Josh talked to Ballislife about decision to pledge to Akron over Miami Ohio and Ohio University.

“I went on an unofficial visit and I loved it there (Akron)," Henderson said. "It felt like family with my talks and interaction from the staff and I felt I can really thrive there. Coach Groce has been to every game during the live period. He has came to see me play any chance he’s had and told me I’m his number one target. That’s why a week later after my visit I committed.”

Henderson talked more in depth about the visit. He was heavily impressed with the player development aspect.

“We talked a lot about the player development process. What that looks like year to year. They had my shot charts from AAU, percentages from where I shot, what I do best and it was just a full breakdown of my game and where and how I can improve.”

The 6-foot-5 rising senior shooting guard has a full high school year left until he reports to Akron and shared the parts of his game he will be working on prior to coming.

“Definitely my body. Getting stronger," Henderson said. "That’ll be important for me. Also finding more efficient ways to score. Drawing more fouls and being able to more effectively read and attack the second line of defense. I watch a lot of film and work out a lot. I need to be better at those areas.”

Game Breakdown

Josh Henderson holds fine positional size (6-5) and arm length at the 2-guard spot: He shoots it from deep, is a quality scorer in spot up situations that needs minimal dribbles to get to his spots, create space and score. Defensively, he shows high ceiling as a switchable defender that utilizes his length and instincts to cover ground and collect steals.

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Hudson Greer Trending Towards Being a Burger Kid
We are still months away, but every time I see Hudson Greer play he is one of, if not the top, standout. Every time one of the national rankings gets updated, he’s moving up. Greer has been one of the most consistent players in the country and as he continues to rise, we’ll eventually see his name on the back of a McDonald’s All American Jersey..

Is This The Year A Texas Program Wins Peach Jam?
Looking at the Nike EYBL rosters, specifically Drive Nation’s and JL3, I think we will see one, if not both, make a serious run at the 2024 Peach Jam Title. JL3 boasts a big-time roster with the core of Hudson Greer, Shelton Henderson, Sebastian Williams-Adams and Nigel Walls. Demorae Pritchett plays a major role, too, and is on the radar of D1 schools.

Henderson is a big guard that utilizes power and skill to score and play-make. Williams-Adams is a swiss army knife that accumulates near triple-doubles due to his effort, athleticism, feel for the game and just always being in the right position. Either that's to secure a rebound, score the ball by attacking closeouts or in transition, and Williams-Adams just doesn’t overthink his decision making. He and Henderson will rise in the national rankings as well. This JL3 squad can make a special run this season.

For Drive, this 2025 group has been in the mix for a title since they were playing 15U. Jaden Toombs, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., Leroy Kelly, JoJo McIver and Reggie Webster have been playing together for a while and the additions of point guard Jacobe Coleman and Des Jones gives the backcourt more depth and an offensive jolt needed to win in the EYBL. Toombs was good at USA Basketball, orchestrated sound performances in the EYBL Memphis Session as he’s a load in the paint with his footwork and touch with either hand around the rim. Can stretch from 12-15 feet and knock down jumpers. O'Neal is a wing that’s a good two-foot athlete that can defend multiple positions and, offensively, knocks down shots from deep. Kelly is as steady as they come at the guard spot. Makes shots from three, adequate ball mover and relocates to spots on the floor to create spacing and scoring opportunities for himself. Coleman is an athletic guard that can get to the paint and just provides a formidable scoring punch. Third time a charm this year for Drive Nation?

UAA: King Grace Wants To Re-Introduce Himself/Texas Impact Makes Splash
2025 King Grace is nationally known from the evaluators and the high major coaches, but saw a dip in the number beside him. Rankings are like stocks, however, they can bear (downward) or bull (upward), but it’s never permanent. Grace made a statement this past weekend in South Carolina. 30-point games, transition dunk after transition dunk, scoring in spot up situations plus off the dribble and more importantly going 4-0. I like stats and production, but I love winning and credit to Texas Impact and coach T.J. Thomas on the roster construction and the way he’s utilizing his players. More weekends like this for King Grace, he’ll see his name in higher tiers.

Texas Impact is playing fast, guys are moving the ball and players are helping themselves such as Steven Ramirez and David Iweze. Ramirez has developed a dependable 3-point shot and he’s knocking them down. Plus he hustles on the glass and overall knows how to play. Iweze is a post that has a lot of upside. Reliable hook shot and counters in the post, can rebound and attack and more physical on the glass.

Bryceson Melvin Keeps Rising/Max Levels Is In The Convo
I predicted the pop with Nic Codie last year before the circuit ball and I have another one for you this year. His name is Bryceson Melvin. 2025 class is deep in Texas, but Melvin will have himself in the top 10 convo soon and could go higher. 6’5 with a strong body, Melvin is a high-level midrange scorer and shooter from deep. The athleticism has grown, the handle is getting tighter (still has some work to do) but the way he scores it and plays translates. A high major prospect that will see himself in the national polls by the end of the summer. I won’t miss on this one!

This may be Max Level’s best overall I’ve seen with the program. They have size, depth, shooting and most importantly talent. Jayden Ramnanan is a strong built scoring point guard that when he gets hot, he’s scoring in bunches. Mixes speed and strength to get to spots when the defense is trying to apply pressure on him. A D1 prospect that has had a great start to the spring. Dorian Johnson of Eastern Hills is helping himself. Athletic four-man that’s a mismatch with his blend of inside/out scoring. Mbayde Babacar has improved a lot over the past year. Alters shots but a more reliable dump-off, dunker spot candidate when guards drive. Plus he’s 6’10 and knows how to use his height to his advantage now.

Cooz Elite Always Reload
It’s fun watching Cooz Elite play. Jason Tocabens is a state champion coach and has won with less. They play fast, physical and the players play with freedom, but don’t abuse it.

Tyran Rathan-Mayes has seen his recruitment pick up. A sturdy built 6’6 wing that shoots it from deep and is an adequate passer. Uses size advantages and will post-up smaller defenders. Ian Inman calling card is his shooting. Good elevation and quick getting off his hands. Very solid creating his own jumper and attacks closeouts to get to the mid-range pull. Jason Scott has come back from injury and is looking like his normal self. Attacking guard that’s persistent on getting to the teeth of the defense. Also like stretch big Evan Cochran and shooting 4-man Yohan Gutierrez.

YGC Big Addition Gave A Major Boost
YGC has a loaded roster. The duo of four-star Kayden Edwards and early season addition Chris Cenac provide a formidable presence. Edwards can score 30 points in any game. Lefty that’s a confident shot taker and fast with the ball. Cenac is a skilled big at 6’10 with face-up skills and plays above the rim inside. ‘24 Kole Williams deserves a shoutout. One of the best available prospects in 2024 as the 6’5 guard is a physical finisher at the rim, capable of making shots from deep and has a body ready for college basketball. Someone will eventually take the chance on him.

Front Court Duo To Keep Tabs Of
Jaylan Jackson (6’10) and Landon Brooks (6’8) - Triumph

Notable Prospects Not Listed Above That May Breakout During The May Live Period
Aiden Disu, 6’6 SF - ASAK ELITE
DJ Hall, 6’7 PF - Southern Assault
Caleb Steger, 6’4 SG - Southern Assault
Michael Grant, 6’5 Wing - Triumph
Dorian Hayes, 6’4 Guard - Houston Hoops
Jaylan Lawal, 6’2 PG - Trae Young Elite
Mike Williams 5’10 PG - Gulf Coast Blue Chips
Christian Thomas, 6’7 SF - Gulf Coast Blue Chips
Kobi Pearson, 6’8 PF/SF - Family Ties
Cam Cowgill, 6’2 SG - SA Future
Jayden Leverett, 6’10 C - IFN
Luke Laczkowski, 6’6 SF - Texas Impact
Happy To See Them Healthy And Playing Well
Bryson Jackson, 6’3 CG - Houston Hoops
Jed Nansha, 6’7 C/PF - YGC

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Southern Assault

The 17U didn’t have an ideal showing, going 1-3 last weekend but the silver lining was the play from 2025 D.J. Hall. A player that I have received numerous calls from, from various collegiate levels. Hall averaged 14.7 ppg and 7.2 rpg a game and Hall just showed his versatility offensively. A burly built forward standing at about 6'6-6'7, Hall is a skilled 4-man that can dribble, pass and shoot. Most of his damage is in the post, using advanced footwork, a large frame and plus length to generate space to score. An adequate mid-range shooter, high level passer from 15 feet in and as the games went on, he rebounded and started igniting breaks.

Players like him can be a challenge to evaluate. What is the right level for Hall? He doesn’t play above the rim and I do wish he was a little bit taller, but his feel and skill allows him to be very productive and players like him have been successful at the D1 level. I’ve said it in the past about other guys and I’ll say it again...He’s someone that, regardless if it's low, mid or high major D1, the program that values what he is and utilizes him right will get a stud.

16U

The 2026 group went 2-2 and two players stood out to me. Big man Davion Adkins and guard/wing Alex Barther. Adkins has freakish athleticism. Skies for blocks and dunks and one play, he snatched a shot with two hands and hit his head on the backboard. His effort, athleticism and touch with his hook shots, Adkins has emerged as a top 30-40 player in the country and can jump to 5-Star status at some point in his high school career. I think there’s a lot more to unlock from a face-up and overall skill facet as well.

Barther led the team in scoring as he shot it well in spot-ups from three, rebounded well due to 95 percent of his basketball career, he's played the post. Also liked when games got tight, he posted up smaller defenders and used height advantage. Another player that’s on the national scenes in the 2026 class.

Team Trae Young

The 17U group probably want to forget Omaha, but most importantly learn from what didn’t work. They went 0-4. I did think Jaylen Lawal showed he’s a no brainer D1 player and will garner a couple offers throughout the spring/summer. Four-star guard Carlsheon Young can score it in bunches. A very talented player that just didn’t get in a rhythm offensively that I'm accustomed to him being in. Damario Adams is a 6’7 wing-forward that holds an assortment of skills. An intriguing prospect that during the live periods, if Adams can string together a couple high level games, can see his stock skyrocket. Tough weekend for them but they’ll clean up the main areas of concern especially with lack of ball movement and questionable shot selection and I expect them to be better going forward.

16U

The 2026 squad ended with an even record of 2-2. Bryce Dixon is a wing prospect that exudes toughness. Gets to the rim on drives, rebounds in traffic, fights for the loose ball and improving his perimeter game. Defensively, Dixon takes charges, does a good job keeping the ball-handler in front and uses strength to push out taller guys that try to post him up. I think he has a good IQ for the game, and once his skill matches that and the motor, he’ll see himself in a different tier than he’s at currently.

The other prospect that stood out to me was Brandon Malone. A 6’6-6’7 forward that ran the floor hard, made trail threes and finished at the rim. His ability to stretch the floor allows him to mix it up and attack the rim from the top of the key because the defender is closing out harder on him. One to keep tabs of.

ASAK Elite

The 2025 group went 2-2 on the weekend. 2026 Bo Ogden played up and was very good. Shot it well from deep and I like that he can get his feet set quickly on the move and launch. His motor and effort to secure offensive rebounds or just keep the play alive stood out to me. A no-brainer top 75 level prospect nationally in my opinion and you can argue higher. 2025 Aiden Disu has a lot of potential. The first game in ASAK’s win vs MASS Rivals, he collected 16 points and 11 rebounds. A sturdy built wing that can score inside and out and guard multiple positions when locked in on that end. Rising senior Uzziyah Bunton was very solid as well. Managed the games well and scored when the opportunities were present. Sometimes his production goes beyond what the box-score stats say.

16U

This team also probably wants to forget Omaha as well. They were winless in the first session. Second half scoring droughts hurt them in close battles.

2026 Billy White is about 6’7 and shoots the cover off the ball. His size and confidence as a shooter allows him to make tough shots. A very dependable perimeter threat that doesn’t need much time to get his shot off. Will rise in the national top 150 before his high school career is over.

Silas Rodriguez was productive. Shot it well from three, can make shots off the dribble and uses angles very well when finishing vs traffic. Silas' feel for the game is a plus and as an off ball mover, he puts himself in advantageous opportunities to score the ball. One trait I do think about Silas that can go unnoticed is he has an edge about him that allows him to make his presence known in games.

One Time Legends

I didn’t get to evaluate their 16U club but I will at the next stop I’m at. The 2025 group went 2-2 and I liked how the team played together. Unsigned senior Jakeel Registe was good. Averaged 16 ppg and his blend of athleticism and shot creation stood out. He utilized jab steps to keep defenders honest before he launched and when he was near the rim, Registe finished with dunks but also showed off his hang-time and finished well around translatable length and size. The talent is there, he’s a D1 level prospect and the next 30-35 days will be big for him.

2025 Dasean Brodie has always intrigued me. A lefty with a good basketball frame, makes shots from deep and has a solid feel for rebounding the basketball. One to keep tabs throughout the summer and see where his recruitment goes.

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Kaden Magwood Helped Himself 

Known mainly for his scoring prowess, 2025 guard Kaden Magwood displayed his playmaking for Team Loaded VA. He finds the open man because he generates a lot of gravity from the defense. He was finding shooters on drives and making shots off the bounce, even when he didn’t have much space to get it off. One of the top players from the weekend, as he averaged 25 ppg, 4 rpg and 3.5 apg.?

Darryn Peterson Showing Why He’s a 5 Star

Phenom United finished the Omaha session with a 3-1 record. A large part was due to ‘25 PG Darryn Peterson. He averaged 23.7 pppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.3 apg and 3.0 spg. Peterson impacts the game on both ends. At about 6’5 and a legit point guard, Peterson utilized his combo of strength and burst off the bounce to get to the rim. He rebounds and attacks in transition and is also an adequate perimeter shooter. He’s always had a strong frame, but it seems Peterson added more muscle to his build and he’s generating space off of contact easier.?

Best Underclassman Performer: Caleb Holt 

A premier prospect in 2026, Caleb Holt for Game Elite has shown growth in his game. Last time I saw him was at the City of Palms Classic in December and he showed more comfort with the ball in his hands. This past weekend in Omaha, it seems as if the game is slowing down for him when he’s the lead guard.?

Holt's pace was good, he didn’t force many shots. He is a willing passer but he also knew when to turn on the gears and collect a bucket. Holt plays with a lot of power and he generates adequate lift on his pull-ups and finishes at the rim. Finished the weekend session averaging 24.5 ppg, 6 rpg and 2 apg.?

The Versatility of Koa Peat 

Versatility is key when it comes to basketball. For guards, wings, post, no matter the position, it makes no difference and Koa Peat is one who provides a lot of versatility offensively. Standing at about 6’8 with a large frame, Peat can handle the ball under pressure, operate in the mid-post or post for a bucket, can pass out of double teams,? rebounds out of his area and ignite breaks after securing a board.

I saw all that on display at the 1st Session of 3SSB as he led the Compton Magic to a 3-1 record and averaged 18.8 ppg, 7 rpg, and 2 apg. ?

Moreno, Mullins Combo Propels Indiana Elite To a Spotless Record 

Indiana Elite won all four games in Omaha as they were clicking on all cylinders. Good ball movement, 3- point shot making with a formidable interior presence.?

‘25 Malachi Moreno was the interior presence. The 6’11 big man ran the floor well and showed good touch around the rim. He has real upside as a shooter down the road, and altered shots defensively.?

For the shooting, ‘25 Braylon Mullins shot the cover off the ball. He has a quick trigger on his jumper, and is a versatile shooter that made shots off the bounce, move and spot up situations. Capped off the weekend averaging 20 ppg, 3 rpg and 2 apg.

2027 Ryan Hampton Checks A Lot of Boxes

Ryan, the younger brother of NBA player RJ Hampton, suited up for Game Elite on the 15U level and he showed why, albeit it being early, that he’s within the top tier of 2027 players in the country. Standing at about 6’6, Ryan Hampton has a smooth shooting stroke from deep off the catch and thrives in transition as an attacker to the rim. He averaged 23 ppg and 8 rpg. ?

There's still plenty of room for growth, but Hampton's scoring prowess, combined with his length and emerging vertical pop, allows himself to be a difference maker on the court.?

Player Notables 

2025 

Moustapha Thiam, 7’1 C - SE Elite: Big man’s that’s mobile and has a nice touch around the rim. Also saw range with his shooting. Mobility mixed with shooting upside and rim protecting was on display.?

Mikel Brown, 6’3 PG - Team Loaded NC: Very skilled guard that we’ve seen grow not only in skill but height and athleticism during his time in high school. Perimeter shooting, has a high passer feel and because his range extends beyond the 3-point line, it gives his teammates more room to operate on the court.?

Joson Sanon, 6’5 Guard - BABC: A big-time shot maker that showed shiftiness off the bounce. Clean pull-up game from three and the mid-range area. Was in attack mode offensively and defenses had to put their best perimeter defender on him. Averaged 21 ppg and 5.8 rpg.?

2026 

Gabe Weis, 6’6 SF/PF - Wildcat Select: Size, skill and IQ standout when watching Weis play. Dependable perimeter shooter that attacked closeouts well. Also liked his control when he had the size advantage inside. Holds adequate footwork and uses his body well to generate space before he launches. 

Brandon Bass Jr., 6’3 Guard - SE Elite: Really showed his scoring prowess this past weekend. Thought he did a good job as a secondary ballhandler and attacking closeouts from the wing when the ball was swung to him. Showed why he’s on the high end of prospects in 2026.?

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Sunrise Backcourt Provide Offensive Jolt in Win vs Orangeville?

Kansas State signee David Castillo and 2025 high major prospect Jeremiah Green made key shot after key shot in Thursday’s 59 - 58 win versus Orangeville Prep of Canada. Castillo, known as a marksman from deep showed more of the off the dribble creation and scoring. He didn’t have the best shooting outing, but he still won closeouts by knocking down catch-n-shoot threes and by attacking it and getting to the foul line. Castillo seemed to show more of an emphasis to keep the defense honest by diversifying his shot selection. He finished with 13 points, two rebounds, two assists, while going 6-of-6 from the foul line.?

Green got to his spots and showed three level scoring. The shooting mechanics look cleaner and he’s making more shots off the catch. That’s allowing the driving lanes to open up because there’s more respect for him as a shooter. Green was loose with the ball at times, but it was him trying to make a play. Nonetheless, he competed and made key shots down the stretch vs length on drives. Green had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists on 63 percent shooting. 

Notables From The Game?

Spencer Athens, 2025 6’8 PF - Sunrise Christian: Showed offensive versatility with his size. Completed finishes while fouled, made a trail three, hunted and gathered offensive rebounds. Spencer played a huge role and finished with 15 points, five rebounds on 85 percent shooting?

?Josh Ibukunoluwa, 2024 6’10 C/PF - Orangeville: The High Point Commit orchestrated a great game on Thursday. Finished inside with either hand, rebounded and found the guards cutting when he was operating from the top of the key. He checks a lot of boxes and will be an immediate contributor at High Point.?

Tre Johnson, Jasper Johnson, Labaron Philon Lead Link Year vs Oak Hill

Was a one to two possession game in the second half in this one but FAB 50 No. 9 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) held on and won 63-61. Texas signee Tre Johnson was huge in this one. The way he generates space off the dribble and scores. it translates to the next level (23 points). Johnson also blended the scoring with play-making and ended with five assists. He’s added noticeable muscle to his frame, he knew when to take more of an initiative on offense when the game was close and he hit big shots down the stretch.?

Junior (2025) Jasper Johnson provided quality offensive out put as well. The lefty guard with a quick trigger for a jumper showed off his shot creating and overall scoring. Shifty with handle and doesn’t need a lot of space to launch and connect. Finished with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting with five rebounds.

2024 Kansas commit Labaron Philon did a good job as a floor manager. Picked and chose when to hunt for his, but did a fine job getting the ball to others in spots for them to score. Also thought Philon did a good job as an on-ball team defender. he used size to alter shots on the perimeter and used length to gather steals. His line was nine points, six assists, and four steals.

For Oak Hill, 2025 Kaden Magwood showed off how well of a scorer he is. Made deep threes, got to the rim and showed he knows how to navigate around the bigs when attacking the basket. He finished with 15 points and three rebounds.

TCU signee Micah Robinson didn’t have a good shooting night but he was productive, nonetheless. When jumper didn’t fall, he got to the rim which subsequently led him to the foul line. He rebounded, defended and looked to make an impact outside of scoring. He was able to orchestrate a 16-point, 13-rebound double double.?

Was impressed with 2025 Deondrea Lindsey. Strongly built forward that has an intriguing offensive game. Can make the open triple, but also embraces the physicality and looks to complete shots in the paint. I thought he was productive and looks to be a player that can provide inside-out scoring.?

