2024 stars sending early messages for Watch List

Over the years, there have been several players I saw in middle school or sooner that I called #D1Locks and I have never been wrong about that because of certain things I observe that the novice evaluator doesn’t see and they include mannerisms, instincts, and reactions. I caught Brooke McCarty who starred at Texas in the 4th grade at the Tyrone Johnson Showcase and was sold, her mannerisms as she played up told me a lot, she’s with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA but I can go even further. My own daughter, Sydney Colson,  was a newborn and after the nurse popped her, she slapped her back, this falls into the reaction category and I knew she would have quick hands which helped lead to winning a National Championship at Texas A&amp;M and a WNBA veteran, played with the Las Vegas Lady Aces this season and I’m not exagerating on either story but I attended a couple of middle school tournaments this past weekend and saw many talented players that showed college potential and at least two will make immediate impacts and be among the top of my 2024 Watch List [caption id="attachment_125382" align="alignleft" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="161562" first="Gwendlyn" last="McGrew"][/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="161562" first="Gwendlyn" last="McGrew"]</strong>-could start on several high school teams right now and average double digits because she’s not far from the magic number, pay attention, that’s 6’0 and when you’re a big guard that can shoot and yes, she already has NBA range, college coaches will be a knocking on the door. Actually they already have as she has offers on the table but what I like about her game is that keeps adding more. I caught her dropping threes from the timeline last season and every camp I’ve covered that she’s attended, she has shown me something extra and the move she made attacking the basket yesterday, zig-zagging through the paint between defenders and spinning on another while changing hands in mid-air for the basket is a move a lot of big-time heading to college guards can’t do which is why as a 7th grader I called her a #BCSLock so throw away the key as she will be playing for one of the areas top point guards who too was a #BCSLock in middle school [caption id="attachment_125383" align="alignright" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="158878" first="Aniah" last="Alexis"][/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="158878" first="Aniah" last="Alexis"]</strong>-it didn’t take me long to realize what I was looking at and although she probably outscored the opposing team, number do not determine on how I evaluate players, that goes over many people heads who consistently send me irrelevant stats because I’ve seen players in middle school score over 50 that were average high school players and players in high school that averaged over 50 and panned out at the next level but Alexis is not in either category. She elevates on her jumper and creates her shot from everywhere, picture playing around the world by yourself but she reads the court on both ends, love that "playing the passing lanes" over and over and sees the floor nicely as she makes pinpoint passes through traffic. She’s nowhere near where she’ll be, her upside is unlimited yet I’m ready to label her a #BCSLock as well. The picture shows <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/laila-blair/">[player_tooltip player_id="137396" first="Laila" last="Blair"]</a> who is seated and heading to the University of Houston so Alexis will step in at Waller and pay immediate dividends