Deseret News | High school hoop stars turning heads with offseason play

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Dick Harmon: High school hoop stars turning heads with offseason play

Gina, V. | 10:47 a.m. May 28, 2009

I can't get enough of Dick's writing.

Fan | 11:06 a.m. May 28, 2009

What about Jordy Brown at Alta? He's as good as any of these kids, but may not have the height to go D1. He is a great point guard though.

Mr. Utah basketball? | 11:55 a.m. May 28, 2009

Who cares anymore? Name one former Mr. Utah Basketball in the last five years that has become a major division one Player?
The only McDonald's "all-americans" to come out of Utah and do anything at all where Danny Vranes and Britton Johnsen and that was a long time ago.
If a Utah kid has special talent, don't make him go on a mission, it will only delay, or push back his progress. If you doubt this, just ask Britton Johnsen?

Comments continue below

Mike | 1:02 p.m. May 28, 2009

Tai Wesley was Mr. Basketball in 2004, he had a very good sophmore year at Utah State. He averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds on a team that went 30-5 and is only going to improve in the next two years. He will start to get a lot more touches as Gary Wilkinson (WAC POY) has graduated.

re: Mr. Utah basketball? | 1:07 p.m. May 28, 2009

You could ask Britton Johnsen, whose father responded to Majerus's desire that Britton not go on a mission with something along the lines of, "Yes, but what about eternity?" to which Majerus didn't have an answer. Depends on what a person believes, I guess. Rarely does one hear a person who completed his mission say he regrets having gone, but more often one does hear someone saying later that he regrets not having gone on a mission.

BC | 1:29 p.m. May 28, 2009

Its funny how half of these guys are described as brothers or sons of other collegiate players. That is a red flag for hype if you ask me. Prove it on the court before assuming that someones brother is going to be the next great.

Andre Miller - quick? | 1:41 p.m. May 28, 2009

Was he known for his quickness? He never struck me as a Chris Paul or D Will type. More of a passer and jumpshooter.

Fan | 3:03 p.m. May 28, 2009

There are some good kids competing in the AAU program this year. One that hasn't got alot of attention until recently is the Blackburn kid from So. Sevier. A handful of D1 schools are looking at him as of late.

ambrose | 8:26 p.m. May 28, 2009

Emery is serious high major D-1. Quick and can run all day.

Set Shot Buford | 8:53 a.m. May 29, 2009

It's all speculation and a way for a sports writer to fill his column. These guys will trade places as to who is quicker, bigger, faster, smarter...over the next couple of years. It's all fodder for the readers until the football season gets here. I'll echo the sentiment, "Let them prove it on the court." I want to see some good college basketball, but after the football season.

grizzdad | 12:59 p.m. May 29, 2009

My kid has played 30 or more times against Nick Emery from LP. Believe all the hype. He is that good! He might be the best 3 point shooter in the state right now and he is even more dangerous when he goes to the basket.

His West Elite team consisting of a few Utah boys and a few Arizona boys are winning national level tournaments. The team rides on Nick's shoulders more than anyone else.

Go see him play the first chance you have. He is the real deal plus a nice friendly kid. I'm sure Rose has already offered...

Mom or Dad | 5:01 p.m. May 29, 2009

Ok...which of Nick's parents is posing as "grizzdad"?

Anon | 12:26 a.m. May 30, 2009

Lone Peak (with Emery) played against our Varsity high school team in a summer ball tournament. He was amazing. Very quick release, and hit three point bombs all game long. I couldn't believe his age, when it was told to me. And yes, while Lone Peak has a lot of talent, he was the standout player (at age 14 or 15).

HS Hoop Fan | 9:34 p.m. May 31, 2009

I saw a few of these kids play against tough national competition in LV in April. They won 6 of 7 games. They are top players vs. any competition. Collinsworth, Paulos, Clifford, Monson, Fa'alogo were all good enough to compete and are all getting D-1 attention.

What about Wasatch? | 2:28 p.m. June 10, 2009

Sometimes players from the 3A schools tend to go unnoticed, but Mike Brown (rising Junior) from Wasatch has got to be one of the top players in the state in any classification. He plays with Fakahafua and Bankowski on a Pump N Run team that has been in the semi-finals twice this year in Vegas tournaments and is one of their leading scorers. Wasatch also won the Payson tournament last weekend, beating out Provo, Mountain Crest, Springville, American Fork, Jordan, Salem Hills, and Mike Brown was a beast, both defensively and offensively, in that tournament. I'm not sure I've seen many players who can match him defensively, but he's also deadly on offense. Don't discount him just because he's from a small school.

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