It's the most wonderful time of the year! Nothing is better than the AAU Summer Session!
Scouts, fans and college coaches pack gyms to catch the next great star. As media and fans we have our viewpoint on the event, but nothing is more authentic and pure than the view of the athlete. It's only right that we hear things from the players themselves and view things through their eyes. Below is the diary entry by Isaiah Wong at the NBPA Top 100 Camp at the University of Virginia. In the diary, Wong discusses his journey at the event. -as told to Christian Mordi @thedribbledrop on Instagram and Twitter
Hey guys,
After my sophomore year, I transferred from Notre Dame Prep to Monsignor Bonner. From an educational standpoint, Bonner provides a great situation that allowed me to grow in the classroom. On the court, they play a great schedule against high level competition. I also had a lot of friends that were on the team as well, so I knew it would be a great fit for me.
I have played in both Philadelphia and New Jersey and I think both are competitive. It really comes down to your schedule in New Jersey. If you play up north and play teams like Roselle Catholic often you will be elite teams every night. In Philly this year I felt we played a harder schedule than I did last year at Notre Dame.
My year at Bonner went well. There were high expectations and I felt like we performed up to them. While we didn’t end the season with a championship, we played as a team and got better as the year went on. I’m happy to be apart of this team. This year was a great experience for me.
Going into the summer, my goal was to make myself known in the AAU circuit. I wanted to set a tone. During the AAU season I play for WeR1. We play in the Under Armour Association. Everyone on the team plays for each other. We all have a great bond on the court. Right now we are 7-1. I really appreciate what the program has done for me. They found me when I was young and have supported me throughout my basketball journey.
This week I played at the NBPA Top 100 camp at the University of Virginia. It was a big place that had great energy. The courts had lots of bright lights and media around for every game. I knew it would be a great experience for me.
The second day was my first full day. We did a good warm up and separated for practice. I played on the Milwaukee Bucks. I played with Terrence Clarke, Will Baker and Xavier Foster.
The first game of day two was a really good game. I played well and had 20 points in the game. The intensity was high as everyone was really into it. I thought we played really well considering it was our first time playing with each other.
On day two I was a bit sore but I pushed through. We had two games that day. We played two really good teams. One of the best matchups I saw this weekend was against Anthony Edwards. He’s a great player and fun to watch. High level athlete who loved to play above the rim and will try and dunk on anyone.
Overall it was a great camp. We didn’t win too much but we kept the energy level high throughout. As a group we learned that you have to stay focused and intense throughout as teams with that much talent will go on a run eventually. I thought we all played our hardest, which is all I can ask for.
Next up we have our next UAA session in Atlanta. After that we have finals in Las Vegas. I’m also going to go to the Steph Curry camp.
Til’ next time,
Zay