As you probably guessed, this week’s newsletter is pretty W-heavy. The diversity in dressing across the League is so vast, you’ll find looks for every vibe on the spectrum. The copycat trends we see in the NBA and in general fashion aren’t present here. I hope y’all enjoy and find something sick for yourself or someone you know. 

Subscribe to the LeagueFits newsletter, WHERE DO I COP? here.

The 11 Best Pieces Featured on LeagueFits This Week

PRETTY LITTLE THING TRENCH COAT worn by DIDI RICHARDS

CLAREV SWEATER, DOUBLE RAINBOUU PANTS worn by SUE BIRD

HERON PRESON DUFFLE BAG, 1017 ALYX 9SM NECKLACE worn by DIAMOND DESHIELDS

FOR THOSE WHO SIN “WASTED LIFE TEE” worn by SHEY PEDDY

FIFTY2HUNDRED SHORTS, MAYFAIR TEE worn by ROYCE O’NEAL

NIKE DUNK “BRAZIL” worn by HAMI DIALLO

NIKE DUNK “PANDA” worn by SABRINA IONESCU

NIKE DUNK “OFF-WHITE” worn by DIAMOND DESHIELDS

 You can get this exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter, WHERE DO I COP?.

Diamond DeShields photo via the Phoenix Mercury, Hami Diallo photo via @finesseframess, all others via NBAE/Getty Images.

The post WHERE DO I COP? The 11 Best Pieces Featured on LeagueFits This Week (8/5) appeared first on SLAM.

Unfortunately, for 29 of the NBA teams, one of the most promising young role players just got snatched up.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that 23-year-old guard Hamidou Diallo is set to return to the Detroit Pistons on a two-year $10.4 million contract.

Diallo has been in the NBA for three seasons, spending his first two with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but really came alive in his third season.

In 52 games (split between the Thunder and Detroit Pistons), Diallo averaged 11.6 points, 1.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Diallo also took a noticeable step forward in his jump shooting ability, knocking down a career-high 34.1 percent of his 3-point attempts for the season and 39.0 percent of his threes (2.1 attempts per game) when he joined Detroit.

Those are major steps forward from averaging just 5.2 points and 0.5 assists per game on 24.7 percent shooting from three over his first two years in the NBA.

Diallo, a rangy guard valued for his athleticism and defensive chops, was drafted 45th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2018 NBA Draft following a one-and-done season for the Kentucky Wildcats. He entered his sole collegiate season as a five-star recruit and the 11th-ranked prospect in the country, per ESPN.

The post REPORT: Hamidou Diallo Signs Two-Year Deal With Pistons appeared first on SLAM.

Wojnarowski adds that the Pistons see Diallo, who will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, as a core player for their franchise.

In the case of Oklahoma City, the rise of defensive standout Luguentz Dort made Diallo an expendable commodity that will allow the Thunder to add to their sizable horde of draft assets.

Diallo, now 22-years-old, was the 45th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of the NCAA powerhouse University of Kentucky.

Listed at 6’5″ and 202 pounds with a 6’10” wingspan, Diallo is a long and explosive athlete on the wing. The 2019 Slam Dunk Champion has been having the best season of his career with averages of 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game while shooting .481 percent from the field and .293 percent from 3-point range.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, who appears to be a fan of long and athletic players, was vice president of the Thunder when they made a draft night trade for Diallo.

Mykhailiuk, now in his third season, is widely regarded as a 3-point specialist. Shooting .333 percent from 3-point range on 4.8 attempts per game this season, the Ukraine native converted .404 percent of his 3-point attempts on 5.1 attempts per game in 2019-20.

Oklahoma City, who ranks 27th in the NBA with a team 3-point percentage of .344, will hope that Mykhailiuk can play much more like he did last season.

The post Thunder Trade Hamidou Diallo to Pistons for Svi Mykhailiuk, Future Draft Pick appeared first on SLAM.

Wearing a Superman “S” under his jersey, the 20-year-old from Queens solidified the win after throwing down a honey dip dunk OVER Shaquille O’Neal.

Check out all of the night’s dunks below.

