By Derek Bast
Player of the Week:
BJ Boston, Jr., Ontario Clippers
Boston earned the Finals MVP at the Winter Showcase as he averaged 29 points on his way to carrying the Clippers to the championship last week. Despite his struggles from beyond the arc, Boston shot 59% from the field and was commonly the best player on the floor throughout the tournament. The former standout high school recruit hasn’t played this well since his days before Kentucky and this surge could be the boost he needs to revive his promising career.
Who’s Hot?
Isaiah Mobley, Cleveland Charge
Mobley was another standout of the showcase, impacting the game in limitless ways on both ends of the floor. The brother of fellow Cavalier Evan started to look like him at the tournament with his paint protection (3 BPG) and invaluable offensive impact. With over six assists per game and 27 points, Mobley wasn’t just scoring, he was setting up his teammates to succeed as well as any other player in the tournament.
DJ Carton, Iowa Wolves
I’d put Carton up against any other player in the G-League with how well he is playing over the last four games. It started with a 30-point performance off the bench while shooting 12-12 from the field and continued with two more 30-point outburst as a starter over the last three games. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets some sort of chance this year if he continues to play this efficiently in the G-League.
Who’s Not?
Johnny Davis, Capital City Go-Go
The emergence of Johnny Davis last season was one of the biggest stories in college basketball, and eventually lead to his selection in the lottery by the Washington Wizards. While almost every other player in that lottery is thriving, Davis can’t seem to find his way, while players with less draft capital invested in them outperform him in Capital City.
Mojave King, G-League Ignite
A hot start to the season is well in the rear view mirror as King’s play isn’t the only thing dropping, it’s also his minutes. He is only averaging 6 points over his last seven games with his shooting percentage down to 37% during the same stretch. King can be a valuable asset alongside Scoot Henderson now that he’s back, but he needs to start proving it.
Top Winter Showcase Starting Five
G- Tre Mann, OKC Blue
It seems ridiculous in hindsight that Mann was in the G-League for this showcase, but maybe it was the kickstart he needed to get his season going in Oklahoma City. He’s scored 17 points in two of the three games since returning to the Thunder and it’s all thanks to the confidence he gained last week in Las Vegas.
G- Brandon Boston Jr., Ontario Clippers
It’d be hard to omit the Finals MVP and Player of the Week for the entire league, so Boston earns a spot on this list as well. If there’s any confusion as to why, scroll up and read everything I wrote at the top of the article.
G/F- Terry Taylor, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Taylor shined in Las Vegas and even joined Boston on the official all-Showcase first team for his efforts last week. The Austin Peay product made a name for himself on the tanking Packers last season and even earned a brief call-up for his dominant display with the Mad Ants.
F- Isaiah Mobley, Cleveland Charge
The Mobley brothers will be reunited soon if Isaiah’s play in Vegas is any indication of what’s to come in his rookie season and beyond. The former USC star was unstoppable for the Charge leading them to within two points of the championship match of the tournament.
C- Vernon Carey Jr., Capital City Go-Go
The only player on this list who didn’t earn a spot on the official first team of the showcase is Vernon Carey. The former Blue Devil was impressive enough from my perspective to be the recognized center from the Winter Showcase. He only played one game for the Go-Go, but putting up 35 points and eight rebounds is certainly worthy of praise despite the small sample size.