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After watching a session of the 10 college kids and 20 high school kids at the Paul Pierce Skills Academy, one thing stood out:
Harrison Barnes, the top-rated player in the Class of 2010, could have more than held his own with the college kids.
Barnes has grown two inches over the past year and measured at 6-foot-8 with shoes and has a wingspan of 84 ½ inches – more than anyone in the entire camp (including college kids).
The consensus among NBA scouts in attendance and also those who worked the camp is that two college players stood out: Cal’s Patrick Christopher and Michigan’s Manny Harris.
``He’s got a pretty good mid-range game,” Pierce said of Harris. ``I like the way he comes off screens. He has tremendous upside and has a good basketball IQ. He’s also one of the guys that picked things up right away.”
Christopher sat out the final session with a minor knee injury, but Harris was the best player of the group – and was making shots more consistently than he has shown in his college career.
Christopher said he expects Cal to challenge for the Pac-10 title this year – and he’s right. He and fellow perimeter guys Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson are all back in the fold and the Golden Bears and Washington should be the co-favorites to win the league.
While Christopher has averaged 14.9 points over the past two seasons and has the athleticism and ready-make NBA body, he has been overlooked nationally.
``We didn’t have enough success my first two years,” Christopher said in an effort to explain why he has been overlooked. ``We had unsuccessful seasons, but with the coaching change, it’s uplifted the program.”
Harris said he listened to those around him when he didn’t even opt to test the NBA waters after the season.
``People told me to be patient,” Harris said.
Harris is a big-time athlete who has said he will try to be more of a vocal leader this season instead of solely leading by example.
Here are some notes on the high school kids:
- Doron Lamb sat out the session with an injury to his finger, but said he’ll play next week at the LeBron James Camp in Akron. Lamb, a combo guard who went to the Steve Nash Camp last summer, recently spent a couple days in Lexington on an unofficial visit to Kentucky.
``It was a great experience,” Lamb said. ``The fans go crazy. I hung out with the coaching staff, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and got to see the practice facility.”
As for those who have said Lamb is close to committing to John Calipari, he says he’s “still open”, but that Kentucky “is at the top.”
Lamb has also visited Louisville and mentioned Kansas, Oklahoma, Marquette and UConn as other schools he’s considering.
- Wake Forest commit J.T. Terrell played extremely well on Tuesday and, according to those in attendance, for the entire camp. ``It was a great opportunity for me to match-up with the top guys ranked higher than me at my position.”
- Rising junior Trevor Cooney can really shoot the ball and will be heralded because of his size (he measured at 6-foot-4) and ability to make shots from deep.
- Memphis commit Will Barton will be a star and is a huge get for the Tigers. Just imagine the wing duo of Barton and Elliott Williams in 2010. Barton was clearly the second-best player in attendance behind Barnes – although Barton begged to differ. ``I was the best player here,” said the Baltimore native who will be spending this season at Brewster Academy (N.H.).
- Barton said he has still heard from a few colleges that continued to call him even after his pledge to Memphis. ``I tell them I’m a strong commit and that I’m going to Memphis.”
- Barton’s brother, Antonio, who is also committed to Memphis, will be attending Notre Dame Prep.
- If I were Louisville, I’m not sure I’d feel all that badly about Justin Martin re-opening his recruitment. It was clear that the other players didn’t want to play with Martin – who displayed a poor attitude at the event.
RANDOM NOTES: Here’s a nugget from Nike Skills Academy organizer Kevin Foley: Eight of the top nine players taken in the NBA Draft were alums of the event. The only one who didn’t participate: Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio. … Forgot to mention that one of the best guys in the business, Steve DeMeo, took the head job at D-2 Newberry College in South Carolina. … While we’re at congratulating guys, former Patterson and Notre Dame Prep assistant Josh Daeche has hooked on with Memphis coach Josh Pastner in a yet-to-be-defined role on the staff. =
Harrison Barnes, the top-rated player in the Class of 2010, could have more than held his own with the college kids.
