Brad Harris is a former professional basketball player and three time collegiate all American. He also has two years head coaching experience at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Chattanooga. In these two years his team won a district title and two State tournament appearances. Coach Harris has a passion for seeing players improve through hard work and fundamental instruction.

This camp will be held at Tennessee Temple University on July 23-26.

We at Basketball Elite highly recommend Brad’s camp and suggest that players looking to move to the next level check it out.

For full details, download the camp flyer by clicking here.


Brad Harris Basketball Camp 2012

AAU basketball
Photo Credit: klemencic/Flikr

By James Blackburn

Let’s face it, not every player is a 6’9” athletic PF who can jump out of the gym, shoot 3’s, and handle the ball. Most players are in the 6’0” to 6’5” range and blend in on the court, unless they do something exceptionally well (shooter, playmaker, athletic, etc.). The live period is about to begin in July and players from all over the country will be joining their AAU teams to compete in events in front of dozens of college coaches and scouts. What are you going to do to get noticed?

Below are just a few things that scouts and coaches will look for.

1. Run the floor….HARD!
This is something that is rarely seen anymore in high school and AAU basketball. It doesn’t matter what position you play, guards, wings, and post can and should run the floor. If you’re a power forward or center, run rim-to-rim and you will be amazed at how many easy buckets and offensive rebounds you will get. Wings run the floor as hard as you can and run wide; you will get lay-ups and dunks.

2. Be active….especially on the defensive end
It amazes me when I go to events, how few of players block shots, contest shots, and move on the defensive end. Energy and a high motor are appealing to coaches at the next level and will help set you apart from the pack. Again, being active does not exclude any positions on the floor. If you are a point guard pick up your man early and guard him to tight baseline to baseline. Be in his shirt, so that when he does get across half court he is too tired to try to score. A great example of this was a player that I saw a few months back at the PIT (Portsmouth Invitational Tournament) in Virginia. Zach Rosen (Penn, 6’1”) is the average looking player, not extremely athletic- doesn’t really pass the “look” test, but he wowed every scout in attendance because of his activity level on the defensive end and because of the pressure he put on the opposing ball handler.

If you are a post player, block shots and more importantly alter shots. If you are an athletic wing, don’t be lazy on the defensive end, you are not excluded from blocking shots too. Have active hands, showcase your length, and contest shots. Don’t let your hands be by your side. Play help defense, jump to the ball, and be alert and always ready to move.

By not doing these things that tells coaches and scouts alike that a) you are tired or b) you have a low motor and/or you don’t care about the defensive end.

3. Communicate
Communicating on the floor is very important. A coaching friend told me several years ago, that if you are not talking/communicating, then that must mean you don’t know what to say and you don’t know what you are doing yourself. By communicating on the floor, that tells coaches that you know what you are doing and that you are also confident enough to let others know. Be a leader on the floor and lead by example. Call out screens, let teammates know that you are there to help, and communicate with teammates about sets and defenses.

4. Be a good teammate and display good body language.
I see it all the time, a kid has all the talent and tools in the world, but he has a bad attitude on the court, he cries to the refs, doesn’t respect his coaches, and yells, disrespects teammates. This is a major turnoff to coaches at the next level. I heard a story not too long ago about a high school player who was getting some heavy interest from a particular college. When the college came to a game that season to watch him play, the player picked up a couple of early fouls and had to sit out. While on the bench, instead of pouting and having a bad attitude, this particular player continued to cheer on his teammates, helped get water for players coming off floor, and was involved with the huddles. The college coach walked out of the gym and called the high school coach the next day and offered the player a scholarship because of his demeanor and attitude on the bench.

By doing these things above, you will not only help your team win and succeed but you will stand out from your peers and impress both college coaches and scouts alike.

So with the Class of 2012 moving on to their next phases of life and basketball, the world of basketball scouting and recruiting pushes relentlessly on, and that means the Class of 2013 is now front and center, the class of 2014 is moving into the prime time on deck and the classes of 2015 and 2016 are being scoured for the next wave of recruits.

Here’s our first ever Summer Short List, some of the players who are poised to become well known recruits over the next couple of years. While this is by no means all of the players colleges will want to track, these are just a few names that people should write down and pay attention to.

