Road 2 Greatness turned heads with a standout weekend in the third session of the NXTPRO circuit. The 15-17U teams went a combined 10-2 in Grand Rapids highlighted by their 15U squad going 4-0. Road 2 Greatness 15U dominated every opponent they faced, winning each game by at least 19 points. They are now 8-0 on the circuit after crushing the competition in Hammond during Session Two. 

I watched the 15U team closely this weekend and came away impressed in several ways. To begin, they have simply dominated every opponent. These young players from the Chicago area play hard, fast, and together. They have a simple philosophy that is a recipe for success on the AAU circuit. Road 2 Greatness beats you by playing hard and scoring in transition. The emphasis on getting out in transition is what stands out the most. They can play with some structure in the half-court (especially against zone defenses), but there is often no need for it due to how much they get open in transition. 

Defense fuels their offense as Road 2 Greatness plays hard on the defensive end. They do a good job of generating deflections and steals with their pressure. The 15U team ran a 1-2-2 ball press that gave opponents problems. Being able to pressure and turn teams over in the full court led to easy baskets, which contributed to them building big early leads. Road 2 Greatness 15U has made a statement in their first two appearances on the circuit this year and they will be tough to deal with going forward.

The 15U team is led by a dynamic backcourt that is the best I have seen on the 15U level so far. Kalob Hayes and Landon Hurley are two skilled guards who can handle the ball, score, and create for others. Hayes was very impressive over the weekend, displaying excellent vision and creating scoring chances for his teammates. The game came easily to Hayes as he made multiple highlight worthy assists. Hayes plays high school basketball for an elite program and coach at DePaul Prep. After watching him play, it made sense that Hayes would play for a program like DePaul Prep.

Hayes’ backcourt mate is a versatile, advanced guard named Landon Hurley. Hurley led his team in scoring with multiple 20-point performances. He is a high-IQ, skilled guard who is a good perimeter shooter as well as a threat in transition. Hurley hinted at being able to score from three levels. He can get to a mid-range pull-up off the dribble and is skilled enough to get to the rim where he can finish. Hurley succeeded in gap attacking zone defenses to shift the zone and made the right reads. Hurley is coached by his father, Steve, who was also impressive on the sidelines. Coach Hurley is an experienced high school coach who used his knowledge to make sound adjustments. He ran multiple zone sets and succeeded when applying situational full-court pressure. 

Road 2 Greatness 15U is off to an excellent start on the circuit and will look to continue its dominance in Milwaukee from April 24-26th.

Kalob Hayes | 5’10” | PG | 2029 | Road 2 Greatness 15U | DePaul Prep (IL)

Hayes was the most impressive player on the court in the two games I scouted him. He possesses superior vision off the dribble and makes smart reads. Hayes showcased his great vision in the half-court and transition all weekend, generating several eye-opening assists. He makes smart reads off penetration and can find the open man in transition. Hayes plays with awareness off the ball, cutting to open spots in the zone where he uses his vision to generate assists. He can shoot off the catch and dribble from the perimeter and mid-range. Hayes is a skilled ball handler with an effective crossover that he uses to shake defenders at the point of attack. He can play with physicality as he is willing to initiate contact off the dribble. He plays with poise and a high IQ.

Hayes does a great job reading his man and anticipating passes. He got both hands up and stole several passes while defending the ball. He showed his willingness to defend in the half-court and in a 1-2-2 press. Hayes plays for an elite high school program and is a well-coached, respectful young man. He will stand out even more as he adds weight and muscle to his frame, while demonstrating his ability to get to the rim and finish at a high rate. 

Landon Hurley | 6’0” | G | 2029 | Road 2 Greatness 15 U | Sandburg High School (IL)

Hurley led all scorers with 20 points in a dominant win over BNB 15U. He possesses an advanced skill set for his age. Hurley is a good shooter off the catch and plays with an attacking mentality. He demonstrated the ability to finish at the rim through contact. Hurley did a good job of gap attacking to shift zone defenses. He’s effective with the ball in transition and can score at the rim. He is a skilled ball handler who can play on the ball. Hurley is willing to defend and was effective in generating deflections and steals in a 1-2-2 ball press. Hurley is a high-IQ, versatile combo guard who is well-coached on both the high school and AAU levels. He plays for an excellent high school coach at Sandburg High School. Hurley can improve by adding muscle to his frame. He will stand out even more as he shows the ability to make perimeter and mid-range shots at a high rate.