HTML Verification
googlefc16d7d23bd932e0.html
googlefc16d7d23bd932e0.html
googlefc16d7d23bd932e0.html
googlefc16d7d23bd932e0.html
googlefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.htmlgooglefc16d7d23bd932e0.html
This past weekend in Houston was a special one full of talented basketball players looking for their chance from all across the world. The Walton Sports & Entertainment Pro Exposure Camp gave them that opportunity to shine in a major way. The Walton Sports & Entertainment Owner Anthony Walton has always had a passion for basketball and his passion oozed all over the court this weekend as he continues to be a role model in the Houston community with and without sports. The basketball players that came out to showcase their talents were met with NBA scouts, overseas teams, and NBA Legend Steve Francis who watched them put on a show. The Walton Sports & Entertainment group put on an amazing but competitive pro camp that was very impressive/competitive. Some of these players were able to play in front of Steve Francis who just announced the ownership of the Houston Push basketball team for “The Basketball League”. A lot of the basketball players this past weekend were very talented and had a competitive edge that was unmatched. The Walton Sports & Entertainment Pro Camp was a huge success as they split the ballplayers into 4 teams and had them play against each other elimination-style all the way to the championship. After the championship game the group of basketball players that were selected played in the All-Star Game.
There were a lot of players that were talented in attendance at the pro camp but these were the players that stood out to me. I was looking at players that played the game with passion but also could take their game to the next level in the NBA. Most of these players have had success in the collegiate atmosphere but just needed some more eyes on their situation. Below I will list the players that stood out to me and describe what caught my attention while watching them play.
Tyree Crump – University of Georgia
There wasn’t really any weakness or weak part in Crump’s game that he showcased. He was able to showcase a lot of his talents as he had a lot of defenders on skates with his quickness/ball-handling skills this weekend. One of the things that stood out to me was his willingness to be a leader on the court being very vocal and locked in. Crump was able to show that he can get to the basket with ease and he was able to get his shot whenever he wanted against the defense. Once Tyree brought the ball up the court he was either blowing by you with his speed or pulling up for the 3 point shot. Crump’s jumper was on point and he was able to get open enough to create his own shot to operate with ease. One of the things that I wish that Crump showcased more was his playmaking ability but when you have scouts and Steve Francis watching you it’s time for buckets/wins. That was exactly what Crump came there for and he was able to do that. Another thing that really stood out to me was the fact he wanted to guard the other team’s best player without hesitation. His competitive edge was off the charts and he looks to have a bright future in pro basketball regardless of where he’s playing.
Curtis Jones Jr. – Penn State/OK State
As soon as I walked into the gym to watch the games in warm-ups Curtis Jones Jr was getting up there for dunks. I was instantly impressed and was ready to see what he was all about during the 5 on 5 games. The first thing that stood out to me was his court vision and IQ out there playing. The way that Curtis was playing you would have thought they had some set plays and played together for about a year. Curtis Jones Jr was able to locate his teammates and put them in the right position to be successful just like a point guard should do. He’s the definition of the combo guard as he was able to showcase his vision as a point guard and then he was able to attack the paint with no fear in sight. Jones Jr. was out there putting pressure on the defense and he was also taking it personally when he was playing defense. You can tell that he’s very passionate and that oozed out on the court as he was able to will his team to victory. Curtis Jones Jr. showed that you don’t have to be the tallest player in the game to put on a great performance like that because he has “HEART”. One of the things that I noticed is that he got a little fatigued at times late in the games and that affected his attacking to the basket late but besides that, he’s a special talent. The way he puts pressure on defenses to make them collapse to him and then dish it out to the open man was unmatched.
Terry Winn – UTEP/Texas RGV
Terry Winn is the true definition of a swiss army knife. In my opinion, you can put him anywhere on the basketball court and he will be successful. I was extremely impressed with Terry’s game because he was able to showcase post moves, his jump shot, and his passing ability was on full display. The best thing about his game is his confidence when he was on the court you could feel his energy and he was able to will his team to some wins. His game is very easy to watch and he has the fundamentals down easily. Winn is a stretch four that was able to bang in the paint as well with some of the bigs showing that he was versatile and wasn’t pinned down to one position. Terry Winn had the best stamina out of all the talent to me because his coach was playing him almost the whole game for a couple of games and Winn wasn’t phased at all. Terry Winn showed me that he has what it takes to be a monster on the inside and outside with his game. The only thing I think he needs to work on is his emotions as he gets caught up in the trash talk and they forced him into some bad three point shots. There was a stretch where Terry hit a 3 pointer but then came down and tried to hit 2 more in a row after stops but missed them. If he turns his anger into buckets he will be a problem because he’s a great rebounder, shooter, and playmaker.
