2023 NY2LA Spring Extravaganza featured a deep and talented field of prospects. Stay tuned for additonal scouting and coverage from session one of the 2023 NY2LA Basketball Association.
2024 G/F 6’6 Stoney Hadnot - Team Temple 17U
Stoney Hadnot is a prospect I had been hearing a lot of buzz about and he did not disappoint in first live viewings with Team Temple. At 6’6, Hadnot is an explosive wing who was unstoppable in transition putting down highlight dunks throughout the event. He has good length and anticipation to play passing lanes defensively and has a quick second jump to attack the glass for boards. Hadnot could be one of the biggest stock boosters of the Spring if he continues this level of play in Louisville and I expect multiple D1 schools to jump into his recruitment in the next couple of weeks.
2024 PG 6’3 Dekwon Brown - Denard Bros Pro 17U
Dekwon Brown checks all the boxes for a high level point guard. Good size at 6’3, tight handle and quickness to get by defenders, athletic to play above the rim, picks up full court defensively, makes good reads playing in ball screen actions, and is a consistent vocal leader for his Denard Bros team. Impressive first session for Dekwon Brown all around, he is the type of prospect you win a lot of games with at the college level. Brown picked up an offer from Radford on Sunday night and should see his list grow during the second live period.
2024 G/F 6’5 TK Lawson - Houston Superstars 17U
TK Lawson was a breakout performer at Spring Extravaganza, and a major part of Houston Superstars undefeated weekend. Lawson is a 6’5 wing with length and athleticism, and was one of the top wing defenders I watched in the event. He was aggressive attacking the basket where he can finish in traffic and also has a nice stroke at the FT line when drawing fouls. Lawson put down some big time dunks in transition and plays with a competitive edge which is fun to watch. With his physical tools and winning mindset, expect Lawson’s recruitment to be a hot one for mid major schools around the country.
2024 F 6’6 Kavien Jones - Team Mookie Betts 17U
No player in Indy played with a higher motor than Kavien Jones of Team Mookie Betts. At 6’6, Jones is an undersized 4, but makes up for lack of height with physicality, athleticism, length and work ethic. Jones finished through contact with either hand around the basket, showed rim protecting prowess with big time blocks, and flashed a face up game knocking down a couple of jump shots. Maybe my favorite prospect to watch from a pure competitive standpoint, Jones does so many small things that impact winning for his team.
2023 SG 6’5 Jaxon Olvera - Team Temple 17U
Jaxon Olvera was the best pure scorer I watched over the weekend. He is a knockdown shooter with deep range, has good shot prep in catch and shoot situations, and gets to his spots off the dribble where he has a nice midrange pull up game. Olvera showed improved athleticism, finishing above the rim and harassing ball handlers defensively. One of the top available unsigned seniors left in the 2023 class, Olvera should be a hot name for coaches needing to add a versatile offensive threat to their team with is combination of skillset and positional size.
2024 G/F 6’6 Tiernan Stynes - Recruiting Boost Australia 17U
Tiernan Stynes is an intriguing wing prospect out of Australia who had an impressive weekend in Indy with Recruiting Boost Australia. Stynes has legit size on the wing at 6’6 and can really shoot it, capping off his weekend with a 27 point scoring effort in which he made 5 threes. Stynes showed some ability to slash to the rim off the dribble and has nice touch around the basket, hitting some floaters and midrange jumpers. He picked an offer from D2 Quincy University on Saturday and should see his recruitment continue to expand.
2024 G/F 6’5 Nolan Minessale - Chapman Basketball Academy 17U
Nolan Minessale was one of a few prospects who had big weekends in Indy for Chapman 17s, as they finished session one undefeated at 4-0. Minessale is an athletic wing who is at his best getting downhill to the rim and running the floor in transition. Minessale has functional athleticism and is efficient with his movements, using long strides to cover ground and get paint touches. He plays with a team first mentality, shares the basketball and uses his length defensively to pressure ball handlers and play passing lanes. The last piece for Minessale is to become a consistent shooter, but he is a prospect D2s should be all over and low to mid major D1s should be monitoring closely.