2023 Best of the South: 17U Standouts III
ATLANTA, Ga.—We're in the middle of a deep dive into the Best of the South. We're spending a lot of time in the 17U division as a cheatsheet for college coaches. We're keeping the ball rolling with some more of the standouts.
Related: 2023 Best of the South Content Hub
Michael Drayton had moments of dominance with XPC Elite at Best of the South. He didn’t do anything fancy, he was just aggressive in his pursuit of the rim. He’s quick with some athleticism, and that allowed him to get by his man and to the basket. Whether he was hanging from the rim or he was laying the ball in, Drayton took efficient shots en route to an undefeated weekend. - Josh Tec
There isn’t much that Robertson doesn’t do on the floor and he proved that this weekend as his team went undefeated. The skilled 6-foot-4 guard made good decisions with the ball in his hands, whether it was making the extra pass for the hockey assist or creating opportunities off of penetrations. There are several reasons why Robertson is dangerous, but his ability to dribble, pass, and shoot at any given point is what really makes him valuable. I thought he put together another solid weekend. - Garrett Tucker
There weren’t many more scorers better than AE5 Gold’s Mason Lewis. He was a walking bucket inside the Georgia World Congress Center. A terror in transition, Lewis thrived in an uptempo game. He has good touch and a tight handle. Lewis can excel in halfcourt situations as well. He has good guard size at a stronger 6-foot-4 and uses his frame to punish smaller matchups. - Josh Tec
Bryce Wilkins had one of the stronger consistent weekends here at Best of the South. The unsigned senior averaged a 20 plus point double double and had two games with 30 points, leading his Smyrna Stars to a 5-1 record. Wilkins had great paint awareness and opponents struggled to stop him inside. He works hard on both the offensive and defensive glass and was one of the better rim protectors we saw all weekend. Wilkins' humility and character were also strong points, and he could be a great addition to a number of programs looking for a super solid forward. - Theo Han
Looking back at our event calendar, I think Lamuno’s name has to be mentioned as one of the most consistent players we’ve seen this travel season. The 6-foot-4 guard touches every portion of the stat sheet, ranging from his scoring ability to his rebounding and passing. Each time he steps on the floor, Lamuno is competing for a triple-double. That’s the kind of player he is. D13 Elite had another strong weekend and much of that was because of the rising senior’s play. He’s going to be a successful college basketball player. - Garrett Tucker
Ryan Rangel had one of the top performances this past weekend at Best of the South. The Mark Black Allstar’s guard poured in an efficient 32 points in a close win against CCB. Rangel has the ability to knockdown tough pull-up threes and utilizes his pump fake to get pull-up mid-range jumpers as well. His constant energy and court awareness made him a fun watch all weekend. - Theo Han
Drain is emerging as an intriguing prospect in Florida’s 2025 class. At 6-foot-8, Drain’s size alone will draw eyes, but his production on the court will keep people coming back for subsequent viewings. He has the physical tools to be a successful two-way post player—he had 21 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks in a game. Long, mobile Drain impacts the game in multiple ways. Offensively, he’s a great target around the basket, but he showed some shooting touch that can further develop. The thing about Drain is that he looks like he’s far from his peak. He looks like a guy that can make significant strides once he gets to college.
