RJ Hampton – Drive Nation (TX)
National Ranking: No. 5
RJ Hampton has been rumored to be a reclassification candidate for a long time. One of the top guards available currently in the 2020 class, many expect that he would be a key addition for any power program heading into this coming season. At the moment, it seems likely that he will actually end up as a member of the 2019 recruiting class. In this EYBL weekend, he showed exactly why many believe he can be an immediate producer at the college level in just a few months.
Even though Drive Nation finished 0-4 on the weekend, Hampton was absolutely ridiculous. He was not the most efficient version of himself but his averages speak for themselves: 28.8 points (.409/.269/.735), 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He was clearly one of the top guards in Atlanta and it is easy to see why so many top programs are interested in landing a commitment. He is, though, down to just four schools: Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, and Memphis.
Scottie Barnes – Nightrydas Elite (FL)
National Ranking: No. 4
Nightrydas Elite put together a rather pedestrian opening weekend by splitting their four matchups but Scottie Barnes showed his all-around game. Even though he did not post the highest scoring totals from the weekend, Barnes did a little of everything to help his team win. Over the course of the four contests, he averaged 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 55.6% shooting from the floor.
One of the most versatile players in the class, Barnes showed flashes of his ceiling on both ends of the floor. He still has plenty of room to improve as a shooter, both at the free throw line and from distance, but it reasonable to assume that he will continue to work on that facet of his game. He is already down to his final eight schools and he will be playing at one of the top programs in the country by 2020-21.
These players represented some – but certainly not all – of the standouts in Atlanta during this past weekend. Many prospects put together strong performances and their recruitment will certainly heat up as a result. This is not only the most important but also the most fun part of the year with regards to covering NCAA basketball recruiting.