In this segment, I traverse the basketball world to uncover 10 hidden gems that G League teams should bring in for private tryouts. Many of these players have considerable upside and might have a shot to make a team. Featured: Marcus Azor, Jawaun Daniels, Shadeed Shabazz, Jordan Thomas, Cornellius Reynolds, Khadier Fulcher, Alphonso Willis, Clashon Gaffney, Navar Elmore, and Rayshawn Mart.
Marcus Azor, UMass-Dartmouth - Aside from Yeshiva's Ryan Turell, Marcus Azor was the 2nd best pro prospect in DIII basketball last season and it is easy to see why. The triple double machine led his team in all five statistical categories a season ago and made sound decisions, posting a 2.35-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, despite heavy usage. Azor is a wiry 6'3 lead guard with a creative handle and good burst, capable of getting in the lane and either finishing at the rim or setting up his teammates for an easy layup. Azor is a sound decision maker who regularly drives all the way to the basket, before looking opposite.
Due to his unique, creative handle, Azor is a natural to thrive in pick and roll scenarios at the G League level, as he will make the right read, finding the cutting big or looking opposite for the corner 3.
Azor possesses a really nice "around the back" dribble which he uses to set up his drives. Another favorite of his is his crafty dribble spin move to get to the rim. Azor is fairly ambidextrous and capable of driving with either hand, though he prefers to finish with his right hand.
When he decides to make a move, Azor has a quick first step and a solid change-of-pace dribble to keep the defense off balance.
Azor is a capable finisher when he gets in the lane, and utilized his excellent athleticism to finish with hangtime at the rim.
He has good concentration finishing off plays at the basket.
However, at a professional level, Azor must build up his upper body strength in order to challenge bigger rim protectors. Additionally, when contested driving in the lane, Azor likes to drive past his man and shoot a running shot through contact. He often drives a little too far in on this shot, and ends up facing stiffer resistance from the defense. If he were to continue to develop his floater and extend the range on it, Azor would be incredibly difficult to guard at the G League level when attacking the basket.
In terms of his shooting prowess, Azor is a much better shooter than his 31.5% 3pt % would indicate. He does a nice job of knocking down uncontested 3pters, and has very good balance on his shot.
He has good footwork, appearing to be on balance shooting step backs and side step jumpers. While he has a tendency to rush contested long range shots off the bounce, Azor is very capable of keeping defenses honest and this will bode well in the pick and roll game in particular.
While he is capable of stepping in and connecting on balanced midrange jumpers when he is overplayed due to his threat of driving the lane, Azor must work to limit his quantity of step back long 2pters.
Instead, he should step a few feet back and make it a 3pt attempt. Azor is capable of shooting off the catch or off the bounce, though he appears to be more efficient connecting on 3pters off the catch.
On the glass, Azor is dynamic for a guard, collecting 9 rebounds per game, many of which were on the offensive end. His length and nose for the ball are evident on most plays, and Azor hustles to track down loose balls and push the pace.
Importantly, though he is wise in pushing the tempo, Azor must let the game slow down a bit in transition and not rush his shots, if he doesn't opt to go all the way to the basket. Azor is physical on the glass and on the defensive end, where he projects to cause problems at the next level. Azor is a capable defender with good lateral quickness and disruptive length. He has really good hands and is able to pick the pockets of his opponents, but is also savvy stepping in in the passing lanes.
He averaged almost 2.5 steals per game a season ago, and used these opportunities to push the tempo. Given his really good run-jump athleticism, Azor is a very good shot blocker as well, who sticks with his man and has the hangtime and body control to block shots without fouling. Azor is capable of playing fundamentally sound positional defense, and has the quickness to step in and take a charge.
Azor's length is particularly disruptive on closeouts and this should translate at the next level.
Overall, Marcus Azor is a fundamentally sound lead guard who must continue to develop physically, but should be able to succeed at the G League level.
Jawaun Daniels, Prairie View A&M - Daniels is a physical 3-level scorer who should play on the wing at the G League level. Standing at 6'7, he has the size and strength to compete. He plays with an incredibly high motor on both sides of the floor. On offense, Daniels is a capable scorer who was constantly in motion off ball at Prairie View. He would set screens up top and flare out on the perimeter for easy pick and pop looks from 3.
Importantly, Daniels is a very good shooter from long range, connecting on 36.8% of his attempts a year ago [and 40.4% of his attempts in conference according to kenpom.com]. Importantly, Daniels has good balance on his jumper.
Most of his attempts come off the catch, and Daniels does a nice job of picking his spots and spacing the floor. When the 3pt shot is taken away from him, Daniels is highly capable of shot faking and pulling up from the midrange. He is creative off the bounce and uses the threat of his dribble to create separation before pulling up, either from 3pt range or the midrange. Daniels also employs a jab step and pass fake to throw defenders off guard, gaining an edge. As such, he is a very good contested shooter and importantly, is probably more of a prolific shooter than his 2021-22 statistics indicate. His free throw shooting continues to improve over time, and he is about a 70% shooter from the charity stripe.
