A Trip to Formula Zero
A Trip to Formula Zero
Formula Zero featured some of the top basketball talent in the country, including some big names ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft class and on.
Rest is one of the most important things in the world of scouting. Sure, it’s always fun to talk about diving into the film madness with an obsessive thirst. But at some point, we all have to take a step back and hit the reset button.
Personally, the beginning of April to the end of June is an absolute bloodbath. After the draft is completed and Summer League has come and gone, I find myself not even wanting to think about basketball. Simply put, the gas tank is empty. From then, I find myself looking for anything that can quickly fuel the tank and get the “itch” to start up for the upcoming year.
As I was recharging the batteries during the offseason, an invitation to a camp in Phoenix, Arizona quickly came across my desk. But this wasn’t just any ordinary event. This was one that has been on my radar for quite some time.
“Formula Zero” has been a camp that has continued to blossom in the basketball world over the years. It’s an event that features some of the best college and high school basketball players in the country. The camp has been put together by well known NBA Skills Trainer Phil Beckner and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard. The invite-only camp stood out with its professionalism, featuring a staff of talented coaches who are there to push players to better themselves on and off the court. I found myself intrigued and excited to attend the event to get an up-close look at some of the top upcoming talent in the basketball world.
After about a day, I quickly realized that the gas tank was quickly filling up.
The camp featured around 30+ players from both the high school and college ranks. There was a wide range of players who continued to impress throughout the entire duration of the camp for NBA scouts and talent evaluators. While there was plenty of talent on display, I wanted to spotlight some names that caught my attention.
COLLEGE STANDOUTS
V.J. EDGECOMBE, G, BAYLOR
Year: Freshman
Listed at: 6’5”, 180
Age: 19 (7/30/2005)
Coming into the Formula Zero camp, V.J. Edgecombe was the main attraction. Edgecombe has been buzzing as one of the top prospects to keep a close eye on ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft cycle. He’s continued to generate some momentum, going back to the Nike Hoop Summit. After that, V.J. impressed with his play this summer during FIBA play with the Bahamas national team, putting up some freakish production against older competition.
It didn’t take long for Edgecombe to stand out in a big way. His competitiveness pops in every drill or scrimmage. Even when the outside shot isn’t falling, Edgecombe finds a way to make an impact. There were a handful number of times when V.J. would fly out of nowhere for impressive tip dunks or second-chance points, creating additional opportunities on effort and desire alone.
Defensively, the flashes were there as well. Edgecombe plays with a relentless motor on both sides of the ball and continuously looked for anything to get him rolling during scrimmages. He simply looks to be playing at a different speed than the others right now. The frame continues to impress me, as there’s room for him to put on some “scary” good weight to be able to dish out punishment to defenders.
V.J. continued to talk up teammates throughout scrimmages, often taking on the leadership role with relative ease. But you could also see the respect that opponents have for his competitiveness as well. One of my favorite instances came off a tough downhill take from Edgecombe against fellow standout Asa Newell.
After a whistle on a lay-up attempt that was successful, the players had a long pause of silence for a couple of seconds after seeing the ball go through. V.J. smiled and looked back at Asa Newell with a delayed shout of “AND-ONE!” which got Newell and the rest of the players laughing.
Edgecombe showed me everything I wanted to see in terms of a talent surging with confidence at the perfect time. Despite being listed at 6’5” and 180 pounds on Baylor’s team site, Edgecombe measured in at 6’5” and 188 pounds with a 6’6” wingspan at the Nike Hoop Summit. As always, we want to take all of those measurements with a grain of salt.
The work ethic was obvious and he continued to flourish on the court, finding a way to make an impact. The outside shot will need to be consistent, as expected, but there are simply too many ingredients that are starting to come together in the kitchen. At this rate, he’s going to be a name that generates plenty of attention amongst the top of the draft ranks moving forward.
ASA NEWELL, F/C, GEORGIA
Year: Freshman
Listed at: 6’11”, 220
Age: 18 (10/5/2005)
Montverde Academy had an incredible roster last year that featured plenty of big-name prospects. Yes, that included Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. But one name that got my attention watching Montverde was Asa Newell. Georgia’s team website has Newell listed at 6’11”, which would be a fascinating development. The talented big man is a mobile player on the court with great length and has some strong flashes to his game. Seeing Newell’s name on the roster for Formula Zero got me excited, as he’s going to be one of my favorite evaluations for the upcoming cycle.
Newell checks plenty of boxes at first glance. The size is legit and the combination of fluidity and length will have you excited about the upside. He’s set to be playing at Georgia for his freshman year, and he should be a name that scouts are intrigued to see. But Newell will require some patience and it’s not simply because he’s not a heck of a talent on the court. Newell impressed me with his shooting on many occasions. There’s potential for the three-point shot to be a legit weapon. He’s got a smooth stroke from outside that is consistent when it comes to the fundamentals.
