Las Vegas was the capital of the grassroots basketball world last week as more than 10 events were spread around the surrounding area for five days, attracting over 1,000 teams and hundreds of college coaches.
The ESPN recruiting team was out in full force to monitor the action, and although you can never see everything during a week like this, there were certainly some prospects who made a big impression and moved the needle on their recruitment.
Class of 2020
Evan Mobley, power forward
ESPN ranking: 1
While it may seem like a contradiction to have the top-ranked prospect in the ESPN 60 be considered a stock riser, the reality is he was just that. When we moved him up to the No. 1 spot prior to the summer it was an aggressive rating that was debated internally but a testament to our belief in his long-term potential. Mobley showed that his ranking wasn't just deserved but that no debate will be necessary the second time around. He's long, fluid, athletic, and has a foundation of developing touch and skill that is emerging at a rapid rate and yet he's still only just scratching the surface of his potential.
Anthony Edwards, shooting guard
ESPN ranking: 13
Another five-star prospect in the ESPN 60, Edwards currently sits just outside the top 10. He will not be there for long. A scoring guard who blends athleticism and skill, he's been playing to rave reviews at virtually every stop throughout the last two months. He has become more explosive off the bounce, built up a powerful body, and is proving to be one of the most dangerous and versatile perimeter scorers in the country. From a recruiting standpoint, he's got blueblood written all over him.
Nimari Burnett, shooting guard
ESPN ranking: 35
He opened the month with a big week at the Nike Peach Jam to help propel his team to the final and finished July in very similar fashion. He's racked up a slew of new offers and made a case to be a top-25 prospect in his class. Burnett has a bit of an unconventional style but he knows how to score and operates with a drive-first style. He has good size and strength, plays long through the lane, is an improving shooter and a good rebounding guard. He finds ways to score but can impact the game in other ways and has been very consistent all month.
Class of 2019
Rejean Ellis, guard
ESPN ranking: 96
"Boogie" made a huge impression during the Nike Peach Jam in the first week of the recruiting period. The two weeks since have just solidified his status as one of the nation's fastest-rising prospects and best guards on the West Coast. A big guard with a long and solid frame to fill out, he can score at all three levels, shoot it with deep range and has a lot of game off the dribble. USC, Arizona, Oregon, and Georgia Tech were among his most visible suitors but it's a list that could get longer if he wants.
C.J. Walker, forward
ESPN ranking: 45
Walker's top-50 ranking in June was seen by some as a stretch. To the contrary though, with the July recruiting period now done, we know it was just the beginning. An ultra-long and athletic prospect who fits the combo-forward mold that is in such high demand in today's game, Walker is a late bloomer with loads of potential versatility on both ends of the floor. Neither his game nor his skill set is totally refined yet but he's rapidly improving and a national prospect who looks like he'll only continue to ascend.
Tyrell Jones, guard
ESPN ranking: Unranked
A scoring guard who put his name on the national map, Jones came away with new offers from the likes of Louisville and Georgia. "Turbo" is as dangerous off the bounce as you would expect as he'll size defenders up and make plays on demand, but he also drills shots with a quick, fluid release off the dribble. He owns a compact, strong build, pops off the floor, and showed good instincts and feel in the lane and playing pick-and-roll.
Lester Quinones, small forward
ESPN ranking: Unranked
Quinones was a player we had earmarked during the winter for when the ESPN 60 expanded to 100, but when he didn't play up to form in April he didn't make the initial cut. Quinones reestablished himself in Las Vegas as one of the premier shot-makers in the class and reminded everyone of his ability to get hot and make shots in bunches to the tune of 37 points on Friday. He was doing even more off the dribble, utilizing the threat of his jumper to create space and showing layup touch at the rim. He came in with a variety of high-major suitors on the East Coast and added an offer from Arizona before leaving Las Vegas.
Al Amir-Dawes, guard
ESPN ranking: Unranked
His team made an inspired run at the Las Vegas Fab 48 and Amir-Dawes served as the main catalyst, along with big man Zach Freemantle. For Amir-Dawes, it was a fitting conclusion to a month that has seen his recruitment grow in a distinctly linear trajectory. He's crafty, skilled, and while he may not be the biggest or most naturally explosive high-major guard, he compensates with great hands, touch, and instincts. He's also a far better shooter than he gets credit for, both off the catch and the dribble. He was outside the ESPN 100 coming in to the month, but made a strong case for himself.
Anthony Harris, guard
ESPN ranking: 83
It can be easy to be seduced by gaudy statistics or highlight type plays in grassroots basketball, but what translates best is contributing to winning at the highest level. Harris' team took its second championship of the summer last week, and on a roster loaded with nationally ranked prospects, Harris again stood out with his efficiency, toughness, perimeter size, ability to defend the ball, get downhill, and improved shot-making. He was most recently ranked 83rd inside the ESPN 100 but is due a bump.
Class of 2021
Nathan Bitttle, center/forward
ESPN ranking: Unranked
Saturday night at a back gym outside the city provided my first glimpse of a prospect who looked every bit the part of one of 2021's best. At 6-foot-10, Bittle has a combination of size and skill that is rarely seen at his age. He is a rising sophomore in Oregon but young for his grade, having just celebrated his 15th birthday last month. He has a super soft natural touch that already extends beyond the arc with ease. He moves fluidly, can handle the ball a little bit, didn't shy away from contact inside the paint, and seems to have the right mindset and support system to avoid the pitfalls of being such an obviously talented young prospect.