Does Zion Williamson's NBA potential match his monster hype?

HOUSTON, Texas -- After covering the standout college prospects on Friday, let's take a look at the best high school players from the 2017 Adidas Nations global camp.

What's the NBA ceiling for highlight machine Zion Williamson, and which young players impressed the most?

Here's what we learned, including a look at Thon Maker's younger brother:

Zion Williamson: More than just a dunker

By Mike Schmitz

Zion Williamson is a 17-year-old basketball rock star. The 6-foot-6 power dunker has ascended into a millennial dream while racking up likes and retweets by the thousands. He has the frame of a young Charles Barkley, yet the effortless bounce of Zach LaVine. Williamson's rim-rattling dunks are internet gold.

Those violently explosive in-game tomahawks, combined with thirst for quick-hitting clips, yields 439,000 results on YouTube when you search his name. One video titled "16 Year Old Zion Williamson is THE GOAT! Best Player Since Lebron??" has amassed over 1.2 million views in four months. Williamson's July head-to-head matchup with LaMelo Ball attracted more than 1.3 million live viewers online -- more than 30 times the population of Williamson's hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

On Monday, inside a small Summer Creek High School gym in Houston, we experienced the Zion Williamson spectacle firsthand. Local kids and elite high school prospects filled the stands, Snapchat locked and loaded in hopes of capturing an infamous Zion highlight dunk. Close to 30 videographers lined the baselines, relaxing when Williamson occupied the bench and scrambling when he took the floor, hoping to capture the next million-view YouTube hit.

Williamson (Class of 2018, ranked No. 2 in the ESPN100) put the crowd into a frenzy with a handful of explosive plays and was mobbed by photographers and fans after the victory. One young boy was lucky enough to walk away with Williamson's game-worn shoes, a pair of bright yellow Adidas that left him giddy with excitement. Even future top picks like Robert Williams were dying to catch a glimpse of the bouncy Williamson. A 17-year-old who has yet to commit to a college program or compete in any junior national team events already has the following of some NBA superstars. With every seemingly improbable dunk and viral video, the legend of Zion Williamson builds.

But what about Zion Williamson the basketball player? With so much focus on the buzz surrounding his dunks, Williamson's actual impact on the court has been overlooked. The small-town South Carolina kid is not just a power dunker, and he's much more than just an athlete playing basketball.

Williamson is competitive, fairly skilled in his own way and extremely productive, with averages of 30.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks (per 40 minutes) on 69.7 percent shooting from 2 and 22.6 percent from 3-point range in the 44 games in the DraftExpress database. He led 2017 Adidas Nations players in points per 40 minutes (38.8) and PER (41.1), both all-time highs since the event started in 2012 (15 MPG minimum) .

With the height of a 2-guard and the frame of a center, the non-shooting, aggressive-slashing, hard-playing forward is as unique a prospect as we've evaluated in some time. Pinpointing his future NBA role isn't easy, as there simply isn't anyone in the league quite like Williamson, which further adds to his mystique as a prospect. In a league moving toward shooting at four or five positions, Williamson doesn't appear to be a natural fit. He has taken only 31 total 3s in those 44 games, and it's hard to imagine him being a first or second option in a half-court set at the NBA level.

Yet even without the jumper, Williamson has the tools and mentality to eventually function as a hyper-elite, role-playing, small-ball big with game-changing explosiveness and a feel to match. Despite the early star status, Williamson doesn't mind doing the little things to have an impact, which will allow him to play big minutes as his offensive game rounds out. He's a relentless offensive rebounder (6.0 per 40 minutes over the course of six Nations games), a physical finisher and a fairly quick decision-maker; he doesn't need 10 dribbles to make something happen.

His combination of strength, quickness, leaping, body control and sound ballhandling make him an extremely tough cover in space, and he has far more skill as a finisher than he gets credit for. Williamson is usually a team player, not hijacking an offense with elongated isolations that often characterize youth basketball in the U.S. On the defensive end, he has the size and grit to check power forwards and maybe even small-ball centers.