Not only is Jawaun Daniels a good shooter, but he is also highly effective slashing to the basket and finishing in traffic. Daniels does not possess the quickest first step or burst, but he is highly capable of beating his man with a change of pace dribble, jab step, shot fake, or pass fake. The threat of his shot means that defenders rarely slack off of him, so he is often able to create an advantage when being overplayed. Ultimately, Daniels utilizes his tremendous strength to finish through contact at the rim, and has really good body control in the lane. He is capable of finishing with either hand. In terms of his in between game, Daniels must continue to work on his floater/runner, though he has this in his arsenal as well.
In terms of his versatility on this end of the floor, Daniels functioned as a roll man in P&R sets, and was effective when cutting to the basket. Additionally, Daniels moves well in space and has the handle to get himself to where he wants to go on the floor.
Daniels is particularly dynamic in transition, and he is highly unselfish with the ball in his hands. Though Daniels turned the ball over more often this season (than in year's past), he also flashed some growth as a playmaker, looking for teammates inside on post up opportunities or driving and facilitating for teammates in the lane. While Daniels does make the right play more often than not, freeing open shooters with timely screens, or moving the ball side to side, shifting the defense, he occasionally forces a few looks crosscourt. Though Daniels does a great job distributing in transition, he must become more dynamic in the halfcourt, particularly when he decides to put his head down and drive to the rim. Ultimately, Daniels' floor game is a work in progress, but he has the unselfishness to continue to transform this aspect of his game. Importantly, defenses devoted a large percentage of their resources to limiting Daniels this past season, and he was still able to succeed, in spite of their gameplans.
On the defensive end, Daniels exerts a tremendous amount of effort and is very physical, not allowing anything easy at the basket. Though he does not possess exceptional lateral quickness, Daniels does a nice job of bumping his man off his spot and forcing him away from a clear path to the basket. He is a very good one on one defender, and is fairly opportunistic in terms of deflecting the ball. Though he averaged just under 1 steal per game, he does have solid hands and can poke the ball away from behind if he gets beat off the bounce. Daniels does a really good job closing out on shooters and does a really nice job altering shots. With that said, Daniels does have some athletic limitations on this side of the ball, and he does not often recover back if he is initially beat off the dribble. One exception to this was on the following play.
Daniels has good timing and is capable of making "statement" blocks, but is not the type of quick leaper that recovers back to make plays on his man after being beat initially. While Daniels is often effective steering his man away from the rim, he must do a better job of nudging his opponent into the backline defender. In the post, he is very competitive and can switch onto bigs.
Daniels has a strong defensive IQ, though, and was consistently vocal on this end of the floor with teammates. When he is in a position to make a play at the rim, Daniels does a nice job of walling up and making layups very difficult.
On the glass, Daniels is very effective on both the offensive and defensive boards. He brings good size and physicality, and has a nice nose for the ball. He consistently fights for position and this will translate at the G League level. This past season, Daniels often took defensive rebounds and turned them into easy opportunities in transition. In terms of intangibles, Daniels is usually the first person to the ball. He is constantly making deflections and recovering loose balls. Quite simply, Daniels is the type of positionless player most G League teams should covet: one who brings grittiness, toughness, high motor, shooting, and positional versatility.
Shadeed Shabazz, Alaska Fairbanks - Shabazz is one of the most promising players on this list because of his blazing speed, handle, and potential in the pick and roll game. Shabazz had one of the best handles of any Division II players I have ever reviewed. His first step and overall burst are elite, and he employs advanced "around the back" handles and crossovers to keep the ball away from defenders. Shabazz does a masterful job of splitting defenses, and he does this consistently enough to suggest that this will likely be a strength at a higher level of play.
When Shabazz attacks off the bounce and decides to go all the way to the basket, he is incredibly crafty in the lane, driving between defenders or around them altogether.
Given his 6'1, 145 lb frame, Shabazz is elusive with the ball and does a nice job avoiding contact, rather than trying to drive through shot blockers. While he only plays at one speed at this point and tries to out-quick everyone to the rim, Shabazz should more frequently look to go reverse, employing the rim to shield him from shot blockers. In transition, he has a reliable Euro step, which he uses to finish at the rim.
Shabazz must continue to work on his finishing at the basket and develop the strength to finish through contact, as he will match up against higher level athletes who will be able to match his quickness at times. Additionally, the next step in his development will be for him to learn to play at different speeds, employing stop and go moves to give defenders headaches.
Importantly, with improved spacing, Shabazz should thrive in the pick and roll game at the next level.
