Quinn Cook, freshman PG for the Duke Blue Devils, talks about adjusting to playing for a national powerhouse like Duke and what advice he would give high school players about adjusting to the college game.
Quinn Cook
Chris Paul’s Elite Guard Camp 2010: Serious Training
By Marcus Shockley
This gym is not full of cheering fans, with an announcer chiming in over the loudspeaker with a play by play.
As the mass of bodies push each other, literally across the gym floor, Chris Paul’s purple workout shirt stands out among the wrestling players. The drill is to grab your opponent by the shoulders and try to push him across the gym. The problem of course, is that he’s trying to stop you.
It’s an exercise is power, will and endurance. It’s exhausting.
And it’s only the beginning.
The players crowd the floor from one side to the other, strong players who are used to the power needed to play college basketball and elite high school basketball. This drill of exertion is one of the first of the Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp, a camp put together by NBA star point guard Paul and Position Sports to focus on one clear objective: build better point guards.
The drills are completely focused on being a point guard, with wave after wave of intensive ball handling drills. The coaches have split the gym into three floors, with high school players taking up two courts and college players taking up the other. The coaches shout the drills – two ball dribble around the cones, then two ball dribble with one ball in a behind the back move around the cones, and so on. The drills are rapid fire, changing every couple of minutes. The players grunt and push themselves, trying to master each intensive set of instructions. If you want to be at your peak performance, it won’t hurt to know that testosterone supplements can help you build muscle.
Chris throws himself into the camp, which takes place in his hometown of Winston-Salem, and engages in the drills along with the players. As he works on one handed catch-and-pass drills with incoming UNC freshman Harrison Barnes, you would not know that Chris Paul is the big star that all of the players admire. Tonight, he’s more than a mentor, more than a star player to emulate.
Tonight, he’s a teammate.
The camp is filled with some of the top talent in both the college ranks and high school, with Duke stars Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith and incoming transfer Seth Curry all working their way through the drills. Kyle Singler and Harrison Barnes are forwards taking on a point guard skills camp, an attempt to constantly improve and push themselves. Singler works doggedly through the drills, exerting an effort that would set an example to the high school players just across the gym – if they weren’t so focused on surviving the drills themselves.
Scoop Jardine is in attendance along with fellow Syracuse guard Brandon Triche. Following the first workout, Jardine would tell his Twitter followers that the camp was ‘hard as hell’.
It’s not an understatement.
Kemba Walker of UConn, incoming freshman point guard Kendall Marshall of UNC, and Wake Forest rising sophomores Ari Stewart and CJ Harris are also going through the camp, along with Chris Wright of Georgetown, Durand Scott of Miami and several more.
For the high schoolers, the drills are intended to show them how to master their ball handling skills and how an elite guard positions and defends, which is key for power players like Dezmine Wells, a 6’4″ small forward from the class of 2011. Dezmine is taking on smaller, sometimes quicker players, but he works like mad, pouring himself into every drill. He uses his size to defend, as guard Marquis Rankin gets an inside step and flashes under him, he quickly adjusts in midair and cleanly blocks the ball at the last second.
Later, as Dezmine pulls off a great jab step and blasts past his defender, he turns his head to rafters and screams angrily in obvious frustration as his shot clangs off the rim. The coaches rush in and tell him emphatically, “There was nothing wrong with that play! You did everything right!” It’s a good teaching moment. The coaches have been harping on the players for not following instructions all night, but Dezmine is obviously paying attention. He might not be getting the result he wants, but he is listening. And that makes coaches happy.
There are so many talented guards in the camp, such as rising phenom Rodney Purvis (PG, 6’3″, 2013), Jabari Brown (G, 6’3″, 2011) and Jamal Branch (PG, 6’3″, 2011). Bishop Daniels (PG, 6’2″, 2011) does extremely well in the ball handling drills, and PJ Hairston (SG/SF, 6’5″, 2011), another UNC commit, works his size to make up ground against the guards.
Quinn Cook (PG, 6’1″, 2011), sits out on the sidelines with a tweaked ankle. “I hurt it last night in a summer league game,” he says, but he sits with ice on it, hoping to participate the next day.
At the end of the first night’s workout, the players load up on a bus and head back to the hotel, ready to collapse. Chris Paul is giving them a hard training in being an elite NBA point guard, and these players are ready for the challenge.
Bob Gibbons TOC Scouting: Class of 2011
Adonis Thomas – interested in UNC?
We continue our coverage of the 2010 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions with James Blackburn’s scouting reports on the Class of 2011:
Willy Kouassi (C, 6’10”, 220)
Life Skills Center
Miami, FL
AAU Team- Team Alabama
Scouting Report
Shot blocker and rebounder- runs the floor well
College Interest
Marquette, Georgetown, UAB
Interview
Is going to work on getting quicker this summer and his post moves. Likes to watch Dwight Howard and learn from him
Chris Jones (PG, 5’8″, 170)
Melrose HS
Memphis, TN
AAU team- Memphis Magic Elite
Scouting Report
Quick, good ball handler, scorer, hit a tough 3 at top of key to put game into OT against Connecticut Basketball Club.
College Interest
Committed to Tennessee
Sterling Gibbs (PG, 6’1″, 170)
Seton Hall Prep
Scotch Plains, NY
AAU team- New York Panthers
Scouting Report
Very quick, deceptive with the ball. Can break man down off dribble.
