Tag: Nike EYBL

Watch this! Carmelo Anthony’s son, Kiyan Anthony, produces some dazzling highlight

Kiyan Anthony had a strong showing at the Nike EYBL.

Top 50 recruit Kiyan Anthony certainly had a good weekend at the Nike EYBL, showing off his ability as a playmaker who can get to the rim efficiently and explosively. The son of former NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, the growth of Kiyan Anthony continues to be impressive.

So far this season, Kiyan Anthony is averaging 19.0 points per game which puts him in the top 15 nationally in the Nike EYBL.

A class of 2025 recruit, Kiyan Anthony is a four-star guard from Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, New York). The 6-foot-5 prospect is the No. 37 player in the 247Sports Composite and the top-ranked player in New York in his class.

He currently holds offers from Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Syracuse (where his father played and developed into the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft) among other schools involved in his recruitment.

 

Over the weekend, Anthony showed the ability to pull apart defenses on the dribble. He also showcased some excellent shooting range and his toughness in getting to the rim.

LeBron James was so fired up after coaching his son, Bryce, to a huge comeback victory at Peach Jam

This is a special moment for LeBron and his son Bryce.

After breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record in front of his two sons, LeBron James is now spending his offseason coaching on the AAU circuit.

Although his older son Bronny has committed to USC next season, Bronny’s younger brother Bryce is playing on the Nike EYBL circuit. Bryce’s team, Strive For Greatness, is currently coached by LeBron and LeBron’s former teammate Rajon Rondo.

Bryce’s squad faced off against New Heights Lightning at Peach Jam, the championship tournament for Nike EYBL spring and summer league held in Augusta, Georgia. The matchup was one of several games broadcast on NBA TV.

NH Lightning, led by Preston Fowler, held a 10-point lead at one point during the game. But after a strong second-half performance from Strive for Greatness, the two eventually forced overtime.

SFG’s Brayden Burries finished with 27 points as LeBron’s team finished on top when it was all said and done.

It wasn’t easy to get into the building for the show, but for those who did, it was worth their time.

Bryce, who is reportedly transferring from Sierra Canyon to Campbell Hall, received his first Division I offer from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

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Memphis cites millions of dollars of economic impact from Nike EYBL

Nike EYBL tournament resulted in millions of dollars of economic impact to Memphis, a city official told the Commercial Appeal.

The new Memphis Sports and Events Center is already paying dividends toward the city with Nike EYBL in the rearview mirror. Memphis Tourism director of sports and events J.J. Greer told the Commercial Appeal that the economic impact from the elite youth basketball event is “in the millions of dollars.”

“Events like this are exactly why this facility was built. Every event is great, but events like this, we’re really proud to host. It’s extremely encouraging,” Greer said.

Thousands of people gathered at the facility to watch some of the best 16- and 17-year-old basketball prospects participate in Session 4 of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League season. The games, which started as early as 8 a.m. and went as long as 9 p.m., were played on 16 courts at the center.

Like major sporting events at every level, the economic impact comes not simply from ticket sales and concession stands but from jobs created to staff the events, hotels and transportation capacity, and increased sales for local businesses and restaurants, all of which also contribute to the city’s tax revenue.

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Nike EYBL draws the attention of NBA players, some of whom attended the games. In Memphis, Carmelo Anthony watched his son Kiyan play on Team Melo, which the NBA legend sponsors. According to the Commercial Appeal, Grizzlies player Desmond Bane was in the audience, as was Thaddeus Young, a Mitchel High School (Memphis) alumnus and a sponsor of Team Thad.

“Memphis would’ve never been a candidate for this before this facility (was built),” said Antonio Perez, Liberty Park facility’s general manager, in an interview with the Commercial Appeal. “That’s just the game-changer status it provides. Cities lobby every year to be chosen for these tournaments, so there’s some prestige involved in that.”

The Memphis Sports and Events Center continues to construct additions, including a ninja course, esports studio and weightlifting area, according to the Commercial Appeal.

Read the full story at the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Bryce James cam: Watch putback dunk, other footage from Nike EYBL

See highlight footage of Bryce James’ Nike EYBL game that included a putback dunk and exclusive Ja Morant Nikes.

With Bronny James approaching his freshman year at USC and LeBron James reportedly expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season, attention of the James family has turned toward the youngest son, Bryce.

Bryce James, a 15-year-old class of 2025 player who will attend Campbell Hall School (Valley Village, Calif.) next season, is taking part in Session 4 of the Nike EYBL session in Memphis over Memorial Day weekend. There still isn’t a whole lot of video of the youngest James son going around the internet, but Jason Munz of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, a partner of USA TODAY, captured footage of his game on Saturday with Team Strive For Greatness, which included this putback dunk:

Munz got the highs and lows of James’ game, which included some promising aspects like good trap defense, corner 3-point shooting, and plenty of athleticism, but also showed some areas of improvement, such as getting stripped on a layup in transition and avoiding contact on a different shot at the rim. James finished with nine points, according to the Commercial Appeal.

James’ recruiting profile varies based on the analyst. ESPN has him listed as a four-star prospect, while 247Sports has not given him any stars. But with his build at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds — already taller than Bronny — along with his obvious lineage, there’s intrigue from all corners of the recruiting world.