John Collins grabbed the corner of the backboard #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/10VoEPAJKr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

Hami TOOK OFF from the baseline  #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/o5mXVOslxu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

DSJ gets a 4⃣5⃣ for his first dunk of the night #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/Ju4xjp9K9R

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

Miles Bridges can get a 5⃣0⃣ for the LJ jersey AND the dunk! #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/yNq7jD3Xdk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

John Collins cleared for takeoff! #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/REMHFboDMX

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

NC's FINEST! Dennis Smith Jr over J. Cole! #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/rQgB6LF3kC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

SHEESH! Hami with the honey dip over SHAQ! #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/VodNYIwgBc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

GET UP, @hamidoudiallo! #ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/gxPb5Z4PWt

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 17, 2019

Dennis Smith Jr WINDMILLED over D-Wade for the 50! #ATTSlamDunk (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/lYpN2VgvXX

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

Hamidou Diallo is the 2019 Dunk Champ! Remember the name #HAMI (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/r0HhoCVNXV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 17, 2019

The post Every Dunk from the 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest 💥 appeared first on SLAM.

Kyle Kuzma, last year’s All-Drip Rookie of the Year, made an appearance in the “Best of the Rest” with All-Drip Second Team member and #DadDrip king LeBron James.

The Washington Wizards (John Wall, Kelly Oubre Jr., Green) and the Los Angeles Lakers (James, Kuzma, Michael Beasley) had the most players on this week’s Fits of the Week, with each squad having three representatives.

—

To keep up with the NBA’s Survival of the Fitted, follow @LeagueFits on Instagram 

The post Fits of the Week: Russell Westbrook is Making Overalls Cool Again 🌊 appeared first on SLAM.

The runs took place at Life Time Athletic at Sky in NYC, where Melo often trains in the offsseason.

LeBron has also hinted that he’ll be hooping in L.A. prior to the start of training camp.

Per ESPN:

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James took a private jet from Akron, Ohio, to New York on Tuesday morning to participate in high-profile pickup games that featured Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks and Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, among others.

 

James played for approximately two hours, a source said. As soon as the game was over, he hopped on his jet and flew back to Ohio in order to attend his annual LeBron James Family Foundation function at Cedar Point amusement park.

 

“He just has a love for basketball,” a source close to James said, adding that the Cavs star plans to partake in some pickup games in Los Angeles in the near future.

Related
Carmelo Anthony and CJ McCollum Dominate Pickup Game

The post LeBron James Plays Pickup With Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony appeared first on SLAM.

More from The Herald Leader:

Five-star basketball recruit Hamidou Diallo didn’t reveal his commitment to the University of Kentucky until 5:51 p.m. Saturday, nearly an hour after his announcement ceremony was scheduled to begin.

 

A snowstorm that had been raging all day had already blanketed Diallo’s hometown of Queens, N.Y., with about a foot of snow, according to his AAU coach, Andy Borman, who said his normally 8-minute drive to the building where Diallo played youth basketball as an 8-year-old lasted an hour and a half.

 

The winter weather delayed the well-wishers, but it didn’t keep them away.

 

“The place was packed,” Borman said. “It just shows how much of an impact Hamidou has made in the community. He’s a legitimate hero to a lot of these kids.”

 

Diallo announced — to an approving roar from those gathered — that he was committing to the Wildcats and will enroll in classes at UK next week. His plan is to join the team for the second semester, work out and practice with the current Kentucky players, but not actually play in a game for the Cats until next season.

 

No matter when he makes his UK debut, his addition is a big one for Coach John Calipari, who has added another five-star player to a 2017 recruiting class that was already ranked No. 1 in the country.

The post Kentucky Lands 5-Star SG Hamidou Diallo appeared first on SLAM.

Check out the full highlight video above, which includes an off-the-backboard slam and a 360.

Related
WATCH: Hamidou Diallo Balls Out In Front Of NBA Scouts
Top-10 Prospect Hamidou Diallo Says He’s Eligible To Bypass College & Enter NBA Draft
WATCH: Top-10 2017 Recruit Hamidou Diallo’s BallisLife Mixtape

The post WATCH: Hamidou Diallo Shows Out At High School Hoops Festival appeared first on SLAM.

