Menu

2006 Nike Hoop Summit Game Recap

2006 Nike Hoop Summit Game Recap
Apr 10, 2006, 03:47 am
The International team established themselves early in the game, at one point leading the game by 10, and up by 1 point at the end of the first quarter. From there, Wayne Ellington took control with some help from his high school teammate Gerald Henderson, and the game quickly became a blowout in favor of the U.S. Many players dominated during different periods for the U.S team, but the standout from the International team was the super athletic center Mohammed Saer Sene from Senegal. A number of records were set or tied in the game, including highest scoring total for a US player (Wayne Ellington, 31), Most blocks (Mohammed Saer Sene, 9), highest point total (109), and highest field goal percentage (Milenko Tepic, 7-7 FG).

Final Score: USA 109- World 91

Team USA

Wayne Ellington, 6-4, 180 lbs, shooting guard, Committed to North Carolina
31 points, 11-16 FG, 5-6 3 point FG, 3 assists, 3 steals


As stated by DraftExpress in the Hoop Summit preview, this was the perfect type of game for Ellington to go off for a huge night. Team USA trailed by one point after the first quarter, and then Wayne and his high school teammate Gerald Henderson took over, scoring 24 of their team’s 31 second quarter points. Ellington finished the first half with 21 points. His natural scoring abilities were on display all night, making shots off the dribble from all over the court, and pulling up from the three point line. Ellington also drew contact a few times inside, and controlled his body well enough to get the hoop plus the foul. On one possession, he displayed quick hands on the defensive end, getting the steal, but missed the layup which was put back by a teammate. Ellington ended up tying his future teammate Tyler Hansbrough’s record for team USA scoring. As impressive as his scoring was the ability to create for others that many people hadn’t seen out of him before. On a few occasions Ellington drew the help defender in the lane and dished it to the open man. In terms of his NBA potential, Ellington will need to improve his defense, and continue contributing by doing the little things on the court. He lacks ideal size for an NBA 2 guard, which may hurt him down the road, but showed promise with the way he finished around the hoop throughout the week. Wayne’s display of shooting was very impressive, and he could be very dangerous on any given night for the Tar Heels, where he can step in and concentrate on scoring.





Kevin Durant, 6-10, 200lbs, forward, Committed to Texas
20 points, 7 rebounds, 7-15 FG, 1 assist, 2-5 3 point FG


Durant had a Jekyll and Hyde performance during the Hoop Summit. In the first half, he couldn’t get anything going on the offensive end, with the exception of a nice three pointer he made early in the game. Other than that, he was invisible on offense, and a liability on defense. He was out-muscled by the bigger players he had to guard, and couldn’t move his feet to stay in front of the smaller guys. This will be a problem for Durant, who would really help himself by adding some bulk to his frame over the summer. When the half wasn’t going well for him, Kevin appeared withdrawn from the game, and wasn’t carrying himself well on the court. He came out in the second half, though, and it was a completely different story. Durant started hitting shots, especially from the mid-range. The elevation and arc on his shot are nearly perfect, while his release is very quick, which makes it very hard for a defender to block his shot in any way.

Though he played much better in the second half, it was still a quiet 20 points, with 8 of the points coming in the 4th quarter after the game had been over for a long time. After showing some good passing abilities during the McDonalds game, Durant didn’t really create anything for his teammates during the Hoop Summit, though he did pretty well collecting defensive rebounds. He also settled for jump shots nearly the entire game, except for two open dunk attempts, one of which he missed. He has the ability to get the hoop off the dribble, so Kevin must use this skill more, because it will make his shooting that much more dangerous. Durant has fantastic potential as a basketball player, but he will need to raise his level of intensity at all times if he is ever going to reach his potential. He should have the opportunity to become a top scoring option at Texas right away, especially if PJ Tucker and Lamarcus Aldridge head to the NBA.





Ty Lawson, 6-0, 188 lbs, point guard, Committed to North Carolina
17 points, 4-6 FG, 8-8 FT, 6 assists, 1 turnover


Lawson displayed his blazing speed and quickness from the beginning of the game, and neither of the International point guards could keep pace. Lawson started the game by driving the lane and getting two free throws, and then hitting a ten footer in the lane. He hit 3 shots in the 10-15 foot range throughout the game, which is a good sign that he might be developing a mid-range game. Lawson played unselfishly throughout most of the game, and made some very nice passes in traffic. He isn’t the ideal point guard for a half court offense at this point, but will find the right person in transition every time. When the international team instituted a full court press, Lawson passed the ball to the open man right away, and only used his speed to beat the press when he absolutely needed to. Towards the end of the game, Tywon started getting a little more out of control with his decision making, but was able to get to the free throw line with frequency when he had no place to go with the ball. Lawson displayed many skills throughout the game that will translate well to the next level. His ability to finish around taller players is great for somebody his size, and his court vision and quickness allow him to create looks for teammates. Tywon Lawson should step in and play right away for North Carolina next season, and he is definitely a guy who could make the jump to the NBA after a couple years of developing a mid-range game and refining his point guard skills.





