The 2024 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Recap

The 2024 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament is in the books! Maxwell covers which prospects he feels NBA Front Offices should be targeting following the event!

The 2024 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament is now in the books. Every year, NBA hopefuls who (in most cases) have exhausted their college eligibility enter the PIT in hopes of boosting their draft stock. Before we dive into the happenings of this year’s event and their ramifications, it’s important to give context to what the PIT is, and what it produces. For each of the past two seasons, the PIT has produced 11 players who signed what I refer to as a “substantive NBA contract.” That group includes players who signed either a standard, two-way, or 10-day contract with a team at some point during the NBA calendar year.

2022 Contract Earners:

Stanley Umede
Jamaree Bouyee
Jamal Cain
Nate Williams Jr.
Jacob Gilyard
Cole Swider
Jared Rhoden
Tyrese Martin (drafted 51st overall)
Darius Days
Quenton Jackson
Jared Rhoden
Trevor Hudgins

2023 Contract Earners:

-Hunter Tyson (drafted 37th overall)
-Toumani Camara (drafted 52nd overall)
-Craig Porter Jr.
-Trey Jemison
-Pete Nance
-Nathan Mensah
-D’Moi Hodge
-Taevion Kinsey
-Timmy Allen
-Sir’Jabari Rice
-Seth Milner

Eleven appears to be the magic number with Portsmouth! So, today, I will be giving you the 11 players I would be targeting if I were in a front office coming out of this past week’s Portsmouth Invitational. Read that carefully—this is not a power ranking of how players performed in the event. Instead, it’s how I would personally rank them given their prior track record and their performance at the event. Before we dive in, follow me on Twitter/X!

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TIER ONE: Draftable Consideration

1. Riley Minix

It’s hard not to be excited about Riley Minix. He was one of the buzziest players coming into Portsmouth after averaging 20.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.0 BPG during his first Division I season. A 27-point outing against Illinois in the NCAA Tournament didn’t hurt his stock, either. In Portsmouth, we saw more of the same from Minix—stable, well-rounded, selfless production.

One of my biggest concerns was how Minix would look defensively on a court packed with better athletes. With most of his games coming against NAIA and Ohio Valley Conference opposition over the years, we’ve only gotten a few looks at Minix against high-level opponents. The results had been mixed, but it was hard to know how much of that was due to his usage. In Portsmouth, he looked good. He stuck with guys laterally. His instincts that allowed him to rack up stocks at a high level were on full display, as he disrupted plays off-ball and as a help defender. He used his 227-pound frame to contain the ball. When bigger guys tried to go at him, he didn’t fold against their physicality. This showed up on the glass, too, as he often bumped skinnier guys out of the way to grab a board. He measured pretty well, too, standing 6’8” in shoes with a 6’9.5” wingspan.

In a more reduced offensive role than he played at Morehead State, Minix looked awesome. He displayed NBA functionality as a movement shooter. He didn’t force anything or look to operate in less efficient areas of the court. Still, when the shot clock got close to zero, he displayed the bail out shot making chops that differentiate him from many of his peers. He operated with selflessness. One play that stood out was a transition breakaway where he fed Jaylin Williams a lob instead of taking the dunk for himself. Little things like that endear players to coaching staffs and teammates.

Riley Minix gained fans in front offices early this season. His week in Portsmouth should only solidify the positions of his enthusiasts. When it comes to older prospects, more boxes need to be checked out of the gate. These guys need to have a level of physical readiness, feel, and ways to contribute off the ball. Minix has that stuff. He’s more than deserving of an NBA Combine invite or at least a trip to G League Elite Camp. From there, Minix has a clear path to hear his name called on draft night if he keeps up this type of work.