His willingness to play big and not crave the wing label make him that much more appealing as a prospect, especially when paired with another big man who can space the floor. Williamson can almost function as a center in a sense -- the only non-shooter on the floor who rebounds, switches screens, pushes in transition, dives out of the pick-and-roll and attacks opposing centers relentlessly off the dribble. There isn't a catchy term for that combination of skills, but it's clear the NBA will have room for Williamson's unique game

Steady, reliable play of Quickley and Grimes shine

Nations was loaded with the high-upside prospect prototype -- long arms, projectable frame, elite athleticism and an up-and-down skill level and motor that can excite scouts. Often, though, some of the top prospects are actually hiding in plain sight. While maybe not as enthralling as Moses Brown or Bryan Penn-Johnson, guards Immanuel Quickley (2018, ranked No. 14) and Quentin Grimes (No. 29) proved to be two of the top 2018 guard prospects in Houston and should now be seen as potential one-and-dones.

Although Quickley doesn't always pop on film or in person, he has virtually all the ingredients scouts are looking for in a lead guard prospect. He has positional size and length at 6-3 with a 6-8 wingspan. He is a good decision-maker on the court (28 assists to three turnovers at Nations), is skilled offensively, and is tough-minded defensively. Regularly covering all 94 feet, fighting over the top of screens and sliding deep in a stance to contain the ball, Quickley impacts the game on both ends. Quickley has excellent pace offensively, playing a mistake-free brand of basketball while showing veteran savvy versus ball screens.

Although not the most shifty athlete, Quickley can make virtually every read out of the pick-and-roll, knock down a pull-up 3 when the defense goes under, keep his defender on his back before getting to floaters, and hit shots when the ball comes back to him (38.4 percent shooter on 3s in our database). Quickley's combination of size, two-way play, feel for the game, shooting, toughness and ability to play either guard spot makes him a borderline no-fail prospect with a high floor.

Grimes is bigger and more of a combo guard than Quickley, and brings a similar level of toughness and grit to the floor. The native of Woodlands, Texas, has nice size at around 6-5, a mature build, solid length and plus-athleticism in space.

Grimes does a little of everything on both ends and possesses the type of mentality scouts will want to bet on. Grimes can check up to three positions, make an open 3, knock down midrange pullups, facilitate out of the pick-and-roll and attack the rim with explosiveness. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and seems equally happy making plays defensively, crashing the glass, and knocking down isolation pullups.

Grimes can continue to evolve as a half-court scorer, but he has already made impressive strides as a shooter and impacts the game in so many different ways. Quickley and Grimes don't display obvious NBA upside, but their combination of toughness, IQ and skill make them excellent draft prospects moving forward.

Too many bigs? Where are the wings?

As we're seeing in NBA free agency, the supply of big men is exceeding demand. Former lottery picks are flooding the free-agent market, while NBA scouts and executives prefer versatile forwards who can switch everything, make an open 3 and think the game at a high level. The rotation big has been replaced by the combo forward, and a lot of the young big men at Adidas Nations didn't do much to prove that they're the next prospect to turn the small-ball movement on its head.

Elite 2019 prospect Charles Bassey (ranked No. 2 in ESPN's rankings) seems to have stalled a bit from an NBA outlook, as he looked mechanical on the floor and struggled a bit to score with skill in the half-court.

A physical specimen who at first glance resembles a young Dwight Howard, Bassey was more in the Lamar Odom mold -- fluid with a budding skill set -- when he arrived to the states from Nigeria. Bassey's skill development has somewhat flatlined, and he projects much more as a rim runner, shot-blocker, finisher and rebounder. While that carries value in the NBA, Bassey hasn't quite shown the consistent growth that scouts had hoped for.

Moses Brown (2018, ranked No. 7) is a long and fairly mobile 7-footer, but given his lack of consistent energy and interest on the floor, it is tough to fully buy stock in him as a prospect despite his high upside. Bryan Penn-Johnson, with his 7-7 wingspan, is also in that camp; he too often looks uninspired on the floor. Power forward/center Jordan Brown (2018, ranked No. 9) really competes but hasn't developed much physically or skill-wise. Onyeka Okongwu (2019, ranked No. 5) isn't quite talented enough to not go hard all the time.

