Can Yall Critique My lil cousin basketball skills ?

[lilojmayo]

Basketball fans have an eye for basketball ability. I want my cousin to see what the ISH family has to say about his hoop game. Both his strengths and weaknesses ...so he will know what to work on this summer

17 years old
6'1 guard
27 ppg average


He has a great work ethic . Reminds me so much of myself when i was a youngin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZUjC52iOpU&feature=youtu.be LILOJMAYO pt 2 :rockon:

[sweggeh]

Decent passing and decent enough handles for his level. Shooting form doesn't look too efficient. Nice athleticism.

All in all average decently talented but not good enough for a higher level basketball player.

[lilojmayo]

Decent passing and decent enough handles for his level. Shooting form doesn't look too efficient. Nice athleticism.

All in all average decently talented but not good enough for a higher level basketball player.

Ok i going to tell him to clean up his shooting mechanics

[bigkingsfan]

Can he dunk?

[sweggeh]

Ok i going to tell him to clean up his shooting mechanics

He isn't bad by any mean. Just not sure he can make it big. No wow factor about his play.

[KobesFinger]

Why is he shooting from so far behind the line?

[Nick Young]

His jump shot looks like it will get easily swatted vs decent college level competition, not to mention NBA, he'd get shit stuffed in his face all day.

Do your cuz a favor and buy him the JJ Reddick shooting method DVD and help him work on overhauling that shot!

[lilojmayo]

Most of the kids he's playing with look like 13 year olds

Anyone will look good when you're physically superior and have more experience due to age

He plays in a small league. This summer he will be playing against stiffer competition during AAU showcases etc.

[lilojmayo]

Why is he shooting from so far behind the line?

half the kids I see nowadays can shoot far out. Its that Stephen Curry Effect :lol
When I was growing up all we cared about were Crossover and AND1 Moves. Allen Iverson ruined a generation of players.

[lilojmayo]

He isn't bad by any mean. Just not sure he can make it big. No wow factor about his play.

How would you suggest he increase his wow factor?


Me personally I think he needs to add more to his game.
Increase his handles
Improve his shooting mechanics
more off-the ball game like coming off screens.

[BigNBAfan]

what does jajuan mean?

[Nick Young]

How would you suggest he increase his wow factor?


Me personally I think he needs to add more to his game.
Increase his handles
Improve his shooting mechanics
more off-the ball game like coming off screens.
He doesn't look very dominant vs those guys.

Just an example, Jordan Farmar looked dominant when he used to play for Taft and he was going up against tougher competition than your cuz game in game out.

Your cuz looks pretty good but not near dominant, like Jordan Farmar and other top recruits look like playing in highschool.

Maybe that's unfair because Farmar was a high school All American, but your cousin does not stand out compared to other high school ballers I've seen. Rose and Farmar and other top highschool PG prospects used to just murderously dunk on 6'8+ dudes at high school level and blow by people with pure athleticism, not even having to cross them up or anything.

Nothing about your cousin's game right now makes me think "wow, this guy is going to the next level."

He is not blowing by people with insane quickness, he isn't destroying kids off the dribble, his shot has poor mechanics, and he does not have amazing power or hops for a guy his size.

What would you say his strengths are?

[lilojmayo]

He isn't bad by any mean. Just not sure he can make it big. No wow factor about his play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOT4CedHBfs

I agree he has to add more to his game for excitement factor...especially as a prospect where talent evaluators will be looking at his game. However if you watch Harden 50 point game . You will noticed the extreme similarities

I told him to model his game off James Hardin and Moreyball philosophy

layups , free throws , 3 pointers . Its extremely affect and at times almost unstoppable when you have someone who is good enough to get into the paint whenever , can knock down 80% free throws , shoot the 3 point ball however.


I'd love to see him though add a little more JJ Reddick/Kyle Korver stuff like coming offf screens.

[Nick Young]

Don't turn him in to a harden! That guy is a flopper and a joke! He should model his game of Ray Allen and Curry!