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Xavier Green, 6’ 2026 PG - The Colony: Green is one part of the three headed 2026 monster that led The Colony to a the Class 5A UIL Regional Finals. A sturdy built guard that knows how to run a team but also generate his own offense. Mid-range pulls, floaters and can shoot 3-pointers off the catch. Was impressed also with his defense. He competes on that end as he’s active with his hands and feet, which allow him to be a pest to opposing guards.?

Dakari Spear, 6’4 2026 SG/SF - The Colony: Dakari is arguably the best 2026 we have in Texas and will be known nationally. A rangy, long guard that can really shoot the ball. While moving, off the catch and can attack a close out and enter into a mid-range pull. Tough kid, too. I’ve seen him constantly get to the rim when the game is close to seal the deal.?

Bryce Dixon, 6’3 2026 SF - The Colony: The last one of the prolific 2026 group for The Colony. His energy is unmatched. Physical, rebounds, plays with an edge and plays bigger than his size. He’s a mismatch in the frontline because he beats the bigger, slower guys off the dribble, but exploits size advantages when teams switch when he’s a screen setter.?

Davion Adkins, 6’8 2026 PF/C - Faith Family: Faith Family is still rolling and looking to add another Class 4A state title on the mantle. Big man Davion Adkins has played an integral part this season. Athletic, runs the floor, alters shots at the rim and is a lob/dunker spot finisher. There is more to his offensive game that’s growing, but he’s played his role and to his strengths that translates to a high level of high school basketball. High major prospect in 2026.?

Nasir Price, 6’3 CG - Katy Seven Lakes: A combo that has natural scoring abilities. Back-court of him and Louisiana Tech signee A.J. Bates was a handful. They led their team to a 6A Regional semifinal run before losing to FAB 50 No. 49 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas). A lot to like about Price from a scoring output, but I’ve witnessed improvements on his play-making skills as well.?

Kollin Douglas, 6’ 2026 CG - Lancaster: Really shoots the ball and when he’s hot, he provides a jolt of offense for a Lancaster group that’s currently in the Class 5A semifinals. Has played a nice role for this team and looks more comfortable and confident playing on the varsity level.?

Josh Goodwin Jr., 6’4 2026 Guard - Cy Ranch: Josh is really good with the ball in his hands. Good positional size, assertive driver to the rim and can really pass on the move. Throws strikes on skip passes, dump-offs and kicks to the shooter when he drives. Was an integral part of the Cy Ranch group that reached the Class 6A regional semifinals.?

Billy White III, 6’7 2026 SF/PF - Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial: Really more of a three, but can be utilized and provide a lot of spacing as a four, too. Anyways, Billy White III is a marksman from deep that holds a quick trigger. He has range beyond the 3-point line and with his blend of size, length and shooting prowess, he’s been a big-time contributor for a Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial team that is in the Class 5A semifinals.?

Kavian Bryant, 6’1 2027 PG - Palestine Westwood: Bryant had a season to remember and he’s only a freshman. Averaged 30 points per game (yes 30) and led his team to the Class 3A regional semifinals. In a loss vs Kountze, Kavian strung together a 55 point outing. A bucket getter that embraces contact, Bryant is a three level scorer whose approach to the game gives him an edge vs opponents.?

Amarion Hunter, 6’2 2027 SG - Dallas Carter: Hunter is part of a Dallas Carter squad that got to the Class 4A regional finals. Hunter had games where he connected on multiple triples and when he gets hot, he doesn’t need much space to launch. Was a rotation player that brought spacing when on the floor.?

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This was less of a recruiting interview but one on the adjustment and growth of his game this season. This past month Green released his top 10 schools, so he did give Ballislife a brief on what to expect when decision time comes.

Green, who is a DFW native, transferred to Sunrise from Guyer (Denton, Texas) High School. He did do a small stint at AZ Compass during the fall of 2022, but 2023-24 is his first full season playing in the EYBL Scholastic league against some of the other top academy-type programs.

“I feel this season is getting me ready for college," Green said. "It’s a great learning season. I’m learning how to be a point guard, get teammates involved, my pace, understanding how to change gears. This level of basketball is so much different than what I’ve experienced in the past.”

Green continued to talk about why changing speeds is important when playing in a league such as the EYBL Scholastic.

"The bigs are so much bigger at this level. Last two seasons, I could just go as fast as I can, get to the rim and score. Here, I can’t do that. I have to survey the defense more, give them a different look because if I’m predictable, they’ll read me and block my shot.”

We've been able to watch a decent amount of Sunrise Christian Academy games and I did notice in the beginning, Jeremiah was more of a facilitator but the scoring came later in the game. In the second half of the season, I’m seeing more of a blend and an assertiveness early. He talked about why that’s the case.

"It just took a while to adjust to this level. Before Christmas break, I was just trying to get a feel for each game and later on, I would look to score. It clicked and I realize the earlier I’m aggressive, the quicker I can get to the flow of the game,” Green said.

Here are the 10 college programs Green will choose from: Auburn, Kansas, Kansas State, Colorado, Virginia, Texas, Texas A&M, Houston, TCU & Oklahoma. He has completed official visits to Auburn and Texas A&M. Additionally, he has been to Houston, Kansas State, and TCU for unofficial visits.

“I’m still just trying to figure out what the top half looks like," Green said. "Mindset is more on finishing the season the right way, but I’m looking at narrowing down what my top schools within this school list are. I probably will just announce where I’m committing when I’m comfortable doing that. I don’t know yet if I’ll drop a top 5, 3 or whatever, but if I’m comfortable to commit to a school, I’ll just post and commit.”

A point guard with a strong frame who excels getting downhill, Jeremiah Green holds the ability to impact games on both ends. Offensively, he puts pressure on the defense and scores with floaters, mid-range pulls or lay-ins. He's improved as a passer and understands how to get his teammates involved. Defensively, due to solid lateral mobility and overall strength, he’s shown he can disrupt the point of attack.

Ballislife will be in Augusta, Ga. for the next session of the EYBL Scholastic league, so stay tuned for event recaps, recruiting news and more.

The post Player Profile: Jeremiah Green appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

I learned some things from my time in Dallas and here are my three main takeaways:

W.T. White Can Win It All in Class 5A This Year
The Longhorns may have the tallest team not only in Texas, but possibly in the Southwest Region. With a galore of big men and big wings, their length and size cause problems for the majority of teams White plays against. 2025 Isaiah Kalala provides adequate athleticism, mobility and mid-range shooting. 2026 DJ Ogoemeka is 6’11 with a 7’6 wingspan and he alters any shot at the rim and is a problem on the offensive glass. He’s already received high major offers and I can see why. Ben and Jonathan Price are 6’6 twins that jump out the gym and can defend three or four positions in high school. Their contributions go beyond the stat-sheet. Khadim Diongue is a 6’5 wing that’s versatile. I can go on and on with their roster.
The X-factor to me is the backcourt play. Senior Steven Cruz is a fearless shot-taker that’s efficient from three. He produced 18 second half points to lead W.T. White to the win. 2025 Jamison Thrower is a 6’4 guard with some real shot creating and playmaking substance to him. He hasn’t put it all together just yet, but he goes on runs by himself where he breaks the defender down, gets to the rim and generates a clean look for himself or others. Senior Maxwell Chambers is a floor manager and a pesky defender. I like his leadership qualities and he gives a timely jolt to the squad’s energy.

5A is wide open again this year and I believe about seven or eight teams have a chance to win it. The Longhorns are in that mix. They have the pieces, just have to see if the group can peak at the right time.

Buy Stock in Lance Carr
Kimball’s 2025 forward Lance Carr is an interesting one to evaluate. Good size at 6’7, athletic, runs the floor, can shoot it from deep and from the mid-range area. He checks several boxes. He’s not the most physical of players, but I do think Carr's a legit wing-forward prospect with tremendous upside. He was blocking dunk attempts Wednesday night, finishing above the rim and flashed his shooting, making a catch n shoot three from the wing. Carr can sometimes float around in games and I think if he stayed active, he can really make his presence known in games. I’ve seen noticeable improvements in the skill since the fall and he’s going to continue to get better. I think Carr has a chance to blow up this spring and summer.

Kimball Can Be A Dangerous Team Come Playoff Time
Albeit taking the loss, I do think the additions The Knights added to the core they already have, can result in a playoff run. I talked at length about Lance Carr but the addition of senior Lekendric Taylor will add another big that can jump out the gym and be mobile. He didn’t play tonight, but I think once he’s fully integrated and locked in, Taylor can provide a stable interior presence.

2025 Jaylon Dean-Vines is a 6’4’ish wing with a big-time vertical leap and can make deep threes. He’s a prospect that higher-end D1’s have called about. 2025 Rico Aguilar is a steady guard that makes the right play and freshman (2027) Marri Wickware can be a national level prospect if he puts it all together. He's a mismatch wing-forward with adequate perimeter skills. He’s just adjusting to the varsity speed and physicality.

Also to note 2026 Jaylin Hancock and Kayden Gray. This Kimball group is mainly young with 3 seniors generating rotation minutes, but if the young guns step up their play, they can make some noise in the coming weeks.

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Allen, Jenkins Combo Kicks off Day 2 of COP

My first game to watch in Fort Myers, FL was a quality one, as two Florida based programs in Victory Christian and Riviera Prep battled it out.?

Riviera Prep nabbed a 73-56 win and 2025 Dante Allen and 2027 Jeremy Jenkins played a large part in the victory. 

I’ve watched Allen multiple times, but this season is the first I’ve evaluated him being the primary scoring option. Liked how he got his teammates involved by finding guys running the floor or dishing it to the open man when he got to the paint. Because of his willingness to pass, it opened driving lanes and open shots for him. Allen recorded 17 points, six assists and five rebounds?

Jenkins will be a name talked about??plenty of times for the 2027 class.?

I saw him in Dallas last year as an eighth grader and he showed flashes of the skill but he physically dominated games for the most part. On the varsity level as a freshman, he has exhibited an array of skills. Possesses a clean shooting stroke at 6’7, scores with back to basket and facing up due to adequate footwork and touch. Jenkins offensive versatility poses as a matchup issue for opponents. Finished game with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

Mater Dei With Convincing Win vs Windermere Prep

Five Players reached double figures in Mater Dei’s matchup over Windermere Prep of Florida.

Player Evals 

Mater Dei

Brannon Martinsen, 6’7 PF - 2026: Skilled forward that’s a capable shooter from deep. Embraces contact on back downs from the block and uses body well to generate enough space to get shot off over length. Operated well and made sound decisions in the high post, as a pick n pop guy and in the short roll. 

Luke Barnett, 6’3 SG - 2026: Shot over 50% from the field and 3-7 from deep. Attacked closeouts and got to the mid-range pull and floater game. Active off-ball mover who has extended range from deep.

Blake Davidson, 6’7 PF - 2025: Started the game out with a 3-pointer and I liked his assertiveness and toughness on the glass. Physical box-outs, active on offensive glass and can make jumpers when his feet is set. Activity and motor, to go along with his promising shooting touch, was on display.?

Windermere Prep

Sinan Huan, 7’ C - 2026: Lefty that’s a legit 7-footer that’s equipped with adequate touch around the rim. Coordinated for size and age, comfortable operating on the low block but could play with more toughness and aggression on the glass. Regardless, can see the tools and the talent.?

Brandon Bass Jr, 6’4 CG - 2026: Struggled shooting and seemed to have been pressing on offense when shots weren’t going in. Can see the talent though and I liked that he continued to compete on the defensive end regardless of how his offense was. A lefty with wiggle off the dribble and can shot create.?

Evening Recap

VJ Edgecomb leads LuHi vs Westminister Academy

LuHi, ranked No. 2 in the latest FAB 50 Rankings, came out the gates slow but executed better in the second half and recorded a 83-59 win vs. a talented Westminister squad. 5 star guard VJ Edgecomb showed why he’s one of the best in 2024. An explosive athlete that has polished up his offensive game. Major vertical pop, first step and one of if not the best wing defender in the country. He finished the game with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals on 61 percent shooting.?

Also wanted to note the impact of 2025 guard Kayden Mingo had on the game. Got downhill and to the paint multiple times, finished through contact, navigated well in tight spaces and was a pest as an on-ball defender, shooting through the gaps and racking steals as a team defender.?17 points, 2 assists and a whopping 6 steals.?

For Westminister, 2026 Alex Constanza is the real deal. A fluid 6’8 wing with legit guard skills. Everything looked effortless and clean. Long strides allowed him to get to spots in limited dribbles, he utilized his length to finish vs like-size length and he’s an adequate shooter also. Saw why he’s labeled one of the best overall prospects in 2026. 

Rutgers Commits Go Toe to Toe

The Scarlet Knights should be excited about what’s coming in 2024 from the high school side. Dylan Harper (Don Bosco Prep, NJ) and Ace Bailey (McEachern High School, GA) put on a show on Tuesday. Don Bosco ran away with it in the second half and won 76-50.?

Harper led his squad with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists on 11-for-17 shooting. The lefty pg was dominant. He controls the pace of the game, manages the floor and knows when to score the ball. He’s not speeding by the defender, but he’s using his body and ball-handling creativity to create space and score. Also wanted to note his ability to read double teams and skip passes to make the defense shift. He only recorded 3 assists, but he had a plethora of possessions that his pass led to the ball rotating and eventually generated a bucket.?

Ace Bailey continued to play hard and I respected that. Recorded 24 points and 7 rebounds. At 6’8 and the elevation he has on his jumper, there are so many shots he can create because of how high he gets off the floor and his high release point. There’s plenty of upside as a shot creator when he gets hot offensively, it’s very hard to cool him off as a defender. 

I know the transfer portal is a huge deal and labeled as the wave in college basketball, but these two will be impact freshmen and won’t be in college long.?

Columbus Found Rhythm and Defeat Archbishop Ryan

The evening matchups all were basically a tale of two halves. Columbus (Fla.) vs. Archbishop Ryan (Pa.) was no different.?

Ryan slowed down the pace of the game and its zone defense gave Columbus fits early on. Causing turnovers and Columbus didn’t shoot it well from deep. Offensively it scored off a heavy dose of back-door cuts and post feeds to Georgetown commit Thomas Sorber (11pts 9rebs & 3 assists).?

Columbus eventually found their groove and went on a scoring tear. The Explorers just played a lot fast and started attacking the paint in the zone. Jase Richardson was very good in this one with 17 points and 8 rebounds. An athletic, lefty guard that once he gets downhill, he’s finishing around the rim and playing above the rim. 5 star forward Cameron Boozer started to show why he’s arguably the best in his class, as he finished better around the rim and started utilizing his strength inside. He recorded 26 points, 8 rebounds on 62 percent shooting.?

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RELATED: 5 Things We Learned At Hoophall West

Boogie Fland, 2024 6’3 PG - Archbishop Stepinac (NY)
Dynamic pg going to Kentucky put on a show and led Stepinac to a win vs Perry (AZ) in a matchup of FAB 50 ranked teams. He compiled 27 points and showed high level shot creation. Good first step, creates separation off the bounce and is an adequate passer. Making a strong case as a Burger Boy and a top 15 player in his class.

Danny Carbuccia, 2025 6’0 PG - Archbishop Stepinac (NY)
Speedy guard that gets downhill. His ability to get plenty of paint touches generates a lot of attention of the defense, which allows him to find the open shooters on kickouts. As a shooter, he seems capable and he made the game winning three-pointer for Stepinac, but I wouldn’t say three point shooting is a strength of his. Regardless, tough, fast guard that’s a regular visitor in the paint.

Koa Peat, 2025 6’8 PF - Perry (AZ)
Koa makes plays that translate. A big physical wing-forward that’s a strong playmaker. Quality mid-range scorer with a college ready frame that sees the floor well. Can resort to more of a bully-ball type of offense in spurts, but I thought he did an adequate job balancing his approach. His playmaking upside to go with his size and perimeter skills makes him a matchup nightmare and he's also a good passer off the double teams.

D’Andre Harrison, 2025 6’5 SF - Perry HS (AZ)
Was very productive. Harrison is a lefty, utility wing that impacts winning. Rebounds and plays bigger than listed height, was a recipient of Koa Peat’s outlet passes that led to transition dunks and he connected on perimeter and mid-range shots off the catch.

Isiah Harwell, 2025 6’5 SG - Wasatch (UT)
Isiah had a fairly slow first half on Friday vs. AZ Compass Prep but in second half he showed why he’s a 5-Star guard in 2025. Made open shots, got to the rim when attacking closeouts and scored from the post when he had the size advantage. Energy and effort went up and he impacted the game on both ends. One aspect of Harwell I locked in on was his strong base. It allowed him to switch and hold own vs skinnier post players. There's alot to like about his game.

John Mobley Jr., 2024 6’0 PG - Wasatch (UT)
The Ohio State Signee was hot on the offensive end. Needs little space to connect on shots from three. He’s a versatile shooter that quickly launches off the catch, move and dribble effectively. Was player of the game in Wasatch key win vs AZ Compass.

Augustine Ekwe, 2025 6’10 C - Wasatch (UT)
Augustine from a physical profile draws similarities to TCU signee Malick Diallo who also plays at Wasatch. Augustine from what I was told has only played basketball for approximately 24 months, but I like what I saw. Engine stayed on, ran the floor, altered and blocks shots at the rim and showed promising touch with right handed hooks going over the left shoulder. Consistency will be key for him going forward especially as he’ll consume the starting role with Diallo out with an ACL injury for the season.

Jeremiah Fears, 2025 6’3 CG - AZ Compass (AZ)
Despite his team losing, I thought Fears was one of the bright spots on Friday evening. Got to the paint and completed crafty attempts at the rim, made shots off the bounce and showed adequate playmaking ability. Fears is more of a combo guard than his older broth Jeremy, but his play with be vital to AZ Compass' success in the EYBL Scholastic League.

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Kingston Flemings vs Waxahachie

It may seem weird to say this season could be a breakout year for 2025 Kingston Flemings of preseason FAB 50 No. 30 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) especially after last year’s performance. He’s already a top 100? player nationally, but I think he’ll solidify himself higher than that and into the top 50 range. At The First Look in Brennan’s scrimmage vs. FAB 50 bubble club Waxahachie,? Kingston strung together a 17-pt. 11-reb and 6-ast performance. Kingston’s balance of scoring and passing was present in this matchup. He got to the paint, zipped passes to the open man when the defense gravitated heavily to him. His added strength with plus vertical pop allowed him to rebound in traffic and ignite fast and secondary breaks. Best guard in the state of Texas and holds a strong argument of being the best player in his class in Texas.

Antoine  & Armon Almuttar vs Denton

The Almuttar twins of Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, Texas) are a handful to cover. The 2026 duo are versatile players that can impact the game in a multitude of ways. Rebounding, transition playmakers, paint finishers through contact and make a jumper when left open.

In Parish Episcopal School's scrimmage victory vs Denton, Antoine Almuttar had 17 points, seven rebounds, 6 assists and four steals on 70 percent shooting.?

Armon collected 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.

LD Jones vs Kimball

It was a fun matchup between Kimball and North Forney. Fast paced, athletic plays and a lot of talking on the court. 2025 LD Jones of North Forney accumulated 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting and two steals. An athletic, downhill guard that thrived in the pace of the game and showcased his speed and vertical pop in transition. Led his team to a win. Also wanted to point out Kei’von Johnson’s statline: 17 points, three rebounds and three steals.

Jaylon Dean-Vines vs North Forney

Speaking of athletic power, 2025 Jaylon Dean-Vines for Kimball has a lot of that. An explosive wing-guard that gets off the ground fast and high; even in traffic. He exploded for 24 points on 10 for 12 shooting and 3-of-3 from deep.?

TK Lawson vs LD Bell

Versatility and feel are big strengths when it comes to T.K. Lawson. At about 6’6-6’7 Lawson knows how to play. A 2024 prospect that’s a swiss army knife. Functional handle, a playmaker in the open court and has strong rebounding instincts. 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists on 7-of-9 shooting.?

Tyreek Swindle vs Pace Academy

Someone that has made huge strides in his game. A 2026 guard that’s engine stays on. Although it was a loss for Roosevelt (Dallas, Texas), Swindle accumulated 18 points and five rebounds, as he seems comfortable in his mid-range game and has a nose for the ball.

David Wilson vs Red Oak

This Grind Prep Academy group is very well coached and their game vs. North Crowley was a good evaluation game. 2024 David Wilson flies up and down the court. An athletic finisher that’s an active rebounder, assertive driver to the rim and an adequate help-side shot-blocker. Wilson finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Grind Prep’s scrimmage win.