College Interest
Committed to Maryland
Quinn Cook (PG, 5’11”, 155)
Player Highlights
Dematha Catholic HS
Hyattsville, MD
AAU team- DC Assault
Scouting Report
Pass first point guard, ball handling, finishing moves
College Interest
Duke, Georgetown, Kansas State, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio State, Tennessee, Villanova
Interview
He has visited UNC, Villanova, Wake Forest, and Georgetown. He said he needs to work on his leadership skills and he likes to pattern his game after Chris Paul and Raymond Felton.
Cezar Guerrero (PG, 6’0″, 170)
Player Highlights
St. John Bosco
Bellflower, CA
AAU team- Belmont Shore
Scouting Report
Plays defense with his feet, very quick guard who can get to the lane at will and finish with creative and acrobatic finishes. Good court vision who has the ball on a string when he dribbles.
College Interest
UTEP, Auburn, Arizona, Washington, Washington St., and Marquette
Interview
He played AAU with Brandon Jennings when he was a freshman- you can see a lot of Jennings in him as far as his flare and finesse in his game. He said he does not fear anyone when going to the hoop no matter how big they are. He said, “he likes to play for his race and show what Mexicans can do on the court”. He said he is going to work on becoming a better floor general, his jumping ability, and getting teammates involved. He said he has to score more for his high school team but in AAU he has so many teammates who can finish, that he just has to distribute the ball. Very professional in interview.
Norvel Pelle (PF, 6’9″, 190)
Player Highlights
Price HS
Los Angeles, CA
AAU team- Belmont Shore
Scouting Report
Very athletic- tries to dunk everything- good finisher- runs the court like a deer- does a good job of blocking/influencing shots.
College Interest
Received offers from most Pac-10 schools including Arizona St. and Cal. Has also received interest from UNC. Has been offered by a number of other schools including Miami, Texas, and Kansas.
Interview
Does not have a particular favorite right now as far as schools are concerned. Wants to continue to work on his ball handling and his work ethic. He models his game after Kevin Garnett. Has the athleticism and length like KG in HS. High major player.
PJ Hairston (SG, 6’5″, 215)
Dudley HS
Greensboro, NC
AAU- CP3 All-Stars
Scouting Report
Great size, great scorer, long 3 point range
College Interest
Committed to North Carolina
Jordan Goodman (PF, 6’8″, 200)
Progressive Christian Academy
Temple Hills, MD
AAU team- DC Assault
Scouting Report
Long, athletic, and has a solid perimeter game, 3 point range
College Interest
Rutgers, Georgetown, Kansas State, Maryland, UNLV
Dezmine Wells (SG/SF, 6’4″, 190)
Word Of God Christian Academy
Raleigh, NC
AAU team- CP3 All- Stars
Scouting Report
Defender, hustler, penetration, rebounding
College Interest
Committed to Xavier
Jacob Lawson (PF, 6’8″, 225)
Oak Ridge Military Academy
Oak Ridge, NC
AAU team- CP3 All-Stars
Scouting Report
Quick off his feet, runs the floor well, solid shot blocker
College Interest
Seton Hall, NC State, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Florida, Miami, among others
Marquis Rankin (PG, 6’0″, 160)
Zebulon B Vance HS
Charlotte, NC
AAU team- CP3 All- Stars
Scouting Report
Gets the ball up the floor, penetrates well, pressures the ball on defense
College Interest
Committed to Virginia Tech
Isaiah Battle (F, 6’7″, 270)
Blue Ridge School
Dyke, VA
AAU team- Long Island Lightning
Scouting Report
Player who can fill up the stat sheet and shoot the 3
College Interest
Also plays football for Blue Ridge- has full scholarship offers from ACC, MAC, and Conference USA schools for football- plays OL/DL
Isaac Freeman (C, 7’0″, 225)
Osbourne HS
Manassas, VA
AAU team- Virginia Assault- Gold
Scouting Report
long, good fundamentals, good shooting stroke to 15’, shades well on screens for 7’, establishes good post position, influences/blocks shots
College Interest
Ohio, Texas, Umass, Virginia Tech
Interview
Says his favorite school so far is VTech- he likes Seth Greenberg. He is going to go to some exposure camps this summer, namely the invite only camp @ George Mason. He said he is going to work out daily and try to get stronger.
Adonis Thomas (SF, 6’6″, 215)
Player Highlights
Melrose HS
Memphis, TN
AAU team- Memphis Magic Elite
Scouting Report
Athletic with good footwork, very dangerous in transition, good midrange game, solid scorer who can break you down off the dribble and finish over 7 footers.
College Interest
Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Memphis, Ohio St., Oklahoma, Tennessee- all of these schools have offered
Interview
5 star player, was in high demand for interviews. Has not made any campus visits, nor does he have any favorites, but he sounded like in the interview that he wanted to go to UNC, though they are one of the only schools showing interest who have not offered. He said he is going to work on extending his range and getting a consistent 3 pt. shot so he can make the transition to the 2 Guard in college. Patterns his game after Kevin Durrant. In my opinion, he plays more like a young version of Vince Carter.
Nino Johnson (F, 6’7″, 230)
White Station HS
Memphis, TN
AAU team- Memphis Magic Elite
Scouting Report
Very nice post up game- best I saw in tournament. Good hook shot, good court vision.
College Interest
Memphis, Tennessee, V. Tech.
Interview
He said he plans to visit Ole. Miss., Alabama, Tenn., and Memphis. He is going to work on extending his range so he can make the move from PF to SF when he gets to college and he plans to work on his dribbling. He models his game after Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Garnett.