Nor Cal Bigs

[mansnothot]

Came across this article:

Former top prospect Jalen Lewis has eyes on the NBA

OAKLAND, California – Former Denver Nuggets assistant coach Chris Farr turned to the potential NBA prospect and asked, “What time is it?” Former Overtime Elite …

andscape.com

With the class of 2028 about to start high school I was wondering are there any bigs around to keep an eye on?

 

[ayalar09]

OTE was a big mistake for him….he was on the Paolo Banchero/Blake Griffin track until he signed with OTE

 

[kiddman32]

Have to agree that OTE didn't work out, though "big mistake" may be a little strong.

In any case, it looks like he has a chance to gain back some lost ground in the G League camp.

I remember seeing him in his first game as a freshman for O'Dowd... Dude was NOT normal.

 

[ranhud]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7stIqFNlDg/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==

 

[HSWIZARD73]

Jason Kidd played at St Joe’s
JR Rider played at Encinal
Drew Gooden played at El Cerrito
Damian Lillard was told he wouldn’t play at St Joe’s and ended his run at Oakland
Juan Anderson Castro Valley
Jeremy Lin Palo Alto
Aaron Gordon Mitty

Can anyone tell me who went to Findlay Prep, Prolific, and any other prep or academy from the Bay Area that made it to the NBA. I am getting old and due to health issues have lost some memory, but will there ever be a time that someone sits down with these kids and says look at the list which I know we can add tons of more names.

To me I would have loved to see Jalen stay playing for Lou Ritchie. The discussion would be one and done and lottery pick. Per the article he isn’t even in the Top 100 draft ratings. And to me when foreigners are continually growing the numbers in the league, dominate your peers in high school and dominate your level in the summer. That path has proved itself over and over again.

 

[padrewhipser]

you forgot Tyler Johnson from St. Francis

 

[H.E.A.T.]

what about Leon Powe Oakland Tech?

 

[larry legend33]

Ryan Anderson Oak Ridge.... List goes on and on.... keep drinking the tea ! Somebody's pockets like it.

 

[observer22]

Have to agree that OTE didn't work out, though "big mistake" may be a little strong.

In any case, it looks like he has a chance to gain back some lost ground in the G League camp.

I remember seeing him in his first game as a freshman for O'Dowd... Dude was NOT normal.

Not only didn’t OTE work out for him in terms of his development, but he lost his college eligibility. Just brutal. At least he was able to cash in when he signed with them. Good luck to Jalen going forward.

 

[CityBoy415]

Not only didn’t OTE work out for him in terms of his development, but he lost his college eligibility. Just brutal. At least he was able to cash in when he signed with them. Good luck to Jalen going forward.

In the world of NIL deals now that money he got may not have even scratched the surface of what he might have gotten if he stayed. A lot of these families make mistakes based on receiving poor information from those who are not looking out for their best interest.

 

[ankleassassin]

his family made some money. his father raised him solo. props to him and his father. if anyone knows oakland, that aint always happening.
also look at the last few 7 footers who stayed at their school... none of them are all that great in college now

 

[vukovich]

In the world of NIL deals now that money he got may not have even scratched the surface of what he might have gotten if he stayed. A lot of these families make mistakes based on receiving poor information from those who are not looking out for their best interest.

It’s tough to say how he would of turned out if he stayed with the traditional route. He kind of reminds me of Jordan Brown from Woodcreek. They were physically almost the same as a frosh in hs as they were as a senior. 6-9 average athletic ability guys are a dime a dozen by the time you get to college.

 

[ankleassassin]

Jason Kidd played at St Joe’s
JR Rider played at Encinal
Drew Gooden played at El Cerrito
Damian Lillard was told he wouldn’t play at St Joe’s and ended his run at Oakland
Juan Anderson Castro Valley
Jeremy Lin Palo Alto
Aaron Gordon Mitty

Can anyone tell me who went to Findlay Prep, Prolific, and any other prep or academy from the Bay Area that made it to the NBA. I am getting old and due to health issues have lost some memory, but will there ever be a time that someone sits down with these kids and says look at the list which I know we can add tons of more names.

