The Best Combinations in the Nation
Words. HShoop
Jordan Hamilton
As the AAU season reaches full-tilt, the Class of ’09ers have stepped into the spotlight given that their predecessors now have one foot out the door on their way towards graduation and college campuses. This short window from mid-April through June gives the current high school juniors a taste of what life will be next year when they’re the big man on campus. But these guys won’t have to go it alone next year. Though many of these kids won’t have a platoon of superstars behind them like we saw in SoCal this past year – Jrue Holiday, DeMar DeRozan, Larry Drew, even Brandon Jennings (despite playing across the country at Oak Hill Academy) – they all share the spotlight in one way or another. Well, everybody but Lance.
Renardo Sidney (Fairfax; Los Angeles, Calif.) – The impossibly versatile big man is definitely big enough to occupy the stage on his own, but he’s part of a one-two punch in SoCal with Dominguez’s Jordan Hamilton. While Sidney is known for his ability to step out and knock down a jumper – things that normally cause a high school big man to trip over his own feet – he’s not as versatile as his regional partner. Hamilton is a 6-7, 210 lbs. point forward built in the mold of (dare we say it…) Magic Johnson. Hamilton posted 24.2 points per game and pulled down 11.0 rebounds despite bombing away from behind the arc often. While Sidney’s Fairfax team lost in the city championships to Larry Drew’s Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Hamilton led his Dons to the State Division I title game.
John Wall (Word of God Academy; Raleigh, N.C.) – Some scouting services have Wall as the top prospect in this class over Sidney and Stephenson. He’s a bigger point guard (6-4, 180 lbs.) who has earned comparisons to Derrick Rose. And while the very mention of his name is starting to get national attention – it’s a big deal in Oklahoma State country that their new coach Travis Ford paid a visit to Wall – he might actually be overshadowed by North Carolina’s 6-7 wing Karron Johnson. Johnson lists Memphis as his number one school, and like all of John Calipari’s prized recruits, there’s little that the kid can’t do. He’s slipped under the radar because of some off-court issues, as he was dismissed from his Patterson School (N.C.) team when he was a sophomore, but as long as he focuses on the hardwood, he could end up being the second best player in this class to Stephenson.
Kenny Boynton (American Heritage; Pompano Beach, Fla.) – Boynton is the latest craze in high school hoops. He’s coming off of an unbelievable MVP showing at the Real Deal on the Hill tournament. He traded buckets with Lance Stephenson, and then topped that performance by draining a 30-footer at the buzzer against the NY Gauchos. Truthfully, there’s nothing hotter than KB. But, he better watch his back, as there’s another elite Florida guard waiting in the wings – Brandon Knight. Knight is a kid in the class of 2010, but he’s consensus top three in that class, and is starting to shine with the rising seniors. In fact, in late February Knight’s Pine Crest squad defeated Boynton’s American Heritage team 90-76 on 38 points from BK. He’s a sophomore and he’s already notched 1621 points.
Xavier Henry (Putnam; Oklahoma City, Okla.) – X is a sweet shooting lefty with family ties to Kansas. He’s been out of action for a couple of weeks with a swollen ankle, and recently fibbed to his mom so that he could play.
“When you’re hurt for three weeks, you’re motivated to play,�? Henry said. “I wanted to get out there and bring it to them.”
Henry had 15 points and several assists despite only being 75% at the Boo Williams Invitational. But Henry isn’t the only Oklahoman with a future in the League. 6-10 Daniel Orton (with a 7-4 wingspan) has been working on his baseline jumper to bolster his already skilled passing out of the high post. But don’t be fooled by those skills, this guy can really bang down low. There’s a strong chance that we’ll be hearing about the Athletes First AAU team, which boasts both Henry and Orton.