Dawson Battie vs LD Bell

A monster game for 2027 Dawson Battie. A 6’6 wing that’s one of the best prospects we have in the class. He recorded 24 points & 10 rebounds in St. Marks’ win vs LD Bell. Someone that can mix it up with his scoring. Can go inside as a driver and offensive rebounder and finish. Also a young player that can handle on the perimeter and make shots off the bounce. Crazy upside with this one.?

Zolan Skinner vs PSAT National

Richardson Lake Highlands will be a formidable team in UIL 6A this season. 2024 Zolan Skinner is coming to his own. He's a 6’5 athletic wing-forward that plays with a high motor. Mid-range shooting has improved, he rebounds well for size and finishes above the rim. He’s learning how to play the game and showing progression in his skill-level. 19 points, seven rebounds in Lake Highlands’ win vs PSAT.?

Jeremia Buress vs BigTyme Regional

IL-Texas had to reload after its team made it to the championship game last season in TCSAAL. 2024 Jeremia Buress made key plays in this 9 am matchup. Got to the rim and finished, kept the defense honest draining a three ball, plus I liked his intensity on the defensive end. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

Nicholas Addison vs RWG Stem

Cedar Hill plays with a lot of aggression. Defends full court, embrace physicality as a group and will be a tough matchup for anyone in the state. Lefty 2024 wing Nicholas Addison led the way for Cedar Hill vs RWG Stem. Had 13 points , five assists and two rebounds, as he knew how to carve space on his drives going left and showed improved poise when navigating through traffic to make the right basketball play.

Ethan Sheats vs Crowley

One of the better 2026 prospects the state has to offer, Ethan Sheats of Denton (Guyer, Texas) is a 6’8 wing-forward with a ton of upside. Can make open shots from deep, comfortable getting into a mid-range pull-up and is active as a rebounder. In Denton’s loss vs Crowley, Ethan produced 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

R’Chaun King & Christian Alston vs Lancaster

Bartlett (Tenn.) bounced back well after its scrimmage game vs TACA, and secured a win vs Lancaster. The front-court duo of Christian Alston and R’Chaun King provided formidable scoring and rebounding. Alston, an Abiline Christian commit, recorded 18 points and five rebounds as he’s a high level finisher with an adequate pull-up game.? King is a load inside. A physical post that can stretch the floor out some. His bread and butter is his ability to absorb contact and finish. His statline was 17 points, 8 rebounds, five steals and three assists.

Isaiah Kalala vs Duncanville

The junior forward is coming along. He was more assertive and confident with the ball inside. His shot mechanics from the mid-range area looked clean and made more attempts to alter shots around the rim. Hopefully, this is the Kalala we see more of in his campaign with W.T. White (Dallas). In a win vs preseason FAB 50 No. 47 Duncanville, Kalala recorded 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks on 50 percent shooting.?

BJ Davis & Kayden Edwards vs Ischool

Duncanville secured a 66-52 victory in its scrimmage vs. Ischool and their 2025’s carried the offensive load. 6’6 wing B.J. Davis had 18 points, five rebounds and two assists, as he showed his scoring efficiency on spot-up situations and in isolation off minimal dribbles. Kayden Edwards had a game high of 23 points, four rebounds and two steals on 70 percent shooting. A lefty speedster that’s a legit threat from deep. Have to locate him at all times when you’re on defense. His ability to blow by the defender to get to the rim, but also be a threat to connect on step-back threes, makes him a tough cover.?

David Iweze vs Duncanville 

When 2025 David Iweze is locked in, he impacts games on both ends. Ischool was down 20 points and its run to decrease the deficit to six points was due to Iweze’s increase in his offensive aggression. Blocking shots, running rim to rim, finishing inside and cleaning up rebounds. He fouled out with a couple minutes left in the game, but David finished the matchup with 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

Mason White vs Hallsville

White in Denton Guyer’s win vs. Hallsville recorded a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double. A heady 2025 guard that gained plenty of paint touches. Driver to the rim, active on the offensive glass, as he collected six of them and albeit not shooting it well from deep, he gained an offensive rhythm by finding the rim.?

Anton McDermott vs Denton Guyer

I like Anton’s game. A 2024 prospect that falls fairly under the radar as a collegiate prospect. 6’5, quality movement shooter and plays with an edge. In Hallsville’s lost vs. Guyer (Denton, Texas), McDermott constructed a 22-point, 11-rebound and 3-steall outing. In my opinion, a D1 level player.?

Jordan Vasquez vs Seagoville

Efficient is the key word in Jordan’s performance vs Seagoville. 20 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep and he did that in 21 minutes of play. Jordan got hot early, gathered easy shots in transition and sprinted to spots while playing off the ball to gain a quality shot from deep.?

Trent Pane vs WT White

Allen’s overall defense was on lock vs WT White, only allowing 21 points in their matchup. 2025 guard Trent Pane is a handful. Athletic guard, albeit on the smaller side, is tough, can be a pesky defender and is a natural scorer with the ball in his hands.?

Leon Horner vs Waxahachie

2024 Leon Horner has been consistently good all fall. A 6’6 wing with a strong frame and playstyle. Switches and guards multiple positions, someone that excels in spot-up situations as a shooter, attacker on closeouts, hand-offs to get to his midrange jumper or be a driver to the rim. In Dynamic Prep’s scrimmage vs Waxahachie, Horner recorded 14 points on 66 percent shooting and five rebounds.?

TJ Burch & Perico Smith vs Bartlett 

Another fun game to watch. The TACA Storm group played with a meanstreak. In its rout vs. Bartlett HS, McNeese State commit TJ Burch led the way with 19 points and four steals and got wherever he wanted to on the court. Additionally, his finishing abilities translate to the college level. One of the best guards in the 2024 class in Texas. 2024 Perico Smith is a 6’4 combo that recorded 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. A strong built guard with a crafty handle. Really can score it in isolation and make plays for others.

Tyran Mason vs Mesquite Horn

The UNT commit is a pure bucket. A three level scorer that can make tough shots consistently. In Plano’s win vs Mesquite Horn, Mason put together 24 points on 61 percent shooting, six rebounds and four assists. A great pick-up for UNT and someone that shows translatable scoring power.

Bryce Melvin vs Kimball

Someone that is putting himself in the high major prospect category in 2025. Melvin of RWG was a matchup problem for Kimball. In a loss, Melvin orchestrated 16 points, nine rebounds and six steals. A sturdy built guard that’s found an appropriate shot diet and improving his balancing act of playmaking and scoring?

Parker Jefferson vs SA Brennan

The result of the scrimmage vs SA Brennan for Waxahachie wasn’t ideal, but 2025 big man Parker Jefferson excelled in his role. A skilled big man with a functional handle for his size and scores it with back to the basket and face-up game. Finished matchup with 18 points, 6 rebounds and two steals on over 50 percent shooting.?

Kaison Mebane vs Leadership Prep

Pace Academy has a talented group and finished 2-0 in its scrimmages at The First Look. Athletic 2024 guard Kaison Mebane had a monster statline in their morning win vs Leadership Prep. 14 points, seven rebounds and a whopping seven steals. A downhill off-guard that thrives in transition as a finisher and active as an off ball cutter.?

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Nic Codie Has Added Muscle

It was my first time seeing 2024 Nic Codie play since the NCAA July live viewing period, and he looks stronger. He played stronger as well, while playing through contact to garner a rebound and on drives, he embraced contact better to get to his spots to finish. Now he isn’t completely out-muscling guys, but the added strength definitely is helping him. Liked his motor and consistency at Wootten. 

2024 Evals

Jalen Shelley, 6’8 Wing - Link Year Academy (MO): Coming from Frisco, Texas, Shelley was good at Wootten Camp. Lefty that showed his scoring prowess. Comfortable getting to the mid-range and shooting, but overall, he seemed to be more comfortable shooting off the bounce. A versatile scoring threat, that when hot, can make shots in bunches. 

David Castillo, 6’1 PG - Sunrise Christian (KS): From Oklahoma, the K-State pledge played well at Wootten Camp. Was hot from deep, showed extended range and because he was such a threat from 3-point land, he was able to get to the rim and finish strong. 

Micah Robinson, 6’6 Wing - Oak Hill (VA): Also coming from the DFW, I thought the TCU commit was solid. Played the right way, moved the ball and made threes off the catch. Wasn’t very assertive, but he made the right basketball play and worked within the flow of the game. A power wing that’s a dependable 3-point shooter and utilizes his body on drives. 

Dillon Battie, 6’7 PF - Lancaster (TX): Talk about power, Dillon plays with a lot of it. Strongly built, plays very well off of two feet and showed an improved jumper. Dillon's engine continues to go and when he finds his perfect blend of inside-out scoring, he can be a matchup problem at the next level. Has official visits set up with Washington and Washington State.

The 2026’s Shined

Thought it was a good showing for the 2026 prospects from the Southwest Region. Jacob Lanier (Maumelle, AR) out of Arkansas really showed his playmaking. He got to spots, made the right read consistently and shot it well off the catch. Someone that’s impactful playing on and off the ball. Will hear his name amongst the upper tier of that class nationally until he graduates. A lot of upside with this one.

JJ Andrews (Little Rock Christian Academy, AR) made an impact especially in transition. A power athlete that was fantastic in transition, as he displayed his athleticism. He was a strong driver to the rim, absorbing contact well and flashing his shooting when the defense played off of him. Showed why he’s nationally known and continuing to rise. 

From Texas, I was impressed with Dakari Spear (The Colony, TX). A 6’4 combo that shows adequate shot making abilities. Doesn’t have crazy blow by speed but he’s crafty, uses body to generate separation and holds good elevation on his pull-up jumper. Trent Perry (Frisco Lone Star, TX) made his presence known as well. Athletic but uses go-go gadget arms to finish over taller defenders. Like his upside as a defender, his shot mechanics look cleaner and he seems more comfortable shooting from 3-point land. Alex Barther (Eastern Hills, TX) is a big wing that plays with energy in this atmosphere. He’s versatile, I was interested in seeing how he would be versus the older guys and I thought he was just fine. He looked comfortable getting to the mid-range, competing on the defensive end. Definitely think he’s a plus team defender that communicates. I know what Barther can do offensively, but it’s the other stuff that impressed me. Can impact games without the scoring. 

Hudson Greer Continues To Perform

No matter the event, 2025 Hudson Greer seems to be productive. Pangos Camps, heard great things at USA Basketball, fall league games,  and now here at Wootten 150 Camp. An athletic wing that's an opportunistic scorer. Attacks the rim on closeouts and when receiving a hand-off, finds the ball on missed shots and puts it back with slams, running the floor and finishing transition plays. His shooting is coming along and he makes open threes. Better shooter off the catch, but his overall off the dribble shooting has seen an up-tick as well. He’s putting himself in the category as a potential McDonald’s All American for 2025. It’s early, there’s a lot of basketball to be played, but he’s helping himself a lot.

2025 Evals

Jaden Toombs, 6’9 C - Dynamic Prep (TX): Jaden was very solid. He knows how to play and he has great touch around the rim. He also flashed his 3-point shooting as a pop guy. He's commitment to improving his body, expanding his game, but not floating and settling. 

Leroy Kelly IV, 6’2 2/1 CG - Dynamic Prep (TX): It’s a big year for Leroy. In years past, he primarily played off the ball but he’s transitioning on playing more of a primary ball-handler role. I believe he’s a better decision maker than he was a year ago so I think the transition is going fine but he hasn’t learned how to blend it all together yet. When he’s confident in his jumper, he’s a hard cover because he’s a versatile shooter. Combined that with improved passer feel and skills, he can put a lot of pressure on the defense.

Jermaine O’Neal, 6’5 Wing - Dynamic Prep (TX): Really showed his mid-range scoring prowess. Jermaine takes shots you probably wouldn’t want others to take but they go in. Contested one-legged fades, pull-up jumpers with a hand in his face, O’Neal isn’t fazed by the defender and puts the ball in the hole. 

Kayden Edwards, 6’2 2/1 CG - Duncanville (TX): A lefty scoring guard with supreme confidence. Made shots from deep, has a short memory and is fast with the ball. Love his upside as a scorer and playmaker.

Dorian Hayes, 6’4 SG - Ridgepoint (TX): I like Hayes' upside. A scoring guard that has his best basketball is ahead of him. He uses his length on the offensive end as a shooter. Extending over the contest, Hayes uses minimal dribbles to create space and generate shot opportunities. Doesn’t get talked much in this class but he’s one to keep tabs on.

King Grace, 6’4 2/1 CG - Waxahachie (TX): A scoring guard that has improved as a live dribble passer. I know he can score the ball but I wanted to see how he’s improved as a passer and overall decision maker. It’s definitely better than it was in the past, but there’s still times he puts himself in no-win opportunities on offense. Shot looks cleaner as well and he’s a confident scorer that can fill it up quick. 

David Iweze, 6’8 PF/C - Ischool (TX): David has made big strides since April and is playing with more confidence. Grabs rebounds and initiates transition breaks. A good passer but a risky one at that so he’ll have goofy turnovers. He’s a versatile offensive threat with a good feel of the game. When his motor is on, he’s uber effective.  

Cam Smith, 6’6 SF - Duncanville (TX): Cam continues to grow on me. First saw him in Atlanta in the summer and he was good, but he’s improved since March. Playing more in control and with better balance. He made athletic finishes in transition, showed a more functional handle and has improved as an overall shooter. High upside with this one, such as Dorian Hayes, is good now but will be really good later. 

Outside The Region Observations

I have many notes from prospects even outside the Southwest and I came away very impressed with 2026 Chris Washington (The Villages, FL). A big wing-forward with long arms. He can make shots with space, assertive on the glass and is a rim deterrent. He has some rawness to him offensively, as he can get out of control at times but his upside is tremendous. Will be ranked high in his class throughout his high school career. 

More Notes

Donnie Freeman, 2025 6’9 PF - IMG (FL): Motor was continuously running and was making shots as a trail, pop or spot up guy. Mixed energy, effort, toughness and perimeter shooting well and was one of the top performers there. 

Moustapha Thiam, 2025 7’ C - DME Academy (FL): Has gotten stronger and is playing through contact better. Faced up and scored, had a good amount of offensive rebounding attempts and showed upside as a guy that can space the floor down the road. 

Nikolas Khamenia, 2025 6’7 PF/SF - Harvard Westlake (CA): Skill and feel. That immediately stands out when watching Nikolas plays. Terrific footwork, shooting touch and is crafty. Understands angles very well and keeps the defense guessing. What helps him out as well is his passing feel. He hits the open target or the guy in stride which then opens up his scoring opportunities. 

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Jacob Lanier Put on A Scoring Exhibition

I remember my first time watching 2026 Jacob Lanier at this camp last year and he was impressive. This year, he’s been dominant. Scoring on all three levels, exhibiting improved vertical pop and composure with the ball in his hands. He averaged 37 ppg on Saturday and turned in a Camp MOP-worthy performance on the first day.

Dorion Bowen Will Be A Common Name

I had a few people call me about any surprise-type players in this event and Dorion Bowen was the first player I had in mind. A 6’5 guard out of Memphis that can impact games with his passing and scoring. He’s selfless, maybe at times to a fault, but he wants to win, too. If it requires scoring, he’ll do that with finishes at the rim and an occasional deep jumper when defenses go under on ball-screens. An intuitive passer that puts his teammates in position to score. He's a high major prospect that will be in the national polls once more guys get their eyes on him. 

2026 Standouts

Seven Spurlock, 6’6 Guard - Frisco Memorial (TX): Strong built guard that plays with power. Lefty that initiates contact on drives and finishes at the rim. Dunks in the open court, flashed his improved jumper and looked like a man amongst boys at moments. A name to know in 2026 that’s receiving high major recruitment.

Trent Perry, 6’4 Wing-Guard - Frisco Lone Star (TX): To me was the best prospect in this camp last year and he’s having another quality outing this year. Long, athletic, sports cleaner mechanics on his jumper and saw him connect off the bounce. A real problem in transition or in space because he makes athletic, coordinated plays no-one else at the camp can do. Perry showed why he’s ranked nationally.

Armon Almuttar, 6’4 Wing - Parish Episcopal (TX): He’s someone that coaches and evaluators will try to figure out what he is from a positional standpoint. He’s 6’4, but plays like he’s 6’8. He doesn’t have a crazy strong handle but it’s hard to rip him because he has a stocky frame and broad shoulders. He’s not speeding past guys but he’s so strong that he creates space with his frame off the bounce.

Almuttar is a basketball player at the end of the day...He rebounds, he knows how to use his body and although the shot has improved, it has ways to go. He’s confident in it, however, and it'll go in from time to time. I can’t pinpoint what level he projects to but Almuttar is a D1 prospect and what he can become at his peak; he’ll be a matchup nightmare.

Silas Rodriguez, 6’4 SG - Denton Guyer (TX): Scored it well and efficiently. Silas shoots with range and can attack closeouts a lot better than he could a year ago. I can tell he’s worked on his body and ball handling as he’s more comfortable making plays off the bounce. Two 20 plus point game performances on Saturday.

Nasir Price, 6’4 PG - Seven Lakes (TX): Adequate positional size and length, Nasir exhibited a balance in his playmaking and scoring. Was strong in transition, saw some scoring off the bounce where he created separation with his fades and step-backs where I think there’s a lot of promise with. 

Bryce Dixon, 6’4 Wing - The Colony (TX) Tough minded wing that plays through contact. Saw a lot of grab and going after securing rebounds; Dixon plays with an edge and inner confidence that allows him to make his presence felt on the court. Just gets things done on the court. 

Bo Ogden, 6’6 Wing - St. Michaels (TX): Talk about someone that’s improved body and handle. Bo Ogden first hit my radar as a freshman at the TABC Scholastic Event in 2022 and he was connecting from deep in spot-up situations. He’s now comfortable attacking with either hand, solid at finishing at the rim and still lethal shooting from 3-point land. 

Davion Adkins, 6’8 PF - Faith Family (TX): Lefty with an ideal athletic and physical profile. Plays above the rim, covers ground on defense, rebounds out of his area and expanding his offensive game. Offensively Adkins shows real upside because he can mix it up. Either that’s rim running and finishing, making an open jumper, a driver to the rim, offensive rebound/putback guy, there’s a multitude of ways Adkins can score the basketball but once he figures out the right blend he’ll be a problem.

James Sanderson, 6’2 2/1 CG - Frisco Emerson (TX): Definitely in the scoring guard prototype, Sanderson is an adequate shot creator and is a willing passer. Albeit being very good at scoring, Sanderson uses the gravity he generates from the defense to find the open man in the half-court setting. Impressive outing. 

Ethan Sheets, 6’8 SF/PF - Denton: Good positional size and someone that can expand the court for the offense. Seen him make shots as a trail guy, spot-up on the wing and ran the floors well to get the ball and finish. Crazy upside with this one if he figures it out.

Alex Barther, 6’6 Guard - Eastern Hills (TX): Was solid. A big guard prospect that looked more comfortable on pull-up shots and was at his best when he was assertive with the ball and getting to the rim. Have seen him play better, but Barther showed why he’s receiving high major recruitment.

Jacori Jones, 6’ PG - Denton Braswell (TX): Lefty guard that can shoot with range. Gets in a rhythm well off the dribble and connects well off the bounce. Crafty as a finisher and knows how to contort his body vs rim protectors to finish. Can over dribble at times, but I thought overall was really good. 

Notables

DJ Ogoemeka, 6’11 C - WT White (TX)

Chandler Cornell, 5’10 PG - Lone Star (TX)

Solomon Bradshaw, 5’9 PG - Universal Academy (TX)

Luke Susko, 6’5 SF - Flower Mound Marcus (TX)

Phoenix Woodson, 6’7 PF - Crossings Christian (OK)

Lance Williams, 6’7 PF - Ischool (TX)

Chaz Wallace, 5’9 PG - Crandall (TX)

Robert Moore, 6’ PG - Keller Timber-Creek (TX)

Kingston Willis, 5’11 PG - Faith Family (TX)

Kelan Collins, 5’8 PG - Mexia (TX)

2027 & 2028 Standouts

Dawson Battie, 2027 6’7 SF - St. Marks (TX): Dawson will be someone known nationally when it’s time for that class. He has size, perimeter skills and his motor is coming along. Versatile offensively as he can play multiple spots and score it in multiple ways. 

Isaac Hayes, 2027 5’9 PG - North Crowley (TX): Productive lead guard that’s tough. Gets paint touches and makes the right play. Keeps his dribble alive and makes effective passes off the live dribble. Not a game I’ve seen in the fall period, where Isaac hasn’t made a positive impact to some capacity.

Terrell Jackson, 2028 6’8 C - Berry MS (TX): The big fella will be really good in high school. Coming along nicely as he understands how to rebound, use length to alter shots at the rim and offensively plays through contact on finishes. He’s raw and has a long way to go but what he’ll be at 18 yrs old can be something serious. 