Bamba (#11 in brown uniform), a 6-11 center out of Harlem, NY, and currently a senior at Westtown School in West Chester, PA, filled up the stat sheet, finishing with 9 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks. His Westtown teammate, Reddish (#22 in brown uniform) —a 6-7 junior wing— finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks.

Westtown is regarded as one of the top HS programs in the nation, who aside from Bamba and Reddish, also features top-40 prospect Brandon Randolph (#5 in brown uniform), a 6-6 senior shooting guard who has committed to Arizona.

We Came, They Saw, Kids Conquered…#OwnYourDestiny

Video Credit: @HoopMajor pic.twitter.com/oUT8HTpDHn

— ProScholarsAthletics (@PSACardinals) December 6, 2016

Diallo, a 6-6 guard who we featured in SLAM 204 and who is eligible to bypass college and enter the NBA Draft, posted 11 points, 8 rebound and 6 assists in a blowout win over The Phelps School.

The post Top Prospects Show Out At The PSA Cardinals Prep Showcase appeared first on SLAM.

A couple of five-star recruits have shown that academics are beginning to play a bigger role in their college decisions than ever before. A couple of top-10 kids have considered Harvard along with the traditional high-major programs.

In terms of recruiting, Alabama, Duke, Kentucky and UCLA have all succesfully landed a good chunk of the top-50 list.

All in all, there’s a lot to be excited about with this class. We’ll update this list once again in the spring after the season. For now, here’s our current SLAM Fresh 50 for the Class of 2017:

—

Photo by Layne Murdoch

The post SLAM Fresh 50 – Class of 2017 HS Rankings appeared first on SLAM.

As he sits in his father’s silver Nissan sedan parked on the 99th Street side of the mega 20-building, 4,605-apartment complex known as LeFrak City—which is home to a diverse population of 14,000—he stares out the windshield toward the families entering and exiting the buildings he grew up in.

“There’s a lot of paths you can choose coming from here,” says Diallo. “It’s either you’re going to focus on being the best version of you or you’re just going to feed into the streets and let the streets suck you in. Basketball just helped me stay in the right lane and stay positive.”

From this very same inner city housing complex came legendary NYC guards and former NBA standouts Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith. Today, expectations around the neighborhood—and nationally—are that Diallo could very well be on his way to following in their footsteps. It’s a path that two years ago seemed impossible.

The 6-6 shooting guard began his high school career at John Bowne HS, a local public school that plays Class-A ball (the AA division, meanwhile, features the highest level of competition in NYC). He came off the bench as a freshman. By sophomore year, he’d earned a spot in the starting lineup and even became the team’s leading scorer—although he was still far from receiving any national recognition.

But that following summer of 2014 changed everything. He landed his first scholarship offer—a modest one from Fairfield University—while attending team camp. And he decided that attending school in Connecticut would indeed be a good idea, although he wasn’t thinking college. He left the city and transferred up north to Putnam Science Academy, reclassifying to the Class of 2017 in the process.

“Best decision I ever made,” says Diallo. “Just getting away from all distractions down here. To get away from all of it and just focus on working on my game and things I know are going to make me a better person on and off the court.”

An unranked kid who at one point came off the bench for a Class-A school all of a sudden began popping up in the national rankings by the summer of 2015. Highly touted for his freakish athleticism—he’s arguably the most explosive player in the 2017 class—and scoring prowess, Diallo put his name in the top-10 national conversation this summer after leading the New York RENS with 19.1 points per game on the prestigious Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) circuit.

But his meteoric rise isn’t even the most intriguing part of his story. He finished all of his high school requirements last spring (he’s currently doing a post-grad year) and will turn 19 next July—thus making him eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft. It’s the same scenario that allowed Milwaukee Bucks rookie Thon Maker to bypass college and declare for the ’16 Draft, where he was picked at No. 10 overall.

