Scouting Team USA: Early races for future NBA draft classes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- After scouting the top prospects across future NBA draft classes at this year's USA Basketball junior team minicamp, here are our biggest takeaways -- including the race for the 2020 No. 1 draft pick and a budding star who could usher in the end of one-and-done.

Who is No. 1 in 2019?

As we prepare our very first 2020 mock draft, one of the big questions we had going into this weekend revolved around the top of the 2019 high school class. Unfortunately, many of the top prospects sat out most of the camp or declined to participate altogether, far more than we've seen in past years.

Here's what we saw from the current contenders for No. 1:

James Wiseman

The consensus No. 1 prospect at the moment, Wiseman played in the first session on Friday but sat out the following four with an injury after getting manhandled by the ultra-productive and competitive Isaiah Stewart. Wiseman has all the tools you look for long term, standing 7-foot-1 with a perfectly proportioned 237-pound frame, a 7-foot-6 wingspan and impressive athletic ability. He runs the floor exceptionally, finishes around the basket automatically and displays skill inside the paint with his footwork and touch. Unfortunately, he's still much more prospect than player at the moment, as he doesn't know how to consistently use his tools on either end of the floor and often gets criticized for his lack of productivity and intensity.

Wiseman has average fundamentals and feel. He doesn't always demonstrate the type of aggressiveness or grit you'd like to see from someone with his talent. With the declining value NBA teams are placing on big men -- especially those who don't pass, shoot 3s or block shots consistently -- there are real questions about him being No. 1-pick caliber, but the lack of attractive alternatives will likely keep him there in the short term.

The buzz in Colorado Springs is that his former high school coach, Penny Hardaway, is in pole position to land his commitment at Memphis.

Cole Anthony

The No. 2 player in the ESPN 100, Anthony elected to schedule his SAT exam for this weekend. Despite arriving on Saturday, he declined to participate in either session on Sunday.

An explosive athlete with a real competitive streak, Anthony rose to the top of his class with an extremely productive spring and summer on the EYBL circuit, looking not all that dissimilar to Collin Sexton at the same age. He put up dominant numbers (27 PPG, 7 RPG) but was inefficient offensively, finishing with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio and leading his team to a disappointing sub-500 record. After an average showing at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship, Anthony could have answered some questions in Colorado Springs about his perimeter shooting, feel for the game and ability to play winning basketball.

We'll have to wait and continue to gather information in his senior year (he transferred to Oak Hill) and his likely lone season in college (he's still undecided) to draw more definitive conclusions about the extent of his NBA upside. His scoring instincts, alpha-dog mindset and willingness to work on the defensive end will certainly keep his name high on draft boards.

Vernon Carey

Carey (No. 3 in the ESPN 100) seemingly looks less and less attractive as an NBA prospect every time we scout him. He has worked hard to get into better shape after ballooning up to almost 280 pounds this summer, but he still lags in the way of defensive versatility with his lack of length, rim-protection prowess and agility in space. He seemed intent on showing his face-up ability at this camp, settling for jump shot after jump shot, with mostly mixed results.

Carey will unquestionably be an offensive force at the college level, as he's arguably the most polished and skilled big man in the class, but it's not clear at all if he's what the modern NBA is looking for.

Isaiah Stewart

There are a number of contenders looking to propel themselves into the conversation for the top player in the class, some of whom had very strong showings here, including Stewart (ranked No. 4).

He handily won his head-to-head matchup with Wiseman on Friday and continues to win scouts over with his trimmed frame, tremendous competitiveness and improved skill level and athleticism. He was the only top prospect to not skip a single session -- despite battling outright exhaustion by the end of the weekend. He's passing and shooting the ball as well as he ever has, and he has even shown some flashes of being able to switch on pick-and-rolls and slide his feet on the perimeter. There isn't a harder-working player in high school basketball, and there is little doubt he would be top choice if you asked college coaches to pick a player to have on their roster for a season or two.