To me I would have loved to see Jalen stay playing for Lou Ritchie. The discussion would be one and done and lottery pick. Per the article he isn’t even in the Top 100 draft ratings. And to me when foreigners are continually growing the numbers in the league, dominate your peers in high school and dominate your level in the summer. That path has proved itself over and over again.

times have changed.. those guys you named are decades ago. also, none were 6 '9 as freshman. it is harder when you are that big that young.. you need to see people your size... granada kid didnt improve. mt diablo kid didnt improve. yv kid sort of

 

[ankleassassin]

It’s tough to say how he would of turned out if he stayed with the traditional route. He kind of reminds me of Jordan Brown from Woodcreek. They were physically almost the same as a frosh in hs as they were as a senior. 6-9 average athletic ability guys are a dime a dozen by the time you get to college.

i knew we would agree on something eventually

 

[MC415]

Gabe Vincent didn’t go prep route worked out for him

 

[kiddman32]

Granada kid didn't improve? If you're talking about McKeever, I'd say that's far from correct.

He added more things to his game every year, took a redshirt year, and will start playing at SMC this season, so hasn't had a chance to show what he's got yet. I do know he's a legit 7'2" now, also.

 

[ankleassassin]

Granada kid didn't improve? If you're talking about McKeever, I'd say that's far from correct.

He added more things to his game every year, took a redshirt year, and will start playing at SMC this season, so hasn't had a chance to show what he's got yet. I do know he's a legit 7'2" now, also.

what i meant was improved in high school where he would be a lottery pick after his freshman year of college. he and jalen pretty much are on the same level at this point but mckee is taller. both were really big and limited athletically very early. the diffference is mckee will learn in college and if jalen goes undrafted he will learn in the pros somewhere.

 

[observer22]

what i meant was improved in high school where he would be a lottery pick after his freshman year of college. he and jalen pretty much are on the same level at this point but mckee is taller. both were really big and limited athletically very early. the diffference is mckee will learn in college and if jalen goes undrafted he will learn in the pros somewhere.

Plus McKeever will have a college education to fall back on in the likely event pro basketball doesn’t work out.

 

[ankleassassin]

Plus McKee we will have a college education to fall back on in the likely event pro basketball doesn’t work out.

his father made sure he was enrolled in college.

 

[larry legend33]

Unless we are talking about somebody else the big kid from Granada is really a nice role player but any sort of pro talk is a far reach to me. Maybe 15-20 years ago when bigs were different but he's not a face up guy with ball skills. Doesn't mean he won't be a solid player for St Mary's but the above list of kids are on such a diff level.

 

[observer22]

That why I said in the likely event that pro basketball doesn’t work out. The NBA would definitely be a huge stretch, but there could be a spot for a 7’2” guy overseas somewhere.

 

[ayalar09]

Prolific has a 2027 kid named Obinna Ekezie who played his last season for Napa Christian, but will most likely play on Prolific National this year. Hes very good and one could argue he is the best big in the Bay Area right now. 6’11 and still growing, remind me a lot of Evan Mobley.

Non Prep, can’t go wrong with Riordans Nes Emeneke, who should be a huge problem this season for most teams, if he can stay healthy.

 

[ranhud]

Ekezie is nationally ranked now also...

 

[ArmchairGOAT]

Non Prep, can’t go wrong with Riordans Nes Emeneke, who should be a huge problem this season for most teams, if he can stay healthy.

Is he hurt?

 

[Streak One]

It’s tough to say how he would of turned out if he stayed with the traditional route. He kind of reminds me of Jordan Brown from Woodcreek. They were physically almost the same as a frosh in hs as they were as a senior. 6-9 average athletic ability guys are a dime a dozen by the time you get to college.

This is an interesting, but I think has a lot of truth in it too. The issue with going the Overtime route is it took college off the table with no real pro future. Whereas someone like Jordan had a pretty solid college career despite navigating around some coaching changes.

 

[Streak One]

Came across this article:

Former top prospect Jalen Lewis has eyes on the NBA

OAKLAND, California – Former Denver Nuggets assistant coach Chris Farr turned to the potential NBA prospect and asked, “What time is it?” Former Overtime Elite …

andscape.com

With the class of 2028 about to start high school I was wondering are there any bigs around to keep an eye on?

Thanks for sharing this story! Ive been wondering where he was at on his basketball journey.

 

[ProlificPrepTV]

Prolific Prep big man in NBA #BigManPrep

Yves Missi (Pelicans)
Adem Bona (76ers)
Mouhamed Gueye (Atlanta Hawks)
Nathan Mensah (Hornets)
Ibrahima Diallo (Spurs G league)

Will or most likely will be drafted next year

Coleman Hawkins (Kansas State)
Aiden Sherrell (Alabama)
Derrion Reed (Alabama)

Future

Obi Ekezie (2027) currently ranked #4 in Country. Will most likely finish #1. Has a chance to be a potential top 3 pick in the NBA draft one day. He is that talented and worth the admission to watch his development. His family moved to Napa as a freshman.