Vernon Carey, 2019's top prospect, has room to improve his body and intensity level. As with Cliff Alexander in 2014, Diamond Stone in 2015 and Marques Bolden in 2016, bigs who don't have an elite skill or bring it consistently are getting left behind. Not even Carey and 2020 prospect Isaiah Todd have proven to be surefire studs from an NBA perspective yet, despite both being ranked No. 1 overall.

Scouts are looking for versatile forwards, and Florida native Nassir Little (2018, ranked No. 36) is the prototype. Although Little didn't play in Houston, we've evaluated him at multiple events in the past. At 6-6 and 210 pounds -- with long arms, two-way impact and a cerebral approach -- he appears to be the player from this class most likely to outplay his ranking and turn into a valuable NBA player sooner than expected.

Strong, physical and competitive, Little can check either forward spot, play the coveted small-ball 4 in bench lineups, and make enough open 3s to keep the defense honest. Little's offensive game could use some polish, but he's the type of player NBA scouts prefer, as opposed to a lot of the highly touted bigs on the circuit.

Matur Maker makes his mark

By: Jonathan Givony

Thon Maker's brother, Matur Maker, had an outstanding weekend at Adidas Nations, leading Asia Pacific to the championship game where the team lost to Zion Williamson and a host of elite high school recruits. The South Sudan native, by way of Australia, averaged 26 points in 28 minutes per game through six contests, getting to the free throw line 14 times per game.

A year or two older than most of the high school players he matched up against, Maker's aggressiveness and hunger for scoring stood out in this setting. He was utilized frequently in isolation situations against opposing big men, changing speeds powerfully, getting low with his dribble and showing some real wiggle with the ball. Maker attacks the rim ferociously at every opportunity, not being afraid of contact. While not a high-flyer, he's quick off his feet and likes to throw his body around. He made some nice plays passing on the move, even if he also had some wild moments throwing the ball around carelessly, as his feel for the game is still a work in progress.

Standing 6-10, with a 7-2 wingspan, Maker has good size and length for a power forward, but has only added three pounds to his lanky 195-pound frame since April 2015, according to official measurements. His thin lower body is a concern projecting forward to the pro game, as he is very upright in his stance defensively and gets knocked off balance easily. We had the same concerns about his brother, though, and Thon has been able to overcome that quite nicely, having a strong rookie season in the NBA.

Besides his frame and defense, the biggest key to Maker's outlook might be the development of his outside shot. He hit just 5 of the 21 3-pointers he attempted in Houston, sporting a slow and low release with just average touch. However, he has always been a good shooter from the free throw line, so it's possible that he can continue to develop this part of his game.

Graduating high school this winter in Canada right before he turns 20 years old, Maker will apply for an NCAA waiver and attempt to take the college route, according to his guardian, Ed Smith. Should that not materialize, due to complications with his eligibility, one option could be to head to Serbia to play for prospect factory Mega Leks, with an eye toward entering the 2019 NBA draft. Maker has been training intensely with his brother, giving him access to an NBA coaching staff. That should speed up his growth considerably.

Makur Maker -- the youngest player on the Asia Pacific team -- also had a strong weekend, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds per 40 minutes in 18 minutes per game. At 16 years old, Makur has a projectable frame that should fill out in time, with a more developed upper and lower body than his cousins, Thon and Matur, showed at the same age.

Makur has an intriguing skill level, capable of making face-up jumpers with a nice-looking stroke while handling the ball and finding the open man in transition. He does a nice job of covering ground defensively as well, especially on the pick-and-roll, where he can hedge out well past the 3-point line and recover in time to make a play at the rim. Makur is still working on improving his awareness-level and feel for the game, as he tends to play outside his comfort zone at times and can be a step-slow to react defensively.

Makur will play at GTA Prep in Toronto next year, according to his guardian, Smith, and is on the NCAA track, currently slated to graduate high school in 2020 after reclassifying.

Latin American clinic

One of the highlights of the weekend was watching the Latin America squad come together as a team and notch three wins over elite U.S. and Canadian prospects, finishing in third place.

