2024 Wootten 150 — PB Report

2024 Wootten 150 Blog

By: Shane Laflin

Premier Basketball | ESPN

So rather than sit down and just analyze players or play from the Wootten 150, I’ve decided to just go at it blog style with a stream of consciousness output and see how it unfolds to better convey the things I’ve been thinking about coming off of the weekend. After giving it two days to really sink in and after taking countless phone calls and receiving numerous feedback driven messages, here is what I’ve got – I set a 30 minute timer and let’s see what I can come up with:

We adjusted the format of things this year – we cut the number of players from about 120 to 72. We changed the on-court programming to mimic the McDonald’s All-American prep the teams put in prior to competing and by doing so also gave the court coaches more autonomy to connect with their teams and get a feel for how they wanted to play. After all, much of the camp is the 5on5 play. We encouraged them to institute some basic defensive principles (stance, activity and transition effort, positioning off the ball, ball screen coverages, etc) and some offensive fundamentals (spacing, sharing of the ball, ball screen reads, secondary actions, etc). We asked them to utilize their favorite drills to build some of that strategy and get their teams connected with energy from a communication standpoint. Needless to say, they did an excellent job.

FIBA 3X3 (rather than multi-team, cutthroat style) was implemented as well – which we were able to do because of the smaller number of players. We had to moderate the FIBA rules just a bit for time and logistics, but the general rules were the same. This allowed us to further emphasize the basic principles of play that we asked for the camp mentioned above. It got the players in the habit of thinking fast, communicating, playing hard, and sharing the ball. It was a resounding success – fun to play and fun to watch.

We also included a Financial Literacy Session after the conclusion of Session 1 of the camp which was presented by Morgan Stanley. I was not in the room, but the feedback from players and from Morgan Stanley was that it was informative, educational, and interactive. This is a hugely relevant for the players and based on questions and convo topics from parents, players, and college coaches throughout the year, we thought it would be a useful addition. Special thanks to Morgan Stanley for that and more. They even offered a follow up Zoom session with parents and players in the future – above and beyond!!

While half the camp was in the Financial Literacy Session, we did a court debrief with the other half of the camp – general feedback to the players on trends of the camp and some Q&A from them on some follow up after Mike Aduddell took them through a Pick & Roll tutorial in the halfcourt in some different scenarios – reads in the two-man game and reads off the ball. As the game becomes more and more perimeter oriented, these players will all play in different spots on the floor in PnR situations – and there is much to learn! Mike did a wonderful job!!

Here are some things we emphasized in our camp debrief situations (I would just jot notes down during observation of camp, so in no particular order):

Defensive Switching Technique – there are lots of lazy switches and done mainly for convenience rather than strategy. Emphasis: Talk! Touch! Take!

Reads and Delivery Out of Ball Screens – as mentioned, Mike went into depth, but mainly we addressed the passing and spacing when coming out of ball screens – when to drop the pocket pass, a reminder to read the layers of defense, screen quality, and ballhandler decision levels

Reminder to Get on Two Feet in the Paint – there are too many instances of off balance play leading to bad decisions and outcomes going to the rim .. when in doubt (and especially in a crowd) – GET ON TWO FEET!

Transition Defense – these things are a given and there is no excuse not to execute them in any situation: sprint back and slow the ball down (preferably early); next – position yourself off the ball like its full court shell, then read personnel and make decisions .. oh, and TALK!!

Multiple Efforts – basketball is a series of decisions and actions and activity level is very important .. next play mentality means there is always a next play to be made and many times it’s just about effort and intent

Passing – passing must be done with the same precision in which shooting happens.. do it with intentionality and detail!! It must be valued and practiced and there are different ways and layers in which you can be a good passer

Stance and Positioning Defensively – again, a given and an expectation.. if you’re a basketball player, you do not stand on the basketball court – you are in an active and attentive stance and you have a reason for where you are positioned on the floor – many factors to read

Value Screens and Cuts – lazy useless cuts do nothing to affect the defense .. both the initial cut and the exit cut have value!! You are always setting the defense up, whether for this play or the next, so do things with some integrity and execution. Screening is an art and it involves multiple players to execute – angles, timing, quality .. all needed!!