Stewart isn't blessed with elite height for a center, standing just 6-foot-9 in shoes, and he's not the most fluid or agile athlete. His massive 7-foot-4 wingspan, elite work ethic and toughness should help, even if he projects as more of a terrific role player than a star who can carry a team offensively or anchor a defense. Continuing to improve his shooting ability will certainly help his cause, and he showed some interesting flashes in that area this weekend.

Jaden McDaniels

McDaniels (ranked No. 5) emerged as another potential candidate for consideration as the top long-term prospect in the class this spring and summer with an impressive showing on the Nike EYBL circuit with Seattle Rotary Style. McDaniels is a unique combo-forward prospect because of his size (6-foot-11 in shoes), fluidity, scoring instincts, multipositional defensive versatility and aggressiveness. He has strong ballhandling skills for a player his height, looking at his best when pushing the ball off the defensive glass and using his long strides, polished footwork and ability to change speeds to get to the rim. His jump shot is still very streaky, but it shows potential, and he's tough defensively, unafraid to throw his body around and embrace contact, particularly on the glass.

McDaniels didn't have a dominant weekend by any stretch, at times struggling to pick his spots and not being overly efficient with his shot selection and decision making. He appears to be at an earlier stage in his development than most players in his class, and there is some projection involved with envisioning how his game will evolve once he's able to put some weight on his frame, improve his basketball IQ through better coaching and gain confidence in his unique versatility on both ends of the floor. -- Givony

Two-way competitors shine

While the top of the 2019 class remains wide open, there's a common theme among prospects who are climbing the rankings and should quickly earn fans in NBA front offices: two-way competitors with positional fit.

Explosive, long-armed 2019 wings Scottie Lewis and Kahlil Whitney led the charge, with 17-year-old do-it-all forward Scottie Barnes putting his imprint on the 2020 class.

The 6-foot-5, 18-year-old Lewis -- who recently committed to Florida -- is a next-level athlete who plays with a relentless motor, using his quickness and 6-foot-11 wingspan to check multiple positions and wreak havoc in transition. A rigid ballhandler and sometimes shaky decision maker, Lewis is making strides as a spot-up shooter (career 33.3 percent) and adds value as a cutter, slasher and offensive rebounder when his jumper isn't falling.

Lewis has taken baby steps in his development each time we've evaluated him, a testament to his approach to the game. Whether he's playing above the rim, taking on defense or handing out waters to his teammates on the bench, Lewis is the type of high-intangible, competitive prospect NBA teams will want to invest in long term, even if he doesn't project as a high-level shot creator.

Whitney, a 2019 Kentucky commit, has a physical profile built for the NBA at 6-foot-6 with a shredded frame, a near 7-foot wingspan and plus athleticism. The 17-year-old compares favorably to Jason Richardson physically. Given his NBA body, length and extreme competitiveness, Whitney has the tools and mentality to check four positions in the SEC and likely at least three in the NBA. He plays in a stance, gets through screens and makes plays off the ball. Offensively, Whitney plays a simple game, getting out in transition, knocking down spot 3s with time and space, rising into pull-ups or attacking the rim in a straight line. Like Lewis, he struggles to put the ball on the deck and isn't the savviest facilitator, but Whitney has scoring instincts and an affinity for making shots when the lights come on. He impacts the game in a variety of ways already and still has so much more room to polish his game, giving him a great combination of floor and ceiling.

Then there's Barnes, the most unique of the trio. He has elite physical tools at 6-foot-8 with a monster 210-pound frame, 7-foot-2 wingspan and a near 9-foot standing reach, comparing to prospects such as Al-Farouq Aminu and Jerami Grant. The Florida native loves to get after it on the defensive end, guarding nearly all five positions and flying around for blocks, steals and rebounds. Barnes battled through a knee injury, playing all three days while bringing a level of intensity the camp was lacking at times. Players gravitate toward his joyful nature, and NBA scouts are sure to fall in love with his mentality.

