DMV Stars Dupree/Jackson Shine Bright for USA National Select

A pair of DC Blue Devils’ (G) Rasheed Dupree and (F) Saveon Jackson - have long been considered two of the top players and prospects in the DMV in the class of 2021. The two of them are battled tested, experienced, and highly skilled; this resume recently led to their selection to the USA National Select Team that competed in the Clash For the Cup Basketball Spotlight Event in Neptune, NJ.  The team came up a little short falling in the Semi-Final to a tough United Squad 55-51 but both players proved why they are in the national conversation during their time in New Jersey.

Rasheed Dupree:  Rasheed Dupree plays with great energy at both ends. He attacks the bucket with a vengeance and he can finish through contact. He can penetrate effectively with either hand and he has the strength, tenacity, and feel to score against length. He is quite good in the "drive-and-kick" offensive set as well. Defensively is where he separates himself from his peers. He is a bulldog on the defensive end utilizing his strength and active hands to cause numerous turnovers.

He gets the outlet pass and it's off to the races and would-be defenders are left in the dust. He can slash his way to the rim or knock down the pull-up jump shot. In addition, he advances the ball well in the open court to get his teammates involved early on in transition. In the half court set, he showed a consistent jump shot out to the stripe when he was squared up and on balance.  Dupree may have flied under the radar in the past but it is clearly his time to assert himself as a top lead guard prospect in the DMV and beyond.

  Saveon Jackson:  Jackson is a kid who is athletically gifted. He's long with underrated bounce off the floor. He plays exceptional positional basketball on both ends of the carpet.  He of course has skill too, and can knock down the 17' face-up jumpers. His forte is blocking shots, rebounding and scoring on put backs. He also has good hands on the block and can be counted on like clockwork to make a big play, grab a big rebound, or block when his team needs it the most.  He turns up when the lights get brighter; as exemplified in the seim-final where he grabbed a game high 14-rebound.

Jackson is a long and lean defensive presence who plays extremely hard is unselfish and is an excellent passer from both blocks and the high post – he has a old school knack for making plays for himself or other out of that area. He is active and plays in full attack mode. Jackson is a high motor forward that's defense is currently slightly ahead of his offense but he is very capable to improve his offensive productively and ultimately be one of the most converted type of players a double – double machine, the secret to his success is only him believing it too!

Summer Shoe Circuits Heats Up On & Off the Court

(Left) Carmelo Anthony - Team Melo (MD) - (Right) Chris Paul - Team CP3 (NC)

One of the most confusing yet important aspects of grassroots basketball is the battle that takes place not on the court but in the corporate board rooms across the country.  Within the DMV as across the country there is no difference in this highly competitive market.  There are unwritten rules to the game and one with high stakes for programs, players, parents, and high school and college coaches.  What is battle are we referring to you may wonder; it’s the one sneak brand battle being waged year round and is now at its peak this time of year.

In the pass year there have been major landscape changes at the top of all the shoe companies; NIKE, Adidas, and Under Armor – Carlton DeBose is now the heading up NIKE and works with a team of regional directors who assist in identifying top talent in their respective areas.  Under Armor new head man is Nick Blatchford who also has a team of professional who are looking to get the job done.  Adidas has no slouch behind the wheel with Jim Gatto making things happen for the three stripes.

The overall value of these brands and relationships is the national circuit access they all provide.  Top players from across the country are sought out by sneak affiliated clubs to represents them and their brands on national circuits.  The circuits are set-up in league style systems built over multiple sessions, where at some of the younger age group some brands set up tournament style events.  Regardless of the set-up style they all have one thing in common and that is they provide a direct link to visibility by college coaches from all over the country.  Not just your Duke’s, Syracuse’s, or UCLA’s - but also your Florida Gulf Coast’s. Texas States, and Central Akansas; they are all in attendance and the beauty is that a single child only has to be like by one to get an opportunity to play at the next level. The aforementioned events are held during what is known as live periods; where colleges are able to come out and interact directly with players and parents. 

The next session dates and location for the three brands are as follows:

Nike & Under Armor  Lexington, Ky. (April 24-26)

Adidas Indianapolis (April 24-26)

Operating on the same date is done purposely and strategically; requiring a commitment and allegiance to a specific affiliate by the player and the parent.  Not just to the leagues, but also to the camp circuit, and ultimately to college programs and possibly beyond.  Kids who have known as played together from the time they were knee high to a duck may not play with or against each other unless it’s a high school situation as the commitments are paramount to the program directors, scouts, and the advertising and marketing arms of the entities that support and represent the programs and young men.

Given the “short” season in comparison it’s paramount that whatever uniform you put on AS A PLAYER you make sure that you are PLAYING; it’s not necessarily about wins from that end – though there is a high premium put on it as it relates to the actual programs, as there are performance expectations that must be met for relationships to be maintained.  The players true objective is to be seen and get looks and obtain a scholarship – the programs objective is to obtain the most talented players, put the best product on the floor, win and retain their relationships.  The easiest way for both parties to win is to put the team together and go out kick some butt and make some noise.  Those looking for an opportunity at any level 14u to 17u and needs some assistance and guidance for now or in the future may call the National Youth Basketball Network at 1.800.338.4629 and they can assist with getting you in contact with a club representative in your area that fits your child’s developmental needs and can provide you with chances to been by college recruiters.

The game at this level can be grimy and cutthroat; but if you make the right choice and decision can be very rewarding and be the building block for future success and opportunities.