While he did not make many advanced reads out of the pick and roll at Alaska Fairbanks, Shabazz has the burst and understanding to develop a strong two man game with an athletic pro level big. At Alaska Fairbanks, Shabazz mostly used screens to create his own offense, as his teammates rarely pressured the D by darting quickly to the rim or stepping out for open 3pters on P&R sequences. As a result, teams would blow up the screen and use it to trap Shabazz, looking to play the passing lanes for an open steal. Due to his exceptional craftiness, Shabazz was still able to score on many occasions.
At the professional level, teammates will make more advanced reads off ball to assist him in breaking such traps, rendering blitzing ball screen defenses untenable. As a primary ball handler, Shabazz did a nice job of looking opposite at times for shooters spotting up on the wings.
His basketball IQ needs to advance in this area, and he can't always look to play 1-on-3 - he needs to instead do a better job of moving the ball side-to-side to shift the defense. Assuming these areas advance, he should have no problem improving on his poor 0.7-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, which was based on an incredibly high usage. Because Shabazz was responsible for such a substantial portion of Alaska Fairbanks' offensive output, he would often see double and even triple teams.
In terms of his potential from long range, Shabazz is a much better shooter than his 28.6% 3pt shooting % this past season would indicate.
Because of his responsibility for a lion's share of the offense, Shabazz shot many low percentage shots off balance with multiple defenders guarding him late in the shot clock. A better gauge for his accuracy from beyond the arc was his 35.6% 3pt shooting percentage in 2019-2020 (and 35% or better in his other two college seasons). When it comes to his shooting, Shabazz developed a few bad habits that can be corrected. When shooting on the move with a defender coming at him, Shabazz has a tendency to flail his leg out or rush his release up top- two inconsistencies that can be corrected. Alternatively, when he shoots the dribble step back, he is almost always on balance and does not have these problems. This is mostly seen when he opts to shoot fadeaways. When overplayed, Shabazz is capable of stepping in for a midrange jumper, but also is effective shooting dribble step back fadeaways from this range.
On the defensive end, Shabazz had some of the quickest hands at the Division II level last year, leading the nation with 3.19 steals per contest and generally wreaking havoc. Shabazz is incredibly quick in all facets of the game, and he does a nice job of deflecting the ball without fouling his opponents.
He does have a tendency to play the ball a bit too often, gambling trying to defend one side of the ball in order to generate a steal, rather than steering his defender away from the basket. He is always probing and looking to poke the ball away. With that said, Shabazz has even better instincts in passing lanes and he is tenacious covering ground in a short time to pick up steals. In terms of his one on one defense, Shabazz does an excellent job of blowing up ball screens to stick with his man, utilizing his quickness to recover back to his man in pick and roll scenarios.
This is extremely valuable and means he will rarely be matched up one-on-one on a switch with a big. With that said, Shabazz must improve his strength with professional weight training programs so that he can move offensive players off their spots and cut off their driving angles. As it stands now, Shabazz tends to gamble or guide his man into the help, but must do a better job of preventing bigger, stronger players from getting in the lane. On closeouts, Shabazz displays good effort, but is sometimes late. At 6'1, many guards are going to be able to shoot over the top of him. He is going to need to adjust, playing further up to closeout on shooters at the next level.
All in all, Shadeed Shabazz is a unique talent with a clear upside profile and is someone who definitely belongs at a G League tryout.
Jordan Thomas, Georgia College - Thomas is yet another quick lead guard with a sweet shooting stroke and a willingness to facilitate for others. While he only shot 34.3% from 3pt range a season ago, this far understates how advanced he is as a shooter. Thomas does a nice job of remaining on balance and squaring to the basket in a variety of different scenarios. He is effective coming off of ball screens on in bounds passes, as well as taking his man off the bounce and stepping back for a long distance shot.
Despite the degree of difficulty on some of his attempts, Thomas makes many of these shots look easy and in rhythm. To free himself, Thomas moves well without the ball and utilizes screens. He understands spacing fairly well and does a nice job of relocating to spots off ball where he can immediately catch and shoot. On ball, Thomas sports an effective handle, which enables him to shake his defender and create space for an open look. Importantly, Thomas frequently hesitates and shot fakes before dribbling into his step back moves, but does a great job of remaining on balance and releasing in rhythm. The only times Thomas tended to rush were on 3pters out in transition, which he shot a low percentage on. When he was on balance, though, Thomas took advantage of the fact that the opposing defense was not set.
Additionally, Thomas does have a bad habit of occasionally employing a scissor kick to create space, and such attempts were a significant detriment to his shooting percentages. Importantly, with the right coaching, Thomas can develop into a 40.0%+ 3pt shooter, who will be able to shoot off the bounce, stationary off the catch, or coming off of a curl screen.
In terms of the rest of his offensive game, Thomas does a nice job of finding creases in the defense and rising up for balanced jumpers.
If he is overplayed from three point range, he typically will shot fake, take a few dribbles, and pull up for a balanced jumper. He is extremely effective shooting on balance in these scenarios. If he beats his man off the dribble, Thomas possesses a reliable floater.
