Stephen Curry Select Camp: Mike Bibby Jr. Takes Aim at Elite-Prospect Status

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Other than the reigning NBA MVP himself, the most notable figure at Stephen Curry's Select Camp never took the court at St. Joseph Notre Dame High School this week.

Instead, he watched from the stands.

Mike Bibby, one of the top guards in the NBA throughout most of the 2000s, attended all six sessions of the event to support his son, Mike Bibby Jr. The soon-to-be high school senior was among the 24 guards taking part in the prestigious, invite-only event.

"The thing I like about him the most is that his confidence is through the roof," Bibby said. "In a lot of ways he plays a lot like I did. He's smart on the court. He's got a high IQ, and he talks a lot. You don't see that in a lot of kids these days."

In some ways, Bibby Jr. was a bit out of place at Curry's camp. He isn't a consensus top-10 recruit like Michael Porter Jr., Dennis Smith Jr. or Kobi Simmons. Heck, Rivals.com and ESPN.com don't even have Bibby Jr. ranked among the top 100 players in the Class of 2016.

Not that it's all his fault.

Bibby Jr. missed all of last summer—a crucial evaluation period for college head coaches—after tearing the meniscus in his knee in April 2014. Even more frustrating is that, nine games after Bibby Jr.'s return last fall, he tore the cartilage again in December and missed the rest of his junior season for Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix.

"He's just trying to get back to the level he was on before the injury," Bibby said. "His first tournament back was in April, and he's coming along fine.

"This camp was a good test for him. He went against the top kids in the country. Seeing the strength and the quickness these guy have was eye-opening for him. It'll make him work even harder."

And you can bet Bibby, whose 14-year NBA career ended in 2012, will be there each step of the way.

Along with serving as coach at Shadow Mountain High School, Bibby has also coached his son's AAU squad ("Team Bibby") since Bibby Jr. was nine. Mix in the daily ball-handling drills and speed and agility sessions, and Bibby's tutelage has morphed into a full-time job.

"We have a gym in my house," Bibby said. "You don't have to go far to get work. Growing up, it was hard for me to find a place to get some shots in. I always told myself, when I get a house, I'm going to build a gym in it so it's no problem. I had my son then, too, so I knew it'd benefit him eventually."

Because his days are filled with basketball, Bibby (who also has three daughters) said he rarely takes time at night to watch NBA games on television.

"I'd rather watch Disney," he said.

But his son keeps him abreast of what's going on in the league.

Bibby said it's not unusual to hear Bibby Jr. screaming and cheering as he watches games alone in his bedroom. Most times, Bibby said, it's because of a clutch play or difficult shot from his favorite player.

"He loves Steph Curry," Bibby said. "I don't know if it's because of the light complexion or what, but you find similarities with your favorite player. Growing up, Jason Kidd was my favorite player."

That's why Bibby Jr. could hardly contain himself last spring when he received a link to a video in which Curry personally invited him to his elite camp.

"I was speechless," Bibby Jr. said. "It's a dream come true to be able to work out with my favorite player, let alone the best player in the world right now. I couldn't stop smiling."

This week didn't mark the first time Bibby Jr. and Curry had met. The Golden State Warriors star attended one of Bibby's high school games last fall.

Still, the opportunity to play alongside Curry and receive one-on-one instruction from him at this week's camp was an experience he'll relish for the rest of his life.

"I'm just glad my knee held up so I could take full advantage of everything," Bibby Jr. said. "I'm 100 percent. I feel great."

Bibby Jr. hopes the success he enjoyed at Curry's camp—he was one of the top three-point shooters in the field—will be a springboard for the rest of the summer. He knows that strong performances in upcoming tournaments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles are critical if he hopes to land a scholarship to a high-level Division I program.

Bibby Jr. said he's heard from schools such as Georgetown, Memphis, Kansas and USC.

"I'm a little bit behind right now," he said, "but that doesn't really make me feel pressure. My dad just tells me, 'Go out there thinking you're the best.' Even if I'm not the fastest or the toughest, I just try to play like no one can stop me."

The Izzo Factor

Roberto Serra/Iguana Press/Getty Images

While most of the players at Curry's camp were undecided on a college, 6'6" guard Josh Langford doesn't have to worry. The Madison, Alabama, native committed to Michigan State late last month.

The reason?

"Tom Izzo," Langford said. "I like his grit. We're the same type of person. All of his guards, they grind like I do. They're all grinders. That's why they made it far last year. Talent-wise, if you stack them against other teams, they weren't supposed to be there. But their toughness took them a long way."

Langford, who will be a senior this fall, said he isn't worried about adapting to the cold winters that could be a culture shock for a Southerner.

"I was going to pick the school that was the best fit for me, whether it was on Mars or wherever. I just wanted it to feel right, and it felt right at Michigan State."

Tar Heel Bonds

Langford wasn't the only player at the camp who has decided on a college, as Jalek Felton committed to North Carolina back on Dec. 30. Felton is the nephew of former Tar Heels standout Raymond Felton, who helped lead North Carolina to the 2005 NCAA title.

"Seeing my uncle's jersey hanging up there [in the Dean Dome] and hearing about all the great players that came through there, it was a no-brainer," Felton said. "Going to Chapel Hill and walking down Franklin Street and having everyone know your name...it's a great feeling."

Felton, who lives two hours away in Mullins, South Carolina, said he likes the uptempo style employed by UNC coach Roy Williams.

"I like to get the ball out and push it," Felton said. "They won two NCAA titles with guards that like to push it: my uncle and Ty Lawson [in 2009]. I want to be the next one to do it.

"I still need to get a little stronger, try to beef up a little. But I'll be ready when I get there."

Felton will be a junior this fall.

Seventh Woods Open to Anywhere

One of the biggest names in the Class of 2016 is Seventh Woods. Not so much because of a lofty ranking (No. 25 by Rivals; No. 32 by ESPN.com) but because of the highlight-reel dunks that have made him a YouTube sensation.

"I still get attention for it everywhere I go," Woods said. "But it doesn't really make me feel any pressure."

Woods attended last year's Curry camp but wasn't able to participate because of a broken wrist. This year he was 100 percent and made the most of it. He said his recruitment is heating up but that he doesn't have a leader, although it's well known that South Carolina and North Carolina are among the schools recruiting him the hardest.

"I still have the same list as always," Woods said. "I haven't cut it at all. Location doesn't matter to me. I'm not going to feel pressure to go anywhere. I just want a place where I feel comfortable."

Woods lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

Camp Standouts

• ESPN color commentator Fran Fraschilla was one of the lead instructors at Curry's camp. Fraschilla, who has held head coaching stints at St. John's and New Mexico, said guards Dennis Smith Jr. (2016), Trevon Duval (2017) and M.J. Walker (2017) were among the players who impressed him the most.

Gregory Payan/Associated Press/Associated Press

Walker is a two-sport star who is considering playing football and basketball in college. He already holds gridiron offers from schools such as Georgia.

"We call him Megatron," Fraschilla said. "He's going to be big-time."

• One year after winning the three-point competition at the Curry camp, Eudora (Kansas) guard Mitchell Ballock wasn't able to participate this year because of an injury to his right, non-shooting hand. Ballock, who holds an offer from Kansas, still attended the camp and said he should be able to return to the court in a few weeks.

• Michael Porter Jr. and Duval were named camp MVPs, while Smith Jr. won the one-on-one competition.

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.