[lilojmayo]

Don't turn him in to a harden! That guy is a flopper and a joke! He should model his game of Ray Allen and Curry!

yeah , ill have him watch film of Ray.

Since he was in HS , basically told him about Houston Rockets philosphy since it is "simple" to do , if again you have someone who can play that style.

As he gets better and older. I think changing his style up to Ray Ray and Curry will do him well

[Nick Young]

Yeah, college and Euroleague don't call the weakshit fouls they do for Harden and Lebron in the NBA. It's better he learns to play basketball the right way. Once he has that down, he can decide if he wants to start cheating like Harden does.

[Rake2204]

Out of curiosity, does he play in the smallest division in the state of California? His competition really does appear relatively limited and undersized. That said, it looks like he's doing to that competition what someone talented should be doing to that competition. He can't choose how good his competition is, so the best he can do is dominate, and it looks like he does.

I would agree with others that said the load on his shot is a little slow and low (close to having shoot-from-the-hip symptoms) but it's survivable for the level of basketball he'll likely be looking to play (a form of college ball but not D1). I've known at least one other player with a lower release who excelled in small-time college ball.

His highlights look good, but it can be tough to get a full feel without watching games. If he has a good head on his shoulders and is always ready to work, it seems he's put himself in position to have an opportunity to play at the next level.

I will say, sometimes it's a weird transition for small-school stars to step into college environments where everyone has similar skills. It sounds like you guys try to get him exposed to better talent in the offseason - that's important. I've known some Class D superstars (that's Michigan's smallest school size) who more or less dropped off the map on their college teams because they just didn't quite know how to handle not being able to do anything they wanted on the basketball court.

Lastly, and I mean this light-heartedly - enjoyable narrative, haha. It sounded like someone was reading in slow motion off a series of small cue cards. I was hoping the big reveal was going to be that the guy reading and effusing praise upon Jajuan that whole time... was going to be Jajuan himself, kind of like one of those things where he'd be like, "You may be asking, why do I know so much about Jajuan Young? Well, because.... I am Jajuan Young."

[poido123]

Basketball fans have an eye for basketball ability. I want my cousin to see what the ISH family has to say about his hoop game. Both his strengths and weaknesses ...so he will know what to work on this summer

17 years old
6'1 guard
27 ppg average


He has a great work ethic . Reminds me so much of myself when i was a youngin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZUjC52iOpU&feature=youtu.be LILOJMAYO pt 2 :rockon:


really nice player.


His jumpshot is bit weird, bit jerky.

His handles are susceptible to a lot of carries.

The rest of his offense is solid. quick, handles, can shoot.

[Patrick Chewing]

He'll have a mediocre career on ISH. Just like his cousin.

[hateraid]

You got to post a game so we can get a feel of his overall skillet. His position, cardio, skills off the ball. Hard to say when you only get highlights.
But from the video posted I agree with everyone that his shot needs work. It's a low release and takes a bit of time to set up. Not to be be harsh but he shoots like a girl. I'd blame coaches for not correcting that. I had bad form in high school so my coaches set me aside in practices to help correct that.
He looks tenacious. Can he keep that up a whole game? If he can he could be a good energy guy. I see a Will Bynum out of him. But keep working with him. He's a scorer, so he'll figure it out on the next level

[hateraid]

Out of curiosity, does he play in the smallest division in the state of California? His competition really does appear relatively limited and undersized. That said, it looks like he's doing to that competition what someone talented should be doing to that competition. He can't choose how good his competition is, so the best he can do is dominate, and it looks like he does.

I would agree with others that said the load on his shot is a little slow and low (close to having shoot-from-the-hip symptoms) but it's survivable for the level of basketball he'll likely be looking to play (a form of college ball but not D1). I've known at least one other player with a lower release who excelled in small-time college ball.

His highlights look good, but it can be tough to get a full feel without watching games. If he has a good head on his shoulders and is always ready to work, it seems he's put himself in position to have an opportunity to play at the next level.

