Monday, December 5, 2016

Supersized Super Stars Making Big Impacts

DMV’s two NIKE programs Team Melo and Team Takeover have each secured one of the area’s premier big men in the class of 2021;  a pair of 6’9s in Victory Naboya (TTO) and Adam Walden (MELO). 

Let’s meet the DMVs new twin towers!


Victory Naboya arrived on scene and made an immediate impression; his end to end speed and tremendous athletic ability alone put him in a class by himself – his package is truly a rarity for a player at this stage. He's a bit stuck between the four and five spots standing between 6'8 and 6-9 with long arms.  A raw specimen offensively he isn’t yet working with a high level of skill yet he is amazingly efficient and highly productive.  

Noboya is already playing well above the rim with ease, shows excellent timing resulting in him being an exceptional shot blocker and alters many other shots he doesn’t actually get to.  What you will see very soon is a player who will be looking to tear down the rim every time he touches the ball inside.  We liken Noboya to a young J.J. Hickson because of his ability to control both backboards, finish in transition, and provide energy plays that get his team going.

Victory has the frame of a college freshman already and when combined with his athleticism and motor it makes him one of the most intriguing prospects that we have seen in the DMV in a longtime; from an evaluation standpoint it is extremely easy to state that once his feel for the game and skill-level improves, he has a realistic chance to establish himself as one of the best big men not only in the DMV but in the country – his is the definition of a high floor high ceiling player.
 
 
 

Adam Walden long-term potential is obvious. With his tremendous size, frame, length and mobility, his elite physical tools put him in the same class as Noboya but for a different reason power – think Derrick Favors in this instance.   

Physically gifted, Walden’s combination of size, power, mobility, athleticism and explosiveness is unparalleled at the middle school level.  He too is a work in progress offensively but it’s clear to see already that with his particular set of physical tools he will consistently be able to finish with authority whether the rim and paint is protected or left open. 

Due to his upward explosiveness and size, guards just need to lob the ball around the cylinder and he can go up and get it without a running start. Adam has a soft overall feel for the rim from about 8 feet out in all directions.  He is also very good at finishing non-dunks around the bucket. A dominant rebounder and Adam is extremely active and effective on glass combine that with an exceptional ability to run the floor for his size he is a player that knows who and what he is and he embraces it; at 6’8/6’9 Walden is also a timely and active shot blocker who patrols the paint with secret service like protection; he contest shots, rebounds in and out of his area and can single handily control the game in those two areas.   When his offense catches up with his defense and rebounding it could be a scary proposition as this is one of the younger 2021 who looks like he easily could reach the 7’0 plateau.  
 
On the high school side Walden is rumored to have cut his list to two schools Mt. St. Joe’s and Calvert Hall with the Cardinals looking to hold the early edge.

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