Gerald Henderson, 6-5, 205, Guard/Forward, Committed to Duke
13 points, 3 blocks, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5-9 FG


Though he didn’t play as well as he did during the McDonalds Game, Henderson again showed the variety of skills that make him a fantastic prospect. He really understands how to use his athleticism near the hoop, where he glides past people and uses his toned body to shield defenders from the ball. Gerald knows how to control his body around the rim, which allows him to finish and absorb contact, as he did early in the Hoops Summit game. He made his mid-range jumper a couple times in the game as well, while showing great elevation in the process. On the defensive end, Henderson understands where to position himself to be able to help out his teammates in case they are beat off the dribble. Henderson also displayed an impressive hook shot from 10 feet out in transition, and made two really nice passes inside to open teammates. His feel for the game is great for a player his age. To maximize his potential, Henderson must work on his three point shot, which is really inconsistent at this point. His release is slower on his three point shot in comparison to his mid-range shot, but with his elevation this shouldn’t be too much of a problem. As long as Henderson is given minutes, he should produce very nicely as a freshman, especially if Josh McRoberts declares for the draft. With the number of tools he has to work with, Gerald Henderson is the type of player who can make the jump to the NBA after a year or two of college.





Paul Harris, 6-5, 225, Guard, Committed to Syracuse
6 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds, 2-6 FG


With Tywon Lawson as the only true point guard named to Team USA, Harris was able to display his all around game nicely when given his chance at running the team. He is a high energy player, who was the most vocal guy on the court for either team. Paul pushed the ball up the court quite a bit, and made some very nice passes in transition when the defense came over to double. The other part of his game that really stood out during the Hoops Summit is his defense. In addition to moving his feet well, Harris was able to create turnovers without gambling too much in order to get them. He already possesses an NBA-ready body, and knows how to use it, especially on the defensive end of the floor. On offense, Harris used his explosive first step to create a few easy layups for himself. Though he can score the ball, his jumpshot is really flat at this point in time. He will need to fix his release point on his shot, but if he can learn to shoot well, it will greatly help Harris’ long term potential. Right now Paul can play the 1, 2 or the 3, but doesn’t really have a defined position. He will need to improve his half court game in addition to his shot before he is ready for the NBA, but he has all the tools to succeed. Paul Harris is in the interesting situation of being one of the few guys who may be eligible for the NBA draft as a 5th year high school player. To make things more interesting, some people don’t think Harris will be eligible to play at Syracuse. Paul insists he’s not looking at the draft at all, and wants to go to college, but if the right circumstances arise, it will be interesting to see what he does. Despite his advanced age (playing amongst boys), he is definitely not ready for the NBA and would be nothing more than a 2nd round pick at best.





Thaddeus Young, 6-8, 200 lbs, Forward, Committed to Georgia Tech
11 points, 5-11 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks


Young had a quiet game for the most part, but showcased some of his skills that make him as good of an NBA prospect as anybody from the Hoop Summit. Young made a 7 foot shot early in the game, followed by a nice turnaround jumper. He played outstanding defense when matched up against Luigi Datome of the International squad, who was probably the most experienced player in the game. Young displayed everything from his three point range to his outstanding athleticism on a dunk in the second half. At times in the game, it seemed like Young tried to do too much going to the hoop in traffic, which lead to some turnovers, but he made up for it by making a few unselfish passes in transition. He was playing in his home town, and may have felt some added pressure to produce. Young has a great combination of athleticism, shooting touch, mid-range game, and slashing ability that make him a very good long term prospect. He will get to play at the small forward at Georgia Tech, and possesses great size and length for a prospect playing the 3. During his freshman season, Young will need to work on his consistency with his outside shot, as well as putting on some weight. If he can continue to improve, there is no reason to think Thaddeus Young won’t be a lottery pick some day.