2. Isaiah Crawford

At 6’5.5” in shoes with a 7’0.5” wingspan and a bulky 220-pound frame, Isaiah Crawford moves like a much lighter player. Even better, he has the mind of a guard. He’s been a perennial stat sheet stuffer and analytics darling throughout the course of his college career. But with mid-major players, even I, a Draft Sicko who spends a lot of time deep in the weeds, worry about whether or not a player can successfully scale up against better opposition. Isaiah Crawford put those fears to bed this past week.

Crawford thrived at the “role player stuff” he’ll be asked to do at the next level. He always knew where to be off the ball defensively. On the ball, he used his agility to contain quick guards like Eric Gaines and his strength to stifle bigger wings like Tyler Burton. Given his frame and movement skills (which have improved considerably after shedding a bulky knee brace in the past), it’s exceedingly difficult to get around him. He busted his butt to prevent easy transition buckets. His closeouts were always balanced. He consistently showed effort and generated results on the glass.

Offensively, Crawford never took over as a scorer. Guess what? I don’t care. That’s never going to be his role. What he did do was make excellent decisions. He didn’t force any bad shots and he moved the ball quickly. Even more impressively, Crawford made advanced reads fast. He’s not just a “next one” passer. His feel goes beyond that. Scrambling defenses are going to pay when he makes a warp speed decision that they aren’t anticipating. He didn’t do much to change my concerns about his shot (41.7%, but on only 2.8/game over the past two years), but he plays the right way to a point that I trust he can adjust well enough.

No prospect is going to be perfect. A sub-6’6” guy who can be slow on the trigger from deep is far from the safest proposition. But at a certain point on your board, you’re going to have to start betting on things. Long arms, physical strength, athleticism, exceptional feel, high-level defense, and toughness? That’s a package I’m willing to bet on. Even if the shot never reaches an extremely high level, Isaiah Crawford is a guy that teams will be able to trust on an NBA floor.

3. Jaylin Williams

Don’t dismiss this guy as “the other other Jaylin Williams.” He’s a dude.

Throughout his college career, there was always a pretty straightforward appeal to Jaylin Williams. Measuring at 6’8.25” in shoes with a 7’0” wingspan and a sturdy 237.5-pound frame, Williams simply looked like an NBA forward on a college floor. On defense, he displayed the agility to hang with smaller players and the strength to fight off bigger guys on the interior. He made over 60% of his twos during his five college seasons, and his 37.2% mark from deep over the past two years helped him generate a solid level of front office interest.

Williams continued to show off the things that have helped his stock blossom this past week. He continued to demonstrate more assertiveness from deep. He took threes off the dribble and over closeouts. When he had a lane to the basket, he put his bounce and above-the-rim finishing on display. Even when it’s not a dunk, he still boasts pristine touch. But the most underrated part of Williams’ game was there too—his intelligence. He’s one of the most underrated players from a feel standpoint in this class. His assist-to-turnover ratio has neared 2:1 over the past two seasons. While the nasty dunks generate highlights, his crafty drives where he uses misdirection and pass fakes often get overlooked. When too many players get the “good cutter” label, Williams genuinely is a good cutter. He knows when and where to take an opening. Conversely, when teammates need space on the interior, he relocates to give it to them.

Simply put, Jaylin Williams knows how to play. And when you’re as big and athletic as he is, that has real value. I do wish he rebounded more given his profile. Sure, the shot is a little scary. He’s never been a high-volume guy and the mechanics are a little funky. But there are positive touch indicators that give room for hope. Even if he tops out as an okay shooter, his well-rounded productivity, athleticism, size, and feel give him other ways to impact the game. I’d be surprised if an Elite Camp Invite and two-way contract weren’t in his future.

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TIER TWO: Not Quite Tier One, But Comfortably Ahead of Tier Three

Hey, how about that eloquent name for this tier? Basically, I’m not at a point where I would draft either of these guys yet. They would be priority undrafted targets for me, though, whether that be on a two-way or Exhibit-10.