Isaac Copeland (PF, 6’9″, 2014) – Miller School, VA. Copeland reclassed this year to 2014 but is young and the reclassing, in his case, will probably serve him well. He needs to get stronger but Copeland has big bounce, elite length and will be a big time prospect.

Shelton Mitchell (PG, 6’3″, 2014) – Cuthbertson HS (Waxhaw, NC) Mitchell already has a ton of offers, and it’s warranted. Mitchell’s poise and ability to score the ball led his high school team all the way to the NC state championship game. While he team came up short, it cannot be overlooked that he was the primary force behind his team’s run while only a sophomore. In other words, don’t be surprised to see Mitchell end up in an all-star game on national television by the time he’s a senior.

Malik Massey (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Vance HS (Charlotte, NC) Massey has the athleticism and smooth game that shows he has a high ceiling. Massey is currently one of the top players in his class for the state of NC and may end up being the top ranked guard.

Trevor Anderson (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Kennedy Charter HS (Charlotte, NC) – Anderson holds an offer from Cal-Poly and is a point guard with a very high ceiling. Extremely good in a high octane transition game, he is fast enough to play at the elite level, has a great handle in traffic and is deadly with the look-ahead pass. A true point.

Marcus Derrickson (PF, 6’7″, 2015) – Paul VI HS (Frederickson, VA) Derrickson already holds a bevy of offers, including Georgetown, Indiana and NC State, and no doubt is a prospect poised to be one of the top players in his class and a candidate for the top accolades and all-star games. An agile, big bodied big forward, he already has better footwork than some collegiate players.

Diamond Stone (C, 6’10”, 2015) Dominican HS (Whitefish Bay, WI) Long and solidly built, Stone has great hands and body control to play in the post. A big time shot blocker, he will no doubt continue to add muscle, but with his deft hands and timing he will be a force on both ends of the floor in the paint.

V.J. King (SG, 6’5″, 2016) – undecided HS (Cleveland, OH) – King relocated to Ohio and will play there next season. He has a fluid game and is a prospect who should be able to find himself the target of several high major colleges and with continued work, may be able to play beyond college.

Darryck Thornton, Jr. (PG, 5’11”, 2016) Sierra Canyon HS (Chatsworth, CA) Thornton is a quick dribbling guard with an elite quickness and a solid ability to score the ball. Despite being undersized, he already has offers from New Mexico and USC.

Daryl Myers (PG, 5’7″, 2016) Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, VA) Myers will be returning to Oak Hill this season and brings with him a flashy, shifty game that reminds of Brandon Jennings. Myers is undersized but his talent is evident and he is poised to be one of the top guards in the class.

Harry Giles (SF, 6’7″, 2016) Wesleyan (High Point, NC) Giles already has high major interest and a mixtape following. While Giles will need to get stronger, the reality is that he has a fundamental understanding of the game that mixtapes won’t capture. He does things well that high school seniors haven’t learned, like entering the ball to the post.

Basketball Elite tracks all of these players and hundreds more in the Basketball Elite Player Database. Colleges interested in subscribing to the database should drop us a line at contact@basketballelite.com.

By Marcus Shockley

A quick couple of notes about these rankings: First, these are my rankings, not a cumulative ranking of our scouts – each scout generally keeps his own personal rankings about players and we don’t always agree. Secondly, these rankings are based entirely on having seen these players in person multiple times. Third, players who are native to NC but are leaving next season to play out of state, aren’t on this list. Fourth, this is by no means our entire list of players – even though each of these players is indeed in the Basketball Elite Player Database, these are just my rankings for the shooting guards in the state heading into the summer evaluation period. Finally, I am aware of several players who are coming into NC and will play in the state next season, but since they haven’t yet played a game where I could see them, they aren’t yet in the rankings.

