It was good to see a number of familiar faces competing outside of their usual college team structures and alongside new teammates. Although the groups are quickly put together, often with no time playing or practicing together, several players who are here at the PIT perhaps would have benefited from different systems or personnel in college, so evaluating them in a new context offered a valuable perspective.
Below are quick notes from Day 1 of the PIT, which featured two games (four teams). These were the rosters and statistics for Game 1 and Game 2.
Notes are simply in the order I wrote them in my notebook.
Kiylan Boswell — Very pesky defender. Stripped Trey Donaldson a few times, which isn’t easy to do.
Tamin Lipsey — He can finish at the rim a little better than expected. Of course, his diminutive size, lack of athleticism, and overall finishing are still his biggest question marks, but he showed the ability to finish at the rim against length better than I anticipated.
Donovan Atwell — His catch-and-shoot release will translate to higher levels. The swing skill is his ability to consistently create separation—both off the ball and into his jumper. If he can generate those looks in more than just catch-and-shoot, he’ll make a lot of threes in whatever league he’s in. His jump shot is consistently pure and smooth.
Malik Dia — He can really score it, largely because of his body control through traffic. His inside-out game has been evident throughout his career at Ole Miss, but what stood out here was his ability to head-fake and pump-fake while already rolling in stride to the rim. With strong hands, that makes him a dangerous pick-and-roll finisher—crafty on the move, with enough athleticism and strength to finish through bigger players. He may be a bit undersized and lack explosive bounce, but he consistently finds ways to impact the game. Also a vocal leader and communicator on the floor.
Tre White — Struggled to finish at the rim and isn’t the most explosive athlete in that area, which could be an issue at higher levels. That said, his jump shot has real potential, and his hustle and effort—which I’ve covered before—are consistent parts of his game.
Riley Kugel — Talented scorer, especially creating mid-range jumpers, but I’m not sure how that will translate within the confines of a 24-second shot clock.
Kowacie Reeves Jr. — High-level athlete. Lefty. Can really shoot it. Very bouncy in the open floor. Still need more film to fully evaluate how his game translates in the half court, but he plays above the rim, shows 3-and-D traits, and has defensive switchability as a 6-foot-7 wing.
Malik Reneau — His second bounce is legit—quick and explosive off the floor. Smooth lefty touch with crafty finishing (reverses, floaters). Consistent scorer inside 15 feet, with the athleticism and strength to play through contact and above the rim. He reminds me of former NBA player Trevor Booker. If he’s driven, coachable, and willing to expand his game, he has real NBA potential.