DeMarrion Wickware, 20276’5 PF/SF - Kimball (TX): A skilled tweener that can mix it up inside and out. He’s a tough cover due to his size, touch and footwork. Looks to still be growing and has baby fat on him. Best basketball is ahead of him. 

Brandon Wright, 2027 6’2 CG - Little Rock Central (AR): A combo that played either guard position comfortably. Has a good feel as a passer, but Wright had the intent to score on Saturday. Off the dribble shooting and ability to the paint and score. 

King Gibson, 2027 6’4 Guard/Wing - The Burlington School (NC): Best 2027 prospect at the camp. Athletic, plays above the rim, capable shooter and has a plus wingspan. Been one of the best 2027 prospects I’ve seen nationally so far.

Kameron Hicks, 2027 6’2 Guard - Little Rock Christian Academy (AR): I like Kameron a lot. Rebounds well for a guard, understanding in a camp setting, if he wants to receive more touches, go rebound and push. A scorer that played through contact and showed adequate pull-up game.

James McCall Spears, 2027 6’6 PF: Lakeview (TX): He’s one that may be a late bloomer, but he may end up in the upper tier of his class when it’s all said and done. Skilled on the block and has footwork and touch. A broad frame and looks like he’s still growing. We’ll come back to this article in two or three years.

Tyrone Jamison, 2027 6’2 PG - Calvary Christian (LA): Last but definitely not least is Tyrone Jamison. He was the best 2027 guard at the camp. How fluid he is with the ball in his hands, his shooting stroke and play-making prowess stood out for me. He quickly came to my radar the first possession I saw the ball in his hands.

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Tyler Jackson Headlines Guard Play ON 5v5 Play

I got to see Team Thrill a decent amount this spring/summer and one thing I knew: 2025 Tyler Jackson can do is score the basketball. I saw more of a blend at OTE and it made him an even more effective scorer. He got where he wanted on the court and if he got too deep into the teeth of the defense, he found the open man on passes or kept his dribble alive to get into better positioning to play make. Liked Jackson's poise, scoring prowess and overall impact he made during the scrimmages. 

Other Guard Standouts 

Jayden Wilkins, 6’1 2027 PG: Son of former NBA player Damien Wilkins. Holds wiggle off the bounce and can shoot with range. Liked what I saw in 3v3 play and some in the 5v5 play with the older guys. A lot of talent in this one and will be a high major prospect. 

Daquan Davis, 6’1 2024 PG: Providence commit knows how to win. Communicates, competes on both ends, knows how to get where he needs to on the court and showed he’s dependable making open shots from deep. Liked his toughness and ability to lead/manage games.

Trey Parker, 6’1 Guard: The NC State commit didn’t participate in the 5v5 play, but did got at it in the 3v3 competition. Athleticism stood out with his shiftiness off the bounce. Adequate rebounding instincts for a guard, as he’s able to secure the ball in traffic due to quick leaping abilities. The most explosive guard and arguably player on the roster. 

Mike Brown, 6’2 2025 PG: A crafty, skilled guard that also didn’t participate in 5v5 but looked good in the drills and 3v3. Has gotten taller over the past year, offensive game looks more polished and he is a marksman from deep. Game came easy for Brown and was not phased by the physicality of the older guys. 

Karter Knox, Bryson Tiller Round Out My Top 3 From Tuesday

A lot to like about Karter Knox’s game as far as translatable skill. He's a 6’6 wing with a strong frame, athletic and can create on the perimeter. Knox honestly looked like he could play college basketball right now. Impressed with how he was in the skills session, 3v3 and 5v5 play. Definitely caught the eye of NBA Scouts.

Bryson Tiller continues to polish his game as a 2025 prospect. Jumper looked clean and made shots from mid-range and deep off the catch but I also saw him attack closeouts, looked to get to the rim and his passing is an under the radar aspect of his game. One of the best and productive players I’ve seen in a loaded 2025 class. Has a game that impressed NBA scouts.

Wing/Frontline Notes

Jahki Howard, 6’6 2024 SF: Explosive vertically and looks to dunk anything given minimal space. But we know all that about Jahki and what he showed on Tuesday was the perimeter skills. Off the dribble shooting, off the catch and overall just the handle. The handle can still be tighter and sometimes he over dribbled, but it didn’t look mechanical or goofy. A very talented prospect that at times looked like the best player in the building. 

John Bol, 7’1 2024 C: Plays with a lot of energy and shows promising touch around the rim. A shot deterrent inside and runs the floor hard. I like his charisma on the court and he seems to just enjoy competing. At 7’1 with a 7’6 wingspan, Bol utilizes length and height to compensate for lack of strength. The jumper doesn’t look bad, but he has a long way to go for it to be dependable. Interested to see how that develops over the years.

Kanon Catchings, 6’8 2024 SF: He has all the tools and the Purdue commit sometimes played the part on Tuesday. He has a nice shot off the catch, adequate handle for size and is a good athlete it just seemed like he couldn’t piece it all together. Could have put energy in other aspects of the game when the shot wasn’t falling. Regardless, you can see when he’s on and energy is high, he looks like a no brainer, 5-star player.

Darrion Sutton, 6’8 SF: Listed as a 2023 but was told he’ll go to college next season. I was impressed with Sutton at the Pangos All American Camp in June but here he did leave me wanting more. Has positional size, length and vertical pop, just struggled in the half-court setting. In transition you can see his eye-popping athleticism and the jumper is coming along. Big year of growth for him.

Nathan Missia-Dio, 6’9 SF/PF: A player eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft. At his size, Nathan can connect from deep off the catch and move. He didn’t see a shot he didn’t like so selection got questionable at times, but I can see the talent. Big wing shooter at the next level but still has ways to go. 

Jah Jackson, 6’11 C: Jah has really put in the work on his game and body. I really wish he had college eligibility because he would be an All Conference big-man. Still, a lefty center with a large, strong frame with touch inside the arc. He also flashed a mid-range and three point shot as well. He uses broad shoulders to generate space inside and is a load when he’s five feet in.

Samis Calderon, 6’7 2024 SF: An intriguing prospect with a 7’1 wingspan. Athletic, strong in the open court as a finisher. Long strides, crazy upside as a defender and although offensive game needs work, he shows a skill-set to build on. 

Marcis Ponder, 6’11 2026 C: A problem in the paint. Marcis has great hands, touch and moves well for someone at 6’11, 288 pounds. Was very productive with his touches, boxing out and can rebound out of his area. Just overall a promising prospect with translatable strength, size and a growing skillset. 

Somto Cyril, 2024 6’10 C: Most explosive big man on the roster. The Kentucky commit completed offensive put-backs, lobs and dump-offs with emphatic jams. An adequate shot blocker as well that runs the floor very well. Limited offensive skill-set outside of dunking and rebounding, but he’s really good at what he does. 

Lincoln Crosby, 2027 6’9 PF/SF: Tantalizing upside with this one. Has size, can shoot it and doesn’t handle it bad at all for a kid his size and age (14 years old). The speed and physicality in the 5v5 play was too much for him at his current stage but that’s perfectly fine. When it comes to upside, no one had a higher ceiling in my opinion. 

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The Lonestar Top 100 Camp goes back over a decade ago and I was glad to be back in the gym. Stats were provided by Xccelerated Sports Metrics and there was a loaded crop of talent. In this edition, we headline the 2025 class and the junior prospects that performed well.

Bryce Melvin is Making High Major Case

A lot to like about Bryce Melvin of RWG Stem. At 6-foot-4 ish and making the transition of playing more on the ball. A year ago at this time, he was more of a spot-up candidate but now we are seeing his shot creating capabilities and playmaking. The pass that leads to the assists, 3-point shooting and utilizing his strong canvas to seal and gain advantageous positioning for rebounds. Averaged 10 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg on 50 percent shooting. In a loaded 2025 class nationally and in the state of Texas, Melvin is putting himself on the tier of the high major prospects. He just needs to be consistent and add to the resume. Big school year ahead for him.

Backcourt Standouts

Cam Marks, 6’1 PG - John Paul II: Cam was good. Actually, he was really good and with his up and down spring/summer performance-wise, I thought I saw the Cam I'm accustomed to seeing. A crafty guard that balances playmaking and scoring. When his motor is on and he stays in attack mode with the ball in his hands, he looks like a higher end D1 prospect. Averaged 18 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg on 72 percent shooting. Was the best guard performer at the camp regardless of class. 

Jamison Thrower, 6’3 CG - WT White: A strong framed guard that gets downhill and finishes well. A late bloomer of sorts that actually didn’t play much during the 2022-23 school year on varsity. He’s tough, he gets where he wants, defends the full length of the floor and is emerging as a D1 prospect in the 2025 class. Averaged 11 pppg and 3 rpg a game.

Ardon West, 6’3 SG - WT White: A burly built off-guard that got to the paint. Utilized strength and frame combined with handle to get to the rim and displayed the ability to make an open perimeter jumper to keep the defense honest. Averaged 7 ppg on 50 percent shooting.

Jaylon Brown, 6’2 PG - Dallas Skyline: Jaylon is made a statement as a prospect in the 2025 class in Texas. Good positional size and length, plays with a chip on his shoulder and shifty with the ball. What’s more impressive is how much better Brown got in the past year. A downhill guard that competes on both ends and can impact games in a multitude of ways. Averaged 11 ppg, 4 rpg and 4 apg. A lot of upside with this one. 

Dillon Watt, 5’11 PG - Greenhill: A pg with a good feel for the game. Didn’t do much at all the first game, but the second game he showed his playmaking and scoring. Good as a decision maker on ball screens, able to find the roller or open man for the shot and in transition he finished well and also made the right read. Had 8 points, 3 assists and 4 rebounds in his second game.

Smith, Sanders, Kalala Headline Front Court Standouts  

A decent amount of prospects with height were at the camp but three stood out amongst the crop of guys in 2025 and that was DJ Smith, Vonte Sanders and Isaiah Kalala. Smith is a 6-foot-9 forward out of Denison HS. He’s on the thin side, but he shows skill and feel. Faced up and made mid-range jumpers, used length to alter shots at the rim; made tips to his teammates on offensive rebound attempts to keep the possession alive. DJ Averaged 10 ppg, 8 rpg and one block per game.

Sanders, at about 6’7-6’8 gets a lot done. A high motor forward that’s agile. Sanders runs the floor, can grab rebounds and push, and also make shots as a trail guy. Like his offensive versatility and motor. Averaged 15 ppg, 5 rpg on 54 percent shooting.

Kalala in my opinion was the top performer, around the same height as Sanders, maybe a little taller, he shot the ball quite well from deep. More known as an athletic finisher, we saw more skill from him in this setting. Facing up and attacking the slower footed bigs, made 3-pointers comfortably from top of the key as well as doing what we know he excels at, and that’s playing above the rim on finishes. Averaged 17.5 ppg, 6 rpg on 64 percent shooting and 62 percent from three.

Other Front Court Standouts

Juan Areche, 6’6 PF/SF - Universal Academy: A skilled forward originally from Dominican Republic. Assertive with the ball in his hands and looked to get to the rim with his handle. Has a promising canvas that you can add weight to. Really more comfortable playing the three, but he’s a mismatch forward with a solid feel for the game. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 6 rpg on 60 percent shooting.

Josniel Hernandez, 6’5 SF - Universal Academy: Also from Dominican Republic, Hernandez is an athletic slasher that thrives in the open court as a finisher. On the skinny side, but has no problem absorbing contact and looking to finish. Active two-way guy that plays off his athleticism.?

Ambrose Carter, 6’6 PF/SF - WT White: A tweener with a strong frame. Athletic, runs the floor and showed ability to attack closeouts and finish at the rim.

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The Lonestar Top 100 Camp goes back over a decade ago and I was glad to be a part of it. Stats were provided by Xccelerated Sports Metrics and the event had a loaded crop of talent. In this edition, we headline the 2024 class and the prospects that performed well in that class. 

John Price Is A Division 1 Prospect

John Price’s name isn’t unfamiliar amongst basketball people in the state of Texas, but I do think what is going under the radar is how much better he’s gotten. At 6-foot-6 and a jumbo athlete, Price has expanded his offensive game. Dunking everything, making open threes and attacking closeouts to get to the rim & he’s more coordinated now. He averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds at the camp. His progress from a year ago is impressive and I believe Price is a no brainer D1 player. Expect a big year from him at WT White.

Khadim Diongue Is One To Keep Tabs Of

Khadim was one of the surprises at camp. At 6-foot-5 and can play SG/SF, Diongue showcased his versatility. Uses length to score around the basket, a lefty that’s a solid jumpshooter and he had a high amount of offensive rebound attempts. He led all campers in scoring with 18.5ppg on 63 percent shooting.

Breakout Year For Devin Boone

Red Oak High School made a deep run in the UIL Class 5A playoffs last year, but the roster looks different this year. Boone will be asked to shoulder a large amount of the offensive load. When entering high school he was primarily a slasher/driver type of off-guard, but now he’s turning into a dependable 3-and-D guy with improved ball skills. Like his toughness as a on-ball defender, his versatility as a deep range shooter, regardless of its a spot-up or running off screens. Boone averaged 10 ppg on 45 percent shooting from three at the event.

Notables

Kabron Lewis, 6’2 PG - Nathan Halle (OK): Averaged a solid 8 points and 2 rebounds a game. An attacking point guard with a good feel for the game, Lewis was really good in transition as a finisher and playmaker. Quietly was one of the most impressive guards we had at the whole camp.

Ben Price, 6'6 SF/PF-WT White: The twin brother of John Price, Ben is also a big-time athlete but has more of a presence inside. Footwork and touch from 8-12ft out is clean, and he can make a 3-pointer as a trail guy. His energy mixed with athleticism and touch stood out.

Eric Castaneda, 5’8 PG - Kimball: Averaged 10 points and 3 rebounds. Erik’s size doesn’t pop out at you, with being only 5-foot-8 but he can shoot with range and he’s scrappy. Liked his energy and ability to stretch the floor.

Santana Spivey, 6’5 SF - Grand Prairie: Was the third leading scorer at camp. Averaged 17 points and 4 rebonds a game. At 6-foot-5 with a quick trigger and is a marksman from deep, Spivey, when he’s on, can make 3-pointers in an array of ways. This was good to see him perform efficiently at this level.

Chase Nelson, 6’2 PG - TACA: Chase has put himself in the conversation as one of the better pg’s Dallas has to offer in 2024. Strongly built, defends with physicality, gets to the paint whenever he wants and is an adequate playmaker. Holds a Sacramento State offer.

Alex Russell, 6’2 SG - John Paul II: Didn’t make shots with the efficiency I’m accustomed to seeing, but I like the shooting stroke and his feel of playing off the ball. Constant mover off the ball and can make shots beyond the 3-point line. 

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I conclude my coverage of the TCU Elite Camp by taking a deep dive on the 2025 prospects that performed well. The 2025 class nationally is loaded and it’s also loaded in Texas. Let’s take a look.

RELATED: 2026 Standouts at TCU Elite Camp

Parker Jefferson, Jason Scott Look Healthy Again

It’s really a process in recovering from serious injuries. For the body to be 100% physically, the conditioning needing to be on point and also the confidence to do things on the court the player was accustomed to doing prior to the injury.?

Junior (2025) big man Parker Jefferson is back healthy and has shedded some weight. He showed off his passing skills, post-play and handle in the open court. He’s never going to be a big-time vertical athlete but he’s smart, knows how to use his body to carve out space and his touch from around the rim and outside the arc was exhibited at camp.?

Jason Scott, who was the Co-MVP of the Pangos FR/SOPH Camp in Dallas last year, has recovered from his leg injury. The spring & summer was a bumpy road but I can tell he’s back to his normal self. Slashing to the rim, a strong off-ball cutter that plays off two feet well to convert and capable of making shots from deep. Motor mixed with good-enough shooting & a high volume of rim pressure is what Scott brought to the table.

Cam Smith Is A Strong Addition to Duncanville

You can say it’s a reloading year for Duncanville High School, who finished No. 3 in the Ballislife FAB 50 Rankings for the 2022-2023 season, but pieces have been added and knowing David Peavy, he’ll have a team that’ll compete for a state title every year. Cam Smith is a welcoming addition to the squad. At 6’5 and sporting a 6’8 wingspan, Smith is a lefty wing-guard that plays with length. He thrives in transition as a finisher, attacks closeouts and is an adequate driver to the rim. Also, Smith is a capable shooter with clean looking mechanics. Defensively, he intercepted passing lanes and used length to bother shots when defending on-ball. Like the upside with this one, as Smith can be a defensive playmaker and also a versatile offensive threat down the road.

His teammate at Duncanville and the go-to-guy, Kayden Edwards, had a strong showing at the as well. Lefty with one of the fastest releases in the state and can make shots from all over the court. As his ball-skills and strength have improved, it’s allowed him to open his game and get to his shots. Prior, he was more of a spot up guy, but because he’s more comfortable creating and putting the ball on the floor, Edwards can keep the defense guessing on when he will release.?

Versatility of Kash Polk

Someone that may not have popped out to some but really impressed me was Kash Polk. He’s about 6’7 with plus arm length and he just gets a lot done on the court. Rebounds his butt off, is a grab and go candidate, looks to get to the rim, assertive pursuit to the rim and can make shots from the perimeter. An automatic double-double guy that competes on the defensive end, too. Seeing him commit to guarding the primary ball handler and also tussle with the bigs on the block was a good thing. Polk makes winning basketball plays and I think will end up in the 10-15 range in the 2025 class when it’s all said and done.?

South Grand Prairie Will Be One To Keep Tabs Of

South Grand Prairie has three 2025 prospects that catch my eye consistently and will play big roles this season. Cam Carroll is a 6’2 combo that’s a D1 guard. Physical, has a strong frame and is shifty with the ball. He showed more of his passing this last weekend and that’s been the swing skill for him…. How well or willing is he as a passer? I definitely believe he’s growing in that department as he’s someone that is a regular visitor to the paint and seen him make kick-out passes to the shooter in the corner or dump it off to the post. Cam Paul is a big wing at about 6’7 with guard skills. He can make tough shots and is strong as a pull-up shooter. Coupled with his motor and strength he’s added to his wiry build, Paul has emerged as a high major prospect in a loaded 2025 class. Markece Young is the last one and he’s a yunk-yard dog. Rebounder, defender, driver to the rim. Like his competitive nature and pursuit to get to the paint and finish.?

Guard Standouts

LD Jones, 6’3 2/1 CG - North Forney: Was a good performance day for LD. He can be inconsistent but he holds immense talent. An athletic guard that can score it in bunches. More comfortable playing off the ball but showed some nice playmaking abilities in the open court. 

Caleb Steger, 6’4 SG - Dallas Jesuit: Caleb showed his shooting prowess. A reliable shooter with a stockier frame. Regardless if that was on movement, spot up or mid-range pull-up, Steger was knocking it down.?

JaCobe Coleman, 6’2 CG - Pace Academy: A natural scorer that’s athletic. Gets downhill and finishes utilizing strength and touch. Holds a quick first step and fearless in regards to pulling the trigger from deep. 

Jaylon Dean-Vines, 6’5 Wing - Kimball: An athletic wing-scorer. Explosive finisher and an adequate pull-up shooter. Has improved as a shot creator in the last year and I expect a breakout year at Kimball. 

Roman Miller, 6’3 PG - Mustang (OK): I like this kid’s game a lot. A pg with good positional size and feel. A stable live-dribble passer that showed efficient mid-range game. I like how he balanced playmaking and scoring. He comes from a family of strong basketball bloodlines as his dad is the all-time leading scorer at East Central in Oklahoma.?

Jamison Thrower, 6’3 CG - WT White: A great addition to WT White, a team that carries an immense amount of size in the front-court. Jamison has a good canvas and can score and facilitate well. Got to the rim and when given space, he kept the defense honest by connecting on a couple jumpers.?

Leroy Kelly IV, 6’2 2/1 CG - Dynamic Prep: A natural scorer with good feel for the game. Leroy attacks closeouts well and has a clean pull-up jumper from mid-range and is a dependable shooter from deep off the catch. He’s been consistent and productive on offense everytime I see him and the TCU Elite Camp wasn’t anything different.

Bigs

David Iweze, 6’8 PF - Ischool: A forward prospect with more skill to his game than given credit. Handles well for position and size, outside of Parker Jefferson, was the second best big man passer at the camp and defensively covered ground due to his long arms and long strides.?

Amari Reed, 6’6 PF/C - Lancaster: Can tell Amari has been working on expanding his game. Attempted threes, although I didn’t see one go in I did see his willingness to drive to the rim and attempt jumpers when open. Still has ways to go but I can appreciate the fact that he will try to do the things he’s been working on in this setting. A hard-playing post with big-time length at over 7-foot. He tries to dunk everything, block everything and rebound every miss.?