He is fairly crafty off the bounce and is able to get in the lane and score past the defense.
This is most evident in transition. However, in the halfcourt, when he is met by the help, Thomas must continue to develop strength and work on his finishing. He shot only 54.9% at the rim at season ago (according to Synergy), and this is mostly due to his lack of strength finishing through contact. With the proper strength training program, Thomas should develop considerably in this area in the next few years. This added strength will also help him establish himself on the block, where he rarely flashed some shifty moves backing down his man one on one on a limited number of possessions.
As a passer, Thomas proved to be decently effective in pick and pop scenarios, utilizing the screen and drawing in the defense before kicking it out to wide open teammates on the perimeter. However, there were few possessions where he was able to hit his roll man slashing to the basket unimpeded. Playing with more athletic bigs, Thomas should be able to adjust and make good reads in pick and roll sets. At the next level, he will not always be using the high screen to create for himself, but instead, will attempt to shift the entire defense. In other passing scenarios, Thomas does a nice job of drawing defenses in, before hitting his teammates on the wing or in the corner.
With that said, Thomas cannot predetermine where he is going to move the ball to, as this allows more advanced defenders to play the passing lanes on him. As he gains experience facilitating for others, he should see considerable growth in this area.
On the defensive end, Thomas does a nice job competing. He moves well laterally and is fundamentally sound, committing only 2.1 fouls per 40 minutes. Thomas possesses quick hands and has the anticipation to step in passing lanes and create turnovers.
These strengths culminated in 1.4 steals per contest - respectable defensive productivity. Thomas also does a nice job closing out on shooters and has the lateral quickness and wherewithal to move around screens and fight back to his man.
With that said, at 6'1, Thomas is undersized at the professional level and bigger guards and wings will be able to shoot over the top of him on switches. With added strength, he must do a better job of steering his man away from a clear lane to the basket. He needs to do a better job of making crisp rotations once he is beat off the bounce and the help defender comes over. Or, he must show that he can recover back one on one, when he is beat by his opponent's first step. Thomas also possesses a good nose for the ball, and does a nice job of tracking down loose defensive rebounds before pushing the pace in transition.
Overall, Jordan Thomas is a good prospect with potential as a shooter, and a strong upside case when he physically adjusts to the pro level.
Cornellius Reynolds, Carolina Crusaders (ECBL)/Claflin University - Reynolds is a 6'6 wing/forward who stood out for the Carolina Crusaders of the East Coast Basketball League (ECBL) during their season. As a tryout player, Reynolds projects as an energetic defensive specialist with good speed and a developing floor game. Though he must look to bulk up with the proper strength training program, Reynolds possesses the raw athleticism, nose for the ball, and speed to develop into a G League player in time. As it currently stands, Reynolds brings exceptional energy to the floor, deflecting the ball on the defensive end, and using his quickness and anticipation to get a hand in the passing lanes.
Reynolds has the length and closeout speed to succeed as a specialist on the defensive end. He possesses good timing on his closeouts and does not give up too much ground. While he will need to improve his on ball physicality, which will come with a better strength training regiment, he possesses the lateral quickness to defend multiple positions (1-4).
Reynolds also has the recovery speed to play sound help D.
With that said, Reynolds must get lower in his stance at times when defending out on the perimeter.
In terms of his penchant for hustle plays, Reynolds has an excellent nose for the ball, and always puts himself in a position to make a play.
While he will need to become more physical on the glass at a higher level, Reynolds has very good timing and instincts to at least get a hand on the ball and tip it to his teammates, if nothing else. Importantly, Reynolds can turn defensive rebounds into transition opportunities, and he does a nice job utilizing his athleticism to finish at the rim. His rebounding prowess is one of Reynolds' greatest strengths and this should translate at higher levels of play with improved physicality.
Additionally, Reynolds must continue to improve his strength profile so that he will be better able to finish through contact against similar caliber athletes. In terms of his strengths on the offensive end, Reynolds runs the floor extremely well and puts himself in position to finish easy layups and tap backs. He does a nice job cutting off ball in the halfcourt, and is often the recipient of passes in the lane.
He has a serviceable enough handle at this stage, and he should be able to get to the basket against higher level competition, due to his good quickness and burst. Reynolds has consistently functioned off ball for much of his career, operating as a screener for pick and pop scenarios.
While he has some good potential in this area, as he will be able to either make a quick read darting to the rim or flash opposite for an open 3pt look, Reynolds must look to get more reps creating off the bounce. At this stage, he is mostly a 3-and-D guy who can connect on open looks, take a one dribble pullup on balance, or finish with a quick move in the lane.
In terms of his shooting proficiency, Reynolds shot 44.0% from 3pt range in the ECBL this year (on a little over 5 attempts per game), though he isn't as dynamic of a shooter as these statistics would indicate. He received a lot of open looks off of good ball movement or in transition.
