2022 Draft Watch: An Early Look at Caleb Houstan, Kendall Brown, and Kennedy Chandler in the GEICO Nationals

April 17^th, 2021

By Alan Lu

This time around, I decided to watch Caleb Houstan and Montverde Academy play against Kendall Brown, Kennedy Chandler and Sunrise Christian in the GEICO Nationals that took place on April 3^rd, with thanks to YouTube via Hollywood Blvd.  There was not much offense early on, and it was a hard-fought, defensive battle, as Montverde was led by the strong play of Caleb Houstan, as well as point guard Ryan Nembhard and center Jalen Duren to help lead them to defeat Sunrise Christian.  As a result, Montverde Academy ended up being the 2021 GEICO Nationals Champions.  Here are my thoughts on how Houstan and other various prospects fared on this day, as well as how their games may translate to the NBA.

Michigan’s incoming 6-8 freshman forward, Caleb Houstan played well for Montverde Academy in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian.  He is an athletic, skilled sharpshooter that can shoot and score the basketball, and he also was able to make some solid plays defensively. Houstan showed a knack for scoring on quick, spot-up threes to provide floor spacing for his team on offense.  He has a lot of range on his shot, and he also has a quick release that enables him to easily get his shot off.  He also showed that he can run quickly off ball screens to make spot-up threes off the catch.

Plus, he also ran off of a ball screen to get the ball on a dribble handoff, and Houstan drove to the hoop to score that time.  He also ran in to score on a put back.  On the downside, he missed his lone free throw attempt in this game.  He also missed on a pull-up, mid-range jumper, though he should’ve drawn a foul on that play because a defender had pushed him down that time. Though he did not get an assist in this game, Houstan is a solid ball handler, and he did not commit a single turnover on offense.  Plus, he also managed to get his fair share of rebounds against Sunrise Christian.  In this game, he also was able to chase down balls to get boards on both ends of the floor.

Also, he played solid defense in this game.  Houstan was able to jump on a loose ball to get a steal, and he also would poke balls away to nearly get others.  He also would use his length to close out on shooters to force misses, and he also aptly defended a jump hook in the post to get another stop for his team.  Sometimes though, he would be late to get out on shooters, which would lead him to allow opponents to score on three-point shots.  He also lost track of a cutter to allow a score another time.

In general, Caleb Houstan had a solid showing in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian to help his team win the GEICO Nationals.  He is an athletic, skilled swingman that can shoot and defend, and though he had a slow start, he played increasingly better as the game wore on.  He looks to be a strong candidate to go in the lottery in the 2022 draft, and he could end up being a solid player similar to former veteran swingman, Mike Miller in the NBA.

Baylor’s 6-8 incoming freshman forward, Kendall Brown played well for Sunrise Christian in his team’s loss to Montverde Academy.  Brown is a very athletic, energetic combo forward that has versatile scoring skills, and he is a high-motor player that would make good hustle plays on both ends of the floor. Brown excelled at scoring on strong drives to the hoop.  He managed to score on a thunderous, two-handed dunk.  He also was able to score on a tough layup off the glass.  He tended to prefer going to his right, and he was a strong finisher at the rim. He also showed a decent ability to score in the post.  Brown managed to score on a turnaround, bank fade-away jumper off the glass.  He also used a strong, drop step move to score another time.  Sometimes though, he would take quick, turnaround jump hooks that would lead to misses. Also, he was able to make an open corner three to show his floor spacing skills, but he missed on two other occasions from beyond the arc.  Brown also drew a free throw on a drive in transition, but he missed his free throw when he was at the foul line.

Plus, Brown showcased average at best playmaking skills.  He is an unselfish player that can throw solid passes off the dribble as well as pass from the post, and he will find the open man to get them the basketball.  On the downside, he would sometimes be too fancy with his ball-handling in the open court, and there were a couple of occasions where he would try a fancy, behind-the-back dribble move before losing it to an opponent to commit turnovers. Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, Brown was able to leap up to get his fair share of boards, and he was able to get rebounds on both sides of the ball.

In addition, Brown played fairly good defense in this game.  He is a very athletic and rangy defender that showed a knack for blocking shots.  He was able to defend out on the perimeter and stay with his man to swat a shot once, and he also hustled back to make an aggressive, chase down block another time.  He also will actively contest shots in the paint due to possessing good timing, and he also will contest jumpers to force misses.  He also would get his hands on passes to help his team get steals.  He also would use his length to pressure and hound opposing ball handlers, and he also would poke balls away to make it difficult for them to handle the basketball.  On the other hand, he would tend to wander too far into the paint and crash down to the boards rather than stay with his man, which would lead him to allow opponents to score on open three-point shots.  There was another play where he ended up getting beat off the dribble to allow a score another time.