Jesse White IV – Southwest Tennesse CC
Jesse came out of nowhere honestly because the first game or two I watched with his team he wasn’t as aggressive. Then I want to say about the 3rd game of the night he turned into this monster. Jesse was probably just scoping out the talent or something because once he got comfortable and in a zone, he didn’t look back at all. Jesse White put on a show and I loved the aggression in his game as he attacked the paint and let his opponents know what he just did after his bucket. Jesse White put on a show as he was showing the ability to attack the paint and showed that he has a jumper that he can pull out the stash any time he wanted as well. My only issue with his game was the fact that he starts off slow but when he gets it going it’s over from that point on. Jesse was honestly one of the only players that were on the court this weekend that was truly unguardable. You didn’t know which way he was going to go off the dribble and he was able to get his teammates involved as well as the playmaker. He has bounce and he also has finesse which really caught my attention. His game was very smooth and it translates to today’s game in professional basketball. To simply put it Jesse White IV is a dog and he was going after any team that took his bone. I see a lot of potential in his game and he can take it as far as he wants to with his talent. The intensity he played with should be used in basketball training videos and his passion was on full display.
FOLLOW WALTON SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT AT https://www.instagram.com/waltonsportsllc/?hl=af
James Harden had his first practice yesterday and followed it up with his first game tonight. Harden looked like he didn’t miss a step on the court at all. People wanted to see how he would mesh with Wall and Cousins all offseason. Well, tonight we got the chance to see that as James Harden was able to play off the ball a lot but still was able to make an impact in the passing game. Harden didn’t really look for his shot tonight as much even though he finished the game with 12 points on 3/10 shooting. James Harden came right in and did everything that you expected a true professional would do. He was very vocal with his teammates and he was also able to cook people with the ISO/Stepback jumpers. The leadership was there for James Harden and he showed that if this squad is healthy while being committed this team can be scary. Harden played like he was in midseason form tonight against the Spurs as they had no answer for him inside or out. Overall for James Harden, this was a great outing and it showed that he still is locked in no matter the situation and he will adjust to his surroundings. The John Wall to James Harden connection looked really good especially on a couple of plays where Wall was able to suck the defense in so James would be wide open. This could be a special connection if both lock-in and continue to push each other.
Speaking of John Wall he was able to put on another show tonight but this time in front of the Houston media. Wall was able to put up 15 points with 3 assists on the night. The stats are cool and all but the one thing that stood out was the quickness. John Wall looks like he never lost his first step or his ability to actually get to the rim with ease. John Wall looks very good out there and he’s improved on his jumper as well over the offseason. It looks like Wall is locked in and he’s ready to prove to people that he still has what it takes to be the best point guard in the NBA. Tonight the Spurs were trying to stop John Wall and it didn’t go as planned. The Spurs had Murray on him and also Mills which definitely didn’t slow Wall down. It looks like he’s back and the only thing that can stop him is himself with his health because he’s got that fire back.
John Wall’s running mate from college DeMarcus Cousins had his best rebounding game as a Rocket as he finished with 11 rebounds on the night. It was good to see Cousins, Wall, and Harden on the floor together as Cousins was able to flourish in his role. We saw a little bit of everything from Boogie from a full-court steal and dish all the way to hitting 3 pointers. Cousins was able to create more space for Harden and Wall because the bigs had to get out to the 3 point line to respect his jumper. It was great to see Cousins playing at a high level as he was in there banging bodies with LaMarcus Aldridge. This Rockets team will be a great sight to see all season and if everyone is committed it will be epic. The Rockets might have taken a hit as Chris Clemons was hurt on a non-contact play and we will be hoping/praying for the best.
The San Antonio Spurs were playing like it was the preseason as the game went on tonight. The game was tight until the 2nd half as the Spurs were able to sit their starters for the remainder of the game. One of the bright spots for the Spurs tonight was Lonnie Walker IV as he was able to score 17 points in 26 minutes against the Rockets. Walker has shown a lot of promise and he’s trying to make a big jump this season. The other bright star that everyone in SA should be excited about is Dejounte Murray as he was able to finish with 13 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. This Spurs team will always be a near contender because of the coaching of Pop and with the veterans DeRozan and Aldridge. The Rockets will be playing the Spurs again on Thursday so we will see if the starters for the Spurs play a lot more minutes.
The Houston Rockets looked to pick up where they left off against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. In tonight’s game, the Bulls came out a lot more aggressive and were able to defend the 3 pointers a lot better. Houston has been playing in the preseason without James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Christian Wood as they should join the game tomorrow. One player that did show up for the Rockets tonight was John Wall who’s been as explosive as you can be coming off an Achilles injury as he did. Wall was able to get to the rack any time he wanted against the Bulls defense. John Wall still has that explosive first step and he also showed some range with his 3 point shot tonight too. Wall might be coming off a serious foot injury but his court vision wasn’t injured as he found his teammates. People forget when Wall was last in the NBA his name was at the top of the assist leader board every year. Tonight against the Bulls he was able to find DeMarcus Cousins in open space and was able to create opportunities for the Rockets. He finished with 21 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds on the night. John Wall still showed some rust but the minutes he was given made the best of it on both ends of the floor. Even though the Rockets dropped this one both Wall and Cousins showed that with a full complement of minutes this team can be special to watch with the full cast.