He still can stand to improve in this area, though his shot selection is very good and he was able to knock down the long range shot with some consistency over the course of the season. In terms of his mechanics, his shot is a bit more fluid than it was during his college days at Claflin. Every once in a while, Reynolds still has a tendency to kick his leg out off balance on contested step back shots, which puts him off balance and causes him to miss more often than not.
While he is more effective shooting off the catch, Reynolds has very good shot selection and balance when shooting on the move on a dribble pullup or a baseline stepback.
As a decision maker, Reynolds is still a work in progress, but he is very unselfish and looks for his teammates on the perimeter, especially when driving to the basket.
When he chooses to operate in the paint, Reynolds is capable of making a quick spin move to the basket or facing up and driving past his man.
Overall, Cornellius Reynolds is a player with the intangibles to develop into a higher level pro and deserves an opportunity to showcase his talent.
Khadier Fulcher, Winston Salem Wolves (ECBL)/Bluefield College - Fulcher is a 6'3 combo guard with a high basketball IQ and a sweet shooting stroke. He is a proficient 3pt shooting weapon with good range on his shot and a consistent, quick release.
Fulcher has really good balance to his shot, and is able to get it off in a variety of different ways: he is efficient both off the dribble and off the catch. His 35.6% shooting % in 2021 understates his efficiency from beyond the arc, as he often was responsible for creating his own shot off the bounce. Importantly, Fulcher generally has a very good shot selection and picks his spots well. He is a bit of a streaky shooter who can go on a big run once he sees a few shots go down. If Fulcher is overplayed, he will utilize the threat of his shot to either get in the lane or opt for a dribble pullup jumper from the midrange.
Fulcher does a nice job of baiting his man using shot and pass fakes to get by him, before pulling up for a balanced shot.
When he is overplayed, Fulcher utilizes the threat of his shot to drive the lane.
While he does not possess a dynamic burst, Fulcher is fundamentally sound and understands how and when to attack the basket. His handle is serviceable, and he uses it to get where he wants on the floor with little wasted motion. With that said, he could stand to improve his change-of-pace repertoire to keep defenders off balance, though he does typically hesitate with an "around the back" dribble, setting up his drive. Fulcher does an excellent job of playing off of two feet, leaving his feet only to finish off a drive to the rim or to set up a teammate under the basket. When he gets all the way to the rim, Fulcher does a nice job of finishing through contact.
He possesses both the physicality to take a hit, but also the concentration to finish the play off. This is true both of Fulcher driving the lane and spotting up from long range, where he is able to keep his concentration and finish off 4-point plays at times.
Despite the fact that he is not an elite vertical athlete, Fulcher does have good hangtime at the basket and is able to make plays gliding through contact.
In terms of his decision making, Fulcher functions well in a lead guard role and does a great job of finding open teammates on the perimeter.
He is extremely unselfish with the ball in his hands and looks to set up teammates for easy driving lanes, passing them open at times. While the Wolves did not have a dynamic big man for P&R action, Fulcher will likely be able to adapt and make plays drawing the defense in, before feeding a big inside or a teammate on the perimeter. He often set screens himself, fading opposite to free himself for an open pick and pop 3pter. Fulcher does a nice job of looking opposite and rotating the defense. Importantly, the Winston Salem Wolves' offense was most effective when Fulcher drove in the lane, as he readily found teammates on the wings and the ball movement outpaced their opponent's ability to rotate. Fulcher does a nice job in transition, looking to push the pace when his team might have an advantage.
He is also effective in the halfcourt: driving baseline, drawing two defenders and jumping in the air, before feeding a cutter for an easy basket.
In terms of his intangibles, Khadier Fulcher possesses a very sound basketball IQ, and he hustles to loose balls. Fulcher puts himself in position to grab defensive rebounds and is often in the right place at the right time. On the defensive end, he is fundamentally sound and exerts good effort. While more seasoned professionals will be able to shoot over the top of him, Fulcher is tough and does a nice job of closing out on shooters. He also sports good hands to corral loose balls, pick the pockets of opponents, or deflect an errant pass.
While he puts in good effort on this side of the floor, his lateral quickness is not exceptional. In addition to this shortcoming, he also must do a better job of contesting opponents under the basket, timing his jumps to disrupt shots at the rim. Fulcher does give up his body for charges, and does a nice job of defending without fouling. All in all, Khadier Fulcher is a solid leader who can play both guard slots and possesses the toughness to compete. His play merits a look.
