BY: Jason Duffie
Staff Writer DMV Preps
One of the most used words in the youth
basketball world is “politics”; the reality is that on various levels this is a
statement that rings true on multiple levels.
The reality is that much of the movement on the hoop scene is by people
who haven’t made a basket in years – some never in their entire lives.
Speaking candidly, if
you look closely at the various forces at work in basketball at every level of
the sport—the AAU programs that funnel players to college programs, the agents
looking to land players as early as NBA rules allow, the shoe companies,
coaches, franchise owners, front-office executives, players—it eventually dawns
on you that they have one thing in common:
A NEED FOR EXPOSURE
Exposure and introduction,
even validation to the various networks that have been established over time dictate
a high percentage of opportunities and access.
These individuals have proven track records of creating opportunities at
the next level and beyond.
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| Keith Stevens |
1.
Keith
Stevens (Team Takeover, Program Director) - One of the misconceptions is that Stevens
never played the game; but the 5’6 spark plug played on the 1991 and 1992
Forestville High School team that won back-to-back state championships. One of the best characters in all of
grassroots basketball; he is more than style he is substance. Production?
NBA draft picks including Victor
Oladipo, Erick Green and Jerami Grant – with one to two more in the coming
months validates his process. Power?
Since 2007 at least 8 players per year have received D1 scholarships. Influence? Georgetown, Syracuse, Maryland, Virginia, George
Washington, George Mason have players as well as coaches from his stable. One
of the areas primary points of contact for College Coaches is Stevens, with the
addition of his Sport Management Company his ceiling remains high.
 |
| Hanif Hill |
2.
Hanif Hill (Under
Armor Scout/Trainer) – Hill
currently trains many of the areas top local players and has worked with NBA
stars Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Ty Lawson amongst others. Coached at Cardoza HS from 2003 to 2007 and
has longtime deep rooted relationships in the area. Unquestionable he’s one of
the most sought after trainers in the DMV, and he regularly hosts top players
from across the nation at his workouts – this includes high school, college,
and pro. His evaluation and influence go
beyond the shoe brand as he trains all top players, but without question his voice
and player endorsement is more than powerful at UA as he makes sure their
events are filled with the best of the best.
 |
| Van Johnson |
3.
Van Johnson (NIKE
Regional Scout) – A fixture in the areas basketball scene for over two decades
his fingerprints can be found on the legendary Nike Pro City Summer
(HS/College-Pro) Leagues on the campus of Georgetown University, NIKE Peach Jam Invitational and sits on the selection committee
for the McDonalds All-American game, Jordan Brand Classic, and the NIKE Skill
Academy’s – his national scouting background is respected throughout the
country and his contacts, “arms”, and influence reach further than anyone can
imagine.
 |
| Dwayne Wise |
4.
Dwayne Wise (Team
Melo, Recruiting Coordinator & Operations Director) – Tied to one of the
most high profile NBA players in the league Carmelo Anthony; Wise has the distinct
advantage of the dual sponsorship of NIKE and Jordan Brand as do the players
within the program. Founder of the I95
Challenge, Wise is also a primary DMV contact for colleges; having worked with
a bevy of both D1 and NBA players. He
has mentored and guided several top 100 to 150 student athletes in the Baltimore
area. His west coast connections in the
PAC 12 and Mountain West are unparalleled in the area; as is his relationship
with USA Basketball – having placed multiple players in the system and on the
team. Combine this with the NIKE Camp
and circuit access and it’s only natural that Wise is a major player in the game
in the area and a major voice on the east coast.
 |
| Chris Lawson |
5.
Chris Lawson (DMV
Elite, President) - Operating independently
of any shoe company affiliation as an event management source and scouting
service Lawson is looked upon as a unbiased resources for individuals looking
for talent and players looking for opportunity in the basketball hotbed of the
DMV. Recently having taken over the area’s
premier annual all-star event, the Capitol Classic, Lawson has added this event
to many tournaments that draw several college eyes including unsigned senior
events – making his operations valuable to large numbers in the area. The provision of scouting reports and resources
along with his words, thoughts, and opinions can go a long way independently or
as third party validation for players in the area. Without question Lawson’s MVP is Marcus
Helton, he handles much of the video media, over sight, and is a fixture at
event providing coverage and social media.
This tag team collectively must be respected and a mover and shaker as
they make in road with their tournament HS tournament series to becoming a
national name. Until then they are one
of the best doing it in the DMV.
 |
| Damon Handon |
6.
