20 MUST WATCH TALENTS AT THE 2014 NY2LA SPORTS SUMMER JAM

The annual NY2LA Sports Summer Jam is filled with a ridiculous amount of talent once again with some of the top and even the top players in various respective classes set to hit the hardwood at what has become one of the premier national events in the country each and every year. Here’s a quick look at 20 must watch players set to attend this weekend’s tournament in Wisconsin…

(Note – This is not an exclusive list)

Deng Adel – 6-7 – SF – Florida Elite – 2015
Adel recently committed to the University of Louisville. He is an athletic wing with a high ceiling for his game. He thrives in the open court, but he also can play in the half court. Adel's game has made strides over the course of the spring.

Paris Austin – 5-11 – PG – Dream Vision - 2015
Austin is a quick, strong point guard with the ability to put points on the board in a hurry. He is considered a top 150 recruit in the nation by many. Florida State offered Austin in the spring. He will be running the Dream Vision show in Milwaukee this week.

Victor Bailey – 6-3 – SG – Texas Select – 2017
Talented young guard that plays on the 17 and under circuit. He is mostly a slasher right now, but he is also a good outside shooter. Bailey is a lefty that has had some big games for Texas Select on the adidas Uprising circuit. Both of his parents were elite athletes, so he has the genes to be a star in the future.

Braxton Blackwell – 6-8 – SF – Atlanta Celtics – 2016
One of the top recruits in the 2016 class. He has a long list of scholarship offers. A few programs that have offer Blackwell include Florida, Indiana, Memphis, N.C. State and Vanderbilt. At 6-foot-8, he has great versatility to his game. He has the ability to defend guards with his size and quickness.

Levi Bradley – 6-7 – SF – Wisconsin United - 2015
A long lean talent with versatility, Bradley at his best can be a matchup problem who can score inside and outside. He has the ability to slash to the rim for baskets and finish in transition with strong results. Mix in a perimeter stroke that extends beyond the arc and he’s an intriguing prospect who could see his stock elevate with a strong performance this week.

John Collins – 6-9 – PF – Florida Flash – 2015
Collins is a prospect on the rise. He has scholarship offers from Georgia, Kansas State, Maryland, Memphis and Texas to name a few. Collins is a skilled forward that performs at a high level. He has a strong team around him on the Florida Flash as well, so he does not have to dominate each game.

Kaiser Gates – 6-8 – F – Atlanta Celtics – 2015
Gates is a combo forward that likes to play on the perimeter offensively. He loves to stretch the defense with his outside shooting. He is also a good enough athlete to get to the basket off the dribble. He causes many mismatches with his size, skill set and athleticism. Gates is being pursued by a number of schools including Missouri, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Vanderbilt and Wichita State.

Matt Heldt – 6-10 – PF – Milwaukee Spartans – 2015
Heldt was fantastic at the NY2LA Sports Next Level Invitational. His outside shooting has elevated to a new level. He was automatic in catch and shoot situations from beyond the three-point line. Heldt is not a post player that just likes to float around on the perimeter though. He will mix it up inside. He is a very good shot blocker. Heldt runs the floor really well. He also has good hands which allows him to be valuable in a number of areas on the floor.

Damontrae Jefferson – 5-7 – PG – Milwaukee Rebels – 2015
Jefferson is one of the most explosive players in the country. He reminds me of NBA player Nate Robinson because of his size, athleticism and energy. Jefferson flies around the court like a video game character. Despite being well under 6-foot, Jefferson will finish above the rim as well. He is a good outside shooter as well.

Chase Jeter – 6-10 – PF – Dream Vision – 2015
Jeter has made huge strides with his game. He averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game in the adidas Uprising league. He is extremely skilled in the post. He uses either hand proficiently. Jeter will also hit the mid-range jumper consistently. Jeter has many of the elite programs in the nation pursuing him like Duke, Arizona, Kansas, Connecticut, Louisville and Oregon.

Luke Kennard – 6-5 – SG – King James Shooting Stars – 2015
Kennard is verbally committed to Duke University. He put up huge scoring numbers during the high school year. He was recruited by Kentucky and Ohio State among dozens of other programs. Kennard has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor with his deep shooting range and efficiency around the basket.

V.J. King – 6-7 – SG – King James Shooting Stars – 2016
King is one of the most gifted prospects in the 2016 class. He is a fantastic shooter with size and athleticism. He does not need space to knock down shots from the outside. King is a very good athlete that finishes well around the rim. King attends the same high school that LeBron James (St. Vincent St. Mary's) did. He is one of the top ranked players in the 2016 class.

Josh Langford – 6-6 – SG – Atlanta Celtics – 2016
Langford is a top 25 national recruit with offers from Connecticut, Indiana, Louisville, Memphis and LSU to name a few. Langford is an athletic wing with great size. He finishes through contact at a high level. He will set-up his teammates off the dribble as well. Langford is a great prospect.

Thon Maker – 7-0 – F – Team Loaded – 2016
Maker is a sensation in the grassroots basketball world. His highlight mixtapes get people buzzing like few other players. He is a 7-footer that showcases wing skills. He moves like a guard and can handle the ball in transition. Maker is being recruited by Duke, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisville to name a few colleges. He is debating a move to the 2015 class right now.

Jalon Miller – 6-10 – PF – Texas Select – 2015
Miller is the leader for Texas Select. He is a powerful post player that finishes well in the paint. Miller is tough to stop when he is focused on playing on the block. He is also a good rebounder. He has averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game in the adidas Uprising league.

Brevin Pritzl – 6-3 – SG – Wisconsin Playground Warriors – 2015
Pritzl is verbally committed to Wisconsin. He is making a case to being called the best shooter in the 2015 class. His shooting form has machine-like consistency. He is also a solid athlete. He will also handle the ball at times for his Wisconsin Playground Warriors team. I love his competitiveness.

Cody Schwartz – 6-8 – SF – Wisconsin Blizzard Pronschinske – 2015
Schwartz is a shooter with size. Because of his size, he is also very good in the post. He has a soft touch around the block. He's an average athlete, but he does a good job of taking advantage of defenses when they are out of position. Creighton is in a great position to get Schwartz. He also has offers from Marquette, Nebraska and Northern Iowa. Many other high major programs are showing interest in Schwartz right now.

Kobi Simmons – 6-5 – PG – Atlanta Celtics – 2016
Simmons is the definition of an elite athlete. His quickness off the dribble is unmatched. His ceiling is extremely high when you combine his athleticism and size. Simmons is likely the best open court player in the 2016 class. He has recently picked up scholarship offers from Kansas, Ohio State and N.C. State.

Dennis Smith Jr. - 6-3 – PG – Team Loaded-NC – 2016
Smith has been fantastic in the adidas league. He is averaging 19 points, 4.5 rebounds and over 5 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field. Smith has an incredible first step. His first move usually leaves the defender in his wake. Smith is also a solid shooter from the outside. He has established himself as one of the top point guards in the country for the 2016 class.

Tahjai Teague – 6-8 – SF – Eric Gordon Central Stars – 2015
The lanky Teague has improved his game immensely over the last year. His overall skill set has steadily increased. Teague is a major reason why the Eric Gordon Central Stars have done so well this year. He was recently offered a scholarship by Indiana State.

July 6-9, 2023

Victor Bailey

Class of 2017

6-3 SG

Round Rock McNeil

Austin, TX

NY2LASPORTS.COM Rank: 73

Braxton Blackwell

Class of 2016

6-7 SF

Christ Presbyterian

Nashville, TN