Area Power Brokers: The Most Powerful & Influential Basketball Minds in Grassroots in the DMV

 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.

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.

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.

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. 

Team Melo Makes Power Moves - Takes Over the Future of the DMV

With the national high school summer season heating up across the country,  with all the major shoes brands NIKE, Adidas, & Under Armor all opening their circuit play. Attention in the DC Metro area, as well as all over American has shifted slightly to the high school arena. 

There have been numerous rumors and rumblings in the DMV area regarding a shift in the balance of power at the middle school ranks and it deals directly with the NIKE circuit.  At the collegian level 44 of the 65 BCS institutions don the NIKE swoosh and historically their circuit houses the largest stable of the nation’s top players.

For several years the DMV area has been dominated by the Team Takeover program led by Keith Stevens.  Stevens and the TTO brand have consistently attracted the top area players to the circuit and have established its program and players as a premier competitor each year at multiple age levels.   In what may turn out to be one of the most strategic moves locally and nationally; program Dwayne Wise and Kirk Lee who represent NIKE Team Melo has partnered with national middle school guru Coach Francis to fully load their entire middle school grassroots program.

Previous reports had Francis and some of the nation’s top talents at various age groups affiliating themselves with quickly floundering Team Durant brand; that presumable has lost some of the country’s top team faster than they had gotten them.  The demise of Durant was epic, as in some cases never having any top elite players put on uniform to represent the brand at all.  In speaking with an anonymous source familiar with the situation it was stated that “…the Team Durant group made a lot of promises they either were unwilling or unable to keep – they let down a lot of people in the area and hurt a lot of kids. “  Additionally the source revealed, “What the top guys at Durant have done is an embarrassment that will dramatically affect their ability to compete in the future if ever”. 

 

Not Pictured: Montez McNeil '20, Odell Dickinson '19 & Cameron Byers '20

Team Melo immediately went to work this weekend; putting their “new”  2019 product on the floor for the first time and was very impressive in winning the Spring Jam Fest Championship in the 2018 age group playing up a year.  The most valuable piece of them all may be the nationally renowned “Terror Squad” (class of 2020) who many recognize as the #1 7^th grade team in the country and the former Durant coo at the 2021 level, the former Team Glory leader requires no introduction – Team Melo now boast undisputed national #1 player Zion Harmon as part of their future construct. The building blocks for the future positions Team Melo to be the top high school program in the area in very short order.  

Standout performers from the 2019 championship group from this weekend who will garner immediate national attention and become household names in quick order with the construct and coaching infrastructure in place are as follows:

Che Evans ( 6’6 Wing/Forward) – Five position players has begun to come into his own while showing a whole new package of tools and intangibles.  Evans played freely & w/ passion never seen before making an impact on both ends of the courts.  Defensively his length paid tremendous dividends as he played the passing lanes, worked the glass, and both altered & blocked shots.  Offensively he passed well and showed vastly improved court vision, while working exceptionally well in the mid-range with pull ups and floaters – but was special when attacking the backboard and finishing with both hands; even looking to dunked missed shots.  Rumors have been confirmed & Evans will be reclassing which will position him as a top national prospect and the Melo program the home of country’s #1 team.

Jason Murphy (6’7 Center) – Jason Murphy has improved so dramatically in recent months that he very well be the bests back to the basket bigman in the entire DMV area. Murphy has the size, strength, and length to dominate – literally he is trying to duck everything at the rim and when he does; he is doing so with authority.   Showed great dexterity around the rim and finished with both hands; as well as a jump hook with both hands that make him truly difficult to find and answer for on the block.   He post up strongly and is able to establish block side position and his strength allows him to hold it.  A surprisingly good passer off the post – he understands the value of the kick and repost process; and he is very unselfish focusing on winning the game.  Where Jason is next level and dominant is on the boards and as a shot blocker; he changes shots and blocks the ball on the release at its highest point the definition of an elite shot blocker.

Cameron Byers (6’6 Forward) – Byers has come into his own in the last few months by staying in constant rotation against high level talent.  His confidence is at an all-time high and watching Byers play with another premier post has put on display an entirely different skill set.  Known as a power big; Byers has diligently worked on this face up game and he is able to cause havoc with a face up game that few can rival.  An above average ball-handler for his size spacing him away from the basket has accentuated his ability to put the rock on the floor and finish.  Rebounding continues to improve and he love to defend and block shots.  When Byers is engaged and focused there are not many in his league; dominated for long stretches even at the 9^th grade level – and even with him playing with Melo 2019 Byers is a 2020 kid.   

  Mahki Long (6’4 Wing Guard) – The wildcard of the bunch, we hadn’t seen much of the lanky wing this season, but with the Team Melo group he played major minutes and was a major producer.  Somewhat of a hybrid at this juncture, Long looks to be long-term a big two who can guard multiple positions – operating with a unbelievable motor he made a difference in virtually every possession.   Long grabbed boards, blocked shots, guarded the primary offensive threat, and still had energy to get in out on the lane on the break and showed he is an elite level finisher.  Good vision and unselfish he is the ideal teammate for this ultra-talented bunch.  An underrated shooter, Long knocked down a few jumpers from distance, but is comfortable and at his strength attacking the paint – the beauty is that it simply may be a confidence issues as the shot mechanics look solid.  A summer with the ball in his hands could dramatically change the rankings in the area as Long will make a bigger impact at the high school then he ever did in middle school.

When Team Melo played the above players together they made up one of the biggest teams in the country across the board and it isn’t just size is talent and a diverse grouping of skill and talent.  There is no longer an invisible boarder between Maryland, DC, & Virginia.   The best kids clearly want to play with the best kids regardless of zip code – and parents have finally figured out that it makes no sense to watch someone else play when you can have an opportunity on the same circuit; as parents look out for the best interest of their kids opposed to the best interest of the program the climate is quickly changing  and right now the winner is NIKE Team Melo.