Unrelated to his basketball skill — sneakerheads should take note of James’ shoes, a player-exclusive colorway of Ja Morant’s signature Nike sneaker called the “EYBL” Ja 1’s. Get more background on them at the Commercial Appeal.

Cooper Flagg’s Nike EYBL Memphis Session is going incredibly well

The Montverde Academy (Fla.) standout is lighting up the stat book!

A triple-double on Saturday. A 45-point outing on Sunday. All in a (long) weekend’s work for incoming Cooper Flagg, whose sophomore year of high school is barely behind him.

Flagg, ranked as the No. 2 player in the class of 2025 on the 247Sports Composite Rankings, is churning out masterful performances at the Memphis Session of the Nike EYBL this weekend. On Saturday, according to SportsCenter NEXT, he posted 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists for Maine United. He also had four blocks, according to Overtime. Watch him weave through traffic, finish hard at the rim and make a good pass in transition below in SportsCenter’s highlight footage.

The next morning, Flagg continued his rampage of the session, going for 45 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks.

Listed as 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds, Flagg attends Montverde Academy (Fla.) Last season as a sophomore, he posted averages of 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.2 blocks, according to MaxPreps. As a junior, he should be an even more prominent face of the perennial championship contender.

WATCH: Michigan State basketball commit Jeremy Fears with a monster dunk

2023 MSU PG commit Jeremy Fears Jr. caught a body on this dunk:

The AAU basketball circuit has begun and the nation’s best high school players are competing against one another. Fears is competing in Nike’s EYBL, or Elite Youth Basketball League, for the Indy Heat – Gym Rats.

During session one of the EYBL, Fears made his fair share of highlights, but he caught the nation’s attention when he drove the lane and absolutely posterized a defender on his way to a monster dunk.

Watch Jeremy Fears Jr.’s insane dunk via Twitter here:

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Team Final beats Brad Beal Elite to win Nike EYBL Peach Jam championship

Team Final beat Brad Beal Elite on Sunday to claim this year’s Nike EYBL Peach Jam title.

Team Final entered the 2021 Nike EYBL Peach Jam as the headliner of the biggest grassroots basketball event of the summer. Loaded with top 100 talent, including top 2022 recruit Jalen Duren, the Philadelphia-based AAU program traveled to Georgia as the heavy favorites to win a championship.

And they delivered on those expectations.

Powered by Duren, five-star center Dereck Lively II, four-star shooting guard Corey Floyd Jr. and four-star shooting guard Otega Oweh, Team Final defeated Brad Beal Elite by a final score of 64-61 to take home this year’s Peach Jam title. Brad Beal Elite had a chance to tie the score at 64 with a three within the final 10 seconds, but failed to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded.

Team Final’s Peach Jam championship caps its dominant run on the Nike EYBL circuit this season. Team Final went an eye-popping 42-5 during the spring and summer and cruised through Peach Jam pool play to reach the playoffs. Oweh, who entered the Peach Jam as one of the more underrated players in the class of 2022, shined throughout the playoffs, posting 19 points per game, including 17 in Team Final’s win over Brad Beal Elite.

Duren and Lively both also played key roles in Team Final’s triumph over Brad Beal Elite. Duren notched 17 points, 10 boards and three assists in the win, while Lively secured a double-double himself with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Lively was clutch for Team Final down the stretch, coming up with numerous key baskets in the fourth quarter.

RELATED: Emoni Bates reveals Top 8

LeBron James shouts Emoni Bates out after dominant Peach Jam performance

Bates scored 31 points in the second half to lead Bates Fundamentals to a come-from-behind win at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam on Thursday.

LeBron James has been around basketball for more than long enough to know a potentially elite talent in the grassroots ranks when he sees one.

On Thursday, James was thoroughly impressed with what he saw with one of the top players in the class of 2022 at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Highly-touted Emoni Bates dominated for Bates Fundamentals, pouring in 33 points to lead his team to a come-from-behind win after being down by 20 points earlier in the game. Bates scored 31 of his 33 points in the second half to spearhead the comeback, prompting praise from James on Twitter.

Bates was recently knocked off his perch atop the 2022 rankings by Montverde Academy (Fla.) and Team Final center Jalen Duren after just over two years as the consensus No. 1 player in his class. Bates remains an elite prospect despite his one-spot fall in the rankings, showcasing a skill set many have compared to Kevin Durant’s.

RELATED: Jalen Duren passes Emoni Bates for top spot in 2022 rankings

“Extremely thin but has great length for such a skilled player. Plays with strength, though, and doesn’t avoid contact,” 247Sports’ Jerry Meyer said in his scouting report of Bates. “Quick twitch athlete who moves feet well and is quick off the floor. Elite three-level scorer. Has deep range off catch or dribble. Can score in a multitude of ways.

“Handles well, has plethora of moves and can attack either direction. Has a feel as a passer. Dangerous offensive rebounder. Good defensively when focused. Has defensive versatility. Elite, elite prospect.”

Bates’ next move when it comes to where he plays after high school is still to be determined. The 6-foot-7, 185-pound forward was previously committed to Michigan State, but backed off his pledge to the Spartans and is expected to skip college and seek the “most lucrative deal the G League can muster” before entering the NBA draft, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn.

RELATED: Report: Emoni Bates expected to join G League after high school

No matter where he winds up, Bates now has the full attention of one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. Not many players his age can say the same.