Every year the Nike EYBL is one of the most popular events. If you don’t know the Nike EYBL is composed of some of the best high school players in the country. The Nike EYBL has sent many players to the NBA, and that number will only increase. Jayson Tatum, Trae Young, Marvin Bagley, and many more have all played in the EYBL.
Unfortunately, this year we may not have the EYBL. In this article I will predict who I think some of the favorites for the EYBL awards were. Usually to win MVP, your team has to make Peach Jam. In this article I only included players we know will play in the EYBL or played in the EYBL last year.
MVP Candidates
1. Paolo Banchero – 2019’s underclassman of the year might be the most productive player at this stage. Banchero is extremely powerful, and strong and he combines this with great skill. He is a solid jumper shooter, and he excels at scoring from the elbows and he has a nice touch close to the basket. He is a good ball handler and passer for his size, and passes extremely well from the high post.
He also possesses an extremely high basketball IQ, and he utilizes this on both ends of the court. Lastly, he is a terrific rebounder. Banchero is a seasoned EYBL veteran and he looks to win MVP.
2. Jonathan Kuminga – The crazy thing about Kuminga is he is nowhere near his ceiling, yet he still played well in the circuit last year. Kuminga is extremely versatile as he can guard multiple positions, and has elite athleticism and length. He also has great ability to rack up blocks and steals.
Offensively, Kuminga is just starting to come into his own. His outside shot is streaky, as he continues to improve on that side of the ball. Due to Kuminga’s great defense and improving offense he is in prime position to be an MVP candidate.
3. Emoni Bates – Considered the top recruit in the country by most, the hype for Bates is crazy. This will be his first year playing in the 17u EYBL, and it will be a huge difference. If Bates can quickly adjust to the level of competition he will be one of the best players in the league.
Bates has a high basketball IQ, insane length, and great skill. He has dominated everyone he has played up to this point, and he looks to dominate the EYBL.
Other Candidates: Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Jaden Hardy
Underclassman of the Year
1. Emoni Bates
2. Jalen Duren
3. Dior Johnson
Other Candidates: Caleb Houstan and Dujuan Wagner Jr.
Offensive Player of the Year
1. Jaden Hardy
2. Patrick Baldwin Jr.
3. Daeshaun Ruffin
Other Candidates: Michael Foster and Dior Johnson
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Moussa Cisse
2. Moussa Diabate
3. Jonathan Kuminga
Other Candidates: Franck Kepnang and AJ Griffin
247Sports.com