Nikola Bundalo - 2025 - Choosing between UCONN, Kentucky, Ohio State, Kansas. Will be another next up NBA potential player.

 

[kiddman32]

Following Prolific's above post, take a look at lists of D1 and NBA players from places like Oak Hill and Montverde, especially Oak Hill, since it's been around in the national scene for well over 50 years.

Have a look at Oak Hill's gym wall display...

https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/09/15111945/image0-2022-09-15T121918.182.png

While preps aren't the answer for every top prospect, they have been the best avenue for a lot of guys.

I think there is plenty of room on the hoops landscape for both national preps and standard high schools.

 

[larry legend33]

Following Prolific's above post, take a look at lists of D1 and NBA players from places like Oak Hill and Montverde, especially Oak Hill, since it's been around in the national scene for well over 50 years.

Have a look at Oak Hill's gym wall display...

https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/09/15111945/image0-2022-09-15T121918.182.png

While preps aren't the answer for every top prospect, they have been the best avenue for a lot of guys.

I think there is plenty of room on the hoops landscape for both national preps and standard high schools.

Growing up Oak Hill was the place. That was the national power.

 

[MOlST AND PLUMP]

Jason Kidd played at St Joe’s
JR Rider played at Encinal
Drew Gooden played at El Cerrito
Damian Lillard was told he wouldn’t play at St Joe’s and ended his run at Oakland
Juan Anderson Castro Valley
Jeremy Lin Palo Alto
Aaron Gordon Mitty

Can anyone tell me who went to Findlay Prep, Prolific, and any other prep or academy from the Bay Area that made it to the NBA. I am getting old and due to health issues have lost some memory, but will there ever be a time that someone sits down with these kids and says look at the list which I know we can add tons of more names.

To me I would have loved to see Jalen stay playing for Lou Ritchie. The discussion would be one and done and lottery pick. Per the article he isn’t even in the Top 100 draft ratings. And to me when foreigners are continually growing the numbers in the league, dominate your peers in high school and dominate your level in the summer. That path has proved itself over and over again.

i hope i dont get banned for calling him out but don't tell this to the guy who spends his entire life trying to hype up prolific poop on here. because you are absolutely correct and he cant handle the truth. most average to below average high school programs have even put more kids in the pros or high d1 than prolific has. i recommend every parent send your kid to the program nearby that is a short commute and decent, and if your kid has the size and talent they will be just fine. and the game of basketball will grow also. especially in todays era of nil (stands for name image and likeness which allows kids to get paid to do sponsorships now without 4 fitting there amateur status) kids can get these sponsorships and shoe deals without having to play for a prep "school" run by a bunch of scam artists. now im not saying that prolific is necessarily a scam. i dont know enough about them to say one way or another. but i am saying that a lot of these prep "schools" are complete scams and that prolific runs in the same circuit. looking at you prodigy "prep" looking at you donda "prep" looking at you img "academy" looking at you prime "prep" theres just too many scams these days. if your kid needs extra seasoning, this day in age with the relaxed redshirt rules your best option is JUCO BASKETBALL WHICH IS EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL COACHING AND COMPETITION. there is more then enough juco programs around to get all kids an opportunity and experience and exposure.

just my two cents. i know some of it might be looked at as controversial but i call it like i see it.

 

[larry legend33]

i hope i dont get banned for calling him out but don't tell this to the guy who spends his entire life trying to hype up prolific poop on here. because you are absolutely correct and he cant handle the truth. most average to below average high school programs have even put more kids in the pros or high d1 than prolific has. i recommend every parent send your kid to the program nearby that is a short commute and decent, and if your kid has the size and talent they will be just fine. and the game of basketball will grow also. especially in todays era of nil (stands for name image and likeness which allows kids to get paid to do sponsorships now without 4 fitting there amateur status) kids can get these sponsorships and shoe deals without having to play for a prep "school" run by a bunch of scam artists. now im not saying that prolific is necessarily a scam. i dont know enough about them to say one way or another. but i am saying that a lot of these prep "schools" are complete scams and that prolific runs in the same circuit. looking at you prodigy "prep" looking at you donda "prep" looking at you img "academy" looking at you prime "prep" theres just too many scams these days. if your kid needs extra seasoning, this day in age with the relaxed redshirt rules your best option is JUCO BASKETBALL WHICH IS EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL COACHING AND COMPETITION. there is more then enough juco programs around to get all kids an opportunity and experience and exposure.

just my two cents. i know some of it might be looked at as controversial but i call it like i see it.

ha ! I call it as I see it too which is why I rubbed some of the softies on here the wrong way.
100% agree with the above. Maybe it turns back..... Kinda nice to see guys like Trevor Ariza who went to Westchester and played like 20 years in the league have his kid playing back at his alma mater.

