The 2022 Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp was held in Los Angeles from August 26 to 28 as some of the best high school and college guards went head to head showcasing their wares in a development setting and even squared off against NBA stars Chris Paul and Devin Booker as well as some other current NBA guards. Here is a look at how some of the top college prospects fared:
Tyrese Hunter 6’0 sophomore University of Texas 19 years old: The shortest college point guard at the camp. He was quite effective hitting the corner three in these workouts. Good communicator on switches on the defensive side and has good strong body to be physical. Scouts put more scrutiny on guards who are under 6’2. He will have to be outstanding for Texas to make up some for his lack of height.
Mark Armstrong 6’3 Freshman Villanova 18 years old: Armstrong (pictured left) created some buzz at this event from scouts. He showed off his athleticism at times with his dunks and speed. He also demonstrated the ability to hit the outside jumper with solid consistency in his form. He was also able to score off cuts. When they competed in one on one’s, he showed the ability to get good looks and more often than not beat his opponent.
Eric Gaines 6’2 Sophomore UAB 21.6 years old: Gaines played really well at this event. In drills he was one of the best at cutting without the ball. He demonstrated a strong Euro Step and a quick first step. He consistently won when they played one on one’s as well. he also flashed excellent shooting mechanics with the ability to shoot well off the dribble. He’s an elite level run/jump athlete but needs to put more weight on. Scouts have higher expectations for him given he is one of the older guards at this event as he will be 22 in a few months, meaning that there will be more pressure on him to be dominant this upcoming season after transferring out of arguably the toughest conference in basketball last season to UAB.
Keyonte George 6’4 Freshman Baylor 18 years old: Scouts seem to like George’s confidence and swagger. He fits the bill of a professional scorer who has extended range beyond the 3 point line. He’s a little streaky from the outside, but when it’s falling he is nearly unstoppable as he can also put the ball to the floor and either give you a floater or Euro step. He could improve his off ball cutting some and definitely could focus on adding more intensity to the defensive end as he does on offense. He looks trimmed down some from the Portland Hoop Summit, but still could trim an additional 15-20 lbs. Weight and conditioning seem to be areas that he’ll always need to stay on top of. The aforementioned swagger and confidence is certainly there, bordering on overconfidence. So given the right coaching and situation perhaps he can focus that into a positive and become an all around talent. for now, his game appears heavily based on scoring and more individual than team, but Baylor is mentioned by scouts as a good spot for him to mature and smooth out the rough edges,
Marcus Sasser 6’2 Senior Houston 21.9 years old: Sasser, the oldest guard in camp, hit a good share of threes and played solid defense. He was also very competitive in the drills. Despite some flashes, there are still some major question marks regarding his projection for the next level, first whether he a 1 or a 2. He also did not demonstrate the athleticism of some of the top guards in camp.
Jaden Akins 6’4 Sophomore Michigan State 19 years old: Akins has good height for a point guard and demonstrated solid defensive tendencies. he’s likely a four year player in East Lansing and at 19 years of age has plenty of time to develop.
Anthony Black 6’7 Freshman Arkansas 18 years old: One of the most talked about players among scouts over the course of the 3 day event. He possesses great height for a guard and has the knack to be in the right place at the right time. With his length and good first step, he demonstrated a good 1 dribble mid range jump shot or spin around jump shot. He’s very slippery in around the basket and had a number of dunks needing just an sliver of separation to finish at the rim. He’s a good passer making the right reads when he is passing and on back cuts. He is also a willing and strong defender. Scouts question two things: What is his position at the NBA level and how his shot form can improve and if he can extend his range. Despite the obvious areas of improvement, he was probably the top prospect at the event.
Jalen Hood-Schifino 6’6 Freshman Indiana 19 years old: Hood Schifino, at 6’6, Has good height for a lead guard. He showed a nice repeatable jump shot and had a few strong dunks during the drill portion of the camp. He is a polished point guard consistently making the right pass and shot selection. But he’s a notch below a player like Black athletically, and in scrimmages he appeared to be a step slower than some of the top guards in camp.
Jordan Hawkins 6’6 Sophomore UConn 20 years old: Hawkins (pictured right) was impressive in drills, at times looking like the top guard in camp. In shooting drills he demonstrated a quick first step, a smooth shooting stroke, and outside range. He also flashed his vertical ability in a controlled environment. However in the highly competitive scrimmages and one on one’s, he wasn’t as strong. His lack of strength was exposed some and it appeared he wasn’t ready to step his level of energy and intensity up to match other guards. He came in 3rd in one on one group and in scrimmages against NBA players didn’t fair so well, making scouts question his confidence. He could be a candidate to break out as a sophomore, but will need to gain better strength and confidence in order to play with consistency and efficiency this season.
Dajuan Harris 6’1 RS Freshman Kansas: Harris on one on one’s was one of the better defensive guards. Despite his diminutive stature he was able to stay low to the ground preventing the taller guards to post him up and using his arms to ball hawk getting some deflections and steals.
JJ Starling 6’4 Freshman Notre Dame Starling has some intrigue to his game. He’s got an excellent frame and some interesting ISO skills with the ability to create scoring opportunities for himself with a nice step back jumper. He showed a high level of leadership and ability to be assertive. He’s clearly one of the more mature freshman from a social aspect. If everything works out, he will attempt to replicate what Blake Wesley did last season as the Irish freshman floor general. He is a solid talent, but probably needs more than one year in Notre Dame to make the jump to the NBA level.
Nolan Hickman 6’3 Sophomore Gonzaga 19 years old: Hickman was solid but not spectacular all camp. He has good height, decent strength and showed some defensive intensity but did not stand out offensively. He lacks great vision and playmaking ability for a guard and generally beats lesser athletes with his athleticism but struggles to create much when matched up with similarly athletic opponents.