I will say, sometimes it's a weird transition for small-school stars to step into college environments where everyone has similar skills. It sounds like you guys try to get him exposed to better talent in the offseason - that's important. I've known some Class D superstars (that's Michigan's smallest school size) who more or less dropped off the map on their college teams because they just didn't quite know how to handle not being able to do anything they wanted on the basketball court.

Lastly, and I mean this light-heartedly - enjoyable narrative, haha. It sounded like someone was reading in slow motion off a series of small cue cards. I was hoping the big reveal was going to be that the guy reading and effusing praise upon Jajuan that whole time... was going to be Jajuan himself, kind of like one of those things where he'd be like, "You may be asking, why do I know so much about Jajuan Young? Well, because.... I am Jajuan Young."

I sold have read this first, but I 100% agree here

[AlphaWolf24]

( from watching the video I'm just gonna talk about offense , as a guard obviously "passing" and shooting are huge)

So many great combo guards who can shoot lights out coming outta so cal...

I think you're cousin fits well in that category....his shot looks legit and he seems to have the ability to finish at the rim ( from the limited video )

with Cali producing so many great guards it basically comes down to who can finish better in traffic offensively....

He reminds alot of Compton's PG Kameron Stint who can also shoot , but needs to work on finishing at the rim/in traffic in order to take his game to the next level.


Luckily I got to watch some HS games with alot of great players this year...from watching his video against his competition, ( It's hard to judge) but he has a nice overall game....but the ability to finish strong at the rim is gonna be the tipping point for the combo guards in Cali....

keep working and keep getting better.....whether he plays college ball or not..:cheers:

[lilojmayo]

Out of curiosity, does he play in the smallest division in the state of California? His competition really does appear relatively limited and undersized. That said, it looks like he's doing to that competition what someone talented should be doing to that competition. He can't choose how good his competition is, so the best he can do is dominate, and it looks like he does.

I would agree with others that said the load on his shot is a little slow and low (close to having shoot-from-the-hip symptoms) but it's survivable for the level of basketball he'll likely be looking to play (a form of college ball but not D1). I've known at least one other player with a lower release who excelled in small-time college ball.

His highlights look good, but it can be tough to get a full feel without watching games. If he has a good head on his shoulders and is always ready to work, it seems he's put himself in position to have an opportunity to play at the next level.

I will say, sometimes it's a weird transition for small-school stars to step into college environments where everyone has similar skills. It sounds like you guys try to get him exposed to better talent in the offseason - that's important. I've known some Class D superstars (that's Michigan's smallest school size) who more or less dropped off the map on their college teams because they just didn't quite know how to handle not being able to do anything they wanted on the basketball court.

Lastly, and I mean this light-heartedly - enjoyable narrative, haha. It sounded like someone was reading in slow motion off a series of small cue cards. I was hoping the big reveal was going to be that the guy reading and effusing praise upon Jajuan that whole time... was going to be Jajuan himself, kind of like one of those things where he'd be like, "You may be asking, why do I know so much about Jajuan Young? Well, because.... I am Jajuan Young."


I think its the 2nd or 3rd smallest division. I am not that familiar with California division. But I believe there are roughly 10-12 divisions within California state system.

It goes to show you why playing AAU basketball , various different circuits/showcases is very important in opening doors to play at the next level, so we are looking for stiffer competition.

He has another year to work on his craft before its next stage. I'm trying to guide him through the process, since he texts me alot.

.................................................. .................................................. ..

Constructive criticism is great for young kids to see. Looking back at it now , remember I hated around that criticism at that age. But I used that to fuel me and motivate me to improve. That's what I am hoping it does for him
when I show him this thread.

[lilojmayo]

He'll have a mediocre career on ISH. Just like his cousin.


