Stars Shine, Reflect at Jordan Brand Classic

NEW YORK - It’s the end of the road for the nation’s top high school basketball players. Most of America’s best have traveled the country and played each other at some point along the way. Over the past month they’ve come together for finales like the McDonald’s All-American game in Miami, the Hoop Summit in Oregon and the Derby Festival Classic in Kentucky.

But the Jordan Brand Classic is the last stop. Even after all the high-profile match-ups and success throughout their high school careers, a trio of the 24 selected players had more of an incentive to prove their worth more than some of the others.

Players wait for tip-off during introductions at Saturday's Jordan Brand Classic.

Photo By Danny Wild

This was being looked at as the game for John Wall (Raleigh, N.C., Word of God). Chasing down Tommy Mason-Griffin (Houston, Texas, Madison) in transition and sending his shot far out of bounds, Wall’s intensity was up there in practice the days prior to the game. He’s a flashy passer and exciting talent who loves the big stage and was made for the Jordan Brand Classic.

Wall had the opportunity to play in the Hoop Summit against international competition last week, but it’s not the same as playing with the guys you’ve made your mark with.

Asked about his regrets from his high school years, he simply said not being able to play in the McDonald's game.  It’s always been a mystery as to why certain fifth-year players are allowed to play and others aren't. Considered by some as the No. 1 player in the country, Wall never did get an explanation as to why he was left out.

“Nope, never got one. But that’s over with,” he said.

Nevermind all-star games, Jordan Hamilton (Los Angeles, Calif., Dominguez) didn’t see the floor at all this past school season.

After a season-long eligibility struggle that went as far as just prior to the city playoffs, it was eventually determined his playing days were officially over.

He said he's been working out three-to-four hours a day lately with Marcus Williams, the former Oak Hill Academy and University of Connecticut point guard, and playing pick-up with others who have spent time playing professionally overseas. Williams is a Los Angeles native and family friend who’s had the time to work out with Hamilton due to a mid-season parting of ways with the Golden State Warriors.

But the Jordan All-American practices were Hamilton's first action against any of his classmates since the summer.

"I had been working hard to get ready for that moment of playing at Madison Square Garden, knowing I'd be playing on an NBA court," he said. "My diet has been good - no fast food. I feel like I'm in good shape and knew I wouldn’t show any rust."

And for Renardo Sidney, he was back on the blocks. Down low in the paint, the 6-foot-10 skilled big man from Fairfax in Los Angeles wasn’t facing up his defender or stepping away from the basket on everything like he did in the McDonald's practices and the Hoop Summit game. Instead, he finally mixed it up inside against the defense of Daniel Orton (Oklahoma City, Okla., Bishop McGuiness) and Mason Plumlee (Arden, N.C., Christ School). He was taking baseline and foul line jumpers instead of 3-pointers and even worked to establish position deep to put up a ton of hook shots.

California's Renardo Sidney and Georgia's Derrick Favors combined for MVP honors.

Photo By Danny Wild

"I'm tired of people saying I don’t own the paint. I do own the paint,” Sidney said. “This is my last game and I’m trying to show everybody that I'm still that player that was No. 1 in the class a few years back.”

Sidney was once considered the top big man when the class was in its early stages of discovering top prospects. Derrick Favors (South Atlanta, Ga.) and DeMarcus Cousins (Mobile, Ala., LeFlore) jumped to the forefront over the last few years.

Asked if the criticism of his game has been justifiable, he showed some wisdom in his ‘old’ age and was receptive.

"Yeah it is. I put myself in this predicament. I got a little lazy and ate too much," Sidney said. "I spoke to my dad after the USA game and I’m sorry it came so late in my senior year to wake up, but it is what is and I'm going to move forward."

Despite no invitation to play in the game, Brooklyn star Lance Stephenson showed up and posed for this photo with rapper Fat Joe.

Photo By Danny Wild

RARE AIR

- Asked where he would have ended up if he hadn't gone to Texas, Hamilton said Europe. His brother plays in Germany, and he's close with Brandon Jennings, another Los Angeles native who made the jump from high school to overseas this past season.

Speaking of Texas, he said he never did consider going to national power Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) where he could have avoided the eligibility issues and also played with fellow future Longhorn Avery Bradley.

- Cousins was once committed to Alabama-Birmingham, then to Memphis, then switched to Kentucky when John Calipari made the recent coaching move. The highly-regarded power forward said he thinks he would have ended up at Washington if not Kentucky.

"(Lorenzo) Romar," he said as to why. "Coach Romar's my guy."

- Kenny Boynton (Pompano Beach, Fla., American Heritage), one of the nation’s top shooting guards, said he thinks he'll be on campus at Florida in July rather than earlier because he's thinking of playing for the USA 19-Under team that will play in the World Championships in New Zealand from July 2-12.