Scranton, Pennsylvania was my destination over the weekend at the KYDA Invitational. The field was absolutely loaded, with several shoe-sponsored clubs taking the court featuring several Michigan offers/targets. 

In the first of three updates coming this week, we'll touch on the wings today.

 

Offer Cam Whitmore Now

Prior to the weekend I exchanged texts with a coach from a prominent prep school and Cam Whitmore was my reply when asked my preference for realistic wings (assuming no Jarace Walker) in 2022. And let me tell you, my stance was absolutely solidified based on the on-court performance over the weekend. 

It takes all of 5 seconds to see Whitmore is an elite athlete, but he's a lot more than that. Cam knocked down triples at a nice clip, hitting 4/11 during the three games I took in. He probably connected on 50% of his catch-and-shoot threes, which is likely the variety of three he'll take at the college level. He has a high release point, great arch and nice rotation on his shot. While he did connect on one pull-up triple, his percentage took a noticeable decline on those shot types, which is the case for most any prospect in the country. 

I really liked his ability as a passer/playmaker for others as a secondary shot-creator. On several occasions, he was able to force help-defense with dribble penetration and make the proper read + accurate kickout to the corner shooter. In transition, Cam thrived as a grab-and-go type that punished the defense after collecting defensive rebounds. The pass at the :22 second mark in the clip above is just plain filthy. Fitting a bounce-pass in that tight of window with zip was an eye-popper for sure. 

About that athleticism though. There are good/great athletes as projected at the college level and then there's this. Whitmore is an NBA-caliber athlete with elite quick-twitch explosiveness as a leaper, nice first-step acceleration and above average agility in a college ready frame. In all my years as an evaluator, I don't know that I've ever seen a HS prospect prevented from dunking because he was so high in the air that following through with the dunk attempt would've likely resulted in injury. Take a look at the clip below - I slowed it down and froze at the relevant moment. Cam is literally prevented from dunking because his head/face hits the backboard and he can no longer see. Even with his arms bent/clearly not extended, the ball is near the top of the square on the backboard. This is a 98-99th percentile athlete that is electrifying. That was a "wow moment" for me, and I don't have many of those. 

While Team Melo (Nike EYBL) plays him as a wing/forward, there were flashes of ballhandling that suggest he may have a future as more of an on-ball option in the future. This possession below stood out in that regard. Whitmore changes direction/speed twice in a tight space with impressive burst to place the defense in scramble mode and it eventually lead to a made three. That sort of ballhandling + spatial awareness simply cannot be taught. You either have it or you don't. 

As of now, Cam would be number 2 on my wings board, slightly behind Jarace Walker (more on him below). Conservatively, I would rank him in the top 25-50 range overall right now pending more live evaluations. Whitmore is clearly a tier (or two) above prospects such as Ty Rodgers, Colin Smith, AJ Casey and Gregg Glenn. Mainstreams ranking him in the 100-115 range is pure insanity. At worst, this a top-50 prospect in 2022.

Whitmore attends Archbishop Spaulding in the DMV-area, where assistant coach Phil Martelli has heavy connections. He's also a high-academic kid, with Notre Dame and Wake Forest both extending offers in the last two weeks. 

Speaking with Cam in Scranton, Michigan has picked up the interest/contact level since viewing him at the Team Final event via livestream a few weeks ago. After seeing him live this weekend, it's easy to see why. This seems like a no-brainer for Michigan. A superb talent from friendly grounds with a good academic resume at a position of need. If Greg Glenn doesn't get on board soon, Cam should be a Plan A priority for the staff. 

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of your wingmen]

 

Jarace Walker

5-star wing Jarace Walker put together another solid performance. In addition to the prototype frame + great athleticism, his ability as a passer is what makes him a special talent. The vision was on full display as he shifted the defense with his eyes to open passing windows before dropping precision dimes for easy buckets. Whether its against a set defense in the half-court or in the open court, Jarace is the epitome of a point-forward that creates easy buckets for others. 

The new wrinkle that I liked from Walker was his ability as a roll-man. Team Thrill used him more as a screener in pick-and-roll situations, allowing him to get the ball on the move with a head of steam. He's an outstanding leaper, so him finishing with explosion at the rim in those situations comes as no surprise. 

While his offensive game and athleticism are the facets that make him a top-15 prospect, his defensive prowess may have been the most impressive thing about his game over the weekend. Jarace took on the challenge of defending number-one overall prospect Jalen Duren and had some success. 

There may be five HS prospects in America capable of bumping Duren off his spot in the paint. Jarace Walker is one those five. Walker was able to do just that on a handful of possessions and forced Duren to take a few turnaround jumpers. And while Jalen has a three inch height advantage, Jarace's length allowed him to contest and force misses. Walker was great as rim protector erasing would-be layups and turning those into transition points for teammates.

And while he once again struggled with his perimeter shot, Walker's versatility on both ends of the court makes him the top priority at the wing position. He's going to be an instant-impact player in college should he choose that route. I'm starting to come around on him as a small-ball C in brief stints at the next level based on what I saw from him as a roll-man and post defender. 

I noticed Walker getting some attention from the trainers at the facility prior to each game. It was clear he has some sort of leg/ankle issue. I spoke with Walker briefly in Scranton and he confirmed he has a lingering leg/ankle issue that has plagued him for months now. This may be a factor with his jumper but he didn't use that as an excuse. He simply said he needs to shoot the ball at a better clip. 

Nothing has changed on the recruiting front, Michigan is one of three programs tentatively scheduled to get a visit once the dead period is lifted as detailed last week. 

 

Colin Smith

4-star Colin Smith had a strong outing at the Exposure Breakout as versatile forward capable of hitting perimeter shots and defending a few different positions. 

Rivals liked that and his physicality on the interior in their assessment of that event:

"Smith stepped up in a big way for Southern Assault in its win over We All Can Go. Normally known for his ability to stretch defenses with his shot, which he did here as well, Smith had several really nice finishes at the rim as well and fought tough on the boards. He reminded a little bit of former Texas A&M standout D.J. Hogg."

Smith remains heavily pursued by Michigan, as the staff is in contact weekly. Colin has already taken three visits to Michigan, so don't anticipate an official visit to Ann Arbor. The Dallas-native is comfortable with his feel for campus. 

The Meanstreets Duo

4-star forwards Ty Rodgers and AJ Casey both suited up for Nike-sponsored Meanstreets at the Run-N-Slam in Fort Wayne over the weekend. And while the competition level wasn't necessarily as high as the Scranton event, it appears both turned in solid performances in a championship weekend for Meanstreets. 

247's evaluation of Rodgers from the weekend is similar to my own, while noting his production and Michigan's pursuit. 

"From Michigan, Rodgers is a four-star forward who simply gets things done. Don’t worry about whether or not he’s a four or a three, just put this guy on the floor and let his willingness to do the dirty work, at the rim finishing, athleticism and defensive versatility make things happen. He mentioned that head coaches from Houston, Michigan, Minnesota and Syracuse among others are paying him personal attention."

Casey reiterated his intentions to take a visit to Ann Arbor with 247:
 

Right now, I haven’t scheduled any visits,” Casey said. “I know June 1 we can start, but I haven’t scheduled any visits yet. I definitely will take some official visits soon. Michigan definitely is going to get one.

 

It sounds as if Michigan is at, or near, the top of the list for AJ Casey based on recent interviews. 

Noah Batchelor

Top-100 wing Noah Batchelor continues to impress as big wing with a great outside stroke. He flashes occasional ability to hit pull-ups, but his development has remained relatively stagnant over the last year. He's a Plan C type for the staff and I concur with his placement on the board.