WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Basketball is a global game, and that was apparent at this past weekend’s Nike Global Challenge. After a spring and summer full of competition with the Nike EYBL circuit, the Nike Skills Academies and the Peach Jam, 40 of the top U.S. high school basketball players were brought together on four regional teams to compete in the invite-only Global Challenge against teams from Canada, Pan-Africa, Brazil and France.
At the conclusion of the eight-team, three-day tournament featuring some of the world’s top young hoops prospects, the USA West team emerged with the championship following a 98-95 victory over USA South. Uncommitted ESPN 100 small forward Stanley Johnson (Fullerton, Calif./Mater Dei) for the West and Ohio State-bound shooting guard D'Angelo Russell (Louisville, Ky./Montverde Academy) for the South were named co-MVPs of the event for the U.S. contingent. Johnson led all scorers with 23 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the championship game.
With so much talent from not just the United States but across the world on display for three days, here are five things we learned from the 2013 Nike Global Challenge.
The deepest position in 2014
We are two-thirds of the way through the July recruiting period, but these players have been playing on the travel team circuit since April and it's clear that the wing position -- the shooting guards and small forwards -- has an elite group that scores easy and often.
The Global Challenge only confirmed that thought as the collection of wing talent was elite. It's the deepest position in the 2014 class, and the core players at the top are starting to separate themselves because of their ability to consistently score, play at a high level and win.
Johnson has elevated his offensive skills while continuing to defend and rebound. He competes on a consistent basis and does the things that help his team win.
North Carolina-bound Justin Jackson (Tomball, Texas/HCYA), who was named to the USA All-Tournament team, is as complete a scorer as there is. He makes shots on the perimeter, in the midrange and in the paint all spring and summer. He is also improving as a defender as he covers ground with his length and moves his feet well when he is in his defensive stance.
Rashad Vaughn (Golden Valley, Minn./Findlay Prep) can create a shot for himself, and when the ball finds him, he is ready to attack. What often gets overshadowed about Vaughn is that he is also a willing passer and is learning to play within the flow of a possession.
Russell makes scoring look easy. He is always probing the defense and scores in a wide variety of ways with the 3-point shot, runners in the lane and direct drives to the basket.
Duke commit Grayson Allen (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence School) is either knocking down deep jumpers or fearlessly attacking the basket when he reads that there is an open path. He always comes ready to perform with focus and intensity.
Three more elite wings who stand out are Kelly Oubre (Fort Bend, Texas/Findlay Prep), Indiana-bound James Blackmon Jr. (Marion, Ind./Marion) and UNC recruit Theo Pinson (Greensboro, N.C./Wesleyan Christian). Oubre has solidified his stature by scoring with his jumper and supreme athletic ability, Blackmon was sensational shooting the ball with supreme confidence and Pinson uses his versatility to score, create fouls and shoot a high percentage at the line. Oubre and Pinson were named to the USA All-Tournament team.
There’s no doubting Thomas
ESPN 60 power forward Elijah Thomas (Rockwall, Texas/Prime Prep), the No. 5 prospect in the 2015 class, is one of the top players in the country and is being heavily recruited. That much we already knew. But one thing we’re finding out is that he is also a very good passer.
For a big man who plays relatively close to the basket, you’d expect to hear about how he’s a great rebounder, dunker and finisher, all of which he can do. But the one skill that continues to stand out as you study his game is his passing.
From the high post, he turns and faces the action to find a cutting teammate or make the high-low post feed. From the low post or short corners, he can skip the ball opposite to the open side of the floor. And in the backcourt while breaking pressure, he throws accurate passes over the defense.
“When I was younger, I was not as tall but I was fast and touched the ball more than I do as a forward,” Thomas said. “My coach gave me a pair of blinder goggles where I could not look down and it helped my vision to pass.”
This past June 15 was the first date college coaches were allowed to call rising juniors, and Thomas has already had conversations with the head coaches from Duke, Kentucky, Texas, SMU, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas and Indiana.
Don’t forget about Bonzie Colson Jr.
So far in July, four-star rising senior Bonzie Colson Jr. (New Bedford, Mass./St. Andrew’s) attended the LeBron James Skills Academy, competed in the Peach Jam and was invited to the Global Challenge. That’s a pretty good list of events to participate in.
Listed as undersized power forward at 6-foot-5, he plays much bigger than his height. With an enormous 6-11.5 wingspan and a big heart, Colson battles every possession. His niche is rebounding as he averaged 8.8 rebounds per game and led the Global Challenge in total offensive rebounds with 20 in four games.
Offensively, he possesses a great pair of mitts and solid footwork as he will back down his defender inside and score with a clever feel and crafty moves. He also grabs the garbage inside to collect points as he never stops moving.
“(He is) a steady, blue-collar undersized guy who is a glue guy and gets it done,” said Pat Clatchey, the coach at Mount St. Joseph in Baltimore who coached Colson at the Global Challenge. “He competes and wins.”