Aidan Duran, 6’6 PF - PSAT: Was a solid contributor at the camp. Really a tweener that can score inside and out. A mismatch forward when his shot from the perimeter is on, he’s hard to guard.

Jayden Leverett, 6’9 C - Chapin: He was good at the camp. Still raw but played well. One thing that really stood out to me was how quick he processes things. He applied the post-moves and positioning that was taught at the camp and transferred it immediately to the game. That’s not normal in most camp settings, especially for bigs, but for Jayden it was no problem and it equated to success.

Hudson Goellner, 6’8 PF/C - Rockwall: A hard playing, strong forward that is active on the glass. Like his motor, ability to play through contact and get positioning inside. A glue guy that provides more than what’s seen on the stat sheet.

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Daniel Ogoemeka, Davion Adkins Went At Each Other/Ethan Sheats Eye Popping Stats

The second slate of games had the two most imposing front-line prospects from the camp in 2026 Daniel Ogoemeka and Davion Adkins. It was a contrast of two styles. Ogoemeka is 6-foot-11, strong and has long arms. He was a monster inside, displaying  emphatic dunks, big-time blocks and promising footwork with his back to the basket game. He finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and four blocks. Adkins, on the other hand, has a more high motor, finesse style approach. Built and plays stylistically similar to Ron Holland at the same age, too. Adkins used his length to finish above the rim, looked to collect every missed shot and flashed some of his face-up and perimeter game. Could end up being the best in the 2026 class state-wise and the top forward as well if he continues to expand his game and be productive without having the ball in his hands. Adkins finished the game with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Ethan Sheats, a forward out of Denton High School was really good. He’s 6-foot-8 and shows versatility. Sheats was the fourth leading scorer at the camp, averaging 21 ppg and led overall in rebounds with 9 rpg. This was the hardest I saw Sheats play in a while and I’ve been tracking him since last October. Can score from 15 feet out and also finish around the basket. I like that he didn’t settle for shots from the perimeter and looked to get easier attempts when the shot wasn’t falling. Will be really good later.

Xavier Young, Terrell Jackson Headline 2028 Standouts

Taking a look into the future, I really liked how Xavier Young and Terrell Jackson performed at the Cream Of The Crop. Xavier is about 6-foot-6 and can score inside and out. Looked comfortable shooting the three ball and defended well on the block in one vs. one situations. Real upside and ability of becoming a face-up 4-man down the road that’s a dependable inside-out scorer. 

Jackson is about 6-foot-8 and has really improved over the last year. Still a raw prospect. which is fine for a current eighth grader, but now he rebounds out of his area, is more comfortable scoring or getting a clean look on the block and defensively he is a shot deterrent. 

Notables

Emiliano Menchaca, 2026 6’7 PF/SF - Frisco Memorial: A skilled forward that has adequate feel for the game for his age. Has nice touch on floaters and can hit an open 3-pointer. Has deceptive vertical pop as well. Averaged 14 ppg and 5 rpg on 45 percent shooting. 

Dawson Battie, 2027 6’7 SF - St. Marks: A big wing prospect that is the son of long-time NBA’er Tony Battie and 2024 high major prospect Dillon Battie. Dawson has a strong frame, comfortably generating his own look off the bounce and has a smooth release from three (75 percent shooting from deep at the camp). Looking like another high major prospect in the Battie household. 

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2026 Class Really Stood Out

We didn’t see many of the high profile names in the 2025 class in this camp but for 2026, an adequate amount of the higher end talent was there. Seven Spurlock is a 6’5-6’6 lead guard that plays with a lot of poise. Plus passer, uses strength to get to spots and has improved as a shooter. Caught the eye of the staff with his play this weekend. Contending as the top player in that class state-wise.

Dakari Spear also is in that conversation and he’s very talented. A combo guard with a crafty handle. Changes speeds well, a solid shooter with clean pull-up game. High upside with the playmaking, too. Game comes easy to Spear. 

Currently the top prospect statewide, Trent Perry made eye-popping plays. Freakish athlete that sports a near 7-foot wingspan at 6-foot-4. Gets downhill, finishes vs. size and has a lot of upside of becoming a defensive play-maker. I like seeing Perry on the ball and looking to take more outside shots. Can tell he’s been working on it and albeit not being a dependable shooter, there has been progress with his shooting. 

Can’t forget about Alex Barther either as he joins the convo. A 6-foot-6 guard that has made strides in his game. Has good positional size, a scorer with good touch on his pull-up jumpers and can switch and be solid on the defensive end. Handle and decision making has vastly improved over the past year. Will be very interesting to see where he is as a senior. 

2026 Notables

Trae Nunn, 6’4 Wing - Waxahachie: Body looks good and has shed some weight. A versatile shooter that can connect on the move, off the catch and off the bounce when attacking closeouts. Really like the growth and commitment he’s made to development. 

Ethan Sheats, 6’8 PF - Denton: A 4-man with good size and could develop into a big wing down the road. Capable shooter from deep, driver to the rim and played with a good motor, especially on the glass. High upside guy that has ways to go but making progress. 

Davion Adkins, 6’8 PF - Oak Cliff Faith Family: Adkins was solid. I’ve seen him play better but it was a guard heavy camp, so touches inside didn’t come at the volume I honestly would’ve preferred. Regardless, a lefty forward that has made headway in expanding his game. Athletic, protects the rim well as a help-side shot blocker and offensively a strong put-back candidate, lob threat and catch-n-shoot guy from 15 feet out. 

Daniel Ogoemeka, 6’11 C - WT White: Didn’t have his best day, either, but being 6-foot-11 with long arms stands out. He blocked multiple shots each game, finishes above the rim and has promising touch around the rim. 

Carter Chism, 6’1 PG - Mt. Pleasant: Crafty scoring guard that has good touch on floaters and runners. His brother Payton, that’s at Collin County CC, is more of a pure point that’s a table-setter/manager that can really defend, but Carter looks more to score the ball, equipped with adequate mid-range pull-up, and has a lot of creativity with the handle. Should consume a larger role this season at Mt. Pleasant and lead them to the playoffs. 

Silas Rodriguez, 6’3 SG - Denton Guyer: A dependable shot-maker from deep, Silas played within his strengths and looked good doing it. Feel for the game, sufficient positional size and deep range shooting was displayed. 

Xavier Green, 5’9 PG - The Colony: Dakari Spear backcourt mate at The Colony strung together three solid games. Quick guard that got paint touches. He may not have ideal height but he’s shifty, puts pressure on the defense and can score it in bunches. 

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Trent Perry, Seven Spurlock Imposed Will
Court 1, Game 1 headlined two of the top tier players in 2026 with Seven Spurlock and Trent Perry. Trent had a loud 19-point, 5-rebound game with 50 percent shooting. Perry showcased an array of dunks, finishes in traffic and flashed a more confident jumper. He seems more comfortable as a secondary ball handler, but I think there’s upside with the shot creating and playmaking. Will be a big year for Perry in regards to skillset building but it’s going in the right direction. (Side note: Perry recorded 40-point 10-rebound game in his second outing.)

Spurlock strung together a 23-point, 7-rebound game on 11-13 shooting and he’s polishing his game. Attacking with his off hand better, jumper is cleaner as Spurlock showcased offensive versatility. Making simpler plays with passes and not attempting as many flashy throws. Will be a priority for high major coaches.

Chris Hunt Jr. is a Natural Bucket
A lot of high end Division 1 prospects have come out of Duncanville (Texas) and 2027 Chris Hunt Jr. has the makings of being another high major player when his high school career is over. He's a lefty scoring guard that plays with confidence. Strong pull-up and floater game, shifty off the bounce and has nice elevation on his jumper. First game he played he provided a 29-point performance of 73 percent shooting. As he continues to get stronger and adjust to speed of the varsity game, Hunt will provide quality play this high school season.

A Snap Shot of 2028 Guard Play
I wanted to highlight some of the top 2028 guards I saw in the camp. Josia Rose is a physical guard with advanced feel for his age. Embraced contact on drives and finished in a variety of ways. Connected open shots from deep and finished camp averaging eight rebounds a game.

Tahlan Jackson is a combo that’s a dependable shooter from deep. He makes the right reads and passes when playing on-ball and a promising movement shooter that’s active running off screens. Jackson's activity on the offensive end being able to make an impact when ball isn’t in his hands is what impressed me.

Maxwell Moody is somebody I saw in late July and he did more of the same things at the Cream Of The Crop. A talented guard prospect that holds a smooth offensive game. He's a better finisher around the rim than what he showed but does make the right basketball play. Blends simplicity and aggression offensively, which keeps defenders guessing.

Other Camp Notables:
Brenden Williams, 2026 5’10 PG - Richland Hills: Speedy guard that’s a hard cover in transition. Ability to blow by defender and get paint touches translate well at varsity level.
Tyson Heard, 2026 6’1 PG - TACA Homeschool: Shifty guard that balances playmaking and scoring well. Reliable three point shooter that has an intriguing upside. One to keep tabs on.
Silas Rodrigues, 2026 6’3 SG - Denton Guyer: Known more as a shooter, Rodrigues showed what he’s been working on the off-season which is his ability to put the ball on the floor and score. Wasn’t great in his first game but in his second matchup, the mid-range shots and runners that rimmed out the first outing, went in (27 points). Just like his improvement on attacking closeouts while still being able to extend the floor with his shooting.
Kingston Willis, 2026 6’1 PG - Oak Cliff Faith Family: Guard with a strong frame who knows how to manage a game. Unselfish, makes open shots and can defend with physicality and those are three things that always lead to production.
Jaylin Hancock, 2026 6’3 CG - Kimball: A wiry framed combo with good size. Jaylin can be a quality producer for Kimball this season. Handles it well, sees over smaller guards and zips to teammates, plus a good enough shooter for defenses to have to close out on. Another one to keep tabs of. Averaged about six assists a game at camp.
Onie Lewis, 2027 5’10 PG - Mansfield Lake Ridge: Guard that’s all arms and legs right now. Looks to not be growing at all, yet was productive on the court, averaging 12.5 ppg. Uses length to finish around the basket, thrived in transition and got where he wanted to score. Interested to see what he looks like three to four years from now.
Keyuan Williams, 2026 6’1 SG - LD Bell: Williams was one of the top performers at the camp. The two-guard from LD Bell can let it fly from deep. Can spot up and connect while on the move. Averaged 21 ppg on over 50 percent shooting.
Jordan Jones, 2027 CG - Rowlette: A big guard for his class. Averaged 13 points & seven rebounds at the Cream Of The Crop. Rebounds well for a guard and was efficient scoring 15 feet in.
Amare Johnson, 2026 6’2 SG - TACA Homeschool: Has a knack for scoring. Clean shooting stroke, has good balance and creates space off step-backs. Young for his class and has a high offensive upside.
Akoye King, 2026 6’4 2/1 CG - DeSoto: Crafty guard with good feel for the game. Has good touch on runners and floaters. From a passing standpoint, he really sees the floor and threads the needle. Best pure passer at the camp.

More Notables:
Major Hopkins, 2026 CG - Naaman Forest
Dekoda Davis, 2028 CG - Sabine
MJ Miles, 2027 PG - Faith Family
Amarion Hunter, 2027 PG - Dallas Carter

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Flory Bidunga, 2024 6’8 C - Kokomo (IN): The recent Kansas Jayhawk commit is an automatic double-double. Bidunga was in his normal mode...dunking everything, beating everyone down the floor and protecting the rim. Even though he is limited as a ball-handler and mid-range shooter, what he does well, he’s elite at. Has great hands, endless motor and if mother nature didn’t interfere I wouldn't have been surprised if he was named game MVP.

Bryson Tiller, 2025 PF - Overtime Elite (GA): A strong built forward that’s expanding his game. Saw flashes of him changing direction off the bounce and he impacts the game on both ends with his rebounding, 18-foot in scoring and communication and placement as a help defender. One of the better players in his class and continues looking more comfortable operating further out from the paint. 

Moustapha Thiam, 2025 C - DME (FL): Very intrigued by Moustapha especially with his size, rim protecting and touch. He has good touch around the rim and can make shots out to 15-feet. Upside with the shooting. Not an elite shot blocker at this stage but a dependable one that you can tell is still learning how to play. He showed a skill-set and ability to operate in tight spaces.

Derik Queen, 2024 PF/C - Montverde (FL): Queen is a load inside and holds an array of moves and finishes. Completes tough layups and hook shots with his left hand just as good as he does going to his right. Equipped with great hands, did a solid job in drop coverages on ball-screens and his play-making in the post is top tier.

Sebastian Williams-Adams 2025 PF/SF - St. John’s (TX): A dual-forward that plays with physicality. Looked to attack offensive glass, assertive driver to the rim and although Williams-Adams didn’t shoot it well and the speed of the close-outs seemed to give him some fits, he still showcased his versatility and looks to make an impact outside of just scoring the ball.

Caleb Wilson, 2025 SF/PF - Holy Innocents Episcopal School (GA): Can see why Wilson is ranked as high as he is in the 2025 class. Didn’t make a big impact in the scrimmages, but he flashed his shooting as a trail and pop guy, one dribble pull-up and attacked closeouts.

Chase McCarty, 2024 SF - IMG (FL): At 6foot-6 with long arms, McCarty was productive throughout the week. Knows how to play, makes open shots from three and was alert as a help-side defender.Always seemed to be at the right place at the right time on both ends of the floor.

Khani Rooths, 2024 SF - IMG (FL): Khani continued to show his versatility. Handling the ball and becoming a driver. Also made nice passes when he’s getting to the cup and he’s just a match-up problem due to size, athleticism, length and emerging skill set. 

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This is a three part series and in the first episode, I'll talk about three headlines from the two practice sessions (with some scrimmaging going towards the end of each practice) and a full scrimmage.

Ace Bailey Checks A Lot of Boxes

I haven’t had the chance to see Ace Bailey play much this year, but he pops out when he enters the game. Even in the drills, looking at him elevate and shoot, the fluidity with his athleticism and handle was present. A big wing at about 6’9 that can create his own look, make separation off the bounce and is a playmaker in the open court, Bailey also has positional size, adequate handle combined with shooting and scoring upside. Bailey showed why he’s one of the best in the national 2024 class and is intriguing to NBA Scouts. 

Zoom Diallo Made Presence Known in Thursday Afternoon’s Practice

The afternoon session on Thursday was a good evaluation opportunity, especially after a morning practice and a decent break. I was looking for which player's energy would still be up and who would finish strong. Zoom Diallo, a 2024 point guard, fit that bill. A strong, pure point guard with good positional size, Diallo utilizes his strength to create space off the dribble, albeit without a crazy burst. He’s very shifty though and is an intuitive passer. Diallo also finds an off-ball cutter when in isolation or coming off a ball-screen. He also excelled when he got a paint touch, making no-look passes to the guy at the dunker spot or open at the 3-point line. Defensively, Diallo competed and moved well laterally. Zoom really impacted the session with his passing and paint touches.

Ian Jackson, Vyctorius Miller Show Out on Friday

Going into the next day, Friday’s full scrimmage run was a competitive one. Vyctorius Miller came out the gates fast, showing his adequate pull-up game, decision making and poise as the primary ball-handler. At 6-foot-5 and labeled as a two-guard, I thought Miller showed the ability to play on and off the ball effectively. Streaky as a 3-point shooter, but it’ll get better with reps and time. He has quietly been one of the better guard performers this week. 

UNC commit Ian Jackson, another one of the nations' top guards in the 2024 class, made his presence known. A quick twitch athlete that’s a regular visitor of the paint. Jackson blew by defenders, showed dexterity in his finishes and just knows how to finish vs. length well. Even when guys knew he was trying to get to the rim, it didn’t matter because Jackson flashed his counters, changed speeds and got where he wanted. 

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He talked to me about the decision to re-class.?

“Me and my mom actually talked about it during COVID. I actually was going to graduate in 2023 at 17. We decided to stick it out at that time but before the school year ended, me, my mom and my uncle? decided it was best for me to go 2024 because I would still graduate at 18,” Leon said. “Also I thought it would help my recruitment and this spring with Drive Nation and playing with Dynamic Prep in June has helped me a lot.”

Horner has one official visit scheduled in September on the 7th at Sam Houston State and has been talking to Head Coach Chris Mudge and Assistant Jake White on a consistent basis. He plans on taking an official to UNT and potentially Loyola Chicago as well but just figuring out a date. Expect Leon to make a mid-season decision when it comes to committing.

“I plan on making a decision mid school season as I just want to visit everything first and make sure I’m playing somewhere that feels like family, has a winning pedigree and the play-style fits me because I know in a situation like that gives me a chance to reach my ultimate goal which is  to play in the NBA one day.”

I understand the mid-season decision as I believe he'll see an up-tick in his recruitment during the fall as there will be several chances Leon will play in front of coaches during the preseason & regular season.?Always a need for a big wing from college coaches as well.

Shifting gears, Leon talks about what he feels he brings to the table.

“I can really play 1-4. I go hard for rebounds but people mainly see me making shots and getting on the glass. I can switch on defense and guard, and I like to make plays for my teammates.  I like setting my teammates to score more than myself to be honest.”

Versatility is the word that pops out to me when describing the 6’6 wing-guard out of Frisco. A play-maker on the wing I feel is his prototype. Holds quality positional size and strength. Handles and passes it well off the live dribble, a physical driver to the rim and reliable as a catch & shoot threat. During the playoff run with Frisco Memorial I got to see him operate fine as a secondary/tertiary ball handler, make shots from deep and assist off ball-screens. Still some work there for him as a decision maker and scorer off the bounce but there’s a skill-set he holds that translates and if he continues to build and be more efficient, could have a potential all-league guy at the right fit.?

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Let’s recap what I saw and hand-out some evals.

Larry Johnson, DeMarco Johnson Shine With The Cali Stars

Premier players in their respected class, Larry Johnson (2024) and DeMarco Johnson (2025), suited up with the Cali Stars at the Elite 64. It’s interesting watching Larry Johnson play. A right-handed guard that heavily prefers attacking left. He thrived in transition as a ball handler, passer and finisher. Holds a quick first step and can get to the rim and finish. Larry Johnson's pull-up game is solid and can connect when the defender plays the drive. Like his length, athleticism and rim pressure he hands out. One of the shiftier guards I got to evaluate this weekend was DeMarco Johnson. Can really break his defender down off the bounce and finish around the rim in an array of ways. Wide cross-overs, split double teams and can just generate his own look. DeMarco Johnson received an offer from Illinois and Virginia Tech after his performances. 

Isaiah Harwell Puts On Show

I enjoy watching the Utah Prospects group because they play the right way. They move the basketball, team defend, communicate and most importantly they make shots. All were the ingredients in their successful Summer with a Adidas 3SSB Title and a championship game appearance at the SportsRadar Showdown. The main player to note is five-star 2025 guard Isaiah Harwell. His game keeps polishing up each time I see him. The passing is what caught my eye, as he set-up his teammates to be in ideal scoring opportunities in the half-court and in transition, advance the ball to get easy and quick buckets. Harwell also exhibited his scoring prowess. Coming off a pick-n-roll and connect, in isolation, or use height and size advantage in the mid-post. I also like his offensive versatility and growth in his handle and decision making.

Sportsradar Showdown Evaluations

Derik Queen, 6’9 2024 PF - Team Thrill: Was a man amongst boys. Best player/performer at the event. Led his team to a championship this weekend. Couldn’t stop him on the block from scoring or when he’s facing up because of his advanced footwork, touch, passer vision and I.Q. Not a whole lot that needs to be said about him. Was one of, if not the most, dominant player I’ve seen this summer.

V.J. Edgecombe, 6’5 2024 SG - Southeast Elite: There’s an argument that he may be the best 2024 player in the country. A legit one. Now that may not be the case right now, but V.J. is a player! Athletic guard with powerful finishes. Can create and score, embraces playing defense and is disruptive as an on-ball and team defender. He plays with an edge, and has polished up his game immensely since my first viewing of him last September. 

Jamie Vinson, 2024 6’10 PF/C - Southern Assault: Talk about improvement, Vinson has figured out how to consistently be productive on the floor. A stretch big that’s a reliable shooter as a pop-trail guy. He has solid length to his frame and that allows him to alter shots at the rim or when he’s closing out on a shooter. He still could get tougher and get his motor up in larger spurts, but his presence is showing more in games than it has been in the past. 

Dillon Battie, 2024 6’6 Tweener - Team Trae Young: Can impact games without even scoring the ball. Athletic, tough 4/3 tweener that’s a capable, switchable defender, above the rim finisher and an improved ball handler that looks to attack and score at the rim from the wing. Shooting is still in the works and needs improvement, but he’s a more comfortable shooter compared to the past. 

