Conner James, 6’1, London Elite. A free-wheeling point guard with flair who established himself as the best passer in the division, bar none. His crafty ball-handling ability often gets him into unexpected spaces, constantly putting pressure on defences which he is able to pick apart with pin-point passing accuracy. He gets into the lane seemingly at will and has the composure to dictate decisions from inside the gut of the defence, which is a rare skill amongst guards who often shy away from living in the land of the bigs. While passing is his calling card, this Maltese International can also fill it up from outside and plays with a confidence you love to see steering your backcourt.
Hassan Kamaldeen, 6’4, Brent Panthers. ‘Hass’ is deceptively quick, most noticeably in the open court, where his electric pace leaves defenders chasing shadows. Cat-like quickness plus good length for his position and a developing shot out beyond the arc make this shooting guard an intriguing prospect for any coach who understands how to develop and nuture obvious natural talent. He has the ability to get to the rim at ease, but is still learning how to control his explosiveness around the basket, which should come in time. A streak shooter at this stage, but when he is ‘on’ he’s able to rack up points in a hurry. Still officially in ‘development’ mode, but has the potential to be special.
Solomon King, 6’3, Brent Panthers. King dominated the 14U division but at times was equally impressive in the 16U’s, establishing himself as the most consistently reliable ‘bucket’ for his Panthers squad. Still one of the most athletic players in the division, despite being one of the youngest, King was good for 1.2 dunks per game throughout the season and firmly established his game ‘above the rim’ in transition. His twisting drives down the lane became a staple ‘go to’ move for the emerging young star and kept teams on their heels unable to prevent the inevitable. Wingspan, stride length, agility, relentless ambition and a hunger to finish with force all bode well for this young wing’s future. Keep an eye on him.
Nathaniel Byfield, 6’2, Southwark Legends. Byfield is a player you might want to track if you’re looking for players who could break through at the next level. A rapidly developing wing who played with purpose for the talent-heavy Legends. The physical and technical improvement in his game from last season was remarkable and turned many heads in his direction in the 2022 season, and for good reason. He’s a guard with good length who can defend multiple positions but is fast developing into a ‘bucket’ in the traditional ‘2 guard’ mould. He can make a shot but isn’t yet a ‘shooter’. He can drive and score, but not quite yet a bonafide ‘slasher’. At times his game shows flashes of refinement and glimpses of potential pro potential (albeit in the distant future), that could make him the name we all look back and remember where we saw him first. This young Legend has potential.
Melchi Andre, 6’7, Southwark Legends. The younger brother of NCAA 1 Division 1 recruit Eduardo Andre who also dominated the lanes for the Legends before flying out to America. In time, expect a similar transition for this young big man. Just like his brother, Melchi is long and still growing. He hasn’t yet grown into his body and learnt how to take advantage of his soft hands and physical advantages around the basket, but it is coming. The eye test reigns supreme over gaudy stats at this stage, but his ceiling maybe higher than anyone else’s in his class. The ball is in his hands to take the next steps, but he has a clear runway to do so and all of the potential to fuel his flight.