Enthusiasm for the Little Things – they all celebrate the and-ones and the threes and the blocks, etc .. but do they take advantage of the little things to celebrate successes of what really makes the game run smoothly? Point it out to teammates, value it in your play and theirs .. connect and win with enthusiasm for the details!!

Take the Open Three – there are so many threes missed because they are taken at the wrong time or a player did not prepare to shoot properly and therefore was not in rhythm .. passing up open threes by a competent shooter is a no-no in today’s game and disrupts the rhythm of the game – driving something that should have been a shot is just as detrimental as shooting something that should have been driven. If you can shoot, shoot the good ones!

Consistent Shooting Footwork – I watched a lot of players warm up as we always arrived early before sessions and I saw a lot of inconsistent footwork: left, right .. right, left .. hop into shot .. sometimes a little of both (literally practicing travelling really) … Don’t get me wrong – there is no one way to do it, and I believe you must be able to be competent (eventually) at doing it multiple ways, but watching them – it seemed there was no method to the madness in many of them – and it affected their shooting in games for sure.

Utilizing Quality Shot and Ball Fakes – it starts with catching the ball with the disciplined prep to shoot/score/attack .. and when it doesn’t happen, we miss a lot of opportunities to use shot fakes to manipulate the defense .. the same with ball fakes .. are you readying layers of help? Do you want to move them or see what they are thinking or emphasizing? BALL FAKE!!

Learn to Play with Bigs – Not many players get to play with bigs that often .. and I will say that I thought the players did a really good job getting the ball inside and getting post touches, however – we can be better. Post feed technique – details in placement, timing, and skills .. very much needed. I asked the posts to bear with us while we learn and hold seals just a bit longer and encouraged them for their efforts and reminded them to use their target hands for guidance in passing and their voices as well!

Overall Thoughts from the Camp

I was really proud of how coachable and willing to learn a camp of players of this magnitude were .. they all were locked in and enthusiastic and brought a really good energy to the camp. They were remined before the camp that just because there is the inevitable evaluation element to the camp, it is NOT why they were there. We intended to make sure they all took something from the setting that would make them or their teams or their leadership skills better as student-athletes. We wanted to create an elite setting in which they could LEARN, COMPETE, FAIL AND RECOVER, and GET BETTER while getting a tiny glimpse in what the floor will look like as every single player in this camp will play a high level of Division One basketball.

I cannot say this enough: I AM REALLY PROUD OF THESE PLAYERS!!

They asked detailed questions throughout, in between, and after that camp. They were able to talk details, and nuance, and even have some uncomfortable conversations about improvement and things missing from their play – but all of it was done in a very positive and encouraging manner .. we all want to be better and we all have to be better to stay on our respective paths – there is nothing wrong with it at all.

In all settings – you are what you emphasize and we emphasized a competitive learning environment. The best players want to be coached – and these were some of the best players in the country and they for sure wanted to be coached. I often hear how players don’t want to be coached anymore – NONSENSE!! They just want to be coached by someone who can see them for who they are and where they are and meet them with energy and intentionality and that can help them utilize their talents and gifts and help them function and contribute to a TEAM and BE VALUED. So, if you’re saying the players are the issue – improve your leadership!

LEAD. TEACH. LEARN. And guess what? It goes both ways!! Basketball is a connector in so many ways and the growth is both reciprocal and exponential when done right. Haven’t felt that? You’re in the wrong gym!!

(My 30 minutes ran out here, but I want to talk players…)

PLAYERS

Quickly and in a concise manner – I’ll share some thoughts on some players with quick evals or things we talked about or shared with each other when talking to them after the camp ended. I cannot emphasize enough – I was not disappointed in one player in the gym .. and that is not often the case!