1. Patrick Rooks 6’3″ Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, NC)
2. Trey Mitchell 6’5″ Olympic HS (Charlotte, NC)
3. Lapreece Lynch 6’4″ Mt. Tabor HS (Winston-Salem, NC)
4. Jaquon Brownridge 6’4″ Word of God (Raleigh, NC)
5. Gian-karlo Molina 6’5″ Thomasville Prep (Thomasville, NC)
6. Reggie Dillard 6’3″ Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, NC)
7. Oshon West 6’3″ North Rowan HS (Spencer, NC)
8. Michael Chambers 6’1″ North Forsyth HS (Winston-Salem, NC)
9. D’Reice Parks 6’5″ Olympic HS (Charlotte, NC)
10. Jalen Jones 6’4″ Nuese Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)
11. Reed Lucas 6’4″ Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, NC)
12. James Hemphill 6’3″ Broughton HS (Raleigh, NC)
13. Josh Dominguez 6’4″ Metrolina Christian Academy (Charlotte, NC)
14. Rodney Moore 6’0″ Clayton HS (Clayton, NC)
15. Jordan Hanner 5’10” Thomasville Prep (Thomasville, NC)
16. Carl McCray 6’1″ Plymouth HS (Plymouth, NC)
17. Larry Richardson 6’3″ Garner HS (Raleigh, NC)
18. David Robertson 6’2″ Panther Creek HS (Cary, NC)
19. Isaiah Cureton 6’3″ Cuthbertson HS (Waxhaw, NC)
20. Chris Funderburk 6’3″ West Mecklenburg HS (Charlotte, NC)
21. Anthanee Doyle 6’5″ Holly Spring HS (Holly Springs, NC)
22. Jeremy Wallace 6’3″ Walnut Grove Christian School (Charlotte, NC)
23. Kevin Weckworth 6’1″ Bishop McGuinness (Kernersville, NC)
24. Tyshun Flowers 6’0″ Hickory Christian Academy (Hickory, NC)
25. Alston Furr 6’4″ West Stokes HS (King, NC)
26. William Ramsey 6’2″ Central Davidson HS (Lexington, NC)
27. Raheim Connelly 5’10” Hickory HS (Hickory, NC)
28. TJ Watkins 6’0″ East Rutherford HS (Bostic, NC)
29. Darius Malbon 6’3″ Hickory HS (Hickory, NC)
30. Asante Mondjemi 6’5″ Carolina Friends (Durham, NC)

NW Guilford basketball

By James Blackburn

Over six teams were in attendance at the always competitive Northwest Guilford summer shootout tournament. Here are some notes and reports on some of the players that I saw that stood out in Day 1 of the two-day event.

Class of 2015

CJ Bryce, 6’3”, W/F (Hopewell HS, Huntersville, NC)

Versatile/Long/Athletic- can play the 2 or 3. Had a big time dunk in traffic at end of the 2nd game today. Fills the lanes well on the break and finishes above the rim. Has excellent body control in air- showed the ability to finish with contact. Has a high release on shot- great FT shooter (got to the line a good bit today) – good rotation. Shot is inconsistent at this point from 3- but will/can get better and he will most likely become pretty good shooter with a high release/good rotation. Decent ball handler for size and age. Underrated passer. Showed flashes of very good on-ball defense- has the ability/tools to become a defensive specialist. High upside- DI schools should begin to monitor.

Darius Moore, 5’10”, PG (Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC)
Very good defender- especially on the ball D- was in his mans shirt and he picked him up early. Lightning quick. Pass first pure PG. Poised- plays hard. Was committed to defense even in a blowout win. Good passer- puts ball in areas where it is easy for recipient to convert. Underrated athlete-almost dunked on a player at end of the first game- very good for size. Understands the game- high IQ- makes others better. Plays AAU with CP3.

Class of 2013

Kalon Buchanan, 6’6”, PF/C (Hopewell HS, Huntersville, NC)

Very long- moves well- runs the floor rim to rim. Keeps the ball high on rebounds. Didn’t show much offensively today other than put backs off rebounds – did make a midrange jumper in middle of first game- Displayed good timing on several blocks today.

Jackson Kent, 6’7”, SF (High Point Christian Academy, High Point, NC)
Solid outing today for Kent. Great size/length for position- capable of playing some point forward as well. Possesses excellent court vision- willing passer/unselfish- turns down good shots for lay-ups/great shots for teammates- probably had 5 assist in 4 minutes in game 1 today. Has a quick first step- good cross jab step too. Can lead the break-makes good decisions with the ball. Smooth/poised/under control. Good 3-point shooter. Above average ball handler for size- high dribble. Needs to improve defensively and get stronger. Makes game look easy- has a deep offensive arsenal. Has an offer from several LM schools including High Point and UNC-G.