“I’ve been getting phone calls with people trying to tell me, ‘Make this choice. You always wanted to have a chance to go to the NBA,’” says Diallo, who as of early November has narrowed his college choice down to six schools: Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, UConn, Kentucky and Syracuse. “And then I got people telling me, ‘No, go to college and do that.’

“I definitely want to go to college. That’s my goal—it’s been since I was young. I don’t think I should skip a step but then again it’ll depend on what’s the right thing for me at the moment. So I’m just seeing how the process goes. I don’t want to rule anything out quite yet. I’m just happy to be in the position I am today. Hopefully one day soon I get to support my family from it.”

—

Franklyn Calle is an Assistant Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Chris Razyok

The post In Time appeared first on SLAM.

Related
Top-10 Prospect Hamidou Diallo Says He’s Eligible to Bypass College and Enter NBA Draft
WATCH: Top-10 2017 Recruit Hamidou Diallo’s BallisLife Mixtape

The post WATCH: Hamidou Diallo Balls Out In Front Of NBA Scouts appeared first on SLAM.

More from Scout.com:

Diallo, a 6-foot-5 electric athlete, told Scout on Thursday that he graduated from high school last year at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy. Diallo is now doing a post-graduate season at PSA, which means by the time the NBA Draft rolls around next June he will be a full year removed from his high school graduating class, making him eligible.

 

“It’s definitely something that I’m going to look into,” Diallo said when asked about the draft. “It’s my ultimate goal and I don’t feel like it would hurt me looking into. But as of now I want to go to college.”

 

For a player of Diallo’s caliber, testing the waters appears to be a good idea. Once the necessary steps are taken, NBA scouts will show up in droves to watch Diallo at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy this season.

 

Diallo, who ranks as the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 10 overall prospect in the class, had a dominating spring and summer playing for the NY Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he averaged 19.1 points and 5.8 rebounds a game.

 

“Hami is a guy anyone would want to coach and you would hate to play against,” one high major assistant coach told Scout. “His competitive spirt is off the charts and you win with guys like him”

The post Top-10 Prospect Hamidou Diallo Says He’s Eligible To Bypass College & Enter NBA Draft appeared first on SLAM.

Follow @NJHoopRecruit on Twitter and Instagram. Follow SLAM’s High School Twitter @SLAMonline_HS.

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The post Respect the Game: The SLAM Podcast Episode 20 Feat. @NJHoopRecruit appeared first on SLAM.

Peep Hami’s highlight tape via BallisLife.

Related
Top-10 2017 Recruit Hamidou Diallo Scores 47 Points in Exhibition Game

The post WATCH: Top-10 2017 Recruit Hamidou Diallo’s BallisLife Mixtape appeared first on SLAM.

The post Top-10 2017 Recruit Hamidou Diallo Scores 47 Points in Exhibition Game appeared first on SLAM.

The city showed up at Brooklyn Bridge Park for a night of basketball under the lights. They were there to see the best high school ballplayers in the nation. As part of Under Armour’s historic Elite 24 weekend, the five best dunkers out of the 24 participants were picked to put on a show for New York.

Zion Williamson, Javonte Smart, Scottie Lewis, Miles Norris and New York’s very own Hamidou Diallo blessed the crowd with aerial entertainment. The right dunk has the potential to immortalize you–especially in New York City.

The dunkers took stage on a breezy, clear night and the nice weather brought out some star power. Raymond Felton, Emmanuel Mudiay, Greivis Vasquez, Caris LeVert and Will Barton showed up. Jamal Mashburn and Tony Delk were also there, serving as assistant coaches for either team. Mudiay, Vasquez and Barton were judges during the dunk contest.

Miles Norris, the 6-8 forward from Mater Dei (CA), started things off with an impressive Eastbay that showed off his length:

The #Elite24 Dunk Contest is off to a start with Miles Norris! pic.twitter.com/ARwqNg8D6m

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) August 20, 2016

At NYC parks, momentum builds after each play. It stacks itself on top of each other, until it boils over and the crowd can’t take it anymore. Whether it’s a crossover by one guy, a three-ball the next play, and a dunk after that, or any other sequence, crowds in the city live for big plays.