4. Tristan Enaruna

No player moved me more this week than Tristan Enaruna. To be completely honest, I’d never really seen it with him. The Cleveland State prospect dribbled the ball a lot, lived on a mid-range heavy shot diet, and shot under 32.2% from deep on low volume this past year. Even worse, that was his best shooting season yet. I also tend to be leery of players who were bench warmers at high majors, but thrive as bucket-getters without a three-ball at the mid-major level.

I have some reassessing to do. My phone was blowing up as Enaruna dropped 25 points during his first game in Portsmouth. One scout even compared him to last year’s breakout prospect, Toumani Camara. I pushed back on that. Camara was a better shooter during his pre-draft season; he also was stronger, more athletic, a better rebounder, and a more potent defender. I don’t think Tristan Enaruna is Toumani Camara. The fact that he produced more modestly in his next two contest is emblematic of that.

With that being said, Tristan Enaruna is still a guy that teams should be keeping a close eye on. First off, he was one of the younger players in the field, not turning 23 until June 26th. Second, he measured extremely well, standing 6’8.25” in shoes with a 7’2” wingspan. He’s going to be able to cover multiple positions. Third, he made every play you could ask for. He was working hard on defense and flying around on the boards. When his shot isn’t falling, those are the things that are going to keep him on the court. Fourth, Enaruna moves like a pro. He can finish above the rim, he’s smooth with the ball, and he wasn’t outclassed on defense at any point. Fifth, he plays with a fluid intelligence. When he gets to the rim, if he meets a big man and his look isn’t there, he can make spray-out passes to open shooters. It’s not anything mind-blowing, but it’s an important NBA skill that a lot of guys his size don’t come into the league with. He sees the floor well, he’s selfless, and he places his passes accurately.

So, I get it. He’s an older guy who’s never had a good shooting year in five college seasons. But everything else you could want is there. Admittedly, I was lower on Enaruna coming into the year, and he’s the person on this list I probably need to do the most work on. But at a certain point, this level of size and skill is too much to overlook. If he’s a complete non-shooter, it will be tough for him since he doesn’t have the bulk to play small-ball five. But again, this is the type of “informed bet” I’d be content to make, especially if he shot well in workouts. He has a path to get drafted if he keeps this up.

5. Branden Carlson

There are things Branden Carlson is not. He’s not young for a prospect, as he’ll be 25 years old before draft night. He’s not positionally strong as a 206-pound seven-footer. He’s not a defensive anchor given his good-but-not-great block rates and deficiencies as a rebounder.

But if you’re going to focus on what a guy isn’t, you’re going to forfeit all of your draft picks, because everyone has their flaws. At a certain point, you have to focus on what a guy can do. When it comes to Carlson, he might be the best 6’10”+ shooter in this class. He went 7-for-13 from deep in Portsmouth after hitting 37.9% of his triples at Utah this past season. An agile mover, Carlson can run into a transition three or cleanly set his feet after popping. His high release point clears even the most potent closeouts. While Carlson may not be a defensive anchor, he does get off the floor well, and his limber footwork enables him to play comfortably on the perimeter.

I get it. Carlson’s old. In certain matchups, his value will be limited by stronger fives and faster fours. He’ll need to find a situation where his strengths can be maximized. But winning on the margins is often about finding guys who are exceptionally good at something and finding a way to make it work. There aren’t many really tall dudes that stroke it like Carlson, and even fewer of them can run around like he does. That makes him worthy of a serious look in my book.

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TIER THREE: My Preferred Swings

To be perfectly clear, I’m not as married to these prospects. I’m married to a very beautiful woman who allows me to watch way too much basketball. But if you were to ask me which other Portsmouth prospects I would prioritize from an NBA front office standpoint, it would be these guys. The margins between these players and my honorable mentions are razor-thin, so please keep that in mind before yelling at me.