Spencer Hawes, 6-11, 230 lbs, Center, Committed to Washington
6 points, 3-4 FG, 10 minutes


Hawes had trouble when matched up against the physically superior Saer Sene, but scored some nice baskets in his limited minutes. His offensive display included a dunk in traffic, a spin move on the block, and a hook shot off a pivot move from 12 feet. Throughout the week Hawes displayed nice footwork, and good touch around the rim. Right now, we are waiting for his official measurements, but he’s listed at 7 feet (a lot of people think he‘s shorter), and will need to bulk up and improve his quickness to survive against more athletic players. Hawes uses his body to the best of his abilities, but was pushed around a little bit by Sene. There is no doubt that Spencer will be able to contribute at Washington from day one. His offensive abilities will keep him in the lineup, and he has a lot of room to improve as well.





Jon Scheyer, 6-5, 170, Guard, Committed to Duke
1 point, 0-4 FG, 0-2 3 point FG, 1 steal


Scheyer had a bad Hoop Summit game, looking tentative when it came to taking a three point shot. Throughout the week, he passed up a lot of open looks when he felt there was any chance of a player getting back and disrupting his shot, and instead settled for worse looks off the dribble. Scheyer receives a lot of JJ Redick comparisons, but Scheyer seems like he is more of a mid-range shoot than a three point shooter at this point in his career. Jon’s shooting stroke from the free throw line is smooth, but doesn’t fall with any sort of consistency. This type of game with a lot of running and going to the hoop isn’t the kind of game for him to best display his talents anyway. Scheyer can get to the hoop, but lacks the athleticism to finish against the much taller opponents on the International Team. Jon should be able to work his way into Duke’s rotation as a freshman, and he’ll have a lot of time to learn to maximize what he can do with his offensive skills. He will need to bulk up and start playing defense to be considered a draft prospect, but Scheyer has all the makings of a good college player.





Brandan Wright, 6-10, 201, Forward, Committed to North Carolina
2 points, 2 blocks, 3 rebounds


Wright played a quiet game for the most part, though he did use his awesome length to block a couple of shots as well as throw down a nice dunk. He struggled on defense when guarding the much bigger Saer Sene. Wright has some nice tools to work with right now in terms of his size, athleticism, and the way he finishes around the hoop. He will need to add some weight, and work on improving his jump shot. Brandan should be able to get minutes right away, and could become a nice compliment to Hansbrough.





Vernon Macklin, 6-9, 215 lbs, power forward, Committed to Georgetown
0 points, 1 assist, 1 steal


Macklin has good length and a good frame with room to add a lot more bulk. Known at the high school level for his rebounding, he played limited minutes and was unable to get into the flow of the game. Macklin is more of a half court player, and all-star games aren’t the best place for him to utilize his skills effectively. He will have to fight for minutes his freshman year, because Georgetown has a loaded front court.





International Players

Mouhamed Saer Sene, 7-0, 230 lbs, Center, Senegal, 5/12/86
15 points, 6-8 FG, 3-4 FT, 9 blocks, 6 rebounds


Sene put on an awesome display, tying Kevin Garnett’s Hoop Summit record of 9 blocks in the game. Though the official stat sheet said 9 blocks, I counted 11, and various other people we talked also counted more than 9. Three of them came on one possession, and he had a few on athletic wing Gerald Henderson. Considering that he’s only played basketball for a couple years, it is really hard to believe how good Sene’s anticipation skills are. On offense, he is quite raw, though he does have the ability to step outside and hit a 15 footer when left unguarded. Sene made one in the flow of the game, and also knocked down 3 of his 4 free throw attempts. Despite this, he lacks footwork in the post, and when trying to make a move, he just turns and puts up a hook on a prayer that it will go in. He did have one sequence where he did a drop step and ended up with a dunk, but this was the only time all week where he created for himself out of the post. Sene has good hands when catching the ball down low, and usually waits until the time is right before he goes up to dunk a ball. When rebounding, his hands didn’t seem as good, and he will have to work on using his body to get position, and anticipating the ball to catch it at the highest point in his jump.

Sene has everything physically that you could ask for in a center prospect. He stands a legit 7 feet tall, and his 230 pounds are well distributed throughout his frame. His combination of length and explosive leaping ability is jaw dropping. Sene was the talk of all of the NBA scouts in attendance during the practices, and he was even more impressive during the game, though the U.S. team didn’t have any player who could match his combination of size and athleticism. Centers with the tools he has to work with are rare, and though he is raw at this point, he is young enough as to where he can develop a respectable offensive game. Sene doesn’t receive a whole lot of minutes with is team in Belgium right now, but his game is much more suited to the NBA style of play. He told DraftExpress after the game that he is considering entering the NBA draft this year, so it will be interesting to see if he does, and where he goes if he decides to declare. It’s hard to imagine him not getting some serious looks throughout the first round. European scouts we spoke with throughout the week claim his true age is a bit of a question mark, though, as it often is with many African prospects.





