Reprint/Eric Bossi • BasketballRecruiting.Rivals.com
Nick Lucero
LAS VEGAS -- It's the halfway point of July's final live period. National Basketball Analyst Eric Bossi is checking in with another blog. Today, he's covering all of Friday's news and action.
MORE FROM VEGAS: Coaches flock to Anthony | Eric Bossi's Thursday blog | Bossi's Wednesday blog | LeBron's son draws a crowd
COACHES HOLD CONVENTION FOR DRIVE NATION AND LOUISIANA SUPREME
If it seems like I've seen a lot of Drive Nation over the past few weeks it's because I have. But, it has been for good reason. There just aren't many (if any) other teams out there with as many high level players who appear to have wide open school lists.
The Louisiana Supreme squad they are playing is no slouch either and after seeing him play a few times I'm liking center
as a good and tough big with some mobility. HIgh school teammates
and
have also been a lot of fun to watch and look to be helping themseives this week in Vegas.
Now for the coaches list, I did my best to spot as many as I could and keep in mind that most of these head coaches have assistants with them and most of the schools with only assistants here are rolling with at least two. Head coaches I've spotted are from Louisville, Michigan State, Louisiana Lafayette, Arizona, UAB, Texas A&M, TCU, Alabama, Little Rock, Baylor, Marquette, Georgia, Texas Tech, LSU, Tulsa, Michigan, SMU, Oklahoma State, UTSA, Illinois and Kansas State. As for assistants, these schools (at least) are here., Harvard, Florida, Miami, Florida International, UT Arlington, Kansas, Memphis, Texas, Princeton, Purdue, Arkansas State, Little Rock, Incarnate Word, Oregon, Oregon State, Texas State, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, Indiana, Richmond and more.
HAMPTON REFLECTS ON USA BBALL, LOOKS FORWARD TO FALL
The top ranked point guard in the class of 2020,
was part of USA Basketball's gold medal winning 17U team at the FIBA World Cup in July. He was thrilled to win a gold medal and loved the experience, he just wishes that he could have contributed more.
"The experience was great," said Hampton. "But it really taught me about how you have to preserve yourself and your body. I wanted to be out there so bad.
"To go through nine days of training camp with those guys and then only be able to play in two games because of injury was hard."
Still, Hampton wouldn't trade his experience for anything and he's back on the floor here in Vegas with his Mudiay Elite team. He won't say it, but they just don't have the firepower that other teams do so there's a lot of pressure on him to do a bit of everything. But, the bright side of it is that he can. While he's a scorer first, he's still a big time passer and he's learning to step up and be more vocal as a leader.
Hampton is also paying attention to who has been watching on the sidelines during July.
"I've seen Texas and Kansas at every game," said Hampton. "Memphis, Duke, Kentucky, TCU is always there, SMU and Michigan has been at like every game too."
When he gets back home, Hampton says that he'll be looking to schedule visits. He's looking to get to Michigan in August, said he will hit Texas for a football game, is looking at Kentucky for Big Blue Madness and said he'd also like to get to Duke and Kansas for games this season.
CHRISTIAN BRAUN'S RECRUITMENT TOOK OFF THIS MONTH
Things have really taken off for rising senior small forward Christian Braun during the month of July.
Having grown to about 6-foot-6 now, the skilled and hard playing wing for Mokan Elite began the month of July with offers from Missouri State, Loyola (Chicgao), Lehigh and Ole Miss. Since a big time performance at the Peach Jam, Braun has now added offers from Minnesota, Wake Forest, Kansas State, Tulane and Saint Louis. Additionally, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Purdue are now showing interest.
A hard worker who is well coached on the grassroots and high school level, Braun had faith that his time would come.
"I'm not surprised," said Braun about the new attention. "I think that I was put in a good position to succeed so I've been taking full advantage of my opportunities."
Braun told me that he has been to Kansas State unofficially and Bruce Weber was watching with an assistant on Friday -- as were Travis Ford and Richard Pitino among others -- but he's not yet thought about his official visits and won't do so for a bit.
For now, he's just trying to finish out July strong with the same formula that has proven successful for him to date.
"I just go out and play hard," said Braun. "Ever since the Peach Jam that has really opened everything up for me."
MOKAN AND MEANSTREETS ATTRACTING BIG FOLLOWING
Staying at The 8, Mokan Elite (with former star
on the bench supporting) and Meanstreets have attracted a huge following.
Headlined by five-star prospect
, Mokan also features heavily coveted top 50 forward
and Rivals150 guard
. This month, wing
has seen his recruitment take off as well as he's been earning high major offers (Minnesota, Kansas State, Wake Forest, Saint Louis and more) over the past few weeks.
For Chicago-based Meanstreets, four-star shooter
, four-star combo forward
and class of 2020 four-star guards
and
are drawing tons of attention.
So whose here to see them? A lot of coaches, that's who.
So far I've seen head coaches from Kansas, Kansas State, Michigan State, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi State, LSU, South Carolina, Saint Louis, Minnesota, Indiana, Valpo, Notre Dame, Creighton, Colorado and Louisiana Tech. I've also seen assistants from Virginia Tech, Cal Poly, UT Arlington, Illinois, Oregon, Oklahoma, Milwaukee, USC, Xavier, Oregon State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Nebraska, Purdue, TCU, Saint Mary's, Middle Tennessee State, Western Illinois, DePaul and Northwestern, just to name a few.
HOUSE GOES OFF IN FRONT OF FUTURE COACH
Bobby Hurley had to have liked what he saw from his four-star committed guard
.
Showing shades of his father -- scoring machine Eddie House -- House had things cooking offensively on Friday morning for Team Whynot. He's not a crazy athlete, he doesn't have extreme size or athleticism but House sure has skill scoring the ball and confidence for days and those things can carry him far.
At Arizona State, Hurley lets his guards play a pretty freewheeling and aggressive style. House should be a perfect fit for that style.
THINGS TAKING OFF FOR JALEN GRAHAM
One of the best stories of the month of July is that of
. The bouncy, shot blocking four man from Phoenix began the month of July with no Division One scholarship offers and little in the way of interest. That's all changed. Significantly.
I was able to catch up with Graham after he and Team Whynot won a close one over Team Melo and to say things have taken off is an understatement.
Graham told me that since putting himself on the radar at the Peach Jam at the beginning of the month he's landed offers from Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Illinois, Weber State, Montana State, Fresno State, Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona.
"It's kind of crazy really," said Graham. "It's amazing, it's a powerful thing to have happen for me."
Graham is still fielding interest and things are so new to him he's in no rush, but he is starting to build some relationships and said that so far Oklahoma and Texas Tech were sticking out as programs that he would be interested in visiting officially.
JUSTIN LEWIS HAS BIG GAME, THINKING POSSIBLE VISIT
Playing for Team Melo in The 8, 2020 four-star forward
had an inspired effort against Team Whynot.
Lewis attacked the rim strong, was big on the glass, showed some athleticism in traffic and did everything he could to help his team secure a win. He wasn't able to get a win, but there's no doubt he has to feel good about his effort. Lewis wasn't a one-man team either, 2020 five-star forward
had a big game as well. His jumper looked good and with his size and length he can be a real matchup nightmare facing the rim and causing teams to try and figure out whether to guard him with a wing who will be giving up height or a big man that will give up quickness.
Lewis told me that he has offers from Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Maryland, Texas Tech, Boston College, UNLV and St. John's among others and that he's been to both Maryland and Georgetown unofficially.
He doesn't have a date locked in just yet, but Lewis would like to check out West Virginiasometime in the next month.
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