6. Jesse Edwards

Jesse Edwards’s game is simple: he protects the rim and finishes plays. He blocked nine shots during his three PIT games. He moved better in space and effect everything around the basket. His length and improved footwork even helped him get to shots on the perimeter. Offensively, he finished the easy stuff and didn’t force anything. His bounce and good hands as a roll man stood out. He probably would’ve finished with high scoring totals if his guards had found him more consistently. The measurement testing was kind to him, too—he clocked in at 7’0.5” in shoes with a 7’4.5” wingspan.

Edwards’s biggest issue is his strength. He can be a bit easy to move around on the interior defensively and he can get knocked off his spot on offense. At 237 pounds, he’ll need to get his weight up. Positional strength matters significantly in the NBA, and it’s the one thing holding me back from getting more excited about him. Still, teams could do much worse than a guy with his length, finishing acumen, and rim deterrence.

7. Enrique Freeman

I’ve always had a soft spot for Enrique Freeman. The Akron product plays with a tremendous motor and high work rate. You don’t lead the country in rebounds per game (12.9!) as a 6’7.5” guy unless you play your tail off. His strength, bounce, and lateral agility allowed his defense to shine in Portsmouth. He measured well, too, coming in with a 7’2” wingspan and 8’11” standing reach. For a player with shooting concerns, every inch counts.

The shooting is still a concern, though. In three games, he only took four threes, though he made two of them. Add in that he lacks ball skills and struggles with turnovers, and he’s going to have to fill a fairly narrow offensive role unless something changes. Still, the fact that Freeman shot 37% from deep (even if it was on low volume) after basically never shooting prior to last season gives me hope.

Even if Freeman can’t get the shot to an awesome place, he’s a guy who would be obnoxious to play against. He’s going to make you deal with his physicality at every turn and make you pay if you don’t box him out. Folks in attendance raved to me about how vocal he was on the court. He’ll guard multiple positions and feast on mistakes. I get that the shot could be a dealbreaker, but Freeman measuring well and posting positive on/offs in all three games still has me intrigued.

8. Malevy Leons

While Malevy Leons didn’t produce at an outrageous level in Portsmouth, he was rock solid in every game. He never had a game where his shot total outnumbered his point total. While stronger opponents forced him into turnovers, he never shied away from physicality and got to the line a ton. He continued to look better athletically, showcasing good speed in transition and bounce on the boards.

There are improvements that have to be made—he needs to get stronger, the shot has to actualize (career 35.7% from deep at Bradley), and he needs to be a more consistent ball handler. Still, I think the juice could be worth the squeeze. He’s an exceptional defender (2.7 STL%, 5.0 BLK% last season) with great instincts and NBA length (6’9.75” in shoes, 7’0.5” wingspan). Throw in his JuCo-to-mid-major journey, and he likely hasn’t had similar resources as his high-major peers. Add in positive character reviews and a personal good experience interviewing him, and he’s a guy I would take a shot on.

9. Alex Ducas

We didn’t get to see much of Alex Ducas due to injury, but what we saw was good! He scored 14 points in 17 minutes while going 4-6 from three. Ducas has always been a great shooter (career 40.6% from three) and a reliable decision-maker. He measured well too, coming in at 6’7.25” in shoes with a 6’10” wingspan. The physicality of the game didn’t phase him one bit. His lack of lateral footspeed remains an issue, but his toughness and fantastic shooting track record remain enticing.

10. Kyle Rode

A career 39.2% three-point shooter, the NBA-range triples Kyle Rode drilled in Portsmouth weren’t surprising. While he’s always been a positive passer, I wasn’t anticipating the level of flash, pizzazz, and creativity he put on display this past week, including a slick behind-the-back dime. The dude is a 6’7”, 216-pound knockdown shooter, but he’s got some real juice to him, too. Even better, Rode looked more agile, quicker, and stronger defensively. He did well in the athletic testing, too. While some may have written off Rode as more of an overseas name, his shooting, playmaking, and better-than-expected physical tools shouldn’t go overlooked.

