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.
