2023 Grassroots Finale Standouts, II
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.—The 2023 HoopSeen travel season has wrapped, but we’re still riding the late July wave after coming home from the beach.
We’re taking a backward glance at the Grassroots Finale with some of the standout performers from the weekend.
Related: 2023 Grassroots Finale Standouts
The progress that Wilson has made in the last year has been outstanding to say the least. He’s been one of Georgia’s true risers, and he kept his upward trajectory going to close the travel season. Wilson’s leveling up has been well-documented this year. Not only has he taken strides physically, mentally, but his play on the court has become well-rounded as well. His confidence seems to be at an all-time high, and he uses his frame and athleticism well in every regard on the floor. Blocking shots, rebounding, scoring at the rim are all givens at this point, but his 3-point shot has also become a legitimate weapon. Look for his ascent to continue into the fall and winter.
One of the general sentiments from the HoopSeen travel season remained true; Emmanuel James is a best. One of the things we came to know about this 1 of 1 Elite Rare team is that they have dudes that can overwhelm on the floor, and Emmanuel James did just that at the Grassroots Finale. He’s physical, he’s athletic, and he’s aggressive. That combination leads to ferocious dunks, rebounds and blocks. I know a guy is going to be a standout when I start getting texts like “this guy’s a monster”, and that’s what happened with James in Virginia Beach.
Truth be told, I thought he was one of the best 2024 players in the entire Virginia Beach Sports Complex for the weekend. A big guard with big play ability, Morton powered his way around the cup for tough guy scores. His first step is incredible and his ability to create shots for his teammates was easy to see and appreciate. Quite frankly, Morton needs to be a priority guy for non-major schools as we approach the fall visit season. He has a game that translates well to the next level. - Justin Young
One of the better two-way players that we were able to see was Team Trezz’s Jeffrey Clark. Long, athletic, Clark is a multi-positional defensive problem. While he stifled on that end, he looked to attack on offense. Clark put points on the board as a slasher, but he also used his ability to get into the paint to move the ball as well. Team Trezz always has success with guys cut from the same cloth as Clark, and that showed again at the Grassroots Finale.
As usual, it’s difficult to determine where to start with this Florida Pro team. Every game sees a different player take center stage thanks to plenty of balance and talent depth. However, Adrian Shackleton was a guy that produced as consistently as anyone else on the team throughout the Grassroots Finale. Shackleton is a bucket getter, we’ve seen that from him plenty this year. He can convert tough finishes in traffic, through contact, and he has a knack for making good plays with the ball in his hands. His playmaking was evident throughout the weekend, as Shackleton routinely found his teammates for easy baskets. He showed his ability to play on and off the ball well in Virginia Beach.