11. Joel Soriano

I’ve never known quite what to make of Joel Soriano. On one hand, he’s always productive, and that held true in Portsmouth. Still, his constant double-doubles can feel like empty calories, especially when he pads his offensive rebounding totals by batting back his own missed shots. Sometimes, I feel okay about his defense. He’s alright in space. He measured well too, standing 6’10” in shoes with a 7’3.5” wingspan. That said, he’s often far too late to rim rotations and he lacks vertical pop. Typically, I’d prefer a center with those types of defensive shortcomings to have more offensive skill than Soriano brings to the table. With all that being said, he’s still made a positive impact in every setting he’s been in. Not including him on this list would make me feel like I’m playing myself and getting too cute with it.

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Honorable Mentions:

-KJ Jones II

It took KJ Jones II a bit to settle in. The D-II prospect from Emmanuel was solid early, but he looked fantastic during his final showing. He scored 19 points on only nine field goal attempts and racked up five steals, showing a new level of defensive intensity previously unseen from him. He’s on the skinny side at 6’6”, and 198 pounds with a 6’8.5” wingspan, and his athletic testing was just okay. But given the nature of his background, I can’t help but wonder if he could take off with greater resources at his disposal. It may be a home run swing, but a dribble-pass-shoot guy with his size who may have untapped upside could be too tantalizing for teams to pass up.

-Jordan Wright

LSU’s Jordan Wright has some real red flags. His career 46.8 eFG% is a real concern. He’s never been a great shooter, and his 6’7” wingspan puts a cap on how much he can do positionally. Still, he plays with a mesmerizing tenacity. He was in the 100th percentile on defensive isolation plays this past season, per Synergy. He will hound guys the full length of the court and force mistakes at every turn. His three-steal outing against K&D Rounds was my favorite defensive performance of the weekend.

Wright needs some re-wiring offensively. He got turnover-prone at times, and he’s more of a scorer than a shooter. It will likely take some time to work out the kinks, but there’s a path for a guy who defends this well.

-Eric Gaines

I don’t like small guards. I don’t like skinny guys. I don’t like short players who struggle to shoot threes. But I like Eric Gaines. The UAB prospect blew past defenders time and time again. From there, he either finished way above the rim or made a slick last-second dish to an open teammate. His competition of otherworldly speed, preposterous bounce, and two-moves-ahead processing does wonders to overcome his shaky jumper (career 27.9% from three). Defensively, he reads the game incredibly well. His speed and fast hands help him rack up steals while his leaping ability leads to him blocking shots at a ridiculous clip for a guard.

Where I’m getting tripped up with Gaines is his weigh-in. He tipped the scales at a meager 148 pounds. That would make him the lightest player in the NBA by 12 pounds. It’s even more concerning because we’re talking about someone who spent four years in college and hasn’t managed to put on mass during that timeframe. Right now, he’s simply too big of a mismatch target. Putting on the weight that he’ll need is going to take a while, so I’d eye him more as a “second draft” target. But if anyone is going to overcome such a dramatic obstacle, it’s a guy with outlier athletic traits and awesome mental processing.

-Donta Scott

To be honest, I didn’t expect to come into the week buying Donta Scott stock. His lack of improvement over the years at Maryland never sat well with me. However, being stuck on one of the weaker teams at Portsmouth put on display the functionality of his skill set. He made some sharp, long, accurate passes and played with selflessness. Defensively, his strength and 6’11” wingspan helped keep opponents at bay. His shot came and went, as it often has. But with his size and willingness to play the right way, I’m wondering if he could thrive given a change of scenery.

-Isaac Jones and Josh Oduro

Isaac Jones had a great season at Washington State, and he was wonderfully efficient in Portsmouth. He used his physicality to overwhelm smaller opponents on both ends and didn’t let any easy finishing opportunities slip through his grasp. He absolutely helped his perception with front offices this week. Still, he’s a bit undersized for the five at the next level without the jumper or ball skills to compensate. He’s not much of a shot blocker, either. I’d imagine he’ll eat in the G League, and I wouldn’t be surprised if an NBA team picks him up. This just isn’t an archetype I personally value much.