Damon Handon (DC
Premier, Program Director) – Curtis Malone was the king of the Hill and his
power, influence, contacts, collegian and pro players placement was unrivaled
in the DMV. His relationships and
rolodex alone would have placed him in the #1 spot by a mile. Without him at the helm in steps Handon, who
too has extensive experience, has assume the reigns and continues to make an
impact amongst the many challenges he has had to face in recent years. National Champion Quinn Cook, Melo Trimble and Rodney Peters are two recent
success stories that can be combined with names such as Michael Beasley and
Nolan Smith are only a small portion of players that Handon was involved with
either directly or indirectly. The success
of placement of former coaches into the college ranks is also a big indicator
of Handon and the programs power/influence.
With a different name, same brand, the challenge is the establishment of
a separate identity – nothing a few pros, scholarships, and front page news can’t
change.
 |
| Bill Francis |
7.
Bill Francis/Coach
Francis (USA National Select, Director/National Scout & Media) – Ranked as
one the Top 10 Most Powerful Men in middle school basketball nationally; he is
one of the DMV’s most valuable resources at the grassroots level. Francis has managed
to recreate the entire high school system at the middle school level. He has introduced to the DMV training, camps,
tournaments, player, rankings, evaluations, networks and relationships that have
created national exposure and opportunity for kids entering high school and in
some cases at the college level for those he believes to translate at an early
stage. An endorsement by Francis has
value nationally; his is a call that gets answered. With every HS Coach in the area on speed dial
Francis works with both sides to help as many coaches, players, and parents as
possible. Still relatively young in the game
his diverse approach to the game as allowed his to either touch, coach, view,
or train the very best players in the area. With the upcoming Middle School
All-American game he continues to build a platform previously unavailable to
players at such a young age.
 |
| Michael Brown |
8.
A. Michael Brown (DC
Thunder President/General Manager) – Quickly becoming one of the most
impressive and well run organization in the DMV; Brown is building the right
way with class, integrity, and professionalism.
Having put together one of the most impressive staffs in the area made
up of former D1 players, basketball lifers, and excellent business and
basketball minds. His team has exponentially
grown the organization in a very short time and Brown and the Thunder are
players who will be here to stay. The
program works under the Adidas umbrella and Brown himself formerly sat on the selection
committees for the Adidas ABCD Camp and the Magic Johnson Roundball Classic when they existed. With a sport management background Brown disseminates
his knowledge to his entire organization working as a skill developer and
mentor while handling the Thunders day-to-day operations.
 |
| PK Martin |
9.
P.K Martin (Men’s
Basketball National Chair) - Martin has operated in conjunction with arguably
the biggest brand in all of basketball, the Armature Athletic Union (AAU), for
over 30 years. He is currently the
Governor of Potomac Valley District and was recently named as the Men’s Basketball
National Chair. There are very few
players who haven’t competed in the world of AAU; hence PK Martin has had
hundreds of pro’s, college players, McDonalds All-Americans, Jordan Brand
All-Stars compete in his events. His is
a virtual encyclopedia of basketball, his wealth of knowledge and history is
invaluable and now his title and influence match that. He too is a local assets with national power.
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| Mark Karcher |
10 (TIE).
Mark Karcher (Bmore’s
Finest, Executive Director) - A local
player who went 99-24 in his four years at St. Frances HS in Baltimore and then
went on to star at Temple University winning rookie of the year and advancing
to the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament. After
receiving A10 First Team Honors Karcher was drafted #48 by the NBA’s 76ers;
Karcher knows what it takes because he made it there and played on that level –
putting in several years overseas. He
has coached the game at his alma mater and was inducted into the Baltimore Catholic
League Hall of Fame. As a program
director he possesses the magic key to the circuit having established
a backyard relationship with Under Armor.
His history and track record in a basketball rich area combined with the
aforementioned makes him a player and a valuable asset in getting to the next
level.
 |
| Keith Williams |
10. Keith Williams (Trainer/ DC Blue Devils Program Director) - Quality
over quantity; Williams has worked with and continues to work with some of the
best players to ever come out of the area.
We are not talking about marginal talent, we are talking high major D1
players and lottery picks. We are
talking about hands on training with the likes of Steve Francis, Demarcus
Cousins, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley to name a few. Is current stud may be following in the
footsteps as he quickly becoming the most sought after prospect in the DMV,
current WCAC player of the year Markel Fultz.
His old school simplistic training style continues to produce results
decades later. One of the most respected
and soft spoken gentlemen in the game – his work, contributions to the game,
and ability and knowledge to systematically build not just players but the
superstars must be noted and honored.
The man you never see or hear from is still in the lab cooking, beating
his trainees one on one were only 3 dribbles are allowed. Add his program director title of the DC Blue
Devils and the recent deal with UA proves he can still make things happen. His is a call that still must be taken and
information dissected; a local legend whose status in the DMV can never be
question.
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. 
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.
