Gordon and Bird convincing the national scouts

Brian Bosworth/NBE Basketball was impressed @ Peach Jam by a pair of NorCal talents:

Aaron Gordon (Oakland Soldiers 2013) – After missing a large time of time this AAU season with a foot injury, Gordon seemed determined to erase any question marks about his health moving forward. He was better than ever before making plays from the wing that weren’t in his arsenal 12 months ago. Gordon flashed off the dribble skills that firmly project him as a SF going forward and make him an even more devastating player than I previously thought. In addition to his improved handle, Gordon remains the most electric finisher in high school basketball around the rim. He drew more than a few Blake Griffin comparisons after a series of ridiculous dunks in transition.

Jabari Bird (Oakland Soldiers 2013) – Bird has elite size for the wing standing 6’6” with unusual length. He showed a complete scoring package in a morning victory making 3-pointers, midrange pull-ups, and smooth dunks at the rim. These skills have always been there for Bird but he was far more demanding in calling for the ball and forcing his teammates to run offense through him. For some players this could be viewed as a negative but for a young player of Bird’s talent wanting and demanding the ball is exactly what he should be doing. As long he continues being confident and aggressive, there is seemingly nothing Bird can’t do offensively.