 

[MOlST AND PLUMP]

ha ! I call it as I see it too which is why I rubbed some of the softies on here the wrong way.
100% agree with the above. Maybe it turns back..... Kinda nice to see guys like Trevor Ariza who went to Westchester and played like 20 years in the league have his kid playing back at his alma mater.

tyson chandler too. james harden went to his local public too if im not mistook.

the truth is people have a huge misconception about how good JUCO ball is. if people were more informed they would see that it is a far superior option to prep "schools"

 

[ankleassassin]

tyson chandler too. james harden went to his local public too if im not mistook.

the truth is people have a huge misconception about how good JUCO ball is. if people were more informed they would see that it is a far superior option to prep "schools"

harden didnt go to his local school. he went to a public school tho. tyson moved to compton to play at dominguez. all the examples used were from players 20 years ago and the landscape of basketball changed. mater dei was mater dei 20 years ago when i was a LA public school kid entering high school. But back then the public schools were dominate. unfortunately the schools have suffered when the talent moving to san bernadino county or vegas and the emergence of prep/private/academies.
JC basketball is not what kids want to play, they go cuz they have no other option.

 

[kiddman32]

Yeah, 20-25 years ago, the "prep" landscape was basically Oak Hill... and that was it. So, with that super-low number of roster spots, very few kids considered it. If they wanted to get out of their public high school, they went to nearby privates or maybe changed their address (legally, I hope).

So, using players from 30-40 years ago as examples has almost zero merit in this argument.

 

[ProlificPrepTV]

Everyone has their opinion and there is nothing wrong with speaking your mind. But I just state facts.

I love JUCO ball but you cannot say it’s superior to prep ball without stating recent facts. I am going to ask how many kids from Norcal JUCO went D1 last year ? I honestly do not know the answer to that but am sure someone on this message board will know that answer.

GSP (post grad prep) here in NorCal sent 6 D1 last year Alone and another 6+ to various levels. That is one program alone. However I know JUCO is absolutely valuable because everyone runs their race at various timelines. This past year we have sent at least 3 of our kids to local jucos because that was their timeline. There is absolutely Nothing wrong with GSP making local juco a ball better as well. It is a win win.

This season GSP will have one of the top post grad squads in the USA. A great program to watch high level talent especially their big men this year. All of these kids are also 18 years of age which is younger than JUCO so hard to compare them against one another. Both have value for various timelines.

As for your argument about which is better high school or prep schools. It all depends on the individual situation. If you are a PRO you are a PRO. But if you are a fringe guy then one over the other does matter. If you don’t want to sit out half the season cause of CIF rules, than one has more value over the other. Preps aren’t going away so don’t know why people still talking so much trash. They are just going to be growing in popularity.

 

[CityBoy415]

Prolific has a 2027 kid named Obinna Ekezie who played his last season for Napa Christian, but will most likely play on Prolific National this year. Hes very good and one could argue he is the best big in the Bay Area right now. 6’11 and still growing, remind me a lot of Evan Mobley.

Non Prep, can’t go wrong with Riordans Nes Emeneke, who should be a huge problem this season for most teams, if he can stay healthy.

Rumor is he's lost his eligibility due to being to old to play high school anymore

 

[Elstokes]

Rumor is he's lost his eligibility due to being to old to play high school anymore

This is will be his 5th year of high school.

 

[kiddman32]

I remember one time when this happened... I don't remember his name, but he played for St. Pat's-St. Vincent. He had to leave the team due to "aging out" in the middle of his senior season. At least that's what I heard...

Not trying to throw anyone or his school under the bus here, and it seems he and his team knew about it in advance and no sanctions or anything of that sort happened because he left voluntarily at the time he was supposed to.

 

[ProlificPrepTV]

This is will be his 5th year of high school.

Obi is 16 years of age. His father played in the NBA and owns a tech company and sports complex for kids In nigeria. That is how rumors start. Completely untrue if someone was implying that statement about Obi.

 

[viper221980]

Obi is 16 years of age. His father played in the NBA and owns a tech company and sports complete for kids In nigeria. That is how rumors start. Completely untrue if someone was implying that statement about Obi.

I believe the reference was to Nes (Riordan kid) and not Obi. It was stated that Nes is starting his 5th year of high school.