But the momentum that Norris built up was quickly squashed by Javonte Smart. At 6-4, the combo guard graduating in 2018 just didn’t have the lift to finish any of his dunks in the allotted 45 seconds. The pride of Baton Rouge just couldn’t get it going. But we’re pretty sure he’ll have at least a few highlights during tonight’s game.

Scottie Lewis picked the crowd right back up by windmilling over Jahvon Quinerly and Sid Wilson. The rising sophomore from Ranney High School in New Jersey announced his arrival in a major way. The 6-5 kid can absolutely bounce. As a relative unknown to the New Yorkers, Lewis got the place going for the contest’s two heavy-hitters:

Scottie Lewis!!! #Elite24 pic.twitter.com/rEu2NytTaW

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) August 20, 2016

The second to last contestant in the first round was Zion Williamson, a 6-7 rising junior from Spartanburg, South Carolina. He’s 230 pounds and uses every last ounce of that to power up his dunks, finishing with serious ferocity. For real. He revved up with a lefty Eastbay off the glass, somehow gliding with force and grace at the same time. The momentum was reaching a fever pitch.

By that point the crowd was more than ready for Hamidou Diallo, the kid from Queens. Hami will be a senior when he returns to Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. The fact that his hometown didn’t get to see him play this past season (he transferred to Putnam after playing his first two seasons at John Bowne High School in Queens) amped up the anticipation to a crazy level.

Kids starting come down from the bleachers to get as close as possible to the court. And for Hami’s first dunk, security let ‘em rock. The DJ flipped between 50 Cent’s “Wanksta” and “21 Questions.” Hami was up for the challenge, too.

First Diallo pulled one of his peers out of the crowd to participate in the show. Then, he calmly stepped up and directed his boy to where he wanted him to stand. He took a few steps back to get a running start and started running towards the rim, ball in-hand. He damn near catapulted his friend and pounded the ball through with his right hand. But that wasn’t it. He hung off the rim with his elbow, bringing back visions of Vince Carter and Blake Griffin. He got a 50. The crowd lost its mind.

.@Diallo1Hamidou jumps over a fellow prospect & gets his elbow in the rim! #Elite24 #DXVine https://t.co/ISarrRTG4I

— DraftExpressContent (@DXContent) August 20, 2016

After a second round that also featured Scottie Lewis, Diallo and Williamson matched up in the finals. Hami went first and took too long in placing three different participants in the right spot. He missed his initial attempt and had to rush his second one. It was also a miss. Williamson sealed it with an Aaron Gordon-esque reverse double pump from the left baseline.

The viciousness that Williamson brought to his dunks disappeared right after he landed back on the ground. The still undecided small forward was all-smiles for his ESPN interview.

Zion Williamson (@ZionW32) is the #Elite24 Slam Dunk champion! pic.twitter.com/B7PGrb1Qye

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) August 20, 2016

He had gotten a taste of basketball in New York City. The city’s game makes it hard not to grin a little.

Video via BallisLife

The post Zion Williamson Wins the 2016 Elite 24 Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

For those that can’t make it out to the prestigious game, you can catch it live on ESPNU on Saturday night, August 20 at 7:30 p.m.

After breaking down the first 10 games in the event’s history earlier this week, here’s a player-by-player breakdown of the kids partaking in the 11th installment of the Under Armour Elite 24 game:

TEAM CLUTCH

Jalek Felton
6-3, SG, Gray Collegiate (West Columbia, SC), Senior
Nephew of NBA guard Raymond Felton, Jalek returns to the Elite 24 for a third consecutive year. This summer he led the 17U UA Association travel circuit in steals (2.5), finished fourth in assists (5.0) and sixth in scoring (19.0).

Jahvon Quinerly
6-0, PG, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, NJ) Junior
One of two Hudson Catholic hoopers and one of three UAA SportsU 16U players invited, Quinerly led his AAU squad in scoring (14.8) during regular season, while finishing second in assists. He’s a top-40 national prospect in the 2018 class.

Devon Dotson
6-2, PG, Providence Day (Charlotte, NC), Class of 2018
After helping lead Team Charlotte to a 11-1 regular season record in the UA Association, Dotson averaged 22.3 points in the Finals session, falling a win short of reaching the championship game for a second consecutive year.

