Nike EYBL Session 1
For those of you who don’t know what the EYBL is, it stands for Elite Youth Basketball and is a league of 40 of the best AAU programs in the country, all sponsored by Nike. Under Armor has the UAA, Adidas has the Adidas Gauntlet, and Nike has the EYBL.
Typically the EYBL has the most talent, and that is certainly the case this year. Players like Michael Porter, Trae Young, Marvin Bagley, Tyger Campbell and other stars made it the place to be this weekend. Also, the fact that the top college basketball coaches were all in the building sitting court side, it was quite the site. I had a chance to talk to some of the coaches like Bill Self (Kansas), Shaka Smart (Texas), John Calipari (Kentucky) and Jeff Capel (Top assistant at Duke). All of the coaches were very nice and were there for the same reason as the spectators, to watch the stars of tomorrow. I was only able to see some of the morning games, but I saw some of the best players in the high school game today:
Trae Young (Mokan Elite)
Many people believe Trey Duval is the best point guard in the 2017 class, but while Duval was playing just a couple miles down the road at the UAA, Young was doing his thing for Mokan. Young might be the best straight up scorer in this class,while being a very good distributor. This kid put on a show all weekend, definitely keep an eye out for him in the future.
Michael Porter (Mokan Elite)
Yes, another top prospect from Mokan Elite. The Mokan team will be very dangerous and a serious contender for the Peach Jam title. Porter backed up the hype when he was still getting buckets without his shot falling, then it was game over after he hit the first jumper. Porter does it all and will always be a force wherever he plays.
Tyger Campbell (WACG All-Stars)
For those who are unfamiliar with WACG, the organization has been an AAU powerhouse at 14U and all the ages below for many years. They have won many national championships and appeared in tons of Final Fours over the years at the AAU nationals, but the organization was able to step their game up to the next level by joining the Nike EYBL. Led by one of the top freshman in the country, Tyger Campbell, WACG is a young but dangerous team on the circuit. Campbell is true point guard bread, he always knows when to push the ball, when to slow it down, when to attack and when to pull it out. The 2019 point guard is a name to remember and the talented and poised point guard is quickly becoming a house hold name.
Marvin Bagley (Phoenix Phamily)
The hype about Bagley was unreal coming into the event and he did more than back it up. Unlike most players, he played the whole game with the same intensity as displayed on his 3 minute mixtape–athletic dunks, polished post moves and pull up three’s, from a 6’11” big man. Many say Bagley is the next one to really change the game (LeBron, Curry) and after what I saw this weekend, I can’t knock that. This kid is truly unreal.
Chris Lykes (Team Takeover)
This kid is the definition of heart over height since Lykes stands at just 5’7″. But, Lykes is more than just an impact player on the floor, he’s a star.
Everything that the DMV area takes for granted from Lykes was put on full display this past weekend. He does it all on both ends, a scrappy defender on defense, and a tight handle, a deadly explosiveness and
pull up jumper. Lykes won WCAC player of the year this past season. Keep in mind the DMV is home to 5-stars like Markelle Fultz, DJ Harvey and VJ King, not to mention 4-star Maryland commit, Anthony Cowan. Also, this weekend Lykes picked up a big offer from UVA and I’m sure his performance at the Peach Jam sealed the deal.
As you can see, the courts in Brooklyn were filled with tremendous talent. I’m sure the numerous coaches and scouts were very pleased with what they saw. Remember the names above and expect to see these 16,17 and 18 year olds joining the top programs in the country in the years to come.