I'm hoping to be Floyd Mayweather Sr , to his Floyd Mayweather JR. If you know what I mean. Kid going to do this, he just gotta live in the gym :rockon:

[lilojmayo]

You got to post a game so we can get a feel of his overall skillet. His position, cardio, skills off the ball. Hard to say when you only get highlights.
But from the video posted I agree with everyone that his shot needs work. It's a low release and takes a bit of time to set up. Not to be be harsh but he shoots like a girl. I'd blame coaches for not correcting that. I had bad form in high school so my coaches set me aside in practices to help correct that.
He looks tenacious. Can he keep that up a whole game? If he can he could be a good energy guy. I see a Will Bynum out of him. But keep working with him. He's a scorer, so he'll figure it out on the next level


I told him his game resemble that of Jason Terry type. I know he needs to work alot on the pick & roll/pop game . That is huge in both college basketball and beyond.

Not many kids have that down in high school.

And ok this offseason , i'll make sure I work with him on his shooting mechanics to speed up that release and have a higher set point before he shoots.

[highwhey]

I feel like he's too much in love with the 3 and awkward form and since it's a highlights vid, we don't see his attempt vs made. Has good passing vision tho, quick and decent handles.

Is he strong tho? Make him do some chest work, he'll be able to body up against bigger dudes and grab them boards. I like his hustle tho, definitely playing with heart.

You hoop with him? Where does he practice cuz the vid shows very small young hs boys. Take him to an LA fitness gym or somewhere where he cam play against grown men, he'll be better for it.

[lilojmayo]

( from watching the video I'm just gonna talk about offense , as a guard obviously "passing" and shooting are huge)

So many great combo guards who can shoot lights out coming outta so cal...

I think you're cousin fits well in that category....his shot looks legit and he seems to have the ability to finish at the rim ( from the limited video )

with Cali producing so many great guards it basically comes down to who can finish better in traffic offensively....

He reminds alot of Compton's PG Kameron Stint who can also shoot , but needs to work on finishing at the rim/in traffic in order to take his game to the next level.


Luckily I got to watch some HS games with alot of great players this year...from watching his video against his competition, ( It's hard to judge) but he has a nice overall game....but the ability to finish strong at the rim is gonna be the tipping point for the combo guards in Cali....

keep working and keep getting better.....whether he plays college ball or not..:cheers:

1 more year before college starts. and yes Cali is loaded with a lot of combo guards, i agree finishing around the rim is huge. That's something kids take for-granting and element they need to practice .



and I've seen him play before, he is a good player. They are somewhat similar in terms of style , but he doesn't have anywhere near the upside imo ( cause athleticism difference ) ... . However, he plays in a much tougher division them schools compete with all the known HS in LA area

Long Beach Poly
Fairfax
Dorsey
Westchester
Leuzinger
St John Bosco
Dominguez Prep
Crenshaw etc etc

All those school produce insane talent. Half those kids already look like grown men.

[nathanjizzle]

His shooting form doesnt look to good. i doubt his playmaking abilities at the pg position. handles and passing are mediocre. How the hell is he scoring 27 points a game? must be playing against 15 year olds.

[KobesFinger]

I'm hoping to be Floyd Mayweather Sr , to his Floyd Mayweather JR. If you know what I mean. Kid going to do this, he just gotta live in the gym :rockon:

Punched in the face by Charlie Z?

[lilojmayo]

His shooting form doesnt look to good. i doubt his playmaking abilities at the pg position. handles and passing are mediocre. How the hell is he scoring 27 points a game? must be playing against 15 year olds.


He is a fairly accurate shooter, has range out to around 23 feet. He can shoot over most HS zones that don't extend out, mixed in with the fact he can shoot 3s off the dribble ( most HS kids....heck even college players don't have that ability )...... and can shoot 3s stopping on a dime at full speed within the transition game.

He is a tough cover, if you have never had to guard someone like that you literally have to pick him up the second he passes half-court line. So defense now have come out to defend

Then he has Quick first step, good at initiating contact , so he makes a living at the free throw line . Then when gets to the line, he knocks them down. 80% FT , at age 17 ( if you have ever watched a HS game , if a team goes over 70% it is a miracle at time )

And when he drives , he is an above average finisher around rim. Notice his ability to drive left or right equally...finish with his left hand just as easily as he finishes with his right hand.

