Hopson a hotshot at LeBron's camp
AKRON, Ohio -- Senior-to-be Greg Monroe is considered the top high school basketball prospect in the country, and Ed Davis, Tyreke Evans and Samardo Samuels are not far behind. DeMarcus Cousins is one of the top juniors-to-be.
Those players are among 70 elite campers Nike has assembled at the LeBron James U.S. Skills Academy at the University of Akron, but nobody has created a buzz like Scotty Hopson.
The senior-to-be at University Heights Academy in Hopkinsville, Ky., is solidifying his status as one of the top players in the country with a dominating performance at the camp, where players work on skills and play games.
"It doesn't matter what his reputation is because this week Scotty Hopson has been a monster," Scout.com national analyst Dave Telep said.
Hopson, a 6-foot-6 guard who has committed to Mississippi State, was sensational at the recent USA Basketball Festival and has looked like a future NBA player in Akron, slashing to the basket and scoring at will.
With his college choice out of the way since last summer, Hopson said he wanted to use this summer to prove he is one of the country's best players.
"It always makes me feel good to show what I can do," he said. "When I step on the court and people talk about what good things I can do, it always brings a smile to my face. I have to step my game up to prove something when I am on the court."
But he's had a little more to prove recently.
Hopson was ranked among the top 25 players in the country heading into his junior season, but he ended it by not making the Kentucky All-State team. He averaged 18 points a game but was a non-factor at times. His Blazers were ousted in the first round of the district tournament.
"I tried to put the high school season behind me," he said.
Hopson dropped in the rankings heading into the spring but regained his billing as one of the top players before the summer. He is ranked No. 20 by Rivals.com and No. 28 by Scout.com.
After his recent performances, Hopson will rise again.
"If he is not a postseason All-American guy in this class, it's no one's fault but his own," Telep said. "Forget what he has done during the games -- he has been phenomenal. … His actual skill work (has) been a notch higher than his peers.
"The biggest knock on Scotty Hopson was that you never knew what you were going to get. But during the first two days here, Scotty Hopson has played above his reputation and to his talent level."
Hopson said no matter what his ranking that he's "just trying to get better and work hard on my skills."
"Some things are different in high school and AAU, but I just have to learn to be consistent every time I step on the court," he said.
With his recent play, there have come rumors that Hopson might not be firm on his commitment to Mississippi State. He mentioned one story that had him saying the University of Kentucky might be in the running for his services. He said that story "is not true."
"There are just a lot of rumors, and I don't even know how they get out," Hopson said. "I am a solid commitment to them right now. I don't know how the talk gets out there."
LeBron at the camp
James, the Cleveland Cavaliers star for whom the camp is named, was in attendance the past two days. He arrived in a black Rolls Royce.
The Akron native played pickup games for the second day in a row with a group of college players working as counselors. He jumped into a few of the high school games for stints on Saturday night.
Coaches come flocking
More than 100 college coaches have attended the camp, including each of the Final Four head coaches from last season -- Billy Donovan of Florida; Thad Matta, Ohio State; John Thompson III, Georgetown; and Ben Howland, UCLA.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino and assistant Steve Masiello were there yesterday. So were Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson and UK assistant Jeremy Cox. UK coach Billy Gillispie attended Saturday.
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