However, he's a non-shooter who doesn't show much potential to improve at this stage, with side spin and unconventional shooting mechanics. He also lacks a degree of pop as a leaper, relying more on his size and length than sheer athleticism. His lack of shooting hampers his upside a bit, but Barnes is an excellent ball handler and passer, which allows him to space the floor with his playmaking, even operating as a facilitating 4/5 in the future. Barnes looks the part of a high-floor, future lottery pick once the 2021 draft rolls around.

Tennessee-bound Josiah James and Duke commit Wendell Moore are also prospects to keep an eye on in this mold. James is a strong-framed, 6-foot-6 playmaking wing with feel, toughness and defensive versatility. Moore -- who stands 6-foot-5, 215 pounds with a 6-foot-11 wingspan -- defends with physicality, knows how to play and is improving as a shooter. -- Schmitz

Question marks atop 2020 class

Similar conversations around the lack of top-end talent in the 2019 class were had about the 2020 group of high school juniors, which should make up the bulk of the 2021 NBA draft lottery. It didn't help that two of the top five prospects according to the ESPN 60 -- Jalen Johnson and Anthony Edwards -- weren't in attendance, while No. 2 ranked Jalen Green participated in only the first of five sessions.

No. 1-ranked Evan Mobley was in the building and a full participant, giving us ample opportunity to evaluate him after an extensive viewing this summer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Argentina. Mobley appears to be inching closer to 7 feet, with a massive 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot standing reach, even if his lanky, 192-pound frame still has a long ways to fill out. He's a rangy athlete who is quick off his feet and covers ground exceptionally well, utilizing polished footwork and terrific touch in the post, plus excellent instincts getting on the glass and rotating for blocks. He's creative with his finishes and shows potential shooting the ball from the perimeter and solid passing, as well.

The biggest questions revolve around his extremely narrow frame and high center of gravity, which makes him a target for stronger, more physical players in the post and renders him fairly upright on the perimeter defensively. He's not the most assertive player around, lacking a degree of aggressiveness and toughness at times. Mobley is on a different development curve than most, as a late bloomer with exceptional natural talent, so it's fair to be patient with him. He's technically old enough to be eligible for the 2020 draft should he choose to reclassify.

Other contenders for consideration as top prospects in the class who participated in this camp include the likes of Scottie Barnes, B.J. Boston, Greg Brown and Terrence Clarke.

Boston looks the part physically and then some, standing 6-foot-6 in shoes with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, an intriguing frame and tremendous fluidity athletically. He had some outstanding moments gliding up the court and using polished footwork to cover ground to either get into his smooth pull-up or make his way to the rim for creative finishes. While his release is on the low side, he has excellent natural touch and made quite a few tough jumpers. He gets in the passing lanes prolifically but is still figuring out how to bring consistent intensity defensively, and he has quite a bit of work to do on his lanky frame, getting knocked off-balance fairly regularly. Boston is far from a finished product but unquestionably has significant upside to tap into long term.

Brown might be the best athlete of any of the 86 players to suit up this weekend, as he has added some height and bulk, grown into his frame and found an extra gear of explosiveness that led to some highlight reel moments. His feel and overall skill level remain a work in progress, but he showed a quick first step and dropped in just enough jumpers to indicate that his shot is far from broke. Brown has tremendous potential defensively, as well, having the size to contain most big men and the quickness to stay in front of guards. It will be interesting to see if he can continue to improve his instincts the way someone such as Aaron Gordon did over time.

Terrence Clarke is a 2021 prospect at the moment but could elect to rejoin his original 2020 high school class. He played with the older group of prospects (juniors and seniors) exclusively this weekend and looked very comfortable doing so, showing that he would be just as highly regarded if he indeed decided to reclassify before he graduates and enters college. Clarke has a tremendous physical profile for a wing with great size, long arms and a terrific frame, and he's a smooth and fluid athlete to match. He is equally comfortable shooting the ball off the dribble as he is with his feet set, and he showed significant potential with the ball in his hands, as well, changing speeds instinctually and finding the open man on a consistent basis. He has a very mature approach to his game and the type of basketball IQ you like to see from someone who just turned 17. -- Givony

Emoni Bates headlines likely first crop of prospects post-one-and-done era

With the 2022 NBA draft potentially featuring high schoolers for the first time since 2005, evaluating the camp's youngest class held a little more importance than usual, and 14-year-old forward Emoni Bates looks like the ideal prospect to end the one-and-done era with a bang.