Alphonso Willis, Texas A&M Commerce - Willis is a strong 6'3 lead guard with good athleticism and the strength to finish strong through contact. While Willis' shot remains a work in progress (just under 20% from 3 on under 2 3pt attempts per game vs. 40% from 3 on limited attempts the year before), he continues to make strides in this area and has substantial upside potential. At the moment, there are a few tweaks that still need to be made to his shot, likely related to his guide hand, but his balance and overall shooting rhythm have improved in his summer sessions with additional reps. Willis is the type of player who can make these adjustments and transform his game rapidly. Hailing from humble basketball beginnings, Willis made a major leap in his game from his sophomore season in JUCO, averaging 7ppg, to his junior season at Young Harris (DII). averaging over 20ppg. His work ethic and willingness to learn are evident and this should prove meaningful as he looks to make significant strides on his shot.
In terms of his strengths, Willis is dynamic attacking the basket and finishing through contact.
He sports an above average, but not exceptionally quick, first step. Instead, his change of pace dribble is what really allows him to gain separation on his man. Willis possesses a serviceable handle, and can stop on a dime in the lane, before hitting his defender with an athletic move changing direction out of his jump stop. He plays really well off two feet.
Willis has patience in the lane and does a nice job of drawing his defender in the air with shot fakes and hesitation moves. He is able to connect on a floater in the lane, but must continue to work on this area of his game. At the rim, Willis shows really good hangtime and has the sturdy frame to take contact and still finish at the basket.
Even when he does not have the ball in his hands, Willis is active off ball looking to cut to the basket.
Most importantly, Alphonso Willis does an excellent job of running the show for his team, facilitating for his teammates both inside and out on the perimeter. He is especially dynamic in transition, where his remarkable one on one abilities are most readily showcased. Willis should also benefit from the professional game's improved spacing. When he gets out on the break, Willis is very unselfish and consistently looks ahead to teammates or draws defensive attention before passing them the ball. In the halfcourt, Willis flashes good instincts, which should translate in the P&R game. But, he must be able to connect from 3pt range in order to keep defenses honest in drop coverage. Willis does a nice job of using dribble hand offs and screens to attract defensive attention before moving the ball on the perimeter. Because of his ability to attract defensive attention, Willis is dynamic at either feeding the ball inside or kicking it back out for open looks.
In terms of his effort rebounding the ball, Willis is extremely active and quick to the ball. He led his team with 6.0 rebounds per contest and was aggressive crashing the glass, as he possesses a very strong nose for the ball. Willis uses his defensive rebounds to push the pace and create opportunities in transition for himself and teammates.
On the defensive end, Willis has the size and strength to compete at a G League level. Willis is very productive on the defensive end, and his raw athleticism leads to many blocks and steals.
He is extremely physical on ball, and has good length and quick enough hands to create steals, poking the ball away.
Willis is active in passing lanes and uses his deflections to create additional transition opportunities.
He also plays fundamentally sound positional defense, stepping in to draw charges.
Willis is effective on closeouts and does a good job actively communicating with his teammates.
Overall, Alphonso Willis is an aggressive lead guard with prototypical size and a developing jumper. While his productivity over the course of this past season left a lot to be desired (despite his solid performance in his team's UTSA upset), Willis was adjusting to a completely new team with a deeper rotation and his game should benefit from the improved spacing in the G League. Willis possesses the intangibles that teams look for and he should be given an opportunity.
Clashon Gaffney, Texas A&M Commerce - Gaffney is an imposing physical presence with game-changing length that enables him to dominate on the defensive side of the ball. Despite being listed at only 6'7, Gaffney possesses at least a 7'3 wingspan, which he uses to wreak havoc in the paint. Gaffney was one of the most productive shot blocking bigs in Division II a year ago, averaging a whopping 2.81 blocks per game (5th best in DII).
Gaffney is a very strong rim protector, who does a good job fighting on the block one on one, or helping down on an offensive player driving the lane. He possesses excellent recovery speed and his length allows him to chase down blocks. Importantly, Gaffney is a very mobile big who runs the floor well and can also chase down the opposition in transition. In terms of his pick and roll defense, Gaffney does a nice job of blowing up the ball screen with his length, but at times does not fully commit to a trap, looking to get back to his man cutting to the basket. He is mobile enough to do so, but probably would have better success walling up and trapping the ball handler. In terms of his 'pick and pop' defense, Gaffney did an average job of rotating out on the perimeter at times in the matchup against Cameron.
However, there were some lapses where he left the big man he was covering open on the wing. In these instances, he often found himself in no man's land instead of rotating over to the screener flashing out on the perimeter. With that said, his length was extremely disruptive on closeouts. It is likely that he will make the necessary adjustments to defend 'pick and pop' scenarios out on the perimeter, especially in lieu of his underrated lateral quickness and exceptional length. In limited situations, Gaffney showed that he can switch onto guards, but his improvement defending closeouts remains to be seen.
On the glass, Gaffney is a dynamic offensive rebounder who carves out space and utilizes his length to corral loose balls.