After watching a couple of scrimmages, I thought Newell continued to do a good job of making some nice impact plays. Then, out of nowhere, the flashes would start to roll in and get you on the edge of your seat. Newell took a tough drive at one point and got downhill with a bit of a mean streak before finishing with power. Then, later on, he tossed back a nice weak side block at the rim. There’s PLENTY of talent to work with, including some strong flashes of footwork and quickness of the bounce. I’d like to see the handles continue to improve (as expected with young bigs). The question moving forward is: can Asa put on some strength with his frame? If he can, there’s a lot to like, and Newell has the skills to trend upward early on.
IAN JACKSON, G, NORTH CAROLINA
Year: Freshman
Listed at: 6’4”, 185
Age: 19 (2/14/2005)
Ian Jackson has been another popular name that’s been generating buzz with this talented 2025 draft class. He was considered to be a Top 10 recruit in the high school basketball scene and will be playing his freshman year for North Carolina. “Captain Jack” is a bucket-getter type of guard. He’s explosive in the open court and can do some damage off the bounce with his hesitations and ability to create separation.
The ability to create is going to generate plenty of excitement for hoop fans. I thought the frame stood out in a positive way, especially when it came to both the upper and lower body. Jackson can get low in his stance off the bounce before striking like a cobra to find openings in the defense. I also loved some of the competitive flashes he showed on the defensive side of the ball. I think there’s a world in which Jackson could make some noise as a lottery guy, for sure, but I’ll want to see more from Jackson throughout the year. The shot can run hot and cold at times. Off the catch, he can get it up smooth and stretch the floor from deep at times. Off the bounce, there could be some mechanical tendencies that just need some work. Overall, Jackson continued to pop each day. The positives get you excited about the foundation and intrigued about what lies ahead.
JALIL BETHEA, G, MIAMI
Year: Freshman
Listed at: 6’4”, 170
Age: 18 (12/20/2005)
Coming into this event, Jalil Bethea was firmly on my radar as a prospect I wanted to get a better grasp of. In my previous film dive on Bethea, I saw a lot of excitement regarding his potential as an offensive weapon. Bethea was considered a Top 10 recruit coming out of high school. He’s set to play his freshman year at Miami, where he should draw plenty of interest from talent evaluators.
Miami’s team website has Bethea listed at 6’4” and 170 pounds. It’s obvious on film that Bethea needs to add some weight to his frame, something that should be expected with a player at this stage. While Bethea’s frame needs weight, seeing it in person was another story. Bethea doesn’t look as thin as you might expect from those numbers; that could be due to the fact that he’s got a bit of a narrow chest.
On the court, it doesn’t take long to get intrigued with the talented wing. Bethea just looks like a scorer on the court with the way he carries himself and his tendencies. Once Bethea goes to work, his smoothness continues to stand out. He floats around the court with the ability to get to his spots and score with relative ease. At Formula Zero, I wanted to see if Bethea could also showcase some flashes of decision-making potential. That became evident during some 4-on-4 play, as Bethea did a good job of showcasing his feel to set up teammates for easy buckets.
Probably one of the most impressive displays from Bethea came in a 4-on-4 game against Ian Jackson and V.J. Edgecombe. After V.J. and Ian completely took over the previous game, the duo continued to be on a bit of a roll during their matchup with Bethea. After a forced turnover against Bethea, it looked as if V.J. and Ian were about to run away with the game. That’s when Bethea regrouped and put together an impressive stretch, including a one-footed fade away “Dirk style” from the elbow jumper and some strong playmaking flashes. Bethea’s team would get the win, and it showed me his ability to bounce back and compete.
The shot looks to be trending in the right direction rapidly; it was impressive before, but I think the mechanics have cleaned up a little bit. I thought Bethea also showcased his ability to take coaching and adapt it right away in certain drills. Bethea glides through traffic and loves to finish with his off hand at times to beat the last line of defense from having an attempt to block shots. He’s going to be a fun one to monitor this year, given his offensive weaponry. If the frame can put some strength on, Jalil will be a popular name to watch for in this class as a scorer who can get hot in a hurry. After coming in with questions, I found myself intrigued by the tools that are starting to come together.
RASHEER FLEMING, F, ST. JOSEPH’S
Year: Junior
Listed at: 6’9”, 235
Age: 20 (7/10/2004)
Plenty of incoming freshmen impressed during the Formula Zero camp over a three-day span, which featured days of multiple sessions. But one name that continued to buzz was junior forward Rasheer Fleming. If you were looking for someone just to grab your attention off their physical profile, Fleming was the guy.