Luigi Datome, 6-8, 200 lbs, Forward, Italy, 11/11/87
13 points, 4-11 FG, 3-4 3 point FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists


Datome displayed great shooting touch throughout the week, and though not everything was falling for him during the game, still displayed good potential as a pro player. The most impressive facet of his game at this point is his three point shooting. He has a smooth stroke, and releases the ball quickly while getting a lot of elevation. Datome also displayed a good feel for the game, making some nice passes to open teammates, and making some crafty moves to get himself some shots. Though they didn’t drop, he made some moves across the middle where he outsmarted the defense and jumped high above them to shield his shot from getting blocked. Datome is a surprisingly good leaper, and even dunked on a player in practice. His lateral quickness isn’t great, however, which may hinder his ability to get to the hoop and play defense in the NBA. Luigi’s smarts with the ball may make up for his lack of quickness on the offensive end, though. Of the shots Datome missed in the game, you couldn’t really go back and state that more than one of them was a bad shot. With the exception of a 13 foot off-balance air-ball, every shot he took had a good chance of going in the hoop. Datome told DraftExpress that there is no way he was going to declare for the draft this year, but when he does declare, there should be a great deal of interest in him. Luigi Datome’s advanced offensive game give him the edge over his opponents, and his shooting will be very valuable in the NBA.





Milenko Tepic, 6-7, 204, Shooting Guard, Serbia and Montenegro, 2/27/87
16 points, 7-7 FG, 2-3 FT, 4 assists


Tepic displayed a nice ability to pass and handle the ball throughout the week. Though he didn’t really create too many shots for himself during the Hoops Summit, he made some very creative finishes inside, and even had a nice dunk in traffic. Tepic also played solid defense, and has good athleticism that he uses on both ends of the floor. He didn’t take any shots outside of 15 feet during the game, and his perimeter shot was streaky during the practice sessions. Tepic is able to use his ball handling abilities to create for teammates as well, and made a few really nice dishes inside the lane. He seemed quite content with the running style that the U.S. team wanted to employ. Tepic possesses ideal size for an NBA shooting guard, with nice athleticism as well. Though he could add weight, he has a nice frame to work with. If he can work to improve his perimeter shot, Tepic could become a solid NBA rotation player at the very least.





Rafael Hettsheirmeir, 6-9, 240, power forward/center, Brazil, 6/16/86
8 points, 5 rebounds, 3-4 FG, 2 assists


Rafael started the game with a nice dunk, and continued by displaying some very solid footwork and good patience in the post, which earned him a couple trips to the free throw line. He continued by showing some nice coordination on a left handed hook shot from around 8 feet out. Rafael was playing well until the third quarter, when he went down with a knee injury that limited his effectiveness throughout the rest of the game. In addition to his post moves, he has a nice frame to work with. It would greatly help Hettsheimeir’s game if he could add some muscle, because he lacks superior quickness at this point in time. His biggest shortcoming when looking at the NBA game is the fact that he plays like a center, but only stands 6-9 inches tall. He lacks the athleticism needed to be an undersized center, and he doesn’t possess the faceup game or quickness that you like to see out of a power forward. Regardless, from what we’ve been told by his American agent, expect to see his name on the NBA draft early-entry list.





Igor Milosevic, 6-4, 195, Guard, Greece, 4/14/86
5 points, 2-5 FG, 6 turnovers, 1 assist


Milosevic is a good ball handler, and gets minutes at the point guard position in Europe, but plays more like an undersized shooting guard for the most part. He shot the ball fairly well during the practices, but his shot wasn’t falling during the game. Milosevic made a nice drive early in the game, making his way past the much taller Kevin Durant, and scoring a layup. That layup along with a three pointer was the entire output of Igor’s offense during the Hoops Summit. When handling the ball, Milosevic displayed limited court vision, and made some bad decisions, which led to 6 turnovers for the game. He was lost a lot of the time on defense as well, as he was physically unable to keep up with the more athletic guards of the U.S. Team. His lack of point guard skills and physical attributes will probably keep Milosevic in Europe throughout his entire career.





Patrick Mills, 6-0, 180, point guard, Australia, 8/10/88
8 points, 6 assists, 2-10 FG, 1 turnover


]Mills is a quick point guard, who displayed good court vision throughout the week, and made some great passes during the Hoop Summit game. He kept the ball moving nicely around the perimeter for much of the game, and had a few nice looks where he drove inside and passed it off to open teammates. The thing hurting Mills the most in terms of NBA potential is a lack of scoring ability. Not only is he not a good shooter, but Patrick also lacks the craftiness to be able to score over taller defenders in the lane. As one of the youngest players in the game, Mills will have a lot of time to improve his scoring ability. He also doesn’t play defense as well as he could, and Lawson had no trouble driving by Patrick when he wanted to.