Modou Thiam, 2025 6’5 Guard - NBA Academy: I like the lefty two-guard’s game. Capable shooter from the outside, holds quality length and vertical pop. Showed off on-point passes and nice reads when driving to the cup. I believe there’s upside with the playmaking down the road. 

Khaman Maluach, 2025 7’1 C - NBA Academy: The big fella was a rim deterrent. Any shot in the paint, he was looking to reject. Mobile, quality vertical athlete that communicates well on defense and is fine guarding ball screens. Offensively has some ways to go, but was effective as a finisher on the dunker spot and as a lob threat. 

Efeosa Oliogu, 6’6 Wing - Canada Elite: Big time athletic wing that is a terror when he can get a sniff of the rim. Strong finisher off two feet that embraces contact on drives and draws fouls because he can keep a defender on his hip. He can hit the open three or mid-range pull, which allows him to be able to get to the rim and score because the defender can’t give him too much space. 

Sir Mohammed, 6’6 Wing - Team Curry: Son of former NBA player Nazr Mohammed. Sir Mohammed is a big, playmaking wing with a strong frame. Uses a mix of drives, drive to post-ups to get to his spots, survey the defense and make a play. Can thread the needle on passes, zips the ball to his teammates and as he improves as a shooter, I think his game can open up even more.

Flory Bidunga, 6’9 C - Indiana Elite: Athletic, lefty big man that’s quick twitched. Looks to dunk everything,can catch everything in his area, block anything he could. The overall skill-set is still a work in progress, but Flory still is a hard-working athletic finisher that’s one of the best players in 2024.

Sunday Night At Big Time Was One To Remember

Kiyan Anthony/Bryce James Eval

Bishop Gorman High School was the place to be on Sunday night as the gym was packed to see 2025 Bryce James (LeBron James’ son) and Kiyan Anthony (Carmelo Anthony’s son) team up with Strive for Greatness to play JSizzle (Jalen Sugg’s program). Every time I’ve seen either Bryce or Kiyan play, I bank on them attracting a large crowd on the court and this game was no different.  I want to take a dive on their performance and overall game so let’s get to it.

Bryce, who’s really 6’4 (maybe 6’5) but has a body of a kid that’s still growing so the current exaggeration of the 6’6 billing, I do believe he could reach or surpass as he gets older. Anyways, he started out hot, pushing the ball in transition and getting to the rim and completing with finesse finishes. He splashed his mid-range game and spot up shooting. When his feet and balance and right, he can connect on pull-ups and catch-n-shoot threes. In the second half he wasn’t as productive offensively, as the ball pressure applied got tighter. His handle currently isn’t great versus pressure, translatable length and physicality, so it limits his ability to generate his own look but I feel that’s fine because he’s better as an off-ball cutter and spot-up guy plus he has an understanding of trying to do other things when he’s not scoring.

Kiyan was more assertive with the ball and excels as an outside shooter. Utilized size advantage when he could, as he used his length and improved vertical bounce to finish over smaller defenders. The outside shooting is real as he can connect from beyond the 3-point line and his handle, albeit still has some ways to go in regards to being a primary ball handler and be more efficient getting to spots, has improved and he looked more comfortable on Sunday being the main ball handler and initiating offense. Overall, an improvement from what I saw in the Atlanta and Dallas EYBL Sessions.

With the legacies of their father’s, the limelight will always be on this duo, especially when they get on the court. They are both Division 1 prospects, where their game gets to at the end, time will tell. I do believe it’s not wise to heavily critique their games, as it’s not smart to herald them as future bonafide pros. They got some ways to go like a lot of rising juniors do, some are just further along than others, plus the 2025 is a loaded crop and there is a strong depth of guys that can really play and have a lot of upside, too. So let's just wait and see how it pans out for them like we do for the majority of prospects.

Now To The Game

I talked about the hot start Kiyan and Bryce had in the game as the SFG leas was extended to 18 points. 2025 Brayden Burries played a huge role for SFG as he’s a big guard that rebounds very well for size and position. He’s assertive with the ball in his hands and gets paint touch after paint touch. His motor mixed with his ball-skills, rebounding instincts, finishing prowess and passer vision was on display.

JSizzle didn’t give up though and this game was decided by only one point at the end. 2026 Jayden Moore played a big-part in his team's comeback as he constructed a phenomenal performance. A speedy guard that scored it in multiple ways. Has a big-time first step, strong floater and runner game, capable to streaky 3-point shooter and overall, he's unselfish. Knows when to let his teammate operate and score, as he communicates and gives them the confidence to believe the next shot is going in. Just me nit-picking, I did want him to take over more with his scoring in the last 4-5 minutes of the game, but I like how poised he was for a rising sophomore in a packed gym and his understanding of time and possessions is advanced for a player his age. 

One player I did want to note that I thought was very solid in this matchup was 2025 Bryce Cofield. A physical wing prospect at 6’6 that finished through contact. He had timely makes inside the arc, offensive rebounds that allowed his team to get second and third chance opportunities when the opposition was making a run. Little things he did impacted the outcome in my opinion. 

NightRydas 16U vs Phenom United 16U

I normally wouldn’t be at the gym at 8:50pm on a Sunday, but if Cam and Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Jalen Haralson are going to be on the court at that time, I’m sitting on the bleachers. NightRydas had control of the game for the most part with Phenom making runs to keep themselves in striking distance. Cam Boozer is one of, if not the most efficient and complete player in high school basketball regardless of class. Rebounding, handles it well for size, shoots it, posts up and scores, a helluva outlet passer and overall passer period. Oh, and he just turned 16. It looks like the game comes easy for last season's Mr. Basketball USA. His brother Cayden played well, too. He’s a strong guard that uses contact as an advantage to create space and score around the rim. He’s also a guard that can make defenses pay when going under on ball screens, as Cayden has made a name for himself with his play. Alexander Lloyd I was very impressed by. NightRydas play fast and in transition, Lloyd is a common target of Cam’s outlet passes that lead to finishes. Runs the floor, plays with length on both ends, can make open shoots from deep and knows how to play off the ball. Excels in his role and plays to his strengths. 

On the other side, I thought Peterson was very impressive. A big guard at about 6’5 that can score and play-make. Operates comfortably as the primary ball-handler and gets to his spots effortlessly to gain a shot he wants. He enjoys making plays for others, but understands his passing will lead to easier scoring opportunities for himself later in the contest. Top point guard in the class of 2025 and one of the top tier of prospects in the country. There’s much to like with Haralson’s game as he has good size, long arms, and a strong frame. A play-maker on the wing. Good decision maker coming off ball-screens, can get to the rim in isolation and overall a tough cover with size, advanced handle and feel for the game.

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Layne Taylor Shines at The MI3 Center

The most productive player in the whole event was small guard. The 5-foot-11 billing he’s given is generous but Layne Taylor is a big-time shooter, passer and a tremendous feel for the game that allows him to still be quite effective. Taylor is one of the better passers in the country that shoots it with range either off the catch or pull-up. He recently received offers from Chattanooga and Lipscomb. I feel that he’ll be an all-conference player if he goes to the right situation at the next level.

1Family Is Loaded

I got to see 1Family for the first time and it’s clear to see why they are labeled as the best team on Pro16. The team is headlined by five-star 2024 prospect Asa Newell, who imposed his will in the paint on both ends. The lefty forward was a monster inside, as his high motor and continuous pursuit of the ball allows him to collect offensive rebounds and win 50-50 balls. He also rejected or altered many shots at the rim. Mobility, athleticism, instincts, energy and willingness to do the dirty work allows him to impact games on both ends.

Florida pledge Isaiah Brown was very impactful as well. He's an athletic wing-guard prospect that showed a knack of getting to the rim and is an above-the-rim finisher that looks to punch it in traffic. He's also an active and plus rebounder for his size with good rebounding instincts. Brown was a reliable threat as a catch-n-shoot candidate when the ball rotated to him. Kameren Wright was huge as well and saw an up-tick in his recruitment. A big guard/wing prospect with plenty of upside, Wright is a strong secondary ball-handler that can initiate offense from time to time, makes open shots, and is a versatile defender that uses length and lateral mobility to switch and excel. Marshall and Oklahoma State recently have offered. Last but not least is Lorenzo Cason. A strong built combo guard that gets paint touches and finishes through contact, Cason can blow by defenders due to straight line burst and has quality passer vision. 

Ryan Jones Continues to Get Better

Ryan Jones was one of my main standouts from Pangos All American Camp in early June and in Houston I saw more of the same. Just overall, I’ve been impressed with Jones’ growth from a year ago. Shot selection is better, he’s utilizing his bulky, stocky frame to his advantage and has become a better finisher versus length. A inside/out chiseled frame forward that can really shoot it as a spot-up candidate. Next level strength and shooting prowess gives Jones a chance after college if he can put it all together. 

2024 Standouts

Jason Asemota, 6’8 Wing - The Hill (AZ): Jason is a player!  Big-time addition in 2024 for Baylor. Size, prolific 3-point shooting and plus handle at 6’8. Shot creating potential, as Asemota can generate a solid look on isolation plays but settles at times. Can shoot it on the move, off the catch and attacked closeouts well in Houston.

Chase Nelson, 6’2 PG - EAD (TX): Had a strong showing. Sturdy built guard that’s a good on-ball defender. A pure point that passes first and ultimately loves to play-make. Gets paint-touches, has a lot of wiggle with handle and is a sound scorer inside the arc as well. Mix of scoring and passing was impressive. Division 1 prospect for sure.

Braden Hausen, 6’7 Wing - BYC (TX): His skill and feel pops out immediately when the game starts. A point-forward for his team. Doesn’t get sped up when handling the ball. Will old-school it some by backing down smaller, peskier defenders that are trying to get in his personal space. To me, was the second best passer at the event behind Layne Taylor. 

Ja’Quavis Williford, 6’7 SF - Las Vegas Knicks (NV): Williford played really well this past weekend. Best wing performer in my opinion. Lefty who’s a fearless shot-taker and maker. Pull-up game was on-point in the mid-range area. Athletic in the open court and albeit getting bumped off path when driving to the hole, he knows how to use his athleticism to his advantage, get feet set, then launch and connect.

Pape N’Ndiaye, 7’ C - Las Vegas Knicks (NV): From what I saw in Orlando for NBPA Top 100 Camp to what I saw in Houston were two different players. In Orlando he was just a rebounder and shot blocker that showed minimal offensive game. Here, Pape also displayed mid-range shooting touch, face-up game that leads to a running jump-hook and advancement in his footwork. 

Chris Mason, 6’8 PF - Tulsa Hawks: Mismatched forward that has a strong, sturdy frame. Mainly an inside scorer that showed ability to face-up from mid-range area and also the top of the key. Mason rebounds, throws his body around and has improved as a finisher versus length. 

Zion Pipkins, 6’2 CG - Cooz Elite (TX): Scoring combo with long arms. Exploded for over 30 points on opening night. Was very assertive with the ball in his hands, but still kept defenses honest with his passing so lanes were still open for him to attack. 

Brayden Young, 6’9 C - Cooz Elite (TX): He’s gotten a lot better over the past year. Still raw but mobile, uses length to rebound and block shots. Adequate dunker-spot finisher but I like that he runs rim to rim and always an option in transition because he out-runs the opposing big.

TJ Burch, 6’1 CG - Max Levels Elite (TX): Max Levels’ weekend didn’t go as planned as the went 0-4 but they still have prospects. Burch provided a strong scoring punch and output, averaging over 20 ppg. Gets to the rim at will and an upper tier guard finisher in the national 2024 class. Shooting has gotten better and defensively guarded 94 feeet and was tenacious as an on-ball defender.

Tyran Mason, 6’6 Wing - Max Levels Elite (TX): Scoring wing prospect that has a lot of offensive skills. Mid-post scoring that can exploit size advantage. As a shooter, Mason can connect off the catch and run off screens. Fine positional size with big-time scoring prowess and upside is the reason his recruitment has gone up. 

Other 2024 Notables

Jaxson Ford, 6’7 PF - Max Levels Elite

Jayce Spann, 6’2 CG - EAD

AJ Borden, 6’2 CG - Family Ties

Carter Benton, 6’4 SG - Tulsa Hawks

Taylor Thompson, 6’2 CG - Team Judah Nation

Jadyn Handy, 6’2 CG - AAO Flight

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NBPA Top 100 MVP

Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Fla.) 2025 6’8 Wing
Was the camp MVP as his team won the championship game. Arguably the best player in 2025, Flagg orchestrated a strong week of play, averaging 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks a game. He played hard every possession, was a big-time help-side shot blocker and attempted to get any shot that came off the rim. His shooting numbers weren’t the prettiest as we are accustomed to, but he still was able to be productive and ultimately win it all. Cooper is a special talent.

NBPA Top 100 All Star Team

A.J. Dybantsa, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 2026 6’7 Wing
Big-time wing prospect that brings a lot to the table. Long arms and explosive but also has great hang-time. He can score it with length on three levels. Led the camp in scoring, averaging 28 ppg. Physicality gave him some problems at times and that’s normal playing a few grades up, but still very advanced for a player his grade and age. It's hard to imagine him staying in high school for three more years.

Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 2025 6’9 PF
Coop or Cam, Cam or Coop. That’s generally the argument of who's No. 1 in the 2025 class, but to me I say just enjoy both for free or paying a grassroots entry fee while we can. Boozer is a strong and skilled front-court player that brings versatility. He was efficient from the field (66 percent), scored inside-out and showed ability to defend out on the perimeter on switches. Averaged 24 ppg, 12 rpg and 3 apg.

V.J. Edgecomb, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 2024 6’5 Guard
Athletic, tough and has improved as a scorer and shooter. Gets downhill to finish with the best of them. Defends with physicality and shows lateral explosion. One of my favorite players to watch in the 2024 class, although he didn't play a majority of the camp games here. Versatile and impacts games in multiple ways.

Jayden Quaintance, Overtime Elite (Ga.) 2025 6’9 C
Enjoyed the progression Quaintance has made in the past year and he really stepped up here. He’s young for his class, so it’ll take time to fulfill his huge ceiling but he has a freakish length which allows him to secure rebounds and block shots. He's also finishing better around the rim. Flashed a promising mid-range jumper that one day will be consistent from three. Was the best big man performer at the camp and was in contention for camp MVP.

Darius Acuff, Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) 2025 6’2 Hybrid Guard
This kid popped out onto the national scene this spring after a strong high school campaign. A confident hybrid guard that can score it in bunches (24.8 ppg). Changes speeds and direction well with the ball in his hands. Even when defenders play the drive, he’ll knock down enough threes to keep the opponent honest. Strong finisher at the rim and perhaps his best asset is he’s a competitor.

Derik Queen, Montverde Academy (Fla.) 2024 6’9 PF
A load in the paint. Skilled big man with good passing feel even if it doesn’t show in the assist column all the time. Uses his large frame and terrific footwork to create space with his back to the basket or facing up. Queen finished up the camp averaging an impressive 18 ppg and 10 rpg while shooting 65 percent from the field.

Darryn Peterson, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Ohio) 2025 6’5 PG
Lead guard with good positional size. Balances scoring and passing well. Peterson got to the rim, showcased a nice mid-range pull-up, as he’s a precise passer off the live dribble. Defended on ball well and intercepted the passing lanes (led camp in steals with 2.2 spg). Strong overall stat-line with 15 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg, 2.2 spg and a high end motor.

Bryson Tucker, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2025 6’6 SG
Guard with good positional size as a two-man. Polished offensive game and can make tough shots versus length. Good balance and control when operating off the bounce. Just was smooth in the way he orchestrated his scoring performance as he finished the camp averaging 19 ppg.

Bryson Tiller, Overtime Elite (Ga.) 2025 6’8 PF
Holds a lot of translatable physical tools. Length, size and power stands out as a true 4-man in the mold of former Maryland and NBA standout Buck Williams. Had a very strong output at the camp, averaging 15 ppg, 7.8 rpg on 48 percent shooting.

Khani Rooths, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 2024 6’7 SF
Displayed an array of ways to score with his size. Grabbing rebounds and initiating offense as a primary ball handler, he operated comfortably on the wing looking to score. Has an athletic, sturdy frame. It was the best I’ve seen him play in a while and with the size and skill-set, if he can put it all together, he’ll be a big-time mismatch guy at the next level.

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Hudson Greer, 6’6 Wing 2025 - Lake Travis: Showed big time vertical pop especially in the open court. Hudson has been dealing with an injury for most of the spring and is now getting back to normal form in regards to movement. Displayed 3-point shot making of the catch and overall plus activity on the court.?

Francis Chukwudebelu, 6’10 C 2025 - Prestonwood Christian: ?Had a solid outing. Wished to see more but I understand camps and bigs are a mixed bag. Has improved his frame, showed quality footwork inside when operating back to the basket and is someone that showed he can make open threes off the catch. Sometimes floated more than to my liking, but when he’s showing inside/out game and upticking the rebound attempts, he is productive. He showed that in spurts.?

Jermaine O’Neal Jr., 6’5 Wing 2025 - Dynamic Prep: Didn’t get to see all of Jermaine’s repertoire at the camp. Struggled to find a rhythm consistently, but when he’s connecting from deep and feeling comfortable on the court, he brings a lot to the table. Rebounding, passing, ability to attack closeouts and get to the rim. Also on the defensive end, make plays as an on-ball defender and help guy.

Jeremiah Green, 6’2 PG 2025 - Denton Guyer: Attacking, physical guard that gets downhill. I thought he played fairly well as he got to the paint plenty, finished around the rim decently and showed improved playmaking abilities. Shot mechanics have improved as well.?

Jared Harris, 6’4 SG 2024 - Silsbee: Harris is a threat in transition, fast with the ball in his hands and in the half-court utilizes his quick first step to blow by defenders. As an isolation scorer, Harris can find ways to create space in multiple ways and has a deep scoring package around the arc. With him playing so fast at times, his 3-point shooting can be inconsistent due to not getting feet set and under control.

Jaden Toombs, 6’9 C 2025 - Dynamic Prep: Toombs, Hudson Greer and the next two I’ll mention after Jaden had the best showings among Texas players at Pangos. Toombs displayed improved agility, was active on the glass, showed face-up game and blocked shots. Toombs is not explosive vertically, but he’s smart and quick twitch, which allows him to collect rebounds in traffic and score versus length. Toombs' weight loss and transformation of his body is allowing him to move quicker and guard the pick-and-roll better.?

Robert Miller, 6’9 PF 2024 - Pasadena Memorial: Couldn’t participate in the All Star Game but he showed why his stock has been rising this spring and summer. Athletic, mobile, adequate handle with size and has upside as a scorer and overall shooter. Could be more efficient with his touches, but you can see what the overall package could become down the road.?

Keitenn Bristow, 6’7 SF 2024 - Wichita Falls: A lot to like with this one and his best basketball is ahead of him. Good positional size, arm length and plays with a motor! 3-point shooting accuracy will improve as mechanics are in a good place, but could use a little tweaking. Bristow was active on the glass, was fearless when attacking the rim and absorbing contact and is someone who is a threat from the perimeter. Good to see him thrive in this setting.

Jalen Shelley, 6’7 Wing 2024 - Prestonwood Christian: Shelley possesses a lot of talent but he left me wanting more. A legit wing that can play-make and generate own look but just inconsistent with results. However, with that being said, I do believe he’s starting to turn the corner and his best basketball is ahead of him. Can’t knock the talent and when he’s on, he can impact winning with his scoring and passing.?

Doryan Onwuchekwa, 6’10 C 2024 - Faith Family: Seen him play better this spring but I’ll say this again, camps and big men are a mixed bag. Not a lot of post feeds happening, have to really get buckets by out-running your opponent in transition and being on the offensive glass. Onwuchekwa is a skilled big man with high feel for the game and is unselfish. He did have spurts of being assertive and I got to see how much of a load he is in the paint and the improvements in his outside shooting.

TreVaun Clark, 6’6 Wing 2026 - San Antonio Wagner: One of the few 2026’s so I didn’t have crazy high expectations for Clark, but I wanted to see how he competed and he did just that. This was a good experience for him and for me evaluating him versus older guys. A big wing that can stretch the floor and is an effective slasher. Will see him at Pangos in the future and it won't surprise anyone if he's one of the better players at the prestigious camp.?

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It was an all-star game of runs as the guys had fun but, still competed and looked to win. But let's go back some and prior to the game, Wesley Yates of FAB 50 ranked Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas), who’s going to Washington to play for Mike Hopkins, took the Red Bull Run The Racks 3-point contest crown, beating out New Mexico Lobo pledge Tru Washington of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) in the final round. Next was our highly anticipated slam dunk contest and Coen Carr (Legacy Early College in South Carolina) and Jahki Howard (OTE) put on a dunking exhibition. Just like the game, we needed to go extra rounds to decide a champion and Carr, who will be attending Michigan State, showed extraterrestrial vertical pop. Now, let's get to the game and a breakdown of our nine standouts.

