Jonathan Williams (Richmond Phenom)By Sam Parker (Spotlight South)
Basketball Spotlight has added another writer for the Southern USA. He was present for the Basketball Spotlight MDC and here’s his 13U report part 1.
JONATHAN WILLIAMS – 5’11 GUARD – RICHMOND PHENOM
Physically mature guard makes plays with his size and athletic ability. An excellent finisher in the lane, he’ll need to continue to expand his perimeter skills to ensure he’ll remain relevant in his age group should he not grow anymore. At this point, he’s extremely versatile and a force from the lead guard position. He can see over most defenders to make the appropriate pass and has nice touch on his jump shot. Defensively, he is active and displayed solid instincts.
JUWAN DOLBRICE – 5’10 GUARD – LINDEN BALLERS
While his team didn’t find the results in the winning column that they had hoped for, Dolbrice had a successful weekend playing in his backyard. The New Jersey native was one of the leading scorers in his age group and showed the ability to attack off the bounce and finish through contact at the rim. Dolbrice has a rather mature frame so his growth is a bit of a question mark, meaning the next step will be to become more comfortable with the ball in his hands as a distributor.
DONDRE RHODEN – 6’7 FORWARD - KYDA
Surely one of the better long-term prospects at the MDC, Rhoden isn’t finished growing yet, and he already has legitimate size for the forward position. He ran the floor with ease and is already showing the ability to finish at the rim. As he develops his offensive arsenal, Rhoden should be a force in coming years. Perhaps a national name in the future, we’ll be following this young man’s development closely.
JAMEL WHITEHEAD – 5’10 GUARD – LONG ISLAND LIGHTNING
Impressive motor on this lead guard prospect. He’s plays with great intensity and is always ready to make a play for his team on both sides of the ball. His mature demeanor on the floor makes him a natural leader for his squad and Whitehead seems to embrace the role. A capable shooter to the stripe and a crafty finisher around the rim, as he increases his range and finds consistency from deep, he’ll have an impressive point guard package that should garner major attention in the coming years.
DAWIYD FLOYD – 6’0 GUARD – LONG ISLAND LIGHTNING
Gifted perimeter player capable of filling in at any spot in the backcourt, Floyd most likely projects at the point or shooting guard position, and is already preparing his game to do just that. Already possessing a solid handle, Floyd showed consistency from midrange and a nice floater around the rim, allowing him to finish over taller defenders. He can defend the length of the court and has the athleticism to make plays at the cup.
ROBBIE HOOKS – 5’10 GUARD – KINGDOM ELITE
Swingman who took on the scoring load for his squad, Hooks also proved to be a reliable rebounder and defender for his team. On one possession we watched him defend three positions on the floor before coming down the court and giving a fake on the perimeter before knocking down a midrange jumper. Needless to say, his basketball IQ is impressive and hopefully he has a few inches of growing left.
CURTIS JONES – 5’8 GUARD – RICHMOND PHENOM
The son of a coach, Jones is already a polished veteran with plenty of hoops flair in his game. Confident with the ball in his hands, he is best at the lead guard position, but spends time off the ball as well. He looks to have plenty of room to grow and should prove to be yet another elite talent out of the Richmond, Virginia area. Adding strength and continuing to develop his perimeter jumper should come with time.
JAVONE SMITH – 6’3 FORWARD – NEW JERSEY TRIPLE THREAT
Everything to look for in a prospect, Smith possesses. While he has a long way to go from making the jump from player to prospect, the tools are there for Smith to be a serious wing player one day. Still growing into his body, he shows flashes on offense, gliding to the cup or knocking down the jumper from deep. His progress over the next year will be critical and we plan to follow his development closely.