Best of the Best

Mia Pauldo – supreme PG.. leadership energy and intangible is off the charts .. skills and IQ for days .. Both Mia and Mya make others feel like better players when they are on the floor .. they love the game and it is contagious and that may be the highest compliment (to go with their play) of them all

Jazzy Davidson – the best player in the gym all weekend.. smooth operator with all the answers .. and there are other layers to unlock (wink, wink Jazz – as we discussed) .. she competes hard on both ends and as much as she scores it, is a defensive stopper as well .. If I were drafting from her class for the future, she’d be very hard not to take with the No. 1 pick

Maddyn Greenway – so ultra competitive .. just always on when she’s in between the lines .. she’s gotten really shifty and she has a strong build and a burst of speed that many simply do not have .. as she learns the nuances of running a team (which is happening) and takes more of her open threes, she will continue to improve her overall game ..

Addie Deal – as Kevin Lynch says to me (generally speaking) .. “let’s not over-complicate things here” .. Deal is good on all fronts and is always in exceptional shape and it leads to her competing in every phase of the game.. she really runs the floor so well and hunts shots with the best of them – you can tell she works on her strength and stamina and her skills – and it is intentional!

Kaelyn Carroll – to be totally transparent, during camp Kaelyn gave me multiple reasons in camp to find her mom’s eye contact and for me to say, “She is so ** GOOD!” She has turned herself into a major scorer and she is fearless on the floor to the rim and hunting shots or going to the glass – she just wants it. And she is every bit of a 6-foot 3 perimeter player!!

Lara Somfai – Physical, agile, skilled, with an insatiable need to get better in all the details who loves to compete .. Strong and tall frame with touch out beyond the three .. oh, and can pass!! Her face up game is nice!! She has some wiggle in her handle which is next level, and she can really carve out space for the boards… whew!! Scary hours ahead..

Exceptional Weekend

Camille Williams – she is so much better than people realize and she competes with a smile of her face the whole time!! Extremely efficient three-level scorer with a bust of speed in her attack and savviness all over the floor .. wants it badly – very valuable trait!!

Autumn Fleary – old school east coast PG!! Plays with supreme confidence and has all the subtle handle skills you could want in a guard .. can create her own shot, distribute, lock up defensively, and run a team .. yes, please!!

Savvy Swords – All-time team first mentality .. just does everything and has expanded her game from mainly as a rugged interior forward to more perimeter skills – adding wiggle off the bounce and a killer three-point stroke .. you want as many of these kinds of players as you can get

Jordan Ode – Steady improver the last two years!! When she gets introduced to a new level, she comes back better – added wiggle to her handle and more range consistency

Nylah Wilson – major motor and competitive nature and when she wants to get to the rim, she does – and is now shooting the ball well; when she learns how to run a team at the next level, it will be very valuable

Maya Makalusky – shooter with a high IQ – really talks the game well .. hunts threes with range .. good direct takes – and rebounds well

Lilly Williams – most serious athlete who wants to get better at all times.. great hands .. can dunk the ball .. battles inside and has great mobility.. huge potential

Nation Williams – I referenced the multiple efforts thing earlier .. Nation is a great example of that – constant effort. She is so physical and just leaves an impression on the floor competitively and is still just a baby!

I’ve seen subtle improvements (at the elite level, that’s how they come) in the following:

Jordyn Jackson – she has added some facilitation elements to her game and it is very noticeable .. formerly a volume-ish scorer, she has become very efficient – a couple tweaks on the jumper away from being a much more consistent shooter – and the evidence is there.

Karisma Lewis – IQ and feel and intangibles are excellent – she can really shoot it, and has added some wiggle to her handle that really helps her out

Brandie Harrod – she will be better at the next level than many people realize .. has the bones and has shown steady improvement over time consistently .. now is hunting threes a bit more – can still add some defensive prowess and play, but she’s mature and it is coming

Atlee Vanescko – really found her niche and knows her limitations, but I mean that in the most positive way – it means she plays to her strengths and knows her areas of improvement – she has become a knock down shooter and a fantastic facilitator .. glue personified!!

Jemini Mitchell – old school savvy feel for the game and skills .. can shoot it and has all the skills .. she will be who she can guard at the next level – and I expect she will keep getting better

Avery Hjelmstad – prototypical shooter with great size at the guard spot – quick trigger on the three and ability to get to the middy .. smart and talks the game so well – wants to know it all.. love it!!

Watch for the Stock Rising Season

Steady Performers

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