Josh Anderson
6-5, SF, Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, LA), Senior
Despite breaking his wrist early in the season, Anderson was still able to fight his way past it and lead Madison Prep to the Class 2A state title after averaging 18.1 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season.

MJ Walker
6-5, SG, Jonesboro (GA) High, Senior
A two-sport standout athlete who has accumulated offers in both football and basketball, he was the UA Association’s regular season leading scorer with 20.7 points per game. Walker has also led Jonesboro to three consecutive state title game appearances.

Gerald Liddell
6-6, SF, Steele (Cibolo, TX), Junior
As only a sophomore last season, Liddell was named TABC 5A first-team All-State after averaging a team-high 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He is one of 14 rising juniors participating in this year Elite 24 festivities.

Sidney Wilson
6-7, SF, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH), Junior
In UA Association this summer, Wilson, a Bronx native, averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks – top-8 in the league in all categories. He reclassified to the 2018 class this summer and transferred to New Hampshire’s Brewster Academy.

Nick Richards
6-11, C, The Patrick School (Elizabeth, NJ), Senior
A native of Jamaica who has only been playing organized basketball for about three years, Richards has exploded in the American prep hoops scene over the last couple of years for his ability to crash the boards and finish.

Austin Wiley
6-10, PF, Spain Park (Birmingham, AL), Senior
An Auburn-commit, Wiley, who’s mother Vickie Orr hooped collegiately at Auburn and was part of the 1992 bronze-winning Barcelona Olympic team, averaged 27.1 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game last season as a junior.

Bol Bol
6-11, PF, Bishop Miege (Mission, KS), Junior
Son of the late Munute Bol, a 7-7 former NBA shot-blocking machine and renowned humanitarian activist, this rising junior, who was born in South Sudan, has emerged as a major prospect much due to his inside-outside versatility.

Kevin Knox
6-8, SF, Tampa (FL) Catholic, Senior
The son of two former Florida State athletes (dad was a wide receiver for the 1996 national championship team and a 6th round NFL draft pick; mom played volleyball), Knox has been a top ranked prospect in basketball and football.
(Photo: IG @Tampa_Catholic, Michael Groff)

Isaiah Washington
6-1, PG, St. Raymond HS, (Bronx, NY), Senior
A local Internet sensation thanks to his dazzling ball-handling skills and finishes, Washington hooped for the NYC-based New Heights in the UA Association this summer, averaging 13.6 points, and a team-high and league’s third-best 5.2 assists.

TEAM DRIVE 

Nickeil Alexander-Walker
6-5, SG, Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, TN), Senior
A Toronto native who committed to Virginia Tech in May, Alexander-Walker led the UA Association travel circuit in free throws made this summer, while also leading Canada Elite in scoring with 15.2 ppg.

Louis King
6-7, SF, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, NJ), Junior
One of three players from the UA Association’s SportsU 16U team slated to play in the prestigious game, King, finished top-3 in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals for the Garden State-based squad this summer.

Trevon Duval
6-3, PG, Advanced Prep (Dallas, TX), Senior
A top-5 national prospect, Duval, who hails from Delaware, finished fifth in assists (4.9) during the UA Association travel circuit this summer, while tied for second in steals (2.0), ultimately leading his WE-R1 squad to the 17U title.

Zion Williamson
6-7, SF, Spartanburg (SC) Day School, Junior
Fresh off a state title and winning MVP accolades at the 2016 NBPA Top 100 Camp in June, Williamson has showed out in a big way this summer and made his case in the Class of 2018 rankings.

Hamidou Diallo
6-5, SG, Putnam (CT) Science Academy, Senior
Diallo, a Queens, NY, native and returning E24 participant, is regarded as arguably the most explosive guard in the nation and a top-10 prospect. After two seasons at local John Bowne HS, he transferred to Putnam Science in CT in 2014.