Diante Baldwin, 5’11”, G (High Point Christian Academy, High Point, NC)
Quick/strong guard who can get to the rim and finish with a variety of moves. Highlight reel maker with the ball on a string- quick crossover dribble move. Athletic. Good body control in the air. Needs to improve shooting consistency. Has offers from App State, UNC-G, and Winthrop.

Christian Hairston, 6’7”, SF (Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC)
Good effort on both ends for the long/lanky wing today. Came out and showed what he can do defensively with his length/speed/quickness. On the opening defensive possession in game 1, he advanced the ball end to end and finished with a thunderous 1-handed dunk. Played some PG today- can handle the ball and pass the ball decently for size. Versatile player who is a quick leaper. Has offers from 8 Division I schools including Tulane, James Madison, and George Washington as well as interest from a host of others.

Reggie Dillard,6’2”, SG (Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC)
Big/strong bodied guard. Deceptively quick and can get to basket- plays below the rim, but finishes. Slow release- but has solid form- will need to continue to improve shooting overall. Has an offer from UNC-G and Penn as well as some interest from a couple of ACC programs.

Chuck Ogbodo, 6’11”, C (High Point Christian Academy, High Point, NC)
Good performance for the most part today from the big man. Has added muscle and looks more defined then the last time I saw him. Impacts the game without touching ball on offense- good shot blocker with good timing. Soft hands. Runs the floor well- high upside- best basketball is ahead of him- has only played the game for 2 years. Has been hearing from ACC schools as of late as well, including Wake Forest. Has several offers, including Winthrop and Western Carolina.

Grayson Vernon, 6’2”, SG (North Surry HS, Mt. Airy, NC)
Excellent set shooter with range beyond 3-point line- knock down shooter when given room. Strong bodied player. Despite not having exceptional speed or quickness he is able to maneuver his way to basket using his smarts and strength- had a nice spin move that lead to a lay-up. Smart player- knows his limitations and doesn’t force any thing- good shot selection. Needs to improve ball handling. Is a two-time All-Conference selection- averaged 18 ppg last season. DIII and NAIA programs in need of a shooting specialist who plays hard on both ends should watch him this coming season.

College coaches looking for full scouting reports, check out the Basketball Elite Player Database.

Chris Bosh

So we haven’t done one of these in a while, but we like to take a swing around the world of basketball sometimes just to see what’s going on.

First off, taking place this weekend is the NBAPA Top 100 camp, an elite invite-only camp for the Top 100 high school basketball players in the country, or at least pretty close to the Top 100. Corey Pegram is covering the event for us, in addition to his normal recruiting work for Wake Forest’s BloggerSoDear and his own blog. You should follow Corey on Twitter so you can keep up with his update tweets from the camp.

The Bobcats continue to wallow through their coaching search and now they’ve lost the highest profile candidate as Jerry Sloan has pulled himself out of the running. Meanwhile, rumors floated that owner Michael Jordan was entertaining the possibility of trading the #2 overall pick, which the Bobcats have in this year’s NBA draft, to Oklahoma City for James Harden.

Brandon Bass, who is coming off a solid playoff series performance, despite the Celtics’ loss to Miami in the Eastern Conference finals, has decided to test the free agent waters.

Gerald Wallace is also planning to opt out and go the free agent route as well.

Finally, the NBA playoffs are the focal point of the basketball universe, with Miami drawing even at 1-1 and gaining home court advantage as the series heads back to South Beach. But the real question isn’t whether the OKC defense can get the stops they need or whether Lebron will indeed get a ring. Chris Bosh has always been the ‘odd man out’ of the big three, talented enough to be in the Big Three for Miami but always the first name that gets tossed out whenever people start talking about trades and the Heat. If it wasn’t bad enough that during the entire Miami debacle that has become the Lebron/Wade era, Bosh has endured the same hatred while simply keeping his head down and working. Unfortunately, it just isn’t clicking for Chris, who can’t even get his team high-fives right.

CP3 elite guard camp 2012

By James Blackburn & Marcus Shockley

Day 1/2 Notes/Observations

High School Division

Raekwon Harney, 6’0”, PG, 2013 (Winston-Salem Prep, Winston-Salem, NC)
Very tight dribble- had very few mistakes from what we saw at beginning of dribbling drills. Has an above average right handed floater but he needs to improve left handed floater. Did a good job of communicating in 3 on 3 drill. Must continue to work on his shooting. One of the quickest guards in attendance.