Dragan Labovic, 6-9, 235, Forward, Serbia and Montenegro, 4/20/87
13 points, 3-7 FG, 6-6 FT, 3 rebounds


Labovic was one of the more experienced players in the Hoop Summit game, and produced well in limited minutes. He has a wide array of skills, which includes some nice post moves, and the ability to step outside and hit a jumper. Labovic’s limitations were apparent against the athletic American competition, however. He lacks any type of quickness or athleticism, which really limited his rebounding and where he could get his shot off. The lack of physical attributes will probably keep Labovic from the NBA, but he has a nice skill set that will allow him to produce for many years in Europe.





Artur Urazmanov, 6-0, 175, Point guard, Russia, 8/16/87
2 points, 5 assists, 1-4 FG, 1 turnover


Urazmanov was impressive throughout the week with the he used his court vision to involve teammates. He continued this by making some very nice passes during the game. Artur is quicker than most European point guards, and can finish with his right hand near the rim, though he lacks the left hand at this point in time. Urazmanov’s biggest downfall is his lack of consistent shooting, and his decision making. It seems that he tries to do too much at times, and his passes get too fancy, which causes some turnovers. If he is able to improve to the point where he is a consistent threat from the perimeter, and improve his left hand, Artur could find himself on the NBA radar someday.





Marvell Waithe, 6-8, 190, Shooting guard/Small Forward, Canada, 10/20/87
5 points, 2-5 FG, 8 minutes


Waithe didn’t really fit in to the style of basketball that his International team was trying to play, and to top it off, he was backing up the most experienced player in the Hoop Summit game. When he did play, Marvell displayed his athleticism and shooting stroke that make him an interesting guy to keep an eye on. He will need to develop his handles and a mid-range game if he wants to be considered an NBA prospect. Waithe knocked down a three in the flow of the game, but also made a few mistakes, turning it over twice by over-dribbling. If Marvell Waithe ends up attending college in the United States, he should be good enough to get some national exposure. He has some tools to work with, and will need to further round out his game.




Daniel Clark, 6-10, 230, Center, Great Britain, 9/16/88
6 points, 10 rebounds, 4 turnovers


Clark is a big guy with nice shooting touch from the outside, though he seems to lack the ability to create for himself in the post. He understands how to position himself on the glass, which allowed him to collect 10 rebounds in the Hoop Summit game. He’s only 17 right now, and may continue to grow, which would greatly help his NBA potential. For now, he seems to lack the quickness and athleticism needed to play in the NBA, though you can’t exactly write off a kid who may or may not be done growing, and has a lot of developing to do physically.





Ji Zhe, 6-8, 225, Forward, China, 10/14/89
0 points, 2 rebounds, 0-2 FG


The youngest player in the game, Zhe wasn’t able to get anything going during the game. In practice, he displayed the ability to hit a mid-range shot as well as good rebounding ability, especially on the offensive end. During the Hoop Summit game, he grabbed a few rebounds, but could not convert either of his shot attempts. It is tough to say anything about Zhe’s long term potential because he is so young, but right now he lacks athleticism and any sort of scoring ability other than jump shooting. There is a lot of room for him to grow, however, and he has a lot of time to work on his game.

Recent articles

6.7 Points
1.8 Rebounds
0.7 Assists
9.9 PER
-->
2.0 Points
3.0 Rebounds
1.0 Assists
-10.2 PER
-->
6.4 Points
3.0 Rebounds
3.9 Assists
9.1 PER
-->
0.0 Points
0.0 Rebounds
0.0 Assists
0.0 PER
-->
1.7 Points
2.6 Rebounds
0.6 Assists
6.1 PER
-->
12.9 Points
5.5 Rebounds
0.9 Assists
19.8 PER
-->
0.0 Points
0.0 Rebounds
0.0 Assists
0.0 PER
-->
17.6 Points
12.0 Rebounds
4.6 Assists
23.7 PER
-->
7.8 Points
1.1 Rebounds
0.6 Assists
13.0 PER
-->
2.7 Points
3.7 Rebounds
0.3 Assists
14.0 PER
-->
3.2 Points
3.9 Rebounds
1.6 Assists
12.3 PER
-->
27.8 Points
6.7 Rebounds
5.4 Assists
21.9 PER
-->

Twitter @DraftExpress

DraftExpress Shop