Memphis’ Minott makes impression at Iverson Classic
Josh Minott has always had conflicting feelings about participating in the high-profile showcase-style events.
On one hand, the Memphis signee wants to put an end to any lingering under-the-radar designations that may still be hovering over his head. On the other, Minott has always considered himself a selfless player whose instincts tend to work against him when the objective is to stand out.
The Iverson Classic was no different. But the 6-foot-9-ish wing’s week in Memphis, playing alongside many of the Class of 2021’s premier prospects, could not have been much smoother. Minott’s athleticism flashed during drills and scrimmages Thursday and Friday, which prompted high praise from several media members, including ESPN NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony.
“I had never seen him play and my impression was, ‘This guy’s gonna play in the NBA eventually,’” Givony said Friday during an interview on ESPN 92.9FM. “Not sure how long it will take, but he has all the tools and is definitely on the right track.”
In Saturday’s exhibition at Bartlett High School, the Boca Raton, Fla., native capitalized on the national spotlight. With more than 30 NBA scouts and executives on hand (including the Grizzlies’ Zach Kleiman) – as well as former NBA MVP Allen Iverson, former Tiger great Andre Turner and future teammate Lester Quinones – Minott showed out.
En route to 18 points in Team Honor’s 143-131 win over Team Loyalty, Minott displayed multi-level scoring ability. There were wide-open dunks and putback slams, 3-pointers from the wing and from the top of the perimeter, layups and floaters. He also came away with five rebounds and an assist. The only players with more points than Minott were Gonzaga signee and No. 1 recruit in the country Chet Holmgren (20), Iowa State signee Tyrese Hunter (20) and Tyty Washington (19), the 13th pick in ESPN’S 2022 mock draft.
One scout labeled Minott as one of the top five NBA prospects at the Iverson Classic this week. His play also prompted at least three assistant general managers to seek further feedback from the Memphis coaching staff.
“I started off a little slow the first two days, I’ll admit,” Minott told The Commercial Appeal after Saturday’s game. “I
was doing well in the drills, but it just took me a little while to get acclimated to the environment. I’m someone that brings teams together. I’m a team player and in environments like this, team players don’t really get the shine they deserve. I was trying to find a way to showcase what I can do while still not going out of my way to do too much.
“I feel like I accomplished that. Showcasing what I can do – dribbling, passing, shooting – just showing that big guard way of play.”
Bonzi Wells, a former first-round NBA draft pick, served as an assistant coach at the Iverson Classic. He said what Minott accomplished during his time in Memphis is a prime example of the best thing about the event.
“A lot of people might not be on someone’s radar,” Wells said. “But, when they leave here, you could be high on somebody’s radar. That’s how this game goes. A lot of these guys did themselves some justice here, including Josh. Really good player.”
Minott’s performance was also recognized by his peers, some of whom had never played with him or against him in person.
“My guy can soar,” said Nolan Hickman, a recent Kentucky decommitment who scored 13 points for Team Honor. “My guy got bounce. He’s real talented. He’s got springs. You know, he’s an athlete. Seeing him dunk the way he did in the practices just blew my mind. He’s gonna affect Memphis real good next year.”
Peyton Watson, who has signed with UCLA and is projected as the No. 7 overall pick in Givony’s initial 2022 NBA mock draft, is also a fan.
“He’s super long, super agile for his size,” Watson said. “He gets his hands on almost every shot, so he’s doing a good job of contesting everything. And he plays as hard as he can.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.