Summer players impress

Georgia, known for producing some of the nation's top high school basketball players, has one of its strongest and deepest groups of prospects for 2011, and the 2012 class is taking shape. The NCAA's 20-day evaluation period for July ends Saturday, and here's a quick look at some of the players generating chatter among college coaches.

Three seniors on the rise

Malcolm Brogdon, 6-foot-5, shooting guard, Greater Atlanta Christian: He's the state's hottest prospect, more than tripling his scholarship list to 13 offers after being one of the top scorers at the Nike Peach Jam near Augusta. He may have at least doubled that number in the Super Showcase in Orlando, but was sidelined for most of the tournament with illness. He has impressed with a strong all-around game against top AAU competition. If he improves his lateral quickness and strength, he will be a top contender for Mr. Georgia Basketball.

Adam Smith, 6-1, point guard, Fayette County: Now that Brogdon has been "discovered," Smith is the state's best player that nobody really knows about. He's a scoring machine. Smith can score from outside (65 percent on 3-pointers), by penetrating off the dribble, and with each hand. He has a few early offers (Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville, Murray State), but many others are intrigued. The delay is because many scouts are undecided about whether he's tall enough. Smith scored a game-high 27 points in a head-to-head matchup with Rockdale's Kevin Ware (committed to Tennessee) in last season's playoffs. Smith has greatly improved his ball-handling skills since February. He averaged 24.5 points for Georgia Impact this summer.

Shannon Scott, 6-2, point guard, Milton: Over the summer, Scott transformed from one of the state's top prospects to an acclaimed national prospect. Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was so impressed after watching Scott play against Rivers' son in the Super Showcase that he gave Scott a pep talk after the game and compared him to Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. If Scott had asserted himself a little better at the end of that particular game, he may have elevated himself to one of the top two or three at his position across the nation. That still could happen before his senior season ends. Scott is the son of Charlie Scott, who was the first black basketball player at North Carolina and played eight seasons in the NBA.

Three juniors on the rise

Tony Parker, 6-8, forward, Miller Grove: Parker is the state's best prospect --- regardless of class --- at power forward. Other big kids simply cannot match up. He has superior foot quickness that allows him to maneuver around defenders and create inside scoring opportunities. He knows how to draw fouls with the best of them and is just about automatic at the foul line. He took a lot of breaks on defense in Orlando, but perhaps it was from his long summer, including three weeks in Europe with the USA U17 team.

Evan Nolte, 6-8, shooting guard, Milton: Nolte escaped the shadows of his heralded high school teammates, making the smart decision to play with his own age group with the Southern Kings U16. It forced him into the role of a team leader and did wonders for his confidence. While he had a shooting slump in Orlando, he maintained the shooter's mentality --- and kept launching shots. He is considered one of the nation's best outside shooters in his class.

Jarmal Reid, 6-7, guard/forward, Columbia: Reid's lingering ankle injury was better in Orlando, and he put on a show. The Southern Kings played him at every position, including point guard and center, and he excelled. He is called "Mr. Mismatch" by his coaches. Reid has the body size of a college player, yet is fleet-footed. He was rewarded this week with scholarship offers from Florida and Alabama, adding to a list that includes Georgia.