In summary, Kendall Brown is a very athletic, energetic forward that looked to have a strong set of all-around skills, and he and Houstan looked to be the most complete players in this game.  Brown didn’t appear to have any glaring weaknesses, and he looks to be a solid contender to be a top 5 pick in the 2022 draft.  He is a versatile player that can guard multiple positions, and he could project to be a solid scorer and a shut-down defender in the NBA.   He could likely make a significant impact for Baylor next year, and he could end up being a good player similar to former Chicago Bulls’ All-Star forward, Luol Deng in the NBA.

Tennessee’s 6-1 incoming freshman guard, Kennedy Chandler had his ups and downs for Sunrise Christian in his team’s loss to Montverde Academy.  He is a speedy, energetic playmaker that competes relentlessly on both ends of the floor, but he really struggled with his jump shot at times in this game. Chandler showed a decent ability to score off the dribble.  He is a fleet-footed guard that showed a knack for scoring on speedy drives in transition, and he also scored on a finger roll layup once.  He also was able to use a hesitation move to score on a quick runner off the glass.  He tended to favor going to his right, but when he went left, he missed on a wild, rushed layup, and he also missed on a runner another time. Though he was able to make an open, spot-up three, Chandler struggled to knock down jumpers consistently, and he also threw up an air-ball from well beyond the arc, as he just couldn’t get any rhythm to shoot from further out.

Also, he displayed fairly good playmaking skills in this game.  Chandler is a fleet-footed guard that can consistently get into the lane, and he can make drive and kick passes, as well as find cutters and teammates on the move to rack up assists.  He has solid court vision and he sees the floor well.  He was quite reliable as a facilitator with the ball in his hands, but he did commit one turnover, as he threw a hasty interior pass that got intercepted once. He also was able to get his fair share of boards, and Chandler was able to help his team get rebounds on both ends of the court.

He also played satisfactory defense in this game.  Chandler is a very active help defender that would get plenty of steals and blocks when he was on the court.  He would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get steals and deflections.  He also managed to block a shot off of a drive due to possessing solid timing.  He also ran in to tie up an opposing ball handler to nearly get a steal another time.  On the downside, he would tend to sag too far off shooters, and there would be times where he wouldn’t even contest shots, which would lead him to allow them to score on open threes.  He also would sometimes be too aggressive to over-compensate which would render him out of position, as he would commit aggressive touch fouls and bite on ball fakes when guarding his opponents.

Overall, Kennedy Chandler is a speedy, energetic playmaker that has good court vision and solid defensive skills, but he will need to improve his jump shot moving forward.  He’s also a bit undersized for his position, which could make it tough for him to defend at higher levels.  Still, his basketball IQ and playmaking skills could enable him to be a solid pick for an NBA team in the second round range in 2022, and he could project to be a solid backup point guard similar to former Orlando Magic guard, Rafer Alston in the association.

Creighton’s incoming freshman point guard, Ryan Nembhard played well for Montverde Academy in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian.  He was an effective game manager for his team at the point, and he also excelled as a sharpshooter to help his team get the victory. Nembhard shot the ball very well, especially from downtown.  He showed a penchant for scoring on open, corner threes off the catch.  He also dribbled left off of a screen to score on a pull-up, bank three off the dribble. He also showed a decent ability to score off the dribble.  He changes directions well, and he would draw fouls upon his defenders to get to the free throw line.  He also managed to go to his left to score on a quick drive in transition.  On one play though, he went to his right, but he ended up missing on a runner in traffic.

Also, he showcased solid playmaking skills.  He is a pass-first point guard that has good court vision, and he can throw crisp, accurate drive and kick passes to notch assists.  He passes the ball well off the dribble, and he also can consistently find teammates on the move.  On the downside, he would also sometimes tend to telegraph his passes, which would get intercepted.  Another time, he also stepped out of bounds when pressured while handling the ball another time.

Plus, Nembhard was able to get a pair of rebounds in this game.  He was able to leap up to get a board on each end of the floor, and he also managed to push the ball quickly up the court after getting a defensive rebound.  On the downside, he was called for a push in the back when going for a defensive rebound another time, though he would’ve gotten the rebound had he not been called for the foul on that occasion. He also played adequate defense in this game.  Nembhard would run in and pounce upon loose balls to help his team get steals, and he also showed a knack for contesting threes to force plenty of misses.  On the downside, he would struggle to defend opponents off the dribble or on cuts, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Ryan Nembhard is a smart, skilled playmaker that is a good shooter and table-setter on offense, and he also can capably make plays defensively.  He will need to be more assertive on offense, and he will need to show teams that he can consistently defend well at higher levels.  Still, he could be a solid second round pick in the 2022 draft, and he could project to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Baylor’s incoming freshman swingman, Langston Love played well for Montverde Academy in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian.  He showed off versatile scoring skills as well as a good shooting touch from beyond the arc, and he also rebounded the ball well to help his team in this game. Love shot the ball well, especially from downtown.  He showed a knack for scoring on quick, spot-up threes off the catch.  He was able to make a corner three, and he also would run off ball screens to knock down his three-point shots. 