Coen Carr, 6’7 Forward - Team Future (Michigan State Signee): Coen saw his stock grow from this past week as he dunked everything…. And I mean everything! During the game, he broke the rebounding record of Jordan Bell of Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) with 16 rebounds in 2013 with 18 boards himself (including 12 in the first half) to go with 23 points. We will hear more about him during his tenure at East Lansing, Mich. Carr's early play set the tone for the entire game.

Justin Edwards, 6’7 Wing - Team Future (Kentucky Signee): A lot to like about Edwards. Positional size, length to deflect passes and can score the basketball in a multitude of ways. He showcased his versatility on the offensive end and looks to bring some of his North Philly toughness to Lexington.

Jeremy Fears, 6’0 PG - Team Future (Michigan State Signee): Jeremy came with it from an intensity standpoint. Competed on the defensive end, made plays for others and showed off his explosiveness jumping off two feet. A natural leader that’s about winning, Fears finished with 11 points and 9 assists and the win. His defensive effort and intensity down the stretch made a difference and was refreshing to see in an all-star game setting.

Mikey Price, 6’2 CG - Team Future (Undecided): Hardworking guard that can make an impact on both ends. Defended, made open perimeter shots and got downhill. Liked his constant assertiveness with the ball in his hands and he finished with 21 points. 

Marcus Adams, 6’8 Wing-Forward - Team Elite (Kansas Signee): First time I got to watch him live and Adams’ game popped out to me during the practices. His journey to a record-breaking 44 points showed him utilizing his broad frame on drives to finish, connecting on step-back triples, jumpers in the fast break and the ability to attack closeouts and finish. 

Wesley Yates III, 6’4 SG - Team Future (Washington Signee): Wesley can get hot quick from deep and on Saturday he showed once he’s feeling it from three point land, Yates needs little space to launch and connect. The Beaumont, Texas native finished the game with 26 points and I project we will see performances like this during his tenure in Seattle, Wash.

Andrew Meadow, 6’6 SF - Team Elite (Boise State Signee): Leon Rice got him a quality player. Meadows fits right in with his play style, as he has good size for a wing, high IQ, plus motor and can shoot the ball from 3-point land. Andrew was efficient from the field (9-14 FG) on his way to 22 points and six rebounds.

Jared McCain, 6’2 CG - Team Elite (Duke Signee): Jared’s performance wasn’t talked about much, but he had a quiet 22-point, 8-rebound performance for Team Elite. He did struggle a little bit early with his shooting but he steadily grabbed rebounds, ignited breaks and made deep threes from the 2nd quarter on. He's someone that has grown as a playmaker and overall scorer throughout his high school career and impacts game with his strength and IQ.

AJ Johnson, 6’5 PG - Team Elite (NBL): Heading to the Australian Pro League, Johnson will play for the Illawarra Hawks. The same one Josh Giddy & Lamelo Ball played on. At the game he showed his tight handle, passing vision, finishing and shooting upside. Johnson finished the game with 17 points and I still don’t think he has scratched the surface of his ceiling.

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On Point About Nic Codie

It feels good to be right as I talked about ‘24 Nic Codie seeing a considerable leap in his recruitment this travel ball season here. It seems as if everything is coming together for him. Playing hard each possession, defending on the perimeter, protecting the rim, shooting from deep, finishing with either hand; Codie has polished his offensive game and imposing his will on both ends. Codie has recently received offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, SMU, Texas Tech and more during the NCAA Spring Live Period.

Darryn Peterson…..

Most of the time I just give my southwest prospect evaluations, but I still keep track of players from outside the region. It’s been a while since I’ve locked in and saw 2025 Darryn Peterson of Phenom United play and wow. The saying, “That’s what they look like,” applies to Peterson. And that statement means that’s what guys that eventually end up in the NBA or have a good chance to look like. Also, I’m always impressed when someone can drop 40 plus points at nine o'clock in the morning. Positional size and three level scoring we knew was there, but the high level passes and overall playmaking puts him on the elite tier of prospects in his class. Also defensively, he utilized his length to disrupt opposing ball-handlers and was able to switch from the 1-3 spots.

Cooper Flagg, Cameron Boozer & Koa Peat have been on a tier of their own early on for 2025, but Peterson has entered that level as well.

Team Talk: Team Trae Young

Team Trae Young finished April with a 7-1 record in the 3SSB Circuit, as the group contains depth and plays with an abundance of confidence and chemistry. Have to give credit to coaches George Clay, Josh Davis & Morlon Wiley for constructing a balanced team. 

Now to the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. Big man Doryan Onwuchekwa has been playing at a high level all year and it’s continuing in the Spring. Big body front-line prospect that has a soft touch with either hand, plus footwork on the block and is expanding his shooting range. Also helps that he’s in what possibly is the best shape I’ve seen him and he’s being productive now in longer stretches. Guard Bo Aldridge decision to re-class to 2024 is looking like a great move so far for him. Receiving high major offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, Cal-Berkeley and more. Lefty that’s a big time scorer that excels getting downhill. Seeing a big stock increase. 2024 Dillon Battie, son of 15-year NBA player Tony Battie, is starting to turn the corner some. An athletic forward that plays with a plus motor and plays above the rim. The skill is progressively starting to catch up with the athleticism and Dillon is showing moments of what it’ll look like when it comes together. ‘25 Calrsheon Young is playing up and more than holding his own. A strong, scoring guard that’s handling the speed and physicality of the 17U just fine.

Team Talk: TJ Ford Academy

The Ford brothers,Tim and T.J., got the guys rolling with a flawless record on Adidas Gold with an 8-0 record after finishing up both chapters. Headlining the group is 2024 Robert Miller. At 6’10 with his versatility, you’re not seeing many guys not only in Adidas but in the country with his size and skill set. Continues to rise in the national player rankings. 2024 Jayden Gambrell is a guard with fairly long arms who can shoot it beyond the 3-point line. Like his size at 6’4 and his shooting prowess. The best available 2023 in Texas…well it's Ron Holland is now. So ladies and gentlemen,  the second best available 2023 player in the Lone Star State is 7’1 Bukky Oboye. Oboye at his size can move, block shots at a high rate, can shoot the three and has advanced ball skills for a player his size. He’s far from polished, but what he can do at his size isn’t common. Again, he has some work to do but I believe if he continues to play we will see a wide variance of D1’s on him. Also wanted to note how the 2023 backcourt of T.J. Ford Jr and Bryson Smith have been playing. Really managing the backcourt, getting to the paint and defending the full length of the floor. Both can score the ball, but I’ve also been impressed also with their playmaking.   

Mr. Devon Pryor

One Time Legends’ wing Devon Pryor is seeing his recruitment soar. Pryor, who was injured for the majority of the second half of the 2022-23 scholastic season, looks to be healthy and we are seeing his full offensive repertoire. At 6’7, he’s a dependable secondary ball-handler, is a big time vertical athlete and his shooting has vastly improved. He’s dependable connecting off the catch or bounce. He’s performing like a Top 100 player in the country.

2026 Prospect of The Event: Caleb Holt

I have talked about at length about the 2025 class, but the 2026 crop have been showing out as well and some are playing in the 17U division. Tyran Stokes is leading a 8-0 Vegas Elite squad in the Nike EYBL and A.J. Dybantsa is the second leading scorer in EYBL 17U division with 20 ppg. 

But we got to talk about Caleb Holt being a big-time contributor for a 7-1 17U Game Elite team on the 3SSB. A shifty, athletic guard that puts rim pressure. Holt has a plus wingspan, and is a quick twitch athlete that displays the ability to make an open 3-pointer. He’s one of the top 2026’s I’ve seen in the country and him still being able to do what he does best playing up is impressive.

Notables

Flory Bidunga, 6’8 2024 PF/C - Indiana Elite: Lefty big man that’s uber productive. Swats shots, even seen him closeout and block shots from the 3-point line. Athletic finisher that goes for every rebound and showed some promising touch on hooks and floaters. We see why he’s ranked so high in 2024. Will be a successful college player. Hasn’t played many years of organized ball so upside is very intriguing. 

Annor Boateng, 6’5 2024 Wing - Arkansas Hawks: Powerful, athletic wing-guard prospect that utilized strength and athleticism to score. Adequate mid-range game and I believe there’s been progress with the shooting and ball-handling. Boateng shouldered the offensive load for the Hawks.

Josiah Moore, 6’5 2024 Wing - One Time Legends: I came away very impressed with Moore. There was a stretch in the morning game where he collected four steals, he captured a poster dunk and one play he split a double team coming off a ball screen, then got to the basket and scored. This was in a span of four minutes. All that needs to be said.

Micah Robinson, 6’6 2024 Wing - Southern Assault: Broad framed wing that’s versatile. Plays the secondary ball-handler role and sometimes has primary dribbling duties in spurts. A capable shooter from three, really zips his passes and can thread a needle if needed and he knows how to find his way to the free throw line. There are some things that he needs to really work on, but I believe Micah will be a quality high major player.

Cam Carroll, 6’2 2025 PG - Southern Assault 16U: Tough, physical guard that embraces contact on drives. Cam is at his best when he relentlessly looks to get downhill and put pressure on the defense. Strong paint finisher, floater game and just generates a lot of activity when he’s aggressive. 

Amir McMillian, 6’ PG - Urban ASAK: When the ball is in his hands, McMillian is always on the go. Fast with the ball in his hands, McMillian gets paint touches and also can stop on a dime, launch and connect vs length. 

Peyton Marshall, 7’ Center - Game Elite: Peyton is a load inside. Large frame, legit size and has good foot-work on the block. Really throws his weight around and makes defenses adjust when he’s on the floor because he’s a threat in the paint. I believe the best basketball is ahead of him, especially when he reaches optimal shape. 

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I stayed in Atlanta for another week to catch the Nike EYBL first session. I spent many hours in the gym on Friday & Saturday, so I could make other moves on Sunday. I broke-down what I saw from the EYBL teams & players from the Southwest Region. Let's dive in!

Drive Nation 16’s go 3-0 going into Sunday.

The 2025 group made it to the championship game last season at Peach Jam and started EYBL session 1 with a flawless record going into Sunday. Point guard Jordan Lowery has been productive with his efficient scoring. Aggressive and looking to make plays for himself and others, while defensively as an on-ball and team defender, he’s been adequate. Lowery uses his IQ and has good timing on ripping opposing guards and getting into the passing lanes. I was also impressed with guard Leroy Kelly IV. Can play on and off the ball and is a dependable shooter from deep. Not much of a sample size with his 3-point shooting at the circuit but the shot looks clean and you think it’s going in when he releases it. 

ProSkills 16’s Also Flawless Heading Into The Final Day

Premier wing Hudson Greer is out with a leg injury but this team flashed their depth. 

A lot of the talk after Friday night was ‘25 Cooper Flagg’s 52-point performance vs ProSkills and listen… It should be the talk because I haven’t seen something like that in a long time and honestly never from a sophomore/rising junior. However, ProSkills 2025 group got the win. Guard Kayden Edwards was huge in that matchup. He constructed a 27-point performance as he displayed prolific 3-point shooting (38%), quality passes off the live dribble and adequate on-ball defensive play. Big fella Amari Reed has been a beast in the paint. Looking to block any shot at the rim, collect any missed shot and dunk it when he’s five feet in. Impressed with his tenacity and sense of urgency on the defensive end. Reed is also shooting over 80% from the field in three games.

One more to note is Jaylen Lawal. A good glue guy for this club. He defends the opposing team’s best perimeter player no matter the size, he gets downhill and finishes and just does the dirty work that amounts to winning.

Kayde Dotson Shines for JL3

Beaumont United’s own in 2024 guard Kayde Dotson showed out in front of numerous coaches this weekend. Known to be someone that can knock down shots from deep, but now he’s showing more comfortability with his handle and ability to attack defenders. Getting paint touches, defending with physicality and shooting an efficient 54% from three in three games. Stock has risen.

Also wanted to note forward Chris McDermott play as well. Active inside, finishing over length and taller defenders and someone that rebounds out of his area. Shooting a whopping 73% from the field. 

Kameron Williams….

Man seeing the shooting exhibition ‘24 Kameron Williams displayed in Liv-On’s win vs Houston Hoops. Standing at about 6-foot-8, Williams is a big-time shooter that has deep range. His game is simple, moves and relocates off the ball, not bothered by heavy contests when he launches and showed to be an adequate switchable defender. High majors will start getting on this one soon. 

Also wanted to highlight guard Jared Harris. Fantastic in transition, a quick twitch athlete that just moves differently. Still can improve with his efficiency in the half-court setting, but I’m seeing improvements with him in operating in tight spaces.

Mr. Justin Beggs Everyone

Justin Begg continues to perform no matter the setting. Been efficient with his scoring, knocking down shots from deep but also getting into the paint and boasting plus floater game. He’s quick off the dribble, he shows leadership on the court and is showing he’s a no-brainer Division 1 prospect. Received an offer from George Mason on Saturday.

Tre Johnson has been struggling some this weekend so far. Shot isn’t going in with the accuracy we are accustomed to, but you see the smoothness in him creating his own shots. I think it’ll be sooner rather than later that we see the No. 1 player in the country, Tre Johnson. 

Team Griffin Goes 2-1 Heading Into Sunday

After taking a thrashing from Team Thad on Friday night, Team Griffin bounced back on Saturday and collected two wins. Kansas State commit David Castillo, albeit not shooting it well, still garners so much attention which allows for clean looks for his teammates. Still like his shot creation and playmaking upside. The front-line of Luke Gray, Dylan Warlick & Darkaun King have been good too. All three can step out on the perimeter and attack, as Gray uses his broad frame to carve space inside. Warlick throws his body around and can create space on drives with pump-fakes and spin moves. Also knows how to use the rim to protect himself from shot-blockers. King is a high IQ forward that can handle, pass and shoot. Plays below the rim, but he really knows how to play and is crafty with his off the bounce creation.

T.O. Barret Eval

Wanted to highlight T.O. Barrett due to him being a high major prospect from Oklahoma, although Mokan Elite is based out in Kansas. Barrett has translatable toughness and strength. He hasn’t shot it great from deep in three games but you can tell he’s a better shooter than the numbers have shown this weekend. He embraces contact on finishes, can make shots off of hard close-outs and is a physical defender. Impressed with his overall game. 

Quick Hit Notables

2024 

David Punch, 6’7 PF - Drive Nation: Has been the leader offensively for Drive Nation. Inside/out scoring and still able to nab rebounds and alter shots due to his plus length. 

Divine Ugo, 6’3 PG - Houston Hoops: Skilled guard that has shown good poise and shot making ability. Three point shooting has been accurate and he shows good passer feel. 

Amier Ali, 6’8 SF: Houston Hoops: Wired scorer that can make tough shots. Uses length to rise to and connect off the dribble. Like his off-ball movement as well. Creating opportunities for himself to score.

Jacob Hudson, 6’3 CG - JL3: Lefty that’s shifty off the dribble. Can get to the rim and finish with either hand, keeps defenders at bay using hang-dribbles and knows how to change speeds. Had a strong season this past year with ISchool. (Lewisville, Texas)

Ashton Simmons, 6’2 PG - JL3: Attacking guard that gets paint touches and puts pressure at the rim. Was more of a facilitator these past two days, as he’s generating clean looks for his teammates. 

Cam Patterson, 6’4 Guard - ProSkills: Guard with long arms and can create off the dribble. Like his defensive switchability, handle and scoring upside.

Jalen Shelly, 6’8 Wing - ProSkills: Wing-guard with great size. Lefty that checks a lot of boxes with his blend of positional size, handle and shooting upside. Hasn’t put it all together yet but once he does, he can heavily impact games on both ends. 

2025 

Jeremiah Green, 6’2 PG - ProSkills 16U: Hasn’t shot it great but Green is fast with the ball and can't be stopped by one person to get where he wants. Defending hard and causing disruption on the opposing team’s point of attack.

Jaden Toombs, 6’9 C - Drive Nation 16U: Jaden knows how to be productive. If he’s not scoring, he’s rebounding, blocking/altering a shot or deflecting a pass. Effective post scorer that can stretch to the mid-range area and shoot.

Kellen Robinson, 6’2 PG - ProSkills 17U: Robinson mix of power and skill with his strong frame allows him to more than hold his own at the 17U level. Although ProSkills 0-3 going into Sunday, Kellen Robinson has been a bright spot. 

2026

Dakari Spear, 6’3 Guard - Drive Nation 15U: Lanky combo guard with a strong basketball family lineage. Capable jump shooter from outside but knows how to use his length to finish in traffic.?

Trent Perry, 6'4 Guard - Drive Nation 15U: Athletic guard with big-time length and athleticism. One of the best freshman in the country and currently the best player in 2026 in Texas.

Austin Goosby, 6’4 PG - Drive Nation 15U: Big guard that’s a plus decision maker. Poised coming off ball screens, he can get downhill and boasts an advanced stop-and-pop game for his age. 

Seven Spurlock, 6'6 Guard - ProSkills 15U: Seven, coming off a successful season at Frisco Memorial and USA Basketball Mini Camp in Houston during the Final 4 is continuing his fine play. Also one of the best players in his class, Seven has good positional size and strength and can handle it under pressure. Bullies his way to the rim (shot 78% from the field) and showcased his strong passer vision and accuracy.

Cameron Lomax, 6' PG - ProSkills 15U: Heady guard that gets to the paint. Lomax gets to his spots, can finish vs length and is a capable shooter.

Silas Rodrigues, 6’4 SG - Houston Hoops 15U: Hoops 15U have struggled as a team, but Silas’s game has been a bright spot. Shooting from deep, flashing his handle and some shot creation, Rodrigues strung together a 27-point game vs Nightrydas on Saturday.

Nasir Price, 6’3 PG - Houston Hoops 16U: Price is one of the best players in his class. A guard with plus length and good positional size. Shooting it well overall (53%) and I thought he used his length well on the defensive end. 

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Jayden Williams, 2024 6’9 Forward - Atlanta Celtics: Was impressed with his overall versatility. Game came easy for him at ‘Who Wants The Smoke.’ Wiry with a big-time wingspan and can handle it, finish around the rim and someone that can make an open perimeter shot. Defensively was doing a good job protecting the rim as well. Williams moves well, can score inside and out and is a 2024 big that could blow up this April Live Period. 

Akai Fleming, 2025 6’4 Guard - Atlanta Celtics 16U: Fleming has a knack for scoring the ball and he can get hot quickly. Showed three level scoring but was impressed with his accuracy from 3-point land. 

Zion Greene, 2025 6’3 CG - AOT Elite 16U: Greene was fun to watch. Explosive athlete that plays with a lot of power as well. Intercepted passing lanes like a defensive back, continued to put rim pressure when the ball was in his hands. One thing about Zion that makes him a tough cover is he’s a lefty shooter, but actually is a strong finisher and attacks with right hand. One to watch this spring and summer.

Cam Smith, 2025 6’6 Wing - AOT Elite 16U: Younger brother of OTE’s Tyler Smith. Cam is a lefty attacking wing that’s strong in transition as a finisher. Rebounds and ignites break, crashes offensive glass and has a nice shooting stroke off the catch from three. Can see where the upside is and with more polishing of his footwork, skill and balance, Smith could turn himself into a higher-end D1 basketball player. 

Cannon Richards, 2024 6’7 SF - Game Elite 17U: I like Cannon’s game a lot. A big wing that can make shots from the outside off the catch and on the move. Active with movement off the ball allows himself to be in position to score.

Peyton Marshall, 2024 6’11 C - Game Elite 17U: Big fella is a load on the block. A wide body post with terrific footwork. Uses broad frame to carve out space inside and is a good finisher around the rim. Even with how big he is, he can mix it up with finesse and brute strength when he operates in the post. Can be scary the day he’s in great shape and could be a really good college player.

Jeremiah Wilkinson, 2024 6’ PG - Game Elite 17U: Lefty, scoring pg that packed a strong offensive punch for Game Elite. Accurate shooter from deep, adequate at getting to spots to score while also making solid reads when attacking. 

Amir Taylor, 2025 6’8 PF - Game Elite 16U: Amir is a tough cover. Broad built, about 6’8 and is a formidable inside/out scoring threat. Good handle, nice footwork and is a capable shooter (still can grow as a shooter) from outside. Could throw it to him inside and generate a clean look for himself or for his teammates with passes. 

Ian Smikle, 2024 6’7 PF - Georgia Stars 17U: A strong built forward that’s a load in the paint. Finishes through contact. Good rebounder, feel, collects missed shots out of his area and generates second chance opportunities for his squad. Protected the rim well as he gets off the floor fairly quick.