Despite being a junior this year, Fleming just turned 20 years old. There was A LOT to like about his game. Fleming just continued to be a player that found a way to make things happen in games. He would make a couple of nice hustle plays before simply saying “alright, that’s it.” Fleming took a pass during 4-on-4 and took his defender off the bounce before simply just powering his way to the basket and throwing down with anger.
He’s coming off a sophomore season in which he averaged 10.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.8% from the field and 32.4% from three. Fleming continued to stand out with his motor and ability to do the little things on the court. The outside shot looks better than the percentages might hint. If it can take the next step towards consistency this year, Fleming should be a “sleeper” who is firmly on your radars. Throughout the entire camp, Fleming just continued to do something that got my attention in a positive way. The outside shot is the key to unlocking a versatile asset who looks like someone you’d want to have in the mix.
KANON CATCHINGS, F, BYU
Year: Freshman
Listed at: 6’9”, 195
Age: 19 (8/10/2005)
One name I was extremely excited to get a look at was Kanon Catchings. The incoming freshman at BYU spent part of last year with the Overtime Elite with the Cold Hearts. Catchings averaged 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 29 games while shooting 53.2% from the field, 40.8% from three, and 79.5% from the free throw line.
Seeing Catchings up close immediately got my attention. He was playing alongside Georgia freshman big man Asa Newell and got my attention during drills because there wasn’t much of a difference in height. From a physical profile alone, Catchings looks like a poster child for a potential NBA forward. He’s got a good frame that looks scary if it can put on good weight. The lower body looks like a great foundation, and the length continued to pop.
Catchings has plenty going for him, and you find yourself quickly checking plenty of boxes. However, there are also some areas of his game that simply need time to come around. The first showing from Catchings left me wanting a little more. I thought he looked as if he was trying to focus on making the right play, passing up some opportunities for easy looks offensively. As the camp went on, the flashes continued to pour in. There’s a lot to like with Catchings, and he can cover some ground in a hurry. Catchings has a high release on his shot that looks like it just needs reps to smoothen out.
This is a type of prospect that will require patience while the pieces start to fall into place. Once they do, Catchings will be a name that has plenty of evaluators thinking about what lies ahead. There’s a lot to like with the talented forward. Now, we will just wait and see how long it takes for everything to come together. The potential is awesome, and he will be one to watch closely.
Quick Hitters
Malik Mack had his moments throughout the Formula Zero camp. I thought Mack did a great job in some of the scrimmages when it came to putting teammates in positions to succeed and making the right play. Sometimes, events like this can get players hungry to try to light up the scoring column. Instead, Mack showed the ability to make the right reads and get teammates good looks. After an impressive 2023-24 season at Harvard, Mack is heading to Georgetown for the upcoming year. He’s a shifty floor general who can really do some damage in the midrange; if the outside shot is consistent, he will be a fun name to monitor.
Trent Perry has been a popular name heading into the 2024-25 NCAA season. Perry was originally set to head to USC before deciding to pivot and join UCLA for his freshman year. Perry immediately got my attention when it came to his frame. He’s much bulkier in person when it comes to his upper body than you might expect at first. There were some flashes from Perry, but I found myself wanting a bit more, and that’s completely okay with an event like this. Perry can shoot it with relative ease and I’ll be interested to see what his role will be like early on as a freshman. If he can buy into becoming an off-ball weapon who can also make smart decisions and be a playmaking asset, Perry could excite evaluators early on. Perry is a perfect example of one of my favorite scouting beliefs. Don’t get too high or too low from a small sample size. You’ve got to check back in on some prospects to see how they progress. I’ll be excited to see what Perry can do throughout the year.
Joson Sanon was another name I was intrigued to get a look at in person. He was ranked 23rd in ESPN’s 100 out of high school and was originally set to play at Arizona this year. That was until Sanon pivoted to play for Arizona State for the upcoming 2024-25 NCAA season. There were some flashes from Sanon, but he’s going to require some patience throughout the year. I thought Sanon continued to showcase his ability to be a tough-shot maker, but I found myself wanting more when it came to his offensive versatility. The Sun Devils will be an intriguing team to watch this year with some talented incoming pieces, and Sanon will be one of the top names that deserves some attention.
HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUTS
DARRYN PETERSON, G/F
Year: HS Senior (2025 Class)
Listed at: 6’6”, 185
Age: 17 (1/17/2007)
Formula Zero was an awesome camp because of the ability to get a look at some collegiate prospects as well as the next “wave” of talent. One of the top names to get a look at in terms of high school prospects was forward Darryn Peterson. He’s currently considered the third-ranked prospect in next year’s class, behind A.J. Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer.