Again stuff like that goes unnoticed, if you aren't trained to talent evaluate on a daily basis.You miss the little stuff like that. It's not all about flashy AND1 handles and poster dunks etc ( although those are nice also :lol )

[lilojmayo]

Punched in the face by Charlie Z?

Whats the Z man been up to of late? I havent seen him since he sucker punched Floyd Sr.

[ace23]

Just looked him up and saw his school is ranked 15000 in the country on Maxpreps :roll: yeah you best get his ass on that AAU circuit.

[dunksby]

Not sure if anybody mentioned it, but he is ambidextrous, which will go a long way. He looks like he is comfortable dribbling and finishing with either hand, he wants to play like Curry which is a good thing. He needs to do something about that shooting form too, but it could be how he is adjusting to weaker arms, so weight training is highly recommended as well.

[Milbuck]

Looks really solid. Shooting form looks a bit funky but seems to work for him. Do think he could use more elevation on it.

Develop some clear go to moves like Harden's crossover/between the legs stepback or Westbrook's quick FT line pull up game. Fill in the 3/slashing game with a solid midrange game. Really refine that floater for when he plays bigger front lines. He should watch a lot of Tony Parker footage.

[iamgine]

You should post his normal game, not highlight mix.

[Yoshi]

Ok i going to tell him to clean up his shooting mechanics

He needs to strengthen his legs so he can shoot without lunging forward. Jump squats would be useful. Also, jump rope.

[Velocirap31]

It's a little odd that he shoots on the way up, but it's a smooth release and looks really good. He probably has a lot of shots roll in with a release that soft.

He should focus on playmaking and getting his teammates good looks. College scouts are going to want guys who fit in their system and look to win as a unit, not individually.

[lilojmayo]

Not sure if anybody mentioned it, but he is ambidextrous, which will go a long way. He looks like he is comfortable dribbling and finishing with either hand, he wants to play like Curry which is a good thing. He needs to do something about that shooting form too, but it could be how he is adjusting to weaker arms, so weight training is highly recommended as well.

Weight Training will be key for sure. I'm going to show him some of the stuff i used to do bulk up a little bit when I arrive in town

[lilojmayo]

It's a little odd that he shoots on the way up, but it's a smooth release and looks really good. He probably has a lot of shots roll in with a release that soft.

He should focus on playmaking and getting his teammates good looks. College scouts are going to want guys who fit in their system and look to win as a unit, not individually.


He mechanics need some work , but at least there isn't a Hitch in the shot . Since that's a nightmare to fix

And watch the full game footage. He is a much better passer than his highlights show ( still in the tier of solid though ) . His teammates struggled to finish alot of his feeds.

[lilojmayo]

Looks really solid. Shooting form looks a bit funky but seems to work for him. Do think he could use more elevation on it.

Develop some clear go to moves like Harden's crossover/between the legs stepback or Westbrook's quick FT line pull up game. Fill in the 3/slashing game with a solid midrange game. Really refine that floater for when he plays bigger front lines. He should watch a lot of Tony Parker footage.


A go to inbetween game is lacking, and also would like to see more Pick and Roll situations, since that is huge as you move levels up the basketball ladder.

[lilojmayo]

Not sure if anybody mentioned it, but he is ambidextrous, which will go a long way. He looks like he is comfortable dribbling and finishing with either hand, he wants to play like Curry which is a good thing. He needs to do something about that shooting form too, but it could be how he is adjusting to weaker arms, so weight training is highly recommended as well.


Yeah , those are little things many college scouts/coaches see when evaluating full game tape/highlights on HS kid .......that most fans it goes unnoticed ( since its not in the job description )

He is extremely ambidextrous. .

But If you rewind the tape for those that missed it, you will notice it. how frequently he goes left , finishes with his left in traffic etc.

[lilojmayo]

You should post his normal game, not highlight mix.

If anything he is one of those kids who's raw footage is more impressive than a highlight mix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVeyLu1E3RY

Full Game Tape - watch 00 seconds to 12 minutes

Takeaways -

He is extremely composed. For a kid who averages almost 30 ppg , he never ball hogs or takes " ill-advised shots ". He somewhat special scorer like you will notice right away back-to-back 3 pointers from the start.... but everything he does in in the flow of the game. And also this is real life basketball , opposing coaches don't just sit back and watch an onslaught happen.

