PJ Hairston of Dudley making the moves, taking the tour

PJ Hairston went to Nike All American Hoop Jam Camp In St. Louis last weekend and with this being his second year attending he seemed to have found his rhythm. He played all weekend with a deep thigh bruise and still did very well.

Now Hairston is headed to Charlottesville, VA to attend the coveted NBA Camp. He is one of only about 10 rising juniors that were invited to this camp and the lone rising junior representative for North Carolina. We’ll let you know how he does this weekend when he returns.

Here’s the update on St. Louis and the Nike Hoop Jamboree:
from Eric Bossi
InsideCarolina.com

ST. LOUIS — Over the years, the Nike Hoop Jamboree has turned into the top event in the country for exclusive viewing of the nation’s top underclassmen.

Held annually during mid-June on the campus of Saint Louis University, the Hoop Jamboree has helped to launch the careers of the likes of Amare Stoudemire, Greg Oden, O.J. Mayo, Tyler Hansbrough, and countless other college and pro players. The 2009 version was loaded with talent and featured a handful of North Carolina targets from the class of 2011.

UNC Targets At Hoop Jam

P.J. Hairston, SG/SF, Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley – Were a MVP to be named from the event, Hairston just might have won it. The physical wing was dialed in from deep all weekend long as he drained deep three after deep three. Not only is he accurate from deep, but Hairston gets his shot off so quickly that defenders can’t afford to lower their arms for even a fraction of a second. If they do, the shot is up and most likely going in. A strong kid who can finish in the lane with contact, Hairston was so deadly with his jumper that he didn’t really put the ball on the floor or attack the rim all that much. Defensively, he’ll need to learn to use his strength to his advantage and look to take as much pride on that end as he does the offensive end. P.J. measured in at 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds in his bare feet with a 6-foot-10 reach.

Marquis Rankin, PG, Charlotte (N.C.) Vance – It’s a shame that Rankin went down with an injury early in camp. Had he been able to finish out the weekend’s play, it’s a pretty safe bet that he would have emerged as the top floor general in the class. While not the biggest guy around – he measured in at 5-foot-11, 157 pounds – he makes up for any lack of size with elite level quickness, hops and an impressive 6-foot-5 wingspan that allows him to play bigger. A terror in pick and roll because of the way he explodes off of the screener, Rankin now needs to focus on tightening up his jumper. All things considered, he is emerging as one of the top point guard prospects, nationally, in his class.

Quincy Miller, SF/PF, Winston Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy – Just like Hairston, Miller was arguably the top performer in camp. A lean and versatile combo forward, he accepted playing on the interior and dominated the glass on both ends of the floor. At times he would get defensive rebounds and go coast to coast for slams or drop off pretty dishes. Not the most physical guy around, he’s lean, quick and has a knack for finding the ball off the rim on both the offensive and defensive end of the ball. There’s been plenty of debate as to whether he’s a four or a three, but given his body type, ability to knock down jumpers to the three-point stripe and quickness, it’s not hard to project him as a small forward. Checked in at 6-foot-8 and 193 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan.

Marshall Plumlee, C, Arden (N.C.) Christ School – Things started off pretty slowly for Plumlee as he struggled to find a rhythm through the first few days of camp. But he kept working at it and got things going during the final few rounds of game. A competitive kid, he plays hard on both ends and crashes the glass as often as possible. At 6-foot-10 ½ he’s got excellent size but is still skinny at 201 pounds and isn’t the lengthiest player with his 6-foot-10 wingspan. He runs the floor, has some solid footwork in the post and is a clear high major prospect.