Plus, he also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble.  Love tended to prefer driving to his right, as he was able to score on a tough floater in traffic as well as on a layup another time.  Sometimes though, he would struggle to score in traffic, as he had a couple of his shots blocked. He also had trouble knocking down mid-range shots when he would hoist them up.

He also displayed fairly good playmaking skills.  Love is an unselfish player that passes the ball well off the dribble, and he can quickly get the ball to his teammates to set up scores for them.  He can make drive and kick passes, and he can throw sharp interior passes to find them on the move.  On one play though, he drove in and used a Euro-step move to his left, but he ended up committing a charging foul that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover that time. Also, Love rebounded the ball very well.  He excelled at crashing the glass, especially on the offensive end, and he is a scrappy, agile guard that would chase down balls to help his team get plenty of rebounds.

Defensively, he struggled in this game.  For the positives, he is an active defender, and he was able to contest a couple of threes to force misses.  On the downside, he generally struggled to defend off the dribble or taller players in the post, and he would sometimes whiff on steal attempts, which would put his team in compromised situations. Overall, Langston Love is an agile, high-motor swingman that has a solid set of all-around skills, and he was a very good get for Baylor.  He may be a very underrated prospect, and he could end up being a solid find for an NBA team whenever he decides to declare to enter the NBA draft.

Michigan State’s incoming 6-3 guard, Jaden Akins played very well for Sunrise Christian in his team’s loss to Montverde.  He is a sharpshooter that excelled at making hustle plays on both ends of the floor, and he came off the bench to making a significant impact for his team to help his team stay in the contest for most of the way. Akins showed a knack for making threes, as he can do so off the catch and dribble.  He also pulled up to make a long two from the baseline.  Plus, he excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He showed a penchant for scoring on tough, acrobatic flip layups, and he was able to score off of a cut and a put back, as he did a very good job of scoring around the basket.

He was able to find the open man to get an assist, but Akins was also fairly turnover prone on offense.  He would sometimes tend to step out of bounds when catching or dribbling the basketball, which would lead to team turnovers. Also, he would look to crash the boards on both sides of the ball, and Akins was able to leap up to get a defensive board.  He also played good defense.  He showed a knack for poking balls away to get steals and deflections, and he also rotated to alter a mid-range shot to force an opponent to shoot an air-ball.

Overall, Jaden Akins played very well for Sunrise Christian, and he probably should’ve both started and gotten far more touches on offense in this game.  He looked to be his team’s most reliable scorer in this match, and he also defended well.  He looks to be a good get for Michigan State, and he could pack a solid scoring punch and provide some defensive skills for them right away.  If so, he could be a prospect to watch and keep tabs on in the future, and he could project to be a microwave type of scorer in the NBA.

Montverde Academy’s 6-10 high school junior center, Jalen Duren played well in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian.  He excelled as an interior player for his team on both ends of the floor, and he also set good screens on offense.

Duren showed a solid ability to score on hustle plays.  He was able to slip behind the defense to score on a quick, flip layup while getting an extra free throw once.  He also rolled hard to the rim and caught a lob pass to score on a thunderous alley-oop dunk.  He also ran the floor, caught a long outlet pass, and drove in from the high post to score in transition.  He did miss an easy, open layup on one roll to the rim, but Duren generally excelled at scoring on rolls and on fast breaks. He also managed to use a drop step to score on a quick, turnaround jumper in the post.  On the downside, he would sometimes struggle to score consistently down low, as he missed on a fade-away jumper, and he also had a shot blocked in traffic.

On the downside, he was fairly turnover prone on offense.  For the positives, Duren would set hard, firm screens to help his teammates score on open jump shots.  On the downside, he would throw inaccurate passes that would go astray, and he also had a ball poked away after getting a defensive board to lose it another time. Also, Duren did a good job of rebounding the basketball.  He especially showed a knack for crashing the glass to help his team get defensive boards.  On the downside, he was called for hooking an opponent on the arm early on when trying to vie for an offensive board, which led to an offensive foul that time.

Plus, Duren also played solid defense in this game.  He rotated to block a shot in the post due to possessing solid length, athleticism, and timing.  He also rotated to intercept a pass to get a steal.  He also rotated on a baseline drive to help force a ball handling turnover, and he also contested a three to force a miss another time.  On the other hand, he would sometimes be late to pick up a man, which led him to allow an opponent to score on an open corner three.  Another time, he didn’t even contest a put back when defending in the post, which led his team to give up the bucket on that possession.