The 6-foot-8 Bates turned heads all weekend, looking the part of a potential future No. 1 pick. Although you never want to jump the gun on a player so young, Bates appears to be the rare exception. A head-at-the-rim athlete with the agility of a wing and handle of a guard, Bates was also the camp's best shooter, cashing contested pull-up 3s with such fluidity and confidence that it was hard not to liken him to a young Kevin Durant. The majority of lean wing prospects model their games after Durant, but Bates -- who averaged 40 PPG as a seventh-grader and skipped his eighth-grade season to train -- has the talent to back it up.

Doesn't take long for 2022 forward Emoni Bates to stand out. Super fluid, bouncy 6'8 forward with a picture perfect stroke. Looking forward to watching him more in a 5-on-5 setting. pic.twitter.com/Sl3fmim4RR

- Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) October 5, 2018

"We're both skinny, lanky, we can both score," Bates said of Durant. "We're skinny, but we're wiry strong."

The Michigan native also has a sound feel for the game and went through drills with energy and personality. He came into the camp as the top eighth-grader in the nation, already with an AAU team to his name (Bates Fundamentals), with several class of 2022 prospects whispering "overrated" amongst themselves, some even challenging Bates on social media. Bates answered the call in a big way, shining as the top long-term prospect regardless of age.

NBA teams -- which weren't allowed to scout this event -- will undoubtedly start doing their homework on Bates, as he showed flashes of franchise-changing potential. Of course, a lot can change between now and the 2022 draft. We've seen highly touted young prospects fail to live up to expectations time and time again. Allonzo Trier was billed as the top 13-year-old in the country. He spent three years in college and went undrafted last June.

The attention that comes along with being as talented as Bates could change even the mentally strongest teenage phenoms, which is a big reason why we often wait to dive too deep into players this age. But Bates is simply too talented to ignore. -- Schmitz

Five 2021-2022 standouts

• Max Christie (2021, 6-5, SG): One of the more intriguing long-term guard prospects here, Christie impressed with his smooth shooting stroke, fluid athleticism and physical potential. He sports a picturesque catch-and-shoot 3-ball with excellent shot preparation and touch. Christie can stand to get tougher defensively and as a finisher, but he has an excellent combination of skills, tools and mentality.

• Patrick Baldwin (2021, 6-8, PF): The 15-year-old forward caught our eye thanks to his natural size and shooting stroke at 6-foot-8. With strong legs and impressive agility, Baldwin has excellent size for a modern big man yet the skill set of a perimeter player.

• Paolo Banchero (2021, 6-9, PF/C): Banchero shined thanks to his physical style and overall feel for the game. He competes on the glass, plays through contact and has touch in the paint while also showing potential as a shooter. With average length and not much room to develop physically, Banchero's traditional upside might be a bit limited, but he's a high-floor prospect likely to maximize his potential.

• Jalen Duren (2022, 6-8, C): With outstanding length, a strong yet projectable frame, solid agility and an excellent motor, Duren proved to be one of the most intriguing long-term big man prospects at the camp. He is still at a very early stage of development physically, and he trips over his huge feet at times, but he has the energy level you like to see from a young big. Duren also sports sound shooting mechanics and a decent feel for the game.

• Dariq Whitehead (2022, 6-6, G): The youngest player at the camp, Whitehead was also the best all-around athlete. He is dynamic in transition, can make a spot 3 despite a slow release and plays with considerable swagger for his age. His skill set could use polish, but he holds tremendous upside. -- Schmitz