He is physical with his box outs and consistently gets his hand on the loose ball, either tapping it back outside or finishing on tip dunks. While he is also effective on the defensive glass, Gaffney often allowed his smaller teammates (such as Alphonso Willis) to grab defensive rebounds in order to immediately push the tempo. As such, his 5.0rpg significantly understate his impact on this aspect of the game.
On the offensive end, Gaffney functions as a traditional big man. He is active and mobile enough to serve as a dynamic roll man in P&R scenarios.
He is also a capable post up player, who often flashes and seals his man in the middle of the paint for high-low opportunities. Gaffney possesses the lower body strength to seal his man and the length to make it difficult to contest the post entry feed to him. Backing down on the block, Gaffney sports an impressive jump hook shot, which is extremely difficult to defend.
He appropriately spaces the floor and when the ball is delivered to him, he finishes with authority, so much so that it can change the momentum of the game. While he did not attempt many jumpers this past season, Gaffney appeared comfortable shooting from the field on a small sample size.
He must continue to work on this element of his game if he hopes to play his way onto a G League roster. Though Gaffney is extremely unselfish on the block, looking opposite to open shooters, he must work on his decision making at times and pass more quickly out of double teams.
All in all, Gaffney is a promising player with a clearly defined defensive role in the G League.
Navar Elmore, Livingstone - Elmore is an athletic energy big man, who does all the little things, and has long term potential to thrive in the pick and roll. First and foremost, Elmore brings a strong energy when he is on the floor. He taps in misses, is available for alley oop plays, and generally has a good nose for the ball. Elmore runs the floor hard and scored a substantial number of baskets out in transition a year ago.
Importantly, he has a serviceable enough handle to attack the basket one on one if he leaks ahead of the defense and receives a look. The vast majority of his points, though, came off of basket cuts and finishes inside. He is shifty driving and does a nice job of using the basket to shield the ball, often going reverse. Elmore is a very good athlete, whose athletic finishes can shift the momentum of a game. He plays with physicality, seeking out and finishing through contact.
Operating out of the post, Elmore typically will either back down his man and shoot a leaning shot in the lane, or faceup and look to drive past his defender.
Elmore fights hard for position on the post and does a nice job flashing middle and sealing his man, before catching and finishing. While it saw good success at the DII level, Elmore's post game is still a work in progress. His nimble feet should enable him to make strides with his back-to-the-basket footwork over time. Elmore must continue to add lower body strength so that he can seal his man at the next level. In pick and roll sets, Elmore flashed good potential a season ago, but his teammates often were late on their passes or missed him altogether, rolling to the rim.
Elmore has the quickness and spatial awareness to find open creases in the defense, while also looking to finish everything with a powerful alley oop slam. With that said, there are times when Elmore does not dart straight to the basket and instead encircles the paint, hoping to sneak behind the defense in a roundabout way. Instead of doing this, Elmore should work on his footwork and hip movement, turning and streaking to the rim as quickly as possible. Additionally, though he was not particularly effective in limited attempts, Elmore did flash a midrange jumper extending out just inside the three point arc (he connected on only one 3pter all season).
If Elmore can extend his range, this would bode well for his long term pick and roll potential.
Importantly, Elmore improved considerably as a decision maker this season, making quicker reads out of double teams, and looking for teammates on the perimeter.
Whenever the offense operated through Elmore in the post, the team's ball movement was much more crisp. While Elmore is fairly unselfish, he still can improve on his post-to-post passing, where he tends to force feed teammates in traffic. On the glass, Elmore employs his excellent length and athleticism to secure rebounds and tip others out to his teammates. He is effective on both the offensive and defensive end, and he does a nice job of keeping the ball high once he has secured the loose ball.
Despite his good long term potential as an energy big man operating in pick and roll sets, Elmore really hangs his hat on the defensive side of the ball. He is a very effective one on one defender, who utilizes his exceptional length and athleticism to wreak havoc on his opponents. Elmore also possesses excellent lateral agility for his size.
He does a nice job rim protecting, helping down to knock the ball away at the basket or rotating over to draw a charge. Elmore's lateral mobility enables him to jump in front of an out of control guard.
Ultimately, Elmore's acrobatic recovery blocks altered the momentum of several games. He finished 4th in Division II, averaging 2.83 blocks per contest.
In terms of his one on one D, Elmore has the hands to pick the pockets of smaller players. He averaged 1.46 steals per game and he consistently probes and pokes at the ball. In terms of his pick and roll defense, when Elmore decides that he wants to blitz the ball handler coming off of the screen, he is able to force a ton of turnovers.
Otherwise, he tends to float and sag back in the lane, protecting the rim, but enabling shooters to reorganize on the perimeter and settle in for easy 3pt looks. Importantly, in order to succeed at the G League level, Elmore needs to do a better job closing out on shooters, defending on the perimeter. His length and quickness should enable him to make this adjustment relatively quickly. In terms of his post defense, Elmore has some bad habits, gambling to poke the ball away on the initial post entry feed, which puts him out of position if a nice pass is made over the top. He must continue to work on developing a more delicate balance: working to poke the ball away on the initial feed, but then quickly recovering behind his man to wall up at the basket. Elmore also must add strength to his frame to fully live up to his potential.
