazil

Jonathan Givony



The oldest player on either roster, "Mogi's" week got off to somewhat of a slow start as he was hampered by the language barrier and a bruised foot he suffered on the first day of practice. He improved day by day and finished up very strong in the actual game, having one of the better showings among the international players, with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes of action.







Da Silva has average height, standing 6'5 1/2 in shoes, but makes up for that with a 6'10 wingspan, big hands, strong athletic ability, and an excellent frame that should fill out nicely in time.



Known as mostly a non-shooter for most of his career, Da Silva showed some glimmer of hope with his shooting mechanics in different stretches of the week, being far more consistent in catch and shoot situations than you might think considering his reputation. His pull-up jumper is a major work in progress, but his ability to stretch the floor with his feet set could help him carve out a role if he's able to become more consistent with it considering all the other things he does.



Mogi's ball-handling skills and overall feel for the game aren't quite as developed as you might hope. He is very aggressive using his athleticism in transition, but doesn't have the ability to create space for himself in the half-court anywhere near as effectively with his high and loose handle.



Defensively is where Da Silva is at his best at the moment, using his excellent physical tools, high intensity level and solid instincts to move his feet and make plays consistently in the passing lanes, on the glass and even blocking shots on occasion.



A little more raw than you might hope considering his age, Da Silva has lost considerable time in Brazil, where he's barely playing this season at the senior level with his very ambitious team. His limited English made his transition to this setting a little slower than some of the other players on the roster, but in the end he was able to show his talent level and also how he can effect a game on both ends of the floor. Automatically eligible in 2018, it wouldn't be surprising if Da Silva decided to throw his name into this draft class to see where he stands in the eyes of NBA teams after a solid week in Portland. Finding a place where he can continue to work on his skill-set will help him make up for the ground he's lost in Brazil, where developing young players unfortunately doesn't seem to be a major priority for teams. The oldest player on either roster, "Mogi's" week got off to somewhat of a slow start as he was hampered by the language barrier and a bruised foot he suffered on the first day of practice. He improved day by day and finished up very strong in the actual game, having one of the better showings among the international players, with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes of action.Da Silva has average height, standing 6'5 1/2 in shoes, but makes up for that with a 6'10 wingspan, big hands, strong athletic ability, and an excellent frame that should fill out nicely in time.Known as mostly a non-shooter for most of his career, Da Silva showed some glimmer of hope with his shooting mechanics in different stretches of the week, being far more consistent in catch and shoot situations than you might think considering his reputation. His pull-up jumper is a major work in progress, but his ability to stretch the floor with his feet set could help him carve out a role if he's able to become more consistent with it considering all the other things he does.Mogi's ball-handling skills and overall feel for the game aren't quite as developed as you might hope. He is very aggressive using his athleticism in transition, but doesn't have the ability to create space for himself in the half-court anywhere near as effectively with his high and loose handle.Defensively is where Da Silva is at his best at the moment, using his excellent physical tools, high intensity level and solid instincts to move his feet and make plays consistently in the passing lanes, on the glass and even blocking shots on occasion.A little more raw than you might hope considering his age, Da Silva has lost considerable time in Brazil, where he's barely playing this season at the senior level with his very ambitious team. His limited English made his transition to this setting a little slower than some of the other players on the roster, but in the end he was able to show his talent level and also how he can effect a game on both ends of the floor. Automatically eligible in 2018, it wouldn't be surprising if Da Silva decided to throw his name into this draft class to see where he stands in the eyes of NBA teams after a solid week in Portland. Finding a place where he can continue to work on his skill-set will help him make up for the ground he's lost in Brazil, where developing young players unfortunately doesn't seem to be a major priority for teams.

Martynas Varnas, 6-6, Shooting Guard, Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania, 1997





Mike Schmitz



Strengths

-Solid size for a two-guard at 6' 6

-Decent leaper in space.

-Has some touch from the perimeter with his feet set despite fairly untraditional mechanics. Gets good rotation. Has some range.

-Capable passer in drive and kick situations. Can play with the ball a little bit.



Weaknesses

-Thin at 180 pounds. Frame isn't great.

-Average athlete.

-Below average length  6' 6.25 wingspan. Lacks defensive potential.

-Loose handle. Not the most polished shot creator.

-Lacks versatility as a shooter. Not nearly as effective on the move.

-Turnover prone vs pressure.

-Inconsistent shooter. Doesn't always finish his follow through. Stroke is a bit mechanical.

-Struggles to finish through traffic.