Barnes has grown two inches over the past year and measured at 6-foot-8 with shoes and has a wingspan of 84 ½ inches – more than anyone in the entire camp (including college kids).
The consensus among NBA scouts in attendance and also those who worked the camp is that two college players stood out: Cal’s Patrick Christopher and Michigan’s Manny Harris.
``He’s got a pretty good mid-range game,” Pierce said of Harris. ``I like the way he comes off screens. He has tremendous upside and has a good basketball IQ. He’s also one of the guys that picked things up right away.”
Christopher sat out the final session with a minor knee injury, but Harris was the best player of the group – and was making shots more consistently than he has shown in his college career.
Christopher said he expects Cal to challenge for the Pac-10 title this year – and he’s right. He and fellow perimeter guys Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson are all back in the fold and the Golden Bears and Washington should be the co-favorites to win the league.
While Christopher has averaged 14.9 points over the past two seasons and has the athleticism and ready-make NBA body, he has been overlooked nationally.
``We didn’t have enough success my first two years,” Christopher said in an effort to explain why he has been overlooked. ``We had unsuccessful seasons, but with the coaching change, it’s uplifted the program.”
Harris said he listened to those around him when he didn’t even opt to test the NBA waters after the season.
``People told me to be patient,” Harris said.
Harris is a big-time athlete who has said he will try to be more of a vocal leader this season instead of solely leading by example.
Here are some notes on the high school kids:
- Doron Lamb sat out the session with an injury to his finger, but said he’ll play next week at the LeBron James Camp in Akron. Lamb, a combo guard who went to the Steve Nash Camp last summer, recently spent a couple days in Lexington on an unofficial visit to Kentucky.
``It was a great experience,” Lamb said. ``The fans go crazy. I hung out with the coaching staff, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and got to see the practice facility.”
As for those who have said Lamb is close to committing to John Calipari, he says he’s “still open”, but that Kentucky “is at the top.”
Lamb has also visited Louisville and mentioned Kansas, Oklahoma, Marquette and UConn as other schools he’s considering.
- Wake Forest commit J.T. Terrell played extremely well on Tuesday and, according to those in attendance, for the entire camp. ``It was a great opportunity for me to match-up with the top guys ranked higher than me at my position.”
- Rising junior Trevor Cooney can really shoot the ball and will be heralded because of his size (he measured at 6-foot-4) and ability to make shots from deep.
- Memphis commit Will Barton will be a star and is a huge get for the Tigers. Just imagine the wing duo of Barton and Elliott Williams in 2010. Barton was clearly the second-best player in attendance behind Barnes – although Barton begged to differ. ``I was the best player here,” said the Baltimore native who will be spending this season at Brewster Academy (N.H.).
- Barton said he has still heard from a few colleges that continued to call him even after his pledge to Memphis. ``I tell them I’m a strong commit and that I’m going to Memphis.”
- Barton’s brother, Antonio, who is also committed to Memphis, will be attending Notre Dame Prep.
- If I were Louisville, I’m not sure I’d feel all that badly about Justin Martin re-opening his recruitment. It was clear that the other players didn’t want to play with Martin – who displayed a poor attitude at the event.
RANDOM NOTES: Here’s a nugget from Nike Skills Academy organizer Kevin Foley: Eight of the top nine players taken in the NBA Draft were alums of the event. The only one who didn’t participate: Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio. … Forgot to mention that one of the best guys in the business, Steve DeMeo, took the head job at D-2 Newberry College in South Carolina. … While we’re at congratulating guys, former Patterson and Notre Dame Prep assistant Josh Daeche has hooked on with Memphis coach Josh Pastner in a yet-to-be-defined role on the staff. =
Manny Harris is the real deal, best Guard Michigan has had since Jamal Crawfords short stint there...Possible player of the year next year
DezzNutz10:25 AM EST