Uvwo, Pemberton and more stand out at adidas ABCD Camp

PHOENIX – For the first time since 2006, a collection of the top high school players in the country had been invited to the adidas ABCD Camp, now run by NBA veteran Tracy McGrady and grassroots legend Sonny Vaccaro.

It was Vaccaro who started the camp in 1984, and for 22 years, it was the story of the summer for all the top high school players in the country. Kobe Bryant won camp MVP in 1995 and LeBron James won it in 2001. In 1996, McGrady entered the camp as an unknown prospect, won the MVP and became the No. 1 high school player in the country soon after. He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and went on to play 15 seasons in the NBA.

In the camp’s return this year, following two dormant decades, there were drills and scrimmages on the court – along with workshops on financial literacy, Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) opportunities and media training. NBA players on hand as mentors and coaches to the 50 invitees included: Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe, Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter, Jazz guard Darryn Peterson and wing Cody Williams, as well as Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr.

Here are the standout players from the 2027-30 classes at this year’s adidas ABCD Camp:

Lewis Uvwo, Class of 2027

Uvwo is one of the best stories of the summer after rising from No. 94 in the class to No. 6 in the nation. He received the top honor of the weekend as McGrady awarded him with the adidas ABCD Camp MVP. He is the best shotblocker in the nation, and showcased that all weekend long. Yet in the championship game, it was what he did on the offensive end that truly impressed the NBA players and NBA scouts in the building. He recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, three assists and two steals in the commanding 63-53 win for the Nets over the Cavs.

This is Uvwo’s first summer playing AAU basketball, after moving to the U.S. from Nigeria. He’s only been playing basketball for three years and the raw talent is absolutely noticeable. The 6-foot-11 rimrunner – who has a 7-foot-7 wingspan – has seen his recruitment skyrocket. He holds offers from Duke, BYU, Florida State, UCLA, Baylor, Alabama, Arkansas and others.

RJ Evans, Class of 2029

Evans, the son of 13-year NBA veteran Reggie Evans, has a ton of upside with his length at 6-foot-7 and his two-way play on the perimeter. He led his team in scoring during scrimmage play and had the hot hand Friday night when he finished with a game-high 23 points. Evans plays for Austin Rivers’ AAU program on the adidas 3SSB circuit (Austin Rivers SE Elite). Rivers was on staff at the camp.

“That kid can play,” Rivers told NBA.com. “What he’s doing at 15 years is old is crazy and he has a natural feel for the game that’s only going to grow as he fills into his body. I can’t wait to see where he is in 3-to-4 years.”

Evans holds a handful of early offers as a rising sophomore and plans on taking unofficial visits to Miami, Florida State and Iowa (his dad’s alma mater) in the fall.

Antonio Pemberton, Class of 2027

Pemberton was the best lead guard on the court throughout drills and during the scrimmages. His team was down six points and slowly chipped away at the lead. Pemberton hit a deep 3 at the buzzer to go into halftime, giving his team a two-point lead. The 6-foot-1 point guard completely took over the second half, netting 25 points and scoring at will. He’s coming off a strong showing at the adidas 3SSB Championships where he led his team, Mass Rivals, to the title game. Pemberton loves the mid-range and manipulates the defense well. His 3-ball is more consistent and he’s becoming a reliable three-level scorer.

Pemberton is down to a final eight schools of Kansas, Michigan State, Tennessee, UCLA, Marquette, Ohio State, Creighton and Boston College.

Darius Wabbington, Class of 2027

The 6-foot-10 forward is the most skilled big in all of high school basketball, regardless of class. He has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and passes the ball extremely well with the way he can see over the top of the defense. In a game against the No. 1 shotblocker in the country, Lewis Uvwo, Wabbington hunted the matchup on the block and used his footwork and shot fakes to get around Uvwo. He’s a threat in the pick-and-pop, hitting at least three 3-pointers per game during the scrimmages and is advanced in multiple facets of the game for a player his age.

Wabbington already has official visits scheduled in the fall to Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, Louisville and Indiana.

Jalen Davis, Class of 2027

Davis wore a facemask during camp after he sustained a facial fracture during Session 3 of the adidas 3SSB circuit. He had to sit out the Championship tournament in Rock Hill, but if the facemask was bothering him during ABCD camp, he didn’t show it at all. The scrappy 6-foot-4 combo guard did everything on both sides of the ball, averaging 10 points, five steals and five assists across three games and helped lead his team, the Nets, to a perfect 3-0 record.

Davis is a top 20 player in the incoming high school senior class and holds offers from Alabama, BYU, Cal, Houston, Iowa, Oregon State, SMU, Vanderbilt, Xavier, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Demarcus Henry, Class of 2027

Henry had a tremendous summer and caps it off with a strong showing at camp. He really turned a corner after the first live period in May and has been consistent all summer long. Henry is a 6-foot-7 wing with excellent footwork who has really improved his ball handling, especially in traffic. There was a four-way tie to make the championship game and it was Henry to win a game of ones (1-vs.-1) against Micah Gordon to help his team advance to the final game. He and the Grizzlies ultimately ran out of gas and ended up losing to the Nets.

Jazz rookie Peterson watched Henry during the first day of scrimmages and was impressed with his size and how well he used his body: “He’s good and adjusts to the defense well,” Peterson said. “[Henry] has a good pace to his game and good feel.”

Henry is down to a final eight schools of BYU, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Ohio State (where his older brother plays football and older sister plays basketball) and UConn.

Blaze Johnson, Class of 2028

Johnson was the leading scorer for his team throughout the entire weekend and his combination of positional size – as a 6-foot-5 combo guard – and patience on offense makes him one of the top guards in the incoming junior class. Johnson and Davis complemented each other well in the backcourt and Johnson found ways to completely switch the momentum of the game and make a run for his team. At the very end of the first half of the first game, Johnson hit an and-one 3-pointer for a four-point play to go up one at the half.

Johnson is the No. 16 player in his class and holds offers from Maryland, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas, Virginia, Missouri, Villanova and Providence.

Moussa Kamissoko, Class of 2027

After dealing with injuries during his high school season, Kamissoko has really come alive in the spring and summer. During his run with the PSA Cardinals, he averaged 16.6 points and 9.4 rebounds. He didn’t skip a beat at the ABCD Camp where he utilized his length as a 6-foot-8 wing and did a bit of everything for his team. His most complete performance came in his final game when he posted 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in the 71-54 Jazz win over the Pelicans.

Kamissoko holds offers from Alabama, BYU, Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky, UConn, Virginia, Providence, Oklahoma State and others.

Click here to read article