Colson holds offers from Butler, Notre Dame, Iowa State, Florida State, Pittsburgh, Northeastern, Rhode Island, George Washington and Miami, while VCU, Xavier, Cincinnati and Alabama are showing interest.
Team Canada standouts
With the likes of Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph and Anthony Bennett in the NBA and Andrew Wiggins off to Kansas, the Canadian beat goes on as the next wave of talent from up north played well at the Global Games. Four Canadian players who play high school ball in the United States stood out in particular.
ESPN 60 small forward Montaque Gill-Ceasar (Ontario, Canada/Huntington Prep) continues to display finishing skills at the rim thanks to his power and athleticism. The strength of his game is driving to the basket, and he likes to operate along the baseline to either score or rebound. His pull-up game is also becoming an asset as he dribbles to an open pocket on the court and rises up with body balance to make this difficult shot. His understanding that he cannot get to the rim every time is a sign of his growing ability to read the game. At the rim, in the midrange and at the free throw line is where he produces best. Gill-Ceasar was named co-MVP for the international contingent.
Rising senior Chris Egi (Ontario, Canada/Montverde Academy), a 6-8 power forward who was the other co-MVP among the international players, is a constant presence protecting the paint with his shot-blocking talent, size, power and competitiveness. He is a committed rebounder and scorer, with putbacks as his specialty. His field-goal percentage was high because he stays true to living in the lane and running the floor for transition dunks. Egi was a double-figure scorer and rebounder at the Global Challenge through effort and tenacity. With a good work ethic, his ceiling is high. He’s still early in his recruitment, but he mentioned Harvard, Stanford, Florida, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Virginia, Washington, California, Illinois and Marquette.
Four-star 2014 small forward Marial Shayok (Ontario, Canada/Blair Academy), who was named to the International All-Tournament team, played well as his effort was better than in some past events. He is capable scorer with the jumper and the drive, and he can mix up his scoring avenues by going inside with a post-up or using a flex cut to receive a pass and use his athletic frame to create a foul or score. In order to be a more dependable player, he needs to maintain a great approach and stay engaged in the game at all times.
Finally for Team Canada, 2014 point guard Kevin Zabo (Quebec, Canada/Brewster Academy) was a steady floor leader and shot the ball well from behind the 3-point arc, but he still needs to look for others more if he wants to play the point. San Diego State has offered, while UConn and Minnesota are interested.
Team Pan-Africa standouts
The Pan-Africa team was talented, extremely competitive and played with a high motor in every contest. Four Pan-Africa players who play high school ball in the United States stood out in particular.
Rising senior point guard Jiday Noble Ugbaja (Daly City, Calif./Archbishop Riordan) was the breakout star of the Global Challenge. Everyone knows the big names of summer basketball, but what is special is when a prospect is virtually unknown and has no scholarship offers but plays his way into impressing coaches. Coming into the Global Challenge, Ugbaja had only interest from a few West Coast schools, but his play over the weekend will earn him a spot somewhere. He received his first offer from the Citadel, while George Washington and Tulane have reached out. "He is going to be a player because within a short period of time he absorbed a lot and without resistance,” said Herman Harried, the head coach at Lake Clifton High School in Baltimore who coached Ugbaja at the Global Challenge. “He was always trying to do what I asked as his attitude is to get better."
ESPN 100 power forward Abdul-Malik Abu (Boston/Kimball Union) also played well for Pan-Africa, earning International All-Tournament team honors. He is trying to focus on playing but realizes he has to start breaking down his school list soon. "I am still considering a lot of schools and have a high respect for the programs that are recruiting me," Abu said. Right now his long list includes North Carolina, Iowa State, Miami, NC State, St. John's, Kansas State, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Wisconsin, UConn, Providence and Boston College.
Rising senior power forward Michael Nzei (Centereach, N.Y/Our Savior New American) comes from the same hometown in Nigeria as St. John’s star Chris Obekpa. Nzei did not go out on the travel team circuit until May, so college coaches missed him in April. He brings energy and length as a shot-blocker and high-level rebounder who stays inside the paint and produces on putbacks. He is extremely productive and athletic, with a strong motor and a defensive mindset to deny his man the ball and block shots. His offensive skills are developing and his recruitment is warming up. Hofstra, St. Joseph's and Duquesne have shown interest since the July period started.
Finally, ESPN 60 power forward Cheick Diallo (Centereach, N.Y./Our Savior New American), who is the No. 10 prospect in the 2015 class, was named to the International All-Tournament team. It’s remarkable how hard he plays and how driven this young man is. Diallo is a physical force at the rim, rebounding with a vengeance and blocking shots with force, and he runs the floor well on offense and defense. On offense, he can score inside by catching lobs and making jump hooks with either hand. On defense, his aggression and intensity make him an elite shot-blocker and rebounder. He is a true presence in the lane and hard to score against as he limits opponents to one shot. Diallo still gets into foul trouble because of his aggressiveness, which is a difficult balance to strike but must be addressed to keep him on the floor. The ability to play hard without fouling should come in time as it is, in many ways, a skill. Regardless, you have to love the heart he plays with and he is one of the elite motor guys in the country.