Outlook Varnas proved that he can make shots off the catch but the rest of his game was fairly inconsistent throughout most of the week. Although he's a capable passer, without elite length/frame, athleticism, and shot creating ability, it's tough to consider Varnish a high-level NBA Draft prospect at this stage of his development, unless he can find a way to be very productive at the senior levels of Europe before he becomes automatically-eligible. -Solid size for a two-guard at 6' 6-Decent leaper in space.-Has some touch from the perimeter with his feet set despite fairly untraditional mechanics. Gets good rotation. Has some range.-Capable passer in drive and kick situations. Can play with the ball a little bit.-Thin at 180 pounds. Frame isn't great.-Average athlete.-Below average length  6' 6.25 wingspan. Lacks defensive potential.-Loose handle. Not the most polished shot creator.-Lacks versatility as a shooter. Not nearly as effective on the move.-Turnover prone vs pressure.-Inconsistent shooter. Doesn't always finish his follow through. Stroke is a bit mechanical.-Struggles to finish through traffic.Varnas proved that he can make shots off the catch but the rest of his game was fairly inconsistent throughout most of the week. Although he's a capable passer, without elite length/frame, athleticism, and shot creating ability, it's tough to consider Varnish a high-level NBA Draft prospect at this stage of his development, unless he can find a way to be very productive at the senior levels of Europe before he becomes automatically-eligible.

Edin Atic, 6-7, SG/SF, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1997





Mike Schmitz



Strengths

-Good size for a wing at 6' 7 in shoes. Decent length with a 6' 9.75 wingspan.

-Has improved his frame. Now up to 195 pounds, 11 pounds more than he weighed at 2015 Eurocamp in June. .

-Fluid athlete.

-Creative passer. Can deliver the ball from different angles. Unselfish. Playmaking wing.

-Comfortable straight-line slasher. Good timing with fairly long strides. Has some craftiness as a finisher.

-Good basketball instincts overall. Able to read the ball off of the rim as a rebounder. Makes plays in the passing lanes. Smart cutter.

-Capable shooter despite some mechanical deficiencies. Can make a hesitation pull up or a spot up three. Slightly more comfortable off the bounce.



Weaknesses

-Frame still has room to improve.

-Very inconsistent shooter. Dips his body slightly to his left to get into his motion. Slow release. Unnecessary hitch just before his release. Turned down open spot ups due to lack of confidence in his jumper.

-Not a stiff but isn't a great athlete by NBA standards. Relies more on timing and creativity to get into the paint. Doesn't always explode to the rim. Will stop short for floaters.

-Can be loose with the ball. Turnover prone.

-Handle can improve to unlock his playmaking ability. A bit hunched with the ball. Not overly shifty.

-Playmaker on defense but is a bit hunched as an on ball defender. Has some struggles when on an island.

-Isn't all that engaged with his teammates.



Outlook Atic wasn't able to move the needle in a significant way at the Nike Hoop Summit. While he showed flashes, the 6' 7 playmaking wing wasn't able to string together enough impressive possessions to draw a huge buzz in the short-term. Atic is still an intriguing long-term prospect because of his size, playmaking ability and overall basketball instincts. A successful 2016-17 campaign could put him in better position going into 2017, but all in all he'll have to continue to evolve as a jump shooter and find more ways to score in the half court to do that. -Good size for a wing at 6' 7 in shoes. Decent length with a 6' 9.75 wingspan.-Has improved his frame. Now up to 195 pounds, 11 pounds more than he weighed at 2015 Eurocamp in June. .-Fluid athlete.-Creative passer. Can deliver the ball from different angles. Unselfish. Playmaking wing.-Comfortable straight-line slasher. Good timing with fairly long strides. Has some craftiness as a finisher.-Good basketball instincts overall. Able to read the ball off of the rim as a rebounder. Makes plays in the passing lanes. Smart cutter.-Capable shooter despite some mechanical deficiencies. Can make a hesitation pull up or a spot up three. Slightly more comfortable off the bounce.-Frame still has room to improve.-Very inconsistent shooter. Dips his body slightly to his left to get into his motion. Slow release. Unnecessary hitch just before his release. Turned down open spot ups due to lack of confidence in his jumper.-Not a stiff but isn't a great athlete by NBA standards. Relies more on timing and creativity to get into the paint. Doesn't always explode to the rim. Will stop short for floaters.-Can be loose with the ball. Turnover prone.-Handle can improve to unlock his playmaking ability. A bit hunched with the ball. Not overly shifty.-Playmaker on defense but is a bit hunched as an on ball defender. Has some struggles when on an island.-Isn't all that engaged with his teammates.Atic wasn't able to move the needle in a significant way at the Nike Hoop Summit. While he showed flashes, the 6' 7 playmaking wing wasn't able to string together enough impressive possessions to draw a huge buzz in the short-term. Atic is still an intriguing long-term prospect because of his size, playmaking ability and overall basketball instincts. A successful 2016-17 campaign could put him in better position going into 2017, but all in all he'll have to continue to evolve as a jump shooter and find more ways to score in the half court to do that.

Scouting reports on Josh Jackson