Giovanni Mack, 5’10”, PG, 2014 ( Providence Senior High, Charlotte, NC)
Impressive in dribbling contact drills- very good right handed ball handler- needs to improve left to a degree. Plays tight defense.

Alec Wintering, 5’10”, PG, 2013 (United Faith, Charlotte, NC)
Excelled through the ball handling drills-especially contact drills. Extremely quick in general even compared to other PG’s present. Shot is effortless motion. Best looking floater in group. Showed a very nice euro-step. Really extends and sells fake. Went through drills at game speed. Hustled and was one of the first guys in when the camp instructor called for players to come in to middle. One of the top guards in the state and he continued to prove it this weekend. One of the best ballhandlers in the nation. Issue is height, but already has several Division I offers.

Clay Byrd, 6’1”, G, 2013 (East Burke HS, Connelly Springs, NC)
Needs to get lower when dribbling- too tall and not low enough of dribble. Impressed with his defense in one on one drills- hustles. Good lefty shooter. Boxes out and rebounds.

Wayne Selden Jr, 6’5”, SG, 2013 (Tilton School, Roxbury, MA)
Looked out of his comfort zone amongst other smaller PG’s in day 1, but really picked it up in day 2 and 3. Great size/frame. Needs to improve lateral quickness. Consistent midrange shooter- great rotation- high release- can hit the 3 as well- one of the better shooters in his group. Looked better in drills in Day 2- looked more comfortable- moved better. Floater was better then I expected. Did well in one on one drills.

Diante Baldwin, 6’0”, PG,2013 (High Point Christian, Greensboro, NC)
Very strong upper body- showed ability to finish with contact- got to rim practically at will with good jab/shoulder/ and ball fakes- over powered all defenders in his group. . Good/aggressive defender- one of the best in his group on both ends of the one on one drills. Needs to stay on balance when shooting- twist his body to his right in air- inconsistent misses. Quick first step.

Anton Beard, 6’0”, G, 2014 (Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High, AR)
Came out from the beginning and made an impression and was making a name for himself for those who hadn’t seen him play. Very tough nosed in the one on one drills. Scored at will- didn’t hardly miss a shot. Good shooter- can shoot with a hand in face. Strong with the ball- can finish with contact. Can beat you off the bounce and with feet set. Solid on the defensive end as well- quick hands. Can take the bumps and finish. Competitive- plays with an edge/chip on shoulder- like he had something to prove. Great rotation when shooting- good elevation as well. Beat everyone in one in one and almost beat Chris Paul losing 3-2. Committed to Missouri.

Zachary Coleman, 6’8”, F, 2013 (Woodrow Wilson HS, Cedar Hill, TX)
Looked impressive tonight overall- did well in one on one drills. Athletic. Injured his ankle in day 2 and was limited thereafter- but had an impressive day 1 of camp. Was able to post up smaller guards, then when pushed outside by bigger guards, was shooting over them. Will probably need to get stronger but has an overall solid balance to his game. Has committed to Missouri.

Sam Hunt, 6’0”, G, 2013 (Dudley HS, Greensboro, NC)
Lefty who can finish with his right hand as well- did not miss a single right hand lay-up or reverse lay-up in drills. Looked consistent in drills shooting/lay-up drills. Struggled to a degree with 2-ball dribbling drills – had to look down quite a bit. Even keeled. quick crossover move. Shooting looked inconsistent. Good/aggressive defender- not afraid to get dirty. Has a variety of scoring moves at rim. Has several offers from LM schools.

Parker Cartwright, 5’10”, PG, 2014 (Loyola HS, Van Nuys, CA)
Looked really good in 2-ball dribbling drills- kept head and eyes up the entire time- one of the few who did- very fluid. Very quick- low dribble. Undersized but still has a couple of years to grow and get stronger. Coachable. Good shooter from deep- best shooter in group- even misses miss off back of rim. Had a nice pump fake and shot without dribbling in 3 on 3 games. Very smooth.

Malik Massey 6’1″, PG/SG, 2015 (Vance HS, Charlotte, NC)
Extremely athletic and smooth combo guard who has a very high upside. Seems destined to be a MM/HM and looks like a lock at high major. Only a rising sophomore, has a strong ability going at the rim and plays bigger than 6’1. More shooting guard than point at the moment but one colleges should be tracking as of now.