The Adidas Nations event kicked things off in Garden Grove, California today. A lot of high-profiled recruits were in attendance, and the media and scouts were impressed with the intense efforts during the morning sessions.
I watched three of Arizona's 2016 targets in the morning workouts.
Dennis Smith: He is a fearless attacker. He has no issues challenging bigger and stronger defenders at the rim, the best part is that he finishes through contact. The fifth ranked guard showed a little bit of everything in the morning session. He was knocking down jump-shots from different spots on the floor, he was finding his bigs on the pick and roll and he was connecting on several alley-oops to five-star center, Thon Maker. The North Carolina native had a lot of scouts in awe of his blazing speed and quick crossovers. After the morning session ended, Smith told me that Duke and NC State are pushing hard for him right now. When I asked him about any activity coming from the Arizona Wildcats, he laughed and jokingly told me that he heard that Arizona offered him, but he wasn't sure -- he plans to take an official visit to the campus sometime next year, though.
Thon Maker: "Thon Maker has to be the consensus number one player in the 2016 class." An NBA scout told me this, and Maker backed up the high praises. He works on both ends of the floor and is a serious threat in transition. Granted, the five-star center's frame is thin, but his strength is underrated. He was having no trouble defending bigger power forwards and centers in the morning workouts. Maker impressed in every station this morning. He was not available for an interview following his workout, but one of the event instructors said his focus and motivation come from people doubting he isn't the best player in 2016's class.
De'Ron Davis: The four-star power forward went down with an ankle injury early and was not able to return. Prior to his injury, Davis looked sharp defensively and was making all the right rotations.
Joseph Duruaku
Staff Writer, GOAZCATS.com
joseph@goazcats.com
Follow Joseph on Twitter
I watched three of Arizona's 2016 targets in the morning workouts.
Dennis Smith: He is a fearless attacker. He has no issues challenging bigger and stronger defenders at the rim, the best part is that he finishes through contact. The fifth ranked guard showed a little bit of everything in the morning session. He was knocking down jump-shots from different spots on the floor, he was finding his bigs on the pick and roll and he was connecting on several alley-oops to five-star center, Thon Maker. The North Carolina native had a lot of scouts in awe of his blazing speed and quick crossovers. After the morning session ended, Smith told me that Duke and NC State are pushing hard for him right now. When I asked him about any activity coming from the Arizona Wildcats, he laughed and jokingly told me that he heard that Arizona offered him, but he wasn't sure -- he plans to take an official visit to the campus sometime next year, though.
Thon Maker: "Thon Maker has to be the consensus number one player in the 2016 class." An NBA scout told me this, and Maker backed up the high praises. He works on both ends of the floor and is a serious threat in transition. Granted, the five-star center's frame is thin, but his strength is underrated. He was having no trouble defending bigger power forwards and centers in the morning workouts. Maker impressed in every station this morning. He was not available for an interview following his workout, but one of the event instructors said his focus and motivation come from people doubting he isn't the best player in 2016's class.
De'Ron Davis: The four-star power forward went down with an ankle injury early and was not able to return. Prior to his injury, Davis looked sharp defensively and was making all the right rotations.
Joseph Duruaku
Staff Writer, GOAZCATS.com
joseph@goazcats.com
Follow Joseph on Twitter
