Hot Summer Hoops

Sporting News, The, July 23, 2001 by Dave Telep

While Amare Stoudemire emerged as the talk of the recruiting camps--for reasons good and bad--junior LeBron James solidified his status as a future NBA lottery pick

Nike All-America Camp Big men, big names, but few point guards

The 2001 Nike AU-America Camp turned into a showcase of sorts for one promising big man. Amare Stoudemire, a senior from Orlando, performed well enough to get the nod as the top player of the Class of 2002. Off the court, he also was the biggest story of the camp--just ask his public relations manager.

That's right; Stoudemire shocked a media throng at an informal media gathering by having beside him a P.R. guy. It's not like this 6-10 mega-prospect doesn't generate enough news on his own, but now he has some help from Marc Little, who says he is offering his services pro bono.

Unlike previous years when Nike hosted the likes of Jason Williams and Omar Cook, the 2001 camp was point guard poor. Sure, touted seniors Chris Rodgers and Dee Brown were in attendance in Indianapolis, but the overall point guard crop was lacking.

Nike risers Yusuf Baker, 6-8/226, PF, Orlando/Evans. No one really knew what to expect of Baker since he was coming off ACL/MCL surgery. Once he started playing, it was clear his athleticism had not left him, and the knee had healed remarkably well. Baker, who is scheduled to be a summer teammate of Stoudemire's, was aggressive on the glass and active in the paint, looking to finish with a dunk whenever possible.

Keith Butler, 7-0/235, C, Winchendon, Mass./Winchendon School. In a year when size is at a premium, Butler was destined to receive some high-major looks. At camp, he turned those looks into scholarship offers. His strength lies in his ability to block shots and change games at the defensive end.

Michael Jones, 6-3/180, SG, Braintree, Mass./Thayer Academy. This junior hit the national scene for the first time here. He made a killing from medium range with his strong jumper. His athleticism is a huge plus, and plenty of the important people made a point to watch him in action.

League talk The consensus of the NBA guys in attendance, and there were plenty, was that Stoudemire was the most ready of any camper to make the transition to the NBA. They loved his athleticism and explosion, though they were quick to point out that a year or two in school would do him good. Stoudemire did make a commitment to Memphis, but in light of questions around Little's services and a recent report in which Stoudemire's mother said she received money from a Nike representative, his college eligibility could be in question.

Of the other campers, power forward Shavlik Randolph, a top-rated prospect from Raleigh, N.C., will listen to the NBA. But right now, most scouts would tell him to head to school and bulk up his 69, 210-pound frame. Shooting guard Kelenna Azubuike of Tulsa, Okla., didn't hide his intentions to turn pro if the climate is right, but unfortunately for him, few NBA types are interested.

What happened there? Whether or not they'll admit it, Nike and adidas love snagging players from each other the week of camp. This year, Nike lost a big-timer. Super junior prospect Kendrick Perkins, a 6-11 center from Ozen High in Beaumont, Texas, switched shoe allegiances late and brought four high school teammates along. Perkins, did however, take part in the Nike Peach Jam the next weekend.

Canadian forward Bernard Cote missed out on a good opportunity to show his talents. Cote opted to show that as a power forward he can step out and hit 3-pointers. It's a good thing to show your versatility, but Cote really could have helped himself if he had mixed it up inside more and then stepped out to shoot his jumper. Regardless, he's going to receive attention from high-major programs.

Out and about NBA point guard Rod Strickland showed up to hang with the high schoolers for a day, and he wasn't alone. All of the heavy hitters made appearances, including Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Florida's Billy Donovan, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Arizona's Lute Olson.

Junior LeBron James was the best player at the adidas camp in Teaneck, N.J., and his name dominated water cooler conversations. His matchup with senior small forward Lenny Cooke will long be remembered. James hit a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to give his team the win. The ABCD Camp was talented and deep, despite the overall lack of depth of the senior class. The point guard position especially was loaded, and the underclassmen invited to camp were super. In fact, the underclassmen All-Star game at the end of camp was a much bigger hit than the senior game. Sophomore guard Sebastian Telfair of New York and James, of Akron, Ohio, were the main attractions, and they didn't disappoint.

adidas risers Antoine Wright, 6-7/190, SF, Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence Academy. A California native, he came into camp with a little momentum from the spring but a relatively quiet national reputation. When he exited, he was a camp All-Star and considered a fine athlete who can shoot.