I’m in a similar place with Josh Oduro. Still, I was impressed with how he slimmed down his physique and moved much better than he did in the past. If he can get his shot going, that makes the four position a more realistic possibility than it had been in the past.

-Aaron Estrada

Aaron Estrada had himself a nice week. The Alabama guard used his size and slither to get into the paint. Still, his poor jumper will make it difficult for him to initiate as effectively at the next level and it hampers his off-ball value. Still, a guard who rebounds, defends, and makes good decisions while standing nearly 6’4” is more than a reasonable bet.

-RaeQuan Battle

While efficiency was a knock at West Virginia, RaeQuan Battle’s takeover scoring in Portsmouth (27 points on 22 shots Friday) was tough to overlook. Plus, he displayed a newfound defensive intensity. Still, I have a hard time fully buying in. Shooting is his first, second, and third option offensively. Add in that he’s never been a great three-point option (career 31.9% from deep), and he falls into that tricky “not quite wing” mold. With that being said, I wouldn’t write off Battle long-term. He only played over 20 MPG in two college seasons. There’s a real path to growth for him; I just think it may take a while, and the NBA isn’t a patient league.

-Jahmir Young

Here we have a guard who is always producing in a variety of ways. Jahmir Young plays hard all the time, whether or not things or going his way and whether or not he gets to have the ball all the time. He’s a calculated defensive playmaker who can pounce on mistakes for strips or fly in for a surprising rejection at the rim. Offensively, his blow-by speed and decision-making fluidity make him difficult to contain and telegraph. While he’s on the smaller side, his athletic testing results should work in his favor. In general, it takes shorter guards a bit longer to put it together these days, but keep an eye on Jahmir Young.

-Boogie Ellis

USC’s Boogie Ellis turned heads with his exceptional perimeter scoring game. He also better leveraged his footwork and shooting gravity to get inside. Still, his lack of size and turnover issues cap his immediate productivity. For me, this is purely a team building philosophy thing. There are loads of veteran G League guards with more seasoning and polish, and I’d sooner scoop up one of them than a version of Boogie Ellis that has some room to grow.

-Jamison Battle

Jamison Battle is large, he’s strong, and he shoots. I wouldn’t fault anyone for having him higher on their list than I do.

-Ta’Lon Cooper

While his jumper came and went this week, I’m still a big fan of Ta’Lon Cooper. His jumper, passing game, and size give him the tools to be a modern on-ball/off-ball guard. His combination of size and mobility makes him one of the better defenders for his position in this group, too. The way he used his grit and hops to contribute on the glass this last week stood out, too. Many guards can be boom-or-bust in terms of their contributions, but Cooper always finds ways to leave his fingerprints on the game in a positive way.

-Jamarion Sharp

The sales pitch is simple: Jamarion Sharp is 7’3.75” with a 7’9” wingspan and he’s not toast in space. He deters a ton of drives and has the movement chops to swat shots in the mid-range. He can struggle with physicality on the interior and on the glass. But again, on the margins, I’m often drawn to outlier traits, and Sharp has them.

-Sean East II, DJ Horne, and RayJ Dennis

Both Sean East II and DJ Horne had themselves some big scoring outings this week. They undoubtedly helped themselves by earning All Tournament Team nods. That being said, from an NBA standpoint, it’s a tough world for smaller scoring guards. I’d rather swing on someone else while they round out their games in the G League. Conversely, RayJ Dennis is the opposite—a pass first guard with a shot that comes and goes and shaky athletic traits. I’d like to see him continue to improve his shot. Still, his tremendous feel and selfless approach should keep a foot in the door for him going forward.