Overall, Jalen Duren is a very athletic, strong center that excelled as an inside scorer, rebounder, and defender in this game, and he could be a first round prospect in the 2024 draft.  He is already one of the best high school players in the country, and he has a bright future ahead of him, and he could end up being a solid player in the NBA one day.

Monteverde Academy’s 6-5 high school junior swingman, Dariq Whitehead played fairly well in his team’s win over Sunrise Christian.  He excelled as a facilitator and defender, and he also showed off impressive athletic gifts when he was on the floor in this game. Whitehead excelled as a scorer off of drives as well as in transition.  He showed a knack for scoring on aggressive drives in transition, and he also used a Euro-step move to do so once.  He also used a quick, hesitation move when driving to his left to score on a thunderous, two-handed dunk. On the downside, he had trouble making pull-up jumpers either from the mid-range or from beyond the arc, and Whitehead had trouble connecting on outside shots, especially from further out.

He also showcased solid playmaking skills in this game.  Whitehead showed a knack for throwing solid interior passes to find teammates on the break to set up scores for them, and he is a good passer that sees the floor well.  He also set a solid, off-ball screen to help his teammate score on a roll to the rim.  He can sometimes be a little loose when handling the ball, which can lead him to get the ball knocked away at times, but still, he managed to take very good care of the basketball in this match.

Unfortunately, he did not appear to grab many rebounds in this contest.  Whitehead also played good defense.  He was able to hustle back to make an impressive chase down block on the break to a teammate due to possessing very good length, athleticism, and timing.  He also poked a ball away to nearly get a steal, and he also closed out on a three-point shooter to force a miss.  On the other hand, he lost track of a cutter once, which led his team to allow a score that time.

Overall, Dariq Whitehead is a very athletic, skilled swingman that has some point forward skills, and he also showed a knack for making impressive hustle plays on both ends of the floor.  He will need to improve his outside shot and he will also need to be more assertive on offense.  Even still, he looks to be a high upside prospect that could potentially be a lottery pick in the 2024 draft, and he has a bright future ahead of him, as he will definitely be a prospect to watch by then.

Kansas’ 6-9 incoming freshman forward, Zach Clemence had a decent showing for Sunrise Christian in his team’s loss to Montverde Academy.  He showed a knack for making spot-up threes, and he also was able to make one off of a pick and pop play. He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball, and he also excelled at blocking shots in the post due to possessing solid timing.  Plus, Clemence would often rotate to contest shots to force misses.  He was able to save a loose ball to a teammate to help his team get a steal.  Plus, he also drew a charge on a drive to get a stop for his team. On the downside, Clemence didn’t look to shoot the ball that often, and he struggled to score inside the arc.  Though he played satisfactory defense, he also had trouble defending screens, and he would sometimes struggle to defend off the dribble or in the post on the defensive end.

Overall, Zach Clemence is a skilled stretch big that can knock down outside shots, and he also can block shots as an interior defender in the paint.  He’s not overwhelmingly athletic and he will need to prove that he can consistently create his own shot and defend upper echelon opponents on a consistent basis, but if he plays well at the collegiate level, he could improve his odds to make it to and succeed in the NBA.

Montverde Academy’s 6-8 high school junior forward, Malik Reneau played well off the bench to help his team get the win over Sunrise Christian.  He is an energetic, high-motor player that excelled at making hustle plays on both ends of the floor in this game. Reneau generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He was able to score on a quick put back as well as on a roll to the rim.  On another play though, he ran the floor to get the ball, but he ended up getting his shot blocked out of bounds. He also showed a satisfactory ability to score in the post.  Reneau was able to spin left to score on a quick, turnaround jump hook. He also is an unselfish player that will look to find the open man.  Reneau passed the ball well out of the post, and he was able to make a quick, drive and kick pass to notch an assist. He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball.  Reneau would actively crash the glass to help his team on both ends of the floor, and he also was able to get an impressive, one-handed offensive rebound in traffic once.

Plus, Reneau also defended well.  He was able to run in to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also poked a ball away to nearly get another.  He also would contest shots in the paint to force plenty of misses.  On the downside, sometimes he would hang out in an area rather than guard a man, and he would sometimes sag too far off of shooters to allow scores to them. Overall, Malik Reneau played well in his team’s victory over Sunrise Christian.  He will need to extend his shooting range and improve his outside shot, but he could at least project to be a solid role player at the collegiate level.  If he plays well in college, he could improve his odds to make it to and succeed in the NBA sometime in the future.