That game he had 25 points at half , and ended with 41 points because in the 2nd half the other team switched to Box-1 Zone , full court double teams on him etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uP-hhL2kYI

Full Game Tape : 6 minutes - 13 minutes ( Watch the defense its almost comical how they key in him , but that's how lethal he was ) had about 18 points midway through the second quarter ..... but only finished with 26 points in the game because the other team adjusted their defense .

[Imtheman]

Tell him improve his handles, they're kind of sloppy. His shot doesnt look very fluid. I mean hes making them but if he wants to succeed in college ball, he needs to change some things..his shooting form is a bit weird..but if it aint broke..

I bet Polly eat his team alive

[Rake2204]

If anything he is one of those kids who's raw footage is more impressive than a highlight mix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVeyLu1E3RY

Full Game Tape - watch 00 seconds to 12 minutes

Takeaways -

He is extremely composed. For a kid who averages almost 30 ppg , he never ball hogs or takes " ill-advised shots ". He somewhat special scorer like you will notice right away back-to-back 3 pointers from the start.... but everything he does in in the flow of the game. And also this is real life basketball , opposing coaches don't just sit back and watch an onslaught happen.

That game he had 25 points at half , and ended with 41 points because in the 2nd half the other team switched to Box-1 Zone , full court double teams on him etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uP-hhL2kYI

Full Game Tape : 6 minutes - 13 minutes ( Watch the defense its almost comical how they key in him , but that's how lethal he was ) had about 18 points midway through the second quarter ..... but only finished with 26 points in the game because the other team adjusted their defense .Kid's a ball player. I only watched the first 12 minutes of the first video and granted, he took at least a pair of really ill-advised shots, but he also took (and hit) a number of good shots and again, it's clear he's a player. High school kids will take some bad shots sometimes, it happens.

Otherwise, again, I acknowledge he's playing low level competition, but he's got tools to fit in at any high school level and he appears to be on a college track. He's not god's gift and he's not going to the NBA, so surely there's things he can tighten up and master, but he appears to have a lot of things going for him.

[ace23]

Why did you delete your response to my post?

[SAKOTXA]

Looked like he was doing work against my N. Hollywood Huskies. I woulda swatted his jumper 7 years ago though.

[lilojmayo]

Why did you delete your response to my post?

I didn't want to slander his teammates

[lilojmayo]

Kid's a ball player. I only watched the first 12 minutes of the first video and granted, he took at least a pair of really ill-advised shots, but he also took (and hit) a number of good shots and again, it's clear he's a player. High school kids will take some bad shots sometimes, it happens.

Otherwise, again, I acknowledge he's playing low level competition, but he's got tools to fit in at any high school level and he appears to be on a college track. He's not god's gift and he's not going to the NBA, so surely there's things he can tighten up and master, but he appears to have a lot of things going for him.

I'll respond in a few weeks.
I'll post video of few workout sessions with him in a few weeks when i am in town.


But this thread helped alot .. things i'll tell him to do

1. Shot Mechanics , start it over your head
2. Weight Room , hit the chest press
3. Go-To- Move , step back jumper
4. Improve Handles , lots of two ball dribbling
5. Study JJ Reddick , learn to move w/o ball


got it thanks. i'll bump this thread in a few week s

[ace23]

I didn't want to slander his teammates
:roll:

[Draz]

This lil mfr gona be rich

[lilojmayo]

This lil mfr gona be rich

I sure hope so...since he lives in the hood. Lots of gang activity around his area. rag to riches for sure


but that's 5 years down the line after college. He needs to get better and enjoy being a kid, and make sure he finishes his education


Ik its a clinche response but its true !

[IGOTGAME]

My advice: tell him to use his low level talent to his advantage. Hit the books and try to go to a D3 school like Williams, Swarthmore or Hopkins. If he wants to play in a cool system Grinnel.