Sneak peek

For the casual fan, there's nothing like the madness of March. But for real junkies, the most fascinating month of the year is at last upon us.

That month, of course, is July, when every coach, reporter and Internet type in America hits the road for the annual summer evaluation period. Hundreds, even thousands of high schoolers will spend July criss-crossing the country to play in camps and tournaments in hopes of landing a scholarship. Many of the top players have already announced their college destinations. For them, July is all about building their reps while preparing for the future.

I've followed the July circuit for more than a decade, but thanks to the startling growth fueled by sneaker companies, it is more difficult than ever to keep tabs on all that is going on. For example, there used to be just one "All-American camp" during the first week of the evaluation period, but now there are three (sponsored by Nike, Adidas and Reebok). Same thing with the end-of-the-month festival in Las Vegas, when nearly 1,000 summer teams will converge on Sin City to play in three mammoth events.

So this year I got a sneak preview of the July Madness, by checking out two prestigious gatherings during the last week of June -- the NBA Players Association Camp in Richmond, Va., and the USA Basketball Team Trials in San Antonio. These events gave me a chance to see most of the top high school players in settings that were refreshingly pure, with nary a college coach or NBA scout in sight. Here, then, for all my devoted Hoop Thinkers, is a partial primer on who's got next in college basketball.

This camp, which is run by former NBA player and Michigan grad Tim McCormick, has developed into a must-see event in recent years. Many of the top-tier players did not attend this summer because they were either in San Antonio with USA Basketball or they had come to the camp in the past and declined to return. Still, because the pool of players is not diluted by the three sneaker companies, the group of 120 players was as good as any that will convene next month.

A 10-year NBA veteran and current ESPN broadcaster, McCormick structured the NBAPA camp to provide academic and life skills to the players as well as a competitive environment. He had several current NBA players, including Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell and Dwight Howard, on hand to speak to the high schoolers, and the program included presentations on subjects such as substance abuse and the treatment of women. McCormick's refusal to allow NBA scouts to watch the games helps the overall quality, because the kids aren't looking to impress anyone. They're just ballin'.

Here are 10 players who stood out during the day and a half I spent at the camp:

DeJuan Blair, 6-8 forward, Pittsburgh Blair didn't show a ton of flash in Richmond, just a solid ability to rebound and score in traffic. The recruiting gurus I spoke with indicated he is one of the fastest-rising players in his class. Blair recently told Rivals.com that his top five schools are Florida, Kansas State, Wake Forest, Indiana and Pittsburgh

Mustapha Farrakhan, 6-4 guard, Harvey, Ill. To be honest, Farrakhan wouldn't have caught my attention if it weren't for his noteworthy family pedigree -- he is the grandson of the Rev. Louis Farrakhan. That said, Mustapha is a legit D-I prospect. He is a smooth lefty shooter with deep range and a quick release, though he is a weak ball handler against pressure. He'll probably end up at a mid-major, but wherever he goes, Farrakhan will make for an interesting story.

Kosta Koufos, 7-1 center, Canton, Ohio Koufos has already committed to Ohio State, and though he is not the next Greg Oden, he will take a lot of the sting out of Oden's departure (assuming Oden leaves after his freshman season). In fact, Koufos is more skilled offensively than Oden -- he can shoot threes and handle the ball away from the basket. Koufos needs to get tougher around the rim, but it's not often you see a guy possess this much size and skill before he's even started his senior year of high school.