Overall, Navar Elmore is an athletic big with really good potential on the defensive end and in the pick and roll game. He certainly deserves a look in the G League.
Rayshawn Mart, Xavier (La.) - Mart is a versatile combo guard who is dynamic slashing to the basket, and capable of defending multiple positions. At Xavier (La.), Mart got his shot off in a variety of ways. He possesses a reliable handle, which he uses to both probe and exploit defenders, catching them off balance attacking the basket. While he has an average first step, Mart has a good second burst and is able to explode by his man, utilizing good hesitation moves.
He typically lulls defenders to sleep with his dribble before attacking with suddenness. With that said, there is still some room for improvement on his handle, as he can improve his shiftiness with a "between the legs" delay dribble, which would open up his game a lot. This skillset is already somewhat in his arsenal, as he employs a "between the legs" step back move to set up his jumper. When he gets to the basket, Mart has very good hangtime and strength to take contact and finish at the rim.
Mart is crafty attacking the basket, but still has a lot of upside on this aspect of his game.
If he beats his man and notices a help defender at the basket, Mart does a nice job of playing on balance [with a jump stop], before shooting an effective fadeaway jumper.
He did a nice job of creating space on his defender a season ago and was able to get his shot off with relative ease. Moving forward, Mart does a nice job of picking his spots and should be able to exploit creases in the defense.
He should also be able to utilize his good body control and strength to create space. On the perimeter, Mart shot the ball poorly from long range a season ago (20.5% from 3), but this came in only 10 games. Previously, he shot around 35% from beyond the arc for almost his entire career.
Importantly, Mart has made tremendous strides over the summer in this area and he should show considerable improvements shooting the ball in live game action. There is considerably less variation in his improved shooting form. At Xavier (La), Mart was a threat squaring up off the catch, seeing some success. But, he could still stand to improve by using his handle to set up his three point shot. Already, he does a nice job of this in the midrange, often with a sudden between the legs step back. If he can demonstrate some consistency shooting it from 3pt range, he will be very difficult to contain.
Importantly, Mart moves very well without the ball, cutting in for easy opportunities at the rim.
His teammates did not always find him and were often late feeding him the ball on many of his basket cuts a season ago. He does a nice job of moving in space off ball, which will set him up for good looks on the perimeter moving forward.
On the block, Mart can back his man down and score, and he is physical enough to exploit mismatches against smaller guards.
In terms of his floor game, Mart is a willing facilitator and was tasked with bringing the ball up at times for Xavier (La). He did a nice job of swinging the ball around the perimeter and probing the defense with his dribble.
When he got downhill in the lane, he frequently dished the ball off to his big or a cutter. He also has the vision and general awareness to find shooters all over the floor, as demonstrated by the above clip of him driving and dishing to a player behind him. With that said, Mart generally does a good job of playing off of two feet, but has a bad habit of jumping when assisting his teammates.
This is an adjustment he should be able to make. Ultimately, Mart continues to improve as a decision maker and can play both on ball and off.
In terms of his intangibles, Mart has a really nice nose for the ball, diving on loose balls and recovering the ball the second the offensive player starts to lose it. Mart tracks down loose rebounds, and is also dynamic mixing it up inside and securing it off the glass. Mart has very good timing and leaping ability, and consistently gets his hands on rebounds, collecting 6.5 per game a season ago, many of which were on the offensive end.
Defensively, Rayshawn Mart was one of the better on ball defenders in all of the NAIA a season ago, and he is versatile enough to switch onto bigger offensive players. Mart has incredibly quick hands and caused considerable issues for the opposition, collecting 2.1 steals per contest. He is highly capable of reaching in and deflecting the ball away, but he also has the awareness to anticipate and get out in the passing lanes.
Mart's steals and deflections often led to easy opportunities out in transition. While Mart is extremely dynamic in this respect, he must do a better job of stepping in front of his defender or steering him off his driving lane on his first step. Often, when Mart was beat, he was able to recover by poking the ball away with his quick hands. But, if he was better able to focus on changing driving angles, this would make him even more complete on the defensive end. Mart must continue to improve as a help defender, though he does have the leaping ability and timing to make plays at the rim. Mart did a very good job of rotating and closing out on shooters for Xavier (La), running 3pt shooters off the line and generally disrupting the player's rhythm.
In terms of switches, Mart is very physical and able to hold his ground against much bigger opponents on the block.
He possesses a very strong base, which enables him to jockey for position. This bodes well for his defensive versatility at the G League level.
Overall, Rayshawn Mart is a versatile slasher with an improved stroke who deserves a look in the G League.