DeMarcus Cousins had a great night as well in the limited minutes he had tonight finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds. You can see the chemistry between himself and John Wall on full display so far in preseason. One of the bright spots for Cousins has been his 3 points shooting as he’s now 5/8 in two games for 62.5% already. Cousins has adjusted his game towards this Rockets 3 point shooting squad to fit perfectly. When healthy DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best centers in the NBA and he can beat you inside and outside as he will be a great weapon for Stephen Silas to use throughout the season. The Rockets were able to get some help from the bench as well but it wasn’t enough to get the job done tonight. Two of the players that stood out from the bench were Ben Mclemore and David Nwaba who combined for 21 points tonight. Both of them gave the Rockets a huge boost and will be huge to their rotation once Houston gets into the regular season. This Rockets team has a lot of players that can step up on any given night and with the addition of James Harden and the rest of the players they can be scary with the right timing and chemistry to gel together.
The Bulls were able to show a lot of fight tonight in this game as Zach LaVine came out aggressive like it was game 50 in the season. Tonight LaVine finished with 23 points and was able to get his shot anywhere on the floor. The Rockets has Gordon and Nwaba on LaVine but it didn’t matter as the star was able to carve them up easily. LaVine was able to get dunks and showcased his range in this game as his gameplay helped elevate the Bulls’ play as a whole. Alongside LaVine tonight Coby White made the best of his chances and dropped 20 points to prove that he can be able to go toe to toe with someone like John Wall. It was great to see White hitting some jumpers and talking smack as he was able to showcase his talent tonight. This Bulls team came out firing on all cylinders and was able to really clamp down on the Rockets in the 4th quarter. This Bulls team is young but they will be exciting to watch as they fight for that 6,7,8 spot in the Eastern Conference this season. The Bulls have a bright future with players like White, Williams, and Carter on the roster and will be making some noise. Tonight their length got the best of Houston as they had a lot of second-chance points and were able to finish this two-game series with a split.
The Houston Rockets came into this game against the Chicago Bulls with a lot of unknowns. They came into the game with no James Harden as the team hopes that he joins them next week. Also, Houston was without PJ Tucker and Christain Wood tonight with minor injuries. One thing that was well known after this game is that Stephen Silas has a great offensive mind and he will use his team’s strengths to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses. The Rockets were limited with their roster tonight in Chicago but made the best of the situation and looked like a team that had played for a year or so already. Silas was able to put on a great coaching display in his first game as the Rockets head coach. Tonight Silas was able to use a lot of pick and pop and was still able to use the same pedigree with the Rockets 3 point shooting. If this Rockets team can stay healthy and with the additions of the players that weren’t there tonight this could be a special year in Houston.
Tonight was the debut in Houston for John Wall and he looked like the John Wall that we last saw in 2018. The quickness was there and the explosiveness was on full display. John Wall was able to go coast to coast multiple times and was able to get his teammates involved. Wall improved his jumper and was able to get his offense going really early in this contest. The Bulls had no answer for John Wall tonight as he was able to blow by anyone that was guarding him in the open space or on a one on one. Wall finished the game with 13 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds in limited minutes tonight. When Wall is playing like this he’s one of the best guards in the NBA and he showed tonight that he still has it as he played in-game action for the first time in years. John Wall is buying into the Silas way and showed that he can run the show at the highest level.
It was a special tonight as John Wall was able to play with his college teammates DeMarcus Cousins. Wall & Cousins look like the chemistry on the court never left as Wall would be able to draw the defenders to the paint as Cousins would knock down multiple 3 pointers. DeMarcus Cousins finished with 14 points and 5 rebounds on the night but looked really good and was able to run the floor with the quickness. It was good to see Boogie out there on the floor as he was able to hit the 3 point shot, defend in the paint, rebound, and even took some charges. The Rockets had the mismatches as the Bulls had no answer for Wall or Cousins tonight at all. If the Rockets can stay healthy this season they can be scary as both Wall & Cousins came into this game/season with a chip on their shoulders. Another bright spot for the Rockets was Eric Gordon who looked like he was still shooting in the bubble as he was on fire all night. Gordon was hitting some deep 3 pointers and he was able to get to the rim when he wanted with ease. Tonight Gordon hit a 3 pointer from 40ft deep and it was a known fact he was ready and looked ready for the regular season. The Rockets put up — 3 pointers on the night and they look to keep the same identity as they did with D’Antoni last season. This was a huge step in the right direction for Stephen Silas and the Houston Rockets as they try to get their whole team together on the young season. Tonight showed that this team has the potential to be special if everyone’s willing to buy-in.
The Chicago Bulls looked really young tonight and this is all new for them with Billy Donovan coming in. Overall the Bulls will need to continue to grow as they have some players that have promise in LaVine, White, and Porter. If the Bulls can defend better on the perimeter and be disciplined in the paint they can make a push for the 8th seed in the East. Coby White & Zach LaVine finished with a combined 27 points and they will be two of the guys that can lead this team all season. The Bulls didn’t have much from the jump on the defensive end especially giving up 24 3 point makes to the Rockets but they will be playing them again next game.