Five things I learned at OTE Opening Night

Atlanta, Georgia – I was not sure what to expect, I had heard so much about the Overtime facility in the heart of downtown Atlanta, but this was my first trip. You park in a parking deck, under the roadway, and walking into the building; it had a very exclusive feel and there was a line of people anticipating getting in. OTE Opening Night featured the likes of Bronny James, Cameron Boozer, and Mikey Williams.

Read the OTE Opening Night preview

The three Overtime Elite (OTE) teams brought some fireworks. Amen Thompson was a blur with the ball, Eli Ellis closed his night one game with fireworks, and Jahki Howard might be the most vertically explosive player in high school basketball.

Immediately I walk into the facility to a packed crowd. The gameday atmosphere stimulated my senses with the music and colors. The feeling around the building was excitement for the entire evening. The people of Atlanta spoke, we are ready for high school basketball.

Let’s go through the five things I learned from OTE Opening Night.

Read Shaw’s Scoop: INTEL from OTE Opening Night

Cameron Boozer keeps producing

After averaging a double-double throughout Border League, 2025 On3 Consensus No. 1 Cameron Boozer added two more double-doubles to his season tally. Of course, these games were considered scrimmages, like the Border League, and the actual high school season has not started yet, but Boozer is off to a torrid start.

The 6-foot-8 Boozer led his Explorers team to a 20-point win on night one. He finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds. Sometimes I have to remind myself that Boozer just turned 15 years old in July; he was three and four years younger than many on the team he was going against. On night two, Boozer finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. He finished the weekend going 17-for-29 from the field and averaged 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.

Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, has created quite a bit of buzz for himself coming into the weekend. His performance at the OTE Opening Night did nothing to quell the thoughts.

Tyler Smith intrigues as an NBA prospect

Tyler Smith is a 6-foot-10 forward for the Overtime Elite program. The lefty has a smooth floor game, with confidence on the ball to push the break and touch that extends out to the perimeter. Smith has a great frame, with long arms, and fluid movements. He can move his feet on the perimeter, show, and switch, and he is not afraid to get in the mix on the boards.

Now up to 215 pounds, Smith finished with 16 points in 17 minutes on the first night. He added nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals, going 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. He continued to showcase his full skill set on night two with 18 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and a steal. Smith finished 14-of-25 from the field for the weekend.

He is an NBA Draft Class of 2024 prospect, which is the class of the current high school seniors. The development he has made over the past year has been both noticeable and consistent. While he may not be on draft boards yet, do not be surprised if he starts to gain more buzz over the next two seasons.

Robert Dillingham gets buckets

It seems to not matter the setting, but 2023 On3 Consensus five-star Robert Dillingham has consistently shown the ability to score. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard has a crafty handle and plays with the utmost confidence. He exploded for 36 points on an efficient 9-for-14 from the field.

Dillingham has the unique ability to create a solid shot for himself, at the high school level, on most possessions. This ability can also cause the ball to stop moving at times. The Kentucky commitment has an array of counters in his handle; he can twist and contort his body into an on-balanced jump shot, unlike anyone else in the class. While his 36 points were accompanied by a -7 plus/minus, his scoring output brought the crowd to its feet.

Nikola Djapa is interesting

Nikola Djapa is 6-foot-10 and can shoot the ball, so let’s start there. The Serbian is a senior at Miami (FL) Christopher Columbus High. He came out on night one showcasing his skill, finishing 3-for-4 from three. The jump shot was pure, with a balanced base and a quick, consistent release point. Strength will be an interesting factor with Djapa, especially on the defensive end. He has some fluidity in his movements, but he is not a rim protector.

There is also the question of what more Djapa brings outside of spot shooting. He was comfortable putting it on the floor but was consistently cut off, and not able to advance the ball. This led to a majority of his five turnovers in the two games. Djapa was not afraid to mix it up on the boards. He proved to be a solid area rebounder, especially on the defensive end.

In the first game, the Columbus High forward finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers. He was 3-of-4 from three and 1-of-4 from two, 4-for-8 overall. In the second game, Djapa finished with seven points, six rebounds, zero assists, and two turnovers. He was 2-for-6 from three and 0-for-3 from two, 2-for-9 overall. He finished with no steals and no blocks in either game.

There is intrigue there, especially with the size, fluidity, and real ability to shoot. As a senior, class of 2023 player, it will be interesting to watch where his recruitment goes, Arkansas State was the first claimed offer.

Ashton Hardaway is hitting his stride

There is an old saying in the scouting industry that revolves around players who have parents who played in the league; give them time, as many are late bloomers. Ashton Hardaway is the son of former NBA All-Star and current Memphis coach Penny Hardaway.

Hardaway is a 6-foot-7 forward at Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon. He is a premier three-point spot shooter. With his long arms, he plays with great balance, always shot-ready on the catch with a soft and consistent release. Hardaway averaged 17.3 points through three Border League games last week. He showed up at OTE Opening Night and dropped 19 points on five threes.

Hardaway has worked hard on his condition, and that is something he will need to continue staying on top of. He has also expanded his offensive repertoire to more than just a spot shooter. Routinely he would find a defender his size or smaller on him and take his man right to the mid-post. Hardaway has a great feel with footwork and touch from 18 feet in iso situations. He finished 5-of-7 from three here.