Khavon Moore
6-8, SF, Westside High (Macon GA), Junior
Hooping in the UA Association’s 16U group with the Atlanta Xpress this summer, Moore led the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game, finishing top-6 in the entire league. He is one of two players representing the Peach State.

Nazreon Reid
6-9, PF, Roselle (NJ) Catholic, Junior
Reid, one of multiple Garden State natives, hooped with the SportsU 16U team in the UA Association this summer, where he was the team’s second leading scorer (11.8) and its top rebounder (8.8), which was third best in the league.

Javonte Smart
6-3, PG, Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, LA), Junior
As a sophomore last season, Smart earned the Gatorade Louisiana Boys Player of the Year award after leading Scotlandville to a 34-3 record and the Louisiana Class 5A championship game, averaging 22.4 ppg, 7.2 apg and 6.9 rpg.

Moses Brown
6-11, C, Archbishop Molloy (Queens, NY), Junior
A rising junior at famed NYC Catholic school Archbishop Molloy, which has produced the likes of Kenny Smith, Kenny Anderson, and Russ Smith, Brown hooped with the New Heights 17U squad this summer, where here averaged 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds.

Silvio de Sousa
6-9, PF, Montverde (FL) Academy, Junior
A native of Angola, De Sousa came to America in early 2015 and has attended national powerhouse Montverde since his arrival, where he’s emerged into one of the top prospects in the Class of 2018.

Jaylen Hoard
6-8, SF, Wesleyan Christian (High Point, NC), Junior
Slated to make his American HS debut this fall, Hoard hails from France, where he’s attended school up until this year. His father hooped at Murray State. Hoard averaged 22.4 points and 5.7 rebounds at the FIBA U17 World Championships.

Miles Norris
6-9, PF, Mater Dei (San Diego, CA), Junior
Despite only being a sophomore last season, Norris averaged team-highs of 14.8 points and 10.6 rebounds en route to a 20-8 record. He’s started every game he’s played in his first two years.

Photos courtesy of Kelly Kline/Under Armour

The post 2016 Under Armour Elite 24 Preview appeared first on SLAM.

In the end, MOKAN Elite, a Kansas City based program featuring a dynamic duo of top-25 national prospects looked unstoppable throughout the weekend, going a perfect 8-0 before claiming the 17U championship. The duo, made up of forward Michael Porter Jr. and point guard Trae Young, had the crowd buzzing with their play, including their effectiveness from behind the perimeter.

Overall, with Nike’s circuit hosting 9 of the top 10 prospects in the rising senior Class of 2017, the showcase featured lots of high quality talent as well as action. Below are some of the top performers from the weekend.

Michael Porter Jr., 6-10, SF, Nathan Hale (WA), Class of 2017: They say that what separates the good ballers from the great ones is that the great ones step up when the stakes get higher. And if we learned anything this past weekend about the Class of 2017, it’s that Porter Jr. is among the great ones in this group. His performance throughout the weekend have many considering him for the top spot in the 2017 class. In his seven games at Peach Jam, the 6-9 wing scored 24 or more points in all but one. But it’s really what he did in his last three games (quarterfinals, semis, & championship) that cemented his place this weekend. He posted 31 points and 14 rebounds in the quarterfinals, followed by 25 and 14 in the semis and then 33 points and 6 rebounds in the title game against PSA Cardinals — where he went five for six from behind the perimeter and 12 for 16 overall from the field to help lead his MOKAN Elite squad to the 17U crown.

Trae Young, 6-2, PG, Norman North (KS), Class of 2017: While Porter made a case for top overall prospect in the 2017 class, his AAU teammate Trae Young made his case for top point guard of the group. The rising senior showcased his deadly scoring prowess as well as the ability to find the open man. He averaged 27.6 points during the five pool play games before following it up by averaging 26.0 points during the three bracket play games (quarters, semis, finals) en route to claiming the Peach Jam crown. His memorable performances included dropping 32 and 35 points on the last day of pool play and then dropping 28 points in the quarterfinals and then another 28 points in the championship game, where he sunk six 3-pointers. But he isn’t just a natural scorer. Young, who loves to push the ball and keep the defense on their toes, reached 9 or more assists in four of his eight games. Many were left wondering if a package deal to college with Porter could be in the cards and potentially bring the lucky school similar results as it did to MOKAN.