The smoothness of Peterson’s game immediately jumped out. There was times on the court you had to remind yourself that he was still going to be in high school. What I liked so much about Peterson was the competitiveness. After a tough sequence during his first 4-on-4 game, Peterson looked rattled by a mistake he had just made. Quickly, he snapped out of it and looked posessed on the defensive side of the ball. The smoothness and upside of his game could not be understated. Peterson has the looks of a potential dangerous wing that can make an impact in numerous ways. It became evident that he was one of “the guys” to keep a close eye on moving forward in the high school ranks.
CHIDI NWIGWE, F
Year: HS Junior (2026 Class)
Listed at: 6’6”, 200
Age: 17 (2/26/2007)
Throughout the Formula Zero camp, there always seemed to be a couple of players who just found a way to stand out. One of those players was Chidi Nwigwe, who is currently ranked 22nd in the ESPN100 for high school basketball recruits. It’s fitting that the Formula Zero camp named Nwigwe as a recipient of their “everyday guys” award, because he simply just found a way to show up each session.
One of my personal philosophies when scouting an event like this is “who got better each day?” It was hard to find a player that fit that more than Chidi. There was a lot to like with his game. The physique didn’t look like a player who was preparing for his junior year of high school. Instead, it looked like a collegiate forward preparing for his sophomore season. It would seem like he is a player who should be trending upward in the high school ranks moving forward.
JASPER JOHNSON
Year: HS Senior (2025 Class)
Listed at: 6’4”, 175
Age: 18 (3/25/2006)
Jasper Johnson was another well-known high school recruit for the Formula Zero camp. He has been considered a Top 15 recruit by numerous high school ranking services, and it didn’t take long for him to show why. As the camp went on, Johnson continued to cement himself as a legit talent.
Johnson was one of the best shooters in the camp. He continued to showcase some intriguing feel to his game, before pulling up from WELL beyond NBA range for some big-time buckets in 4-on-4 play. That included the “championship game” when Johnson got hot from outside and started to take over the game. There was some competitive drive with Johnson that continued to rise to the surface as well—including a couple of chase-down blocks in games. Johnson is a smooth operator who can flick a switch and start to take over games at any moment. It was an impressive couple of days for the young guard, and he will be a name to watch closely moving forward.
ACADEN LEWIS
Year: HS Senior (2025 Class)
Listed at: 6’2”, 180
Age: 19 (7/30/205)
Sometimes, there are just players that “have it.” One of those guys during the Formula Zero camp was Acaden Lewis. Although ranked as the 38th-best high-school recruit by ESPN, Lewis just continued to stand out as a guy you’d want on your team. He carried himself like he was a seasoned veteran out there and wasn’t afraid of the moment.
Lewis was a poised floor general who understood how to make the right plays. At the same time, he had the ability to take on any challenger that presented itself. Lewis was crafty off the bounce, putting forth numerous dribble sequences to set up defenders before blowing by for a beautiful finish. One of his most impressive sequences of the camp came in a fantastic championship game in which Lewis cleared out his team for an isolation opportunity before hitting a step back three for a game-winner.
Listed at 6’2” and 180 pounds, Lewis will draw plenty of “undersized” doubters, but I left the camp impressed with his ability. He stood out as one of the top guys I’d want to have on my team as a floor general to go to battle with.
QUICK HITTERS
Mikel Brown Jr. was another name that continued to get my attention throughout the entire camp. I really liked the tools that Brown has going with his game at this point in his development. He’s the 16th-ranked high school prospect for the 2025 class as of right now. He has a good looking shot from outside, and I thought that he didn’t “stand out” as a high school guy throughout the camp—meaning he looked like he belonged and continued to impress in a positive way. He’s listed at around 6’3”, but continued to play much bigger than his size on the court.
Anthony Thompson was a name that continued to showcase some impressive flashes throughout the duration of the Formula Zero event. Thompson is ranked 48th as of now in the 2026 class, but he is a player I’d keep a close eye on over the upcoming years. He’s a lengthy forward listed at 6’7” and 200 pounds. The frame was promising for a player of his age, and Thompson continued to make big-time outside shots throughout scrimmages. He’s got a smooth stroke from outside and if the tools can continue to come together, Thompson should be a name that rises up the ranks in a hurry.
J.J. Andrews, like Thompson, was another player who continued to find a way to “pop” throughout the camp. He is another young talent who looks like he’s going to be a serious name to watch out for moving forward. Andrews is listed at 6’6”, but he’s got a fantastic frame to work with. It’s not a surprise to see him considered a Top 20 recruit in the high school ranks for the 2026 class. If he keeps this up, I would expect that ranking to climb rapidly.