Composed of players aged 17-19 from Brazil, Argentina, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Puerto Rico -- and coached by former NCAA assistant Walter Roese -- the Latin America team played organized, disciplined and fundamentally sound basketball, putting on a clinic for the younger North Americans on the importance of sharing the ball, competing hard on defense, boxing out and other small details that make a difference at the highest levels.

The addition of such a diverse team is one of the things that makes Nations an essential event for NBA teams to scout. It would cost tens of thousands of dollars and be extremely time-consuming for scouts to travel all around South America watching these prospects, and the fact that they compete against the best U.S. high school players makes for an excellent evaluation setting. It also forces the Americans to operate at their highest intensity after a long summer of AAU basketball, as these international players come hungry to show themselves and don't take possessions off.

Yago Dos Santos, a 5-9 point guard fresh off winning rookie of the year honors in Brazil, was perhaps the most entertaining player at the camp. A jet with the ball, he punished lazy U.S. big man defenders with pull-up 3-pointers for not stepping out on the pick-and-roll, and also did a great job of finding the open man in drive-and-dish situations. He also hit a ridiculous 27 of 58 3-pointers in just six games in Houston, some of which came from NBA range.

His primary target for passes was chiseled Brazilian big man (of Nigerian descent) Michael Uchendu, who gave highly touted 2019 recruit Charles Bassey (also Nigerian) fits on the offensive glass by simply playing harder and being more physical. Uchendu averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game in six contests in Houston, although the fact that he was a year or two older and significantly more mature physically certainly contributed to that.

A third Brazilian, Gabriel Galvanini (who goes by Jau), was the team's Swiss Army knife, making timely 3s, finding the open man, guarding multiple positions, throwing his mature frame around in the paint, and rebounding at an excellent clip. If he can consistently guard perimeter players and develop a more reliable jump shot, he could emerge as an NBA prospect down the road thanks to his strong feel for the game.

Jonathan Salazar, a 6-5 bulldog of a combo forward from Panama who goes to high school in California, guarded everyone from point guards to big men, rebounded ferociously and made plays in the open floor using his athleticism and toughness. He will likely see his recruitment skyrocket after the way he shut down highly touted U.S. prospects at this event.

NBA Global Academy begins to reap fruit

One of the most ambitious ventures undertaken by the NBA in recent years is the Global Academies initiative. The NBA is actively scouting and recruiting elite-level talent around the world to join their six academies in China, India and Senegal, with the goal of giving emerging prospects a pathway to high-level education and professional basketball. The NBA Global Academy is headquartered in Canberra, Australia, at the renowned BA Centre of Excellence, where a handful of prospects from South America, Asia, India and Africa spent much of 2017.

Arguably their most promising talent at the moment is a big man from Cameroon, Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, who only started playing basketball in 2015. We first watched Tchamwa Tchatchoua in February at the NBA Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in New Orleans during All-Star Weekend. We were amazed to see the progress he made in just six months, as he completely reconstructed his shooting mechanics (making 3-pointers impressively in warmups and even one in-game), and showed better hands and much softer touch around the basket.

He mentioned that the goal at the NBA Academy is to take at least 4,000 shots per week, of which he tries to make at least 2,500. That hasn't translated fully to game settings yet, as his production was up and down at the event -- not entirely surprising considering he has barely played in any organized 5-on-5 contests in his short basketball career

JTT, as he's affectionately called, impressed nevertheless with his tremendous physical tools. He has a 7-2½ wingspan, tree trunks for legs and impressive athleticism, being quick off his feet, a menace running the floor in transition and powerful with his finishes thanks to his 38-inch vertical leap. He sets bruising screens, showed the ability to switch onto guards, contains big men in the post with his strength and is a monster on the glass. Best of all, his intangibles appear to be off the charts, as he immediately established himself as the team's translator, leader and hardest worker, asking the many coaches in attendance for extra instruction and the chance to get shots up before and after practices.

Graduating high school in December 2018 in Australia, JTT told us after a game that he's planning on going to college in 2019 (possibly in January), and his improved grades and English may even land him a scholarship with an elite-level academic school. He appears to be the perfect case study for the NBA Global Academy and its future.