Brian Bowen, 6-7, SF, La Lumiere (IN), Class of 2017: Fresh off a championship game appearance in the DICK’S Nationals tourney, Bowen has continued his impressive play during the spring and summer, where he helped lead the Chicago-based Meanstreets program to the Peach Jam quarterfinals this past weekend. During pool play, the 6-7 wing posted a performance of 36 points and 10 rebounds, which he followed with a 26-point and 10-rebound outing the next day. Out of his six games in South Carolina, Bowen scored 19 or more points in all but one of those outings. The gifted scorer has emerged as one the top overall prospects in the senior class.

Lonnie Walker, 6-5, SG, Reading (PA), Class of 2017: His best outing with Team Final came on Thursday when he dropped 26 points in a morning game (where he shot 4 for 8 from 3-point land against a very talented Each 1 Teach 1 squad) and then again another 26 points that evening. An exceptional shooter whose team unfortunately didn’t make it out of pool play, Walker demonstrated why he’s regarded as among the elite scorers in the Class of 2017.

DeAndre Ayton, 7-0, PF, Hillcrest Academy (AZ), Class of 2017: The big man out of the Bahamas scored 17 or more points in all seven of his games at Peach Jam, helping lead his Cal Supreme squad to the showcase’s semifinals, where they were defeated by the eventual champs MOKAN Elite. Furthermore, he had a double-double in all but one of his seven outings, including a 23-point and 18-rebound performance vs the Phoenix Family, which features his former Hillcrest teammate Marvin Bagley (15 pts). The seven-footer, who has been ranked as the top player in the Class of 2017 the last couple of years made his case on why it should continue to remain that way.

Gary Trent Jr., 6-5, SG, Apple Valley (MN), Class of 2017: Finishing second in scoring behind Young with 24.8 points per game at Peach Jam, Trent Jr. demonstrated why he’s regarded as one of the top wings in the nation. His scoring clinic included a 38-point outing against the eventual champs MOKAN Elite. He finished with 22 or more points in all but one of his five games in North Augusta, including a couple of 30+ point outings.

Hamidou Diallo, 6-5, SG, Putnam Science (CT), Class of 2017: One of the most explosive prospects in the senior class, Diallo’s high-flying athleticism makes him a highlight-reel waiting to happen every time he steps on the floor. The guard out of Queens, NY, exploded for 27 points and 13 rebounds against BABC on Friday. A year ago, Diallo was barely ranked in the top-80, yet today is recognized as a top-10 national prospect.

Mitchell Robinson, 6-11, C, Chalmette High (LA), Class of 2017: The big man out of New Orleans demonstrated his dominance in the lane and particularly showcased his force against the Phoenix Family and Marvin Bagley, when he posted a stat line of 19 points and 13 rebounds. A double-double machine who averaged 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds during the EYBL regular season, Robinson, who recently committed to Western Kentucky, is also a blocking machine who averaged 4.6 blocks in his five Peach Jam games, including seven rejections against Albany City Rocks.

Chaundee Brown, 6-5, SG, The First Academy (FL), Class of 2017: One of the most consistent prospects in the tourney, Robinson scored 20 or more points in all five of his outings, finishing among the top 5 scorers in the showcase during pool play. One would think his stock will be on the rise after last week’s performances.

Jordan Goodwin, 6-5, SG, Althoff (IL), Class of 2017: Despite being a guard mostly positioned out on the perimeter, Goodwin managed to finish with a double-double in all but one of his five games last week as he continuously crashed the boards, ultimately finishing with an average of 21.8 points and 11.0 rebounds for the showcase — good enough for top-6 in both categories.

Photos Credit: Jon Lopez/Nike

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With offers from Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, UConn and plenty more high-major schools, the 6-6 Queens Village, NY, product has been tearing up the EYBL circuit as a member of the NY Rens.

Inside Streetball compiled an exclusive mixtape (above) of Diallo at the famed Gauchos Gym and Dyckman Park in 2015 and 2016.

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