In this article, I review some of the top standouts from the G League Showcase, many of which were signed to two-way contracts, or will likely receive their shot by the end of the year. All the players under review were unaffiliated with an NBA squad prior to this event.

Bruno Caboclo, Free Agent

Despite splitting his minutes with Jahlil Okafor, Caboclo flashed enough potential to grab the attention of scouts. While he was not known for his refined play early in his career, Bruno has come into his own in the G League. He plays within himself, operating as a strong pick-and-roll option. He had numerous quick rim runs and finished against the opposition at the Showcase. He is also versatile enough to operate in the pick-and-pop game at the NBA level, though he missed his long-distance attempts at the showcase. He more than demonstrated his ability to stretch the floor, playing in the NBB (Brazil) a season ago.

Additionally, Bruno possesses a serviceable enough handle to create for himself off the bounce and face up, though you do not want him operating as a guard. With that said, his decision-making has improved considerably over the years. Bruno is incredibly unselfish with the ball in his hands, and he did a nice job of setting timely screens for his teammates to free them up for open looks. When facing up off the bounce, Caboclo was able to find shooters on the perimeter. He also used his incredible defensive length to poke the ball away, and immediately look ahead for open teammates out in transition.

Defensively, he is incredibly versatile, as he can switch three/four positions and possesses the wingspan (at 7’7) to wreak havoc at any level of play. At the showcase, he frequently disrupted perimeter shooters, poked the ball away leading to run-outs, jumped in passing lanes, and blocked the ball out of bounds as the help defender. Caboclo’s length is game-changing and he certainly deserves another look, as he is a more complete player than he was several years ago.

James Akinjo, Westchester Knicks

Akinjo is a creative lead guard with a developing floor game and the craftiness to earn a shot at the league one day. First and foremost, James Akinjo is a bursty guard with a quick first step and excellent shot-creation tools. He flashed a great step-back jumper, which proved effective from both 3pt range and midrange at this Showcase. Importantly, Akinjo was efficient with his shots from beyond the arc, connecting on 7 of his 11 attempts, or 63.6%.

While he struggled a bit finishing at the rim against the Memphis Hustle, Akinjo did a much better job against the Mexico City Capitanes, where he played within himself and took what the defense gave him. Akinjo proved to be an effective facilitator in both contests, driving and finding his teammates on the perimeter, or pushing it up ahead for easy lay-ins. Akinjo was extremely unselfish with the ball in his hands and made it a point to create for others. While he still had his moments driving into multiple defenders out in transition, Akinjo generally played more under control and showed that he is clearly making strides in this area.

While he connected on a shot or two in the pick and pop, it would be nice to see greater strides operating as a primary P&R ball handler. With that said, Akinjo often took advantage of what the defenses gave him, utilizing ball screens to pull up from the midrange in rhythm. Akinjo also had a really nice two-man game with Daquan Jeffries. On the defensive end, Akinjo competed laterally, often jumping in front of his defender. He possesses quick hands and the mobility to stay with most offensive players. He did a decent job of fighting to close out on jump shooters as well.

Despite this obvious effort, Akinjo’s size limits his potential on this end. He also needed to do a better job anticipating and initially fighting around highball screens. Overall, James Akinjo is a player with the requisite tools and the developing IQ to play in the NBA. It will be interesting to track the strides he makes as a floor general and to see if he is able to overcome some of his defensive limitations. On his current trajectory, he will likely get his NBA shot sooner than later.

Jamaree Bouyea, Sioux Falls Skyforce

At the Showcase, Bouyea flashed both the good and the bad, which has made him such an enigmatic evaluation for basketball scouts. While he had a poor offensive showing against Delaware, Bouyea still demonstrated his penchant for orchestrating the offense in both contests, something which should earn him a callup at some point. Against the Swarm, Bouyea flashed his intriguing skillset. He is a lengthy lead guard with the requisite handle and athleticism to get in the lane and finish with the best of them. Bouyea lived up to his billing against Greensboro, penetrating and either stopping on a dime for a free throw line fade away or getting to the basket.

While we did not see much of it, Bouyea also sported a nice floater in the lane. Bouyea’s balance and shifty athleticism enable him to remain on balance when attempting fadeaway jumpers. He possesses elite shot creation tools and is able to crossover his man or operate in the P&R. Bouyea did a nice job of finding cutters or kicking it to the corner for open 3pt attempts. He continues to improve his decision-making and did not force it as much as he did in his college days.

While he still attempts a bad shot or two, he is generally proficient from behind the 3pt arc and can shoot off the catch or the bounce.  He is the type of player who can catch fire and cause all sorts of problems for a defense. He also has the requisite length and athleticism to grab rebounds over much bigger opponents.

Bouyea was effective on both the offensive and defensive glass against Greensboro, despite Mark Williams’ size inside. On the defensive end, Bouyea flashed good lateral quickness and excellent hands. He was dynamic in the passing lanes, poking away inbounds passes and turning them into points on the other end. Bouyea also has really good anticipation, pestering ball handlers. He also flashed elite athleticism as a help defender, blocking away several shots. Bouyea is a lead guard with a ton of upside, who needs to demonstrate more consistency on the offensive side of the ball while continuing to facilitate for his teammates.

Emerging G League Prospects from the 2022 Showcase 1.0

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