Caleb Wilson, 2025 6’10 Forward - Georgia Stars 16U: A lot to like with Caleb. With his height, he plays with motor and grabs rebounds and blocks shots. Offensively, there is a ton of upside. Shot looks clean and made some mid-range fade-aways. Best basketball is ahead of him.

Matthew Able, 2025 6’4 SG - Georgia Stars 15U: Son of Douglas Able, who played at Boston College and enjoyed a professional career. Matthew stood out early with his 3-point shooting. Was connecting triples off the dribble in transition as well as pull-up mid-rangers also. Has a good feel for the game and knows when he needs to be more assertive with the ball. 

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2024

Tre Johnson, 6’5 SG - Richardson Lake Highlands: We know the scoring prowess Johnson holds but I was impressed with the playmaking. Making sharp, quick passes as well as making fine reads as a pick n roll ball-handler. Defensively competed as well. Strong showing for the top player in 2024.

2025

Jaden Toombs, 6’9 C - Dynamic Prep: Toombs was solid. Has lost a lot of weight in the past year so he’s moving better. Like his activity on both ends. His athleticism doesn’t pop out at you, but his twitchness does. Quick with his hands and reactions which allows him to collect help-side blocks, nabs rebounds in traffic and holds a soft touch coming off either shoulder on the block. His counterparts’ athleticism gave him a hard time at times when it came to finishing around the rim, but Jaden still held his own. 

Nigel Walls, 6’9 PF/C - St. Francis: The type of player Walls can become is scary. Thin built but at his size, he’s a plus shooter and a solid passer that moves well. Saw ability to put the ball on the floor and generate a decent look. Walls checks a lot of boxes, he’s young for his class and once it all comes together, you’ll see a player that is high in the ranks in a loaded 2025 class.

Jeremiah Green, 6’2 PG - Denton Guyer: I liked Green’s assertiveness with the ball. Can get to whatever spot he wants to on the floor due to the mix of power and speed that grants him access to the paint and also has a nice mid-range shot off the dribble. Sometimes he got too deep into the teeth of the defense and got himself into a bind but he did show his ability to get to spots.

Sebastian Williams - Adams, 6’8 Forward - St. Johns: Sebastian had his moments. Showed flashes of his versatility on the offensive end. His handle, off the catch shooting and his play inside. Defensively he was fine. 

Calvin Murphy III, 5'10 PG - Jack Yates: I thought Murphy was solid. Was able to display his quick release from three, advanced handle and speed. Murphy is a fun one to watch especially when he's loose and has his foot on the pedal the whole time.

2026 

TreVaun Clark, 6’6 Wing - San Antonio Wagner: Good positional size with fairly long arms. Legit shooting stroke from 3-point line and handle has gotten tighter in the past year. Playing through physicality better but that’s still something he needs to get better at. Ton of upside with this one. 

Seven Spurlock, 6’5 Guard - Frisco Memorial: Strong basketball bloodlines with his father playing D1 basketball overseas and the older brother having a solid D2 career as well. Southpaw guard who can handle and pass. Strong for his age as physicality didn’t bother him as much. Needs to improve as a shooter but liked his positional size, length and passer vision.

Trent Perry, 6’4 Guard - Frisco Lone Star: Was the best 2026 player out the bunch. Big-time athletic guard that was aggressive from the jump. Got to the paint, used vertical pop to finish above the rim and defensively, he was very active, trying to disrupt the opposing team’s point of attack. Shooting as well will be Trent’s swinging skill down the road, but he has a lot going for him. 

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A good 16-hour work weekend and I have a lot of eval notes. So I’m not going give you guys a long intro and will just cut to the chase. Let’s start with my 2024 evals from my weekend at The War Before The Storm hosted by “War Hoops” at the Duncanville Fieldhouse.

T.J. Burch, 6’1 PG - Max Levels Pro 16: Was one of the best guard performers this past weekend. Tough, fast, downhill guard that gets to the teeth of the defense anytime he wants. Strong finisher, the shot, albeit not a big-time asset, has improved and can keep defenses honest. 

Tyran Mason, 6’5 SG/SF - Max Levels Pro 16: A wiry, smooth wing that’s equipped with plus length. A potent mid-range scorer that doesn’t need many dribbles to get to his spot, rise up and score. Never doubted the talent, just haven’t seen Mason put it all together for a longer stretch of games. This weekend shows me he can be a program's primary scoring options game after game.

Brooks Bahr, 6’3 PG - Texas Impact 4:13: A strong built guard that will have a major summer. A lefty who gets to the basket at will due to his strength and quickness off the bounce. Bahr is a capable shooter off the catch and did a great job as a ball-mover which resulted in easy baskets for his teammates. Him, Burch and the next guy I’m going to talk about were the best three guards at the tournament.

Malek Archie, 6’3 CG - Southern Assault: I liked the versatility in Archie’s game. Has improved when taking on the role of a primary ball-handler, taking care of the ball under pressure & not getting rushed as much. Still work to be done but seeing growth. Archie applied rim pressure all weekend, due to his ability to get downhill, a solid catch and shoot threat and showed patience as a pick and roll ball handler, surveying the floor and making right reads.

Landon Brown, 6’2 CG - Texas Tarheels: When he was in eighth grade I believed Brown would become a high major prospect. It’s been a turbulent high school career so far with his play, but what I saw on Sunday was a step in the right direction. Showcased his athleticism, stop-and-pop game and variety of hang dribbles to break his defender down and get to his spots. If this is the Landon Brown I’ll see more often, then he’ll become a legitimate D1 prospect.

Angel Sonnier, 6’0 PG - Houston Superstars: A scoring guard that when hot from the field, can score in bunches. The shot was on and off from the games I watched, but I like his fearlessness and short term memory. Can score it in isolation or on ball-screens as well as possess quality touch on floaters.

A.J. Borden, 6’4 SG - Family Ties: More I watched A.J. this weekend, the more he grew on me. A big physical guard with fine positional size. He threaded the needle on ball screens, finding the roll/short roll guy and he embraced contact on drives and finishes. Has garnered interest from DBU and UTA.

Mac Goodlet, 6’5 SG/SF - Urban ASAK: Mac has added muscle to his frame and it has helped him a lot. Shot didn’t fall at the rate he wanted it to, but he had a lot of good moments. He changes speeds and direction well and absorbs contact with finish attempts. He holds a quick trigger and is a better shooter than he showed this past weekend. The improved strength and handle showcases the upside of what his shot creation and play-making can & that's why I have him on this list. 

Devon Cork, 6’5 PF - Dallas Showtyme Black: The younger brother of TCU’s big man Xavier Cork. Although shorter than his older brother at the same time, Devon mirrors the athleticism, energy and grit Xavier played with in high school. Honestly, he may play harder. Lean forward that rebounds, finishes above the rim and love’s altering shots. I wouldn’t label him a D1 prospect right now, but he’s interesting because he looks to not be done growing and could be really good later in his basketball career. 

Micah Robinson, 6’6 SF - Southern Assault: Big, physical wing that can be a reliable secondary, tertiary ball-handler. Like how hard he plays and uses his broad frame to attack and finish. Now, he didn’t finish it great this past weekend through contact, but it was more of a touch thing more so that he didn’t embrace the physicality (Plus, again; I don’t put that much stock in March travel ball play). Robinson will be a quality wing at the next level due to his versatility, toughness and ability to stretch the floor. 

Darkaun King, 6’7 PF - Houston Superstars: A broad built forward that’s a dancing bear. Doesn’t play above the rim but is super skilled. Can handle it well for size, shoot the three as a trail and pop guy and is a threat as a mid-post player. 

David Punch, 6’7 PF - Urbas ASAK: What level is David Punch? That’s a common question I get from college coaches. And my prior answer? I’m not too sure but it’s a wide range when it comes to projection.

After watching him, he just needs to go to the right fit that excels with his prototype. Punch has long arms and big hands, can shoot the three, face-up and attack with an array of moves. His size at his position isn’t bad; but his vertical leap and foot speed are not the greatest, but it’s improving. At the end of the day, a coach that believes in what he can be, I can see David excel at any level of collegiate basketball.

Robert Miller, 6’10 PF - TJ Ford: Best player at the event and it wasn’t close. I argued to some that I thought he could put himself in the McDAAG potential player category by the end of the summer and so far he has proven me right. At his size, athleticism and skill, there aren’t many in the country in 2024 that have that blend.

Josiah Moseley, 6’7 PF - One Time Legends 3SSB: Behind Miller, Moseley was the best frontline player at the WarB4TheStorm. Carries a potent mid-range, face-up game and passes it well out of double teams. He’s applied muscle to his frame, is strong with the ball and cerebral with his scoring approach.

Nic Codie, 6’8 PF - Southern Assault: I talked about Codie in the past and his growing offensive game is what I’m most intrigued about. He’s a four-man, but he can shoot the ball, attack a closeout and exploit height mismatches on the block. He needs to get stronger and not get too perimeter happy but what he can potentially be, is scary.

Bryson McGlothin, 6’7 PF/SF - Texas Impact: Bryson shot 7-8 from three point land and only missed three shots all weekend. A wiry, lean forward with good positional size and shooting prowess. Plays with high energy, agile and makes defenses pay with any space from the perimeter.

Doryan Onwuchekwa, 6’10 C - Team Trae Young: Coming off a 4A University Interscholastic League Title with FAB 50 ranked Oak Cliff Faith Family, Doryan had a solid showing in Duncanville. A load in the paint that’s able to make threes as a pop guy on ball screens. Expected a big summer for him as well.

Quincy Hopkins, 6’5 PF/SF - Tulsa Hawks Pro 16: Quincy is my type of guard. Strong built, a bully and plays through contact on every play. A downhill guard that plays with a meanstreak. Athletic, rebounds well for his size and although the jumper isn’t there yet, the mechanics aren’t bad at all; He can have a very good summer.

Notables

Arhsn Lapsiwala, 6’2 CG - Texas Impact AE: Skilled combo with high feel with plus pass accuracy.

Davien Taylor, 6’2 PG - Texas Tarheels: Athletic PG that’s strong in the open court as a passer and finisher. Gets to the paint. 

Malachi Drake, 6’4 SG/SF - Max Levels Pro 16: Struggled through first part of the weekend but got hot from deep. 5-of-5 from three vs. Southern Assault and is lethal as a shooter off the catch. 

Junior Sileu, 6’10 C - Southern Assault: Very strong physique with a next level body. Holds down the paint on defense, great screen setter and rebounder.

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Xander Booker, 2024 6’5 Wing - Team Dickerson (Green): Interesting prospect with long arms, broad shoulder length and big hands. Booker displayed ability to connect from 3-point land as well as utilize size mismatch on post-ups from the block and mid-post.

William Jobe, 2024 6’10 PF/C - Team Dickerson: A lot to like about Jobe. Can stretch the floor and make shots from deep, saw him alter and block shots from inside, but also uses his length to alter perimeter shots when he is closing out. Versatile at his size, there's abundance of upside with this prospect.

Christian Johnson, 2024 6’2 Guard - Team SMASH: Wiry, attacking guard with a good feel for the game. Saw impressive touch around the basket vs. length and an ability to make quick reads with the ball in his hands. Rarely did I see him doing a lot of dribbling to get from point A to Point B.

Aidan Penchion, 2024 6’7 Forward - Team SMASH: Thicker framed forward that showed inside-out game. Knows how to use body to carve out space in the paint, gain an advantageous position on the offensive boards and connect mid-range shots off the bounce. 

Mekhi Ragland, 2025 6’9 C - Team Huncho 16U: Big framed post with soft touch around the rim and can stretch the floor with reliable shooting from deep. Has good feel and a handful to guard in the post. Once he gets in shape and play effectively in longer stretches, he could make an even larger impact in games.?

Maki Joyner, 2025 6’4 CG - Team Huncho 16U: Enjoyed watching Joyner. Southpaw guard that showed creativity with handle and precise passing off the live dribble. Smooth operator off the bounce and is a crafty finisher around the basket. Could have a big-time spring/summer and expect to see his recruitment and stock grow.

Israel Jenrette, 2024 6’9 - AJ Bouya Elite: Jenrette checks a lot of the physical tools. The size, frame and arm length is ideal for a post. He’s still raw on the offensive end, but liked his energy and presence on the glass and as a rim protector. Rebounded out of his area, used his length and adequate leaping abilities to impact shots at the basket and played to his strengths on both ends.

Lawrence Sanford, 2025 6’2 CG - Wood Elite 16U: Sanford was effective as a scorer playing on or off the ball. Active mover off the ball that creates scoring opportunities for himself and others. On it, he utilizes his quick first step to blow by defenders and can stop on a dime, rise and launch when creating off the bounce. 

Jayden Bell, 2025 6’ PG - Team Power: Confident shot-maker that can score in bunches. Even though he can score it at a high clip, I saw some potentially potent playmaking skills especially when operating as a pick n roll ball handler. Has good vision, may not always make the most accurate passes, but he shows an ability to impact winning with both his scoring and playmaking. 

Chase Tyler, 2024 6’4 Guard - Wood Elite 17U: A dual sport athlete that plays with a blend of power and finesse as a guard-wing. Gets downhill, finishes through contact and length, plus rebounder and when his shot is on, he is an even tougher cover. Albeit being a big-time football player, Chase could end up being a legitimate division 1 basketball prospect.

Isaac Tavares, 2023 6’6 Wing - Team Huncho 17U: An available prospect with good size for a wing. Assertive with the ball in his hands and can get to the teeth of the defense. Was really good in transition as a finisher, can switch and defend multiple spots and I really liked that his motor stays on.

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Navarro College edged Tyler Junior College 76-74 following a put-back dunk prior to the last buzzer. Paris JC connected on a deep three before the horn in a 61-60 win vs Coastal Bend College.

The evening/night cap started off with Bossier Parish completing a comeback in the second half to knock out Angelina in overtime. Kilgore College had to fight off a relentless Lamar State College to advance to the second round.

Braelon Bush, 5’8 SO PG, Navarro College: A Houston native and a transfer from McNeese State, Bush was on fire in the second half vs TJC. Connected on triples coming off ball screens and was a creator and scorer in transition due to his speed with the ball and quick decision making. Bush finished with 25 points on 64% shooting.

Addarin Scott, 6’9 SO PF/C, Navarro College: Scott has made real strides since my time watching him at Dallas Carter High School. The game has slowed down for him and he’s able to show more of a skillset on the offensive end. Capable shooter from 15-feet in and although he missed the 3-point attempt, the mechanics looked fine. He rebounded at a high rate, finished vs length and ultimately got the go-ahead bucket for the Bulldogs with two seconds left to advance to the second round. Scott ended the game with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Corey Camper, 6’5 SO Guard, Tyler Junior College: A big guard out of Arkansas, Corey utilized his size to generate points on drive attempts. He applied rim pressure but when the defense played heavy off-ball help, he exhibited a pull-up game with great lift when he shoots. Camper finished the game with 20 points, 8 rebounds & 4 assists.

Marcus Rigsby Jr, 6’3 RS FR Guard, Tyler Junior College: A strong built guard that has a knack for scoring the ball. A combo with fairly long arms, Rigsby displayed a clean release when shooting off the dribble and utilizes his broad frame to create space on drives. Marcus concluded with 20 points on 73 percent shooting.

Ikechukwu Nwaobi, 6’5 FR Wing-Forward, Coastal Bend College: A long-armed wing that plays with a high motor. Nwaobi was very active on the offensive glass (4 off. rebounds) and generated second chance points for his team. I liked his ability to put the ball on the floor, get to the paint and his nose for the ball. 12 points & 9 rebounds for Nwaobi.

Trey Swazer, 6’3 FR Wing - Paris Junior College: Of the power-wing prototype. At 6’3 with plus length and a? strong build, Swazer is capable of guarding four positions at this level. High motor wing that rebounds well for size, can switch on defense and thrives as a slasher on offense. Trey notched a 10-point, 12 rebound double–double in the Dragon’s win on Tuesday.

Jaylen Wysinger, 6’1 SO PG - Paris Junior College: A skilled guard that showed nice shooting accuracy and passer feel. Crafty handle, a steady set-up pg that scores it within the flow of the offense. Jaylen played a big part in Paris’ win with 13 points & 5 assists.

Kendrick Delahoussaye, 6’0 SO PG - Bossier Parish CC: An attacking guard that played a large part in Bossier’s comeback win vs Angelina. Competed on both ends and relentlessly attacked the rim and found himself at the foul-line eight times. 18 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals for Delahoussaye.?

Christian Caldwell, 6’6 SO Wing - Bossier Parish CC: A pogo-stick athlete that finishes & rebounds above the rim. Caldwell lived in the free throw line, attempting 11 versus Angelina. More than an athlete, however, Caldwell showed fluidity and great lift when he attempted a mid-range jumper. 12 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals for Caldwell.

Patrick Johnson, 6’2 FR PG - Angelina College: The pg out of Compton, CA impressed me with his ability to impact the game outside of scoring. Rebounds well for a point guard that allows him to push tempo and find his open teammate early in transition. A capable shooter as well that connects when his feet are set. 7 points, 5 assists and 9 rebounds for Patrick.

Avontez Ledet, 6’2 SO Guard - Lamar State College: A sniper from deep. Ledet is a threat shooting the ball off the catch, on the move and even after attacking a closeout. Liked the efficiency he demonstrated on Tuesday in a 13 point, 7 rebound performance on 75 percent shooting from three.?

Daveon Thomas, 6’1 SO PG - Kilgore College: A sturdy built, athletic guard that can score in an array of ways. Albeit height, Thomas is a big-time athlete for size and his burst off the bounce allows him to garner clean shot attempts, especially in isolation. Made timely important plays for Kilgore to advance: The Cincinnati commit finished the game with 14 points, 7 rebounds on 50 percent shooting.??

Terrance Dixon Jr, 6’8 FR Forward - Kilgore College: I think Dixon’s best basketball is ahead of him as the active front-line prospect finished strong at the rim and showed good touch around the rim. Runs the floors well, strong vertical athlete that impacts trajectory of shots at the rim. Terrance finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block on 83 percent shooting.?

Transfer Portal and The Impact on Junior College Basketball?

If you follow and listen to the “In The Paint” Show with me, Ronnie Flores and the boss lady Chelsea Hopkins (If you don’t, you need to listen ASAP) then you know we have talked in depth on how current one-time transfer rule has affected the landscape of D1 basketball and high school recruiting. What about Junior College basketball and recruiting? I got a chance to talk to three JUCO coaches that have been in the thick of it for a while to get their thoughts. Kilgore Head Coach Brian Hoberecht, TJC Assistant Coach Mitch Marquis & Navarro Assistant Coach Dejan Pavlovic.

?Before we get started, I am aware that JUCOs have been able to get D1 transfers because it never impacted the player’s eligibility, but with the heightened volume of players in the portal, I wanted to know how, if at all, it changed how they build their roster.?

Team Building

Coach Hoberecht 

“Have to figure out what your balance. Every program has a different definition of what their balance is. If that’s heavier on transfers and some high school/prep players or it’s half & half or maybe a program wants to bring in more high school players than transfers. Either way, D1 recruiting has slowed down across every level of basketball simply because of the portal. D1 staffs are patient, really looking to fill immediate needs and losses and will attack the other things later.”

Coach Marquis

“Finding the talent isn’t the issue but team building is now. We have to look at our program and see what’s best for us at TJC. How many transfers do we need to bring in? They are more experienced and ready to play but all of them have immediate high expectations. How many high school guys do we need to recruit? They also have high expectations but they may not be ready to help us win like that immediately.? Building synergy has been more of a challenge, too, and that all comes to play even more with how the portal is.”

Coach Pavlovic

“At our level we definitely keep our eyes in the transfer portal due to the fact we love to recruit experienced players because their game translates quicker than a true freshman out of high school, for example. Transfers are usually steps ahead in terms of skills and knowledge of the game than most true freshmen at our level, so that gives us an advantage to compete at a higher level. However the negative side of the transfer portal is the hit or miss in recruiting. It definitely affects us if we rely on a transfer to be an impact guy or day one starter and he turns out to struggle and maybe then you see why he transferred one or multiple times trying to figure out what level he can truly play at. Some transfers in the portal who transfer to our level often look down to competition in JUCO, I tell them all the time JUCO is a grind and many people are fighting for the same goals. We are very careful in recruiting the portal, my head coach is extremely high on the kids' character and extremely high on a kid loving the game of basketball.

“Finding the perfect balance will help eliminate a lot of potential problems you may face during the year, you don’t want a whole team of transfers because not everyone gets to play which causes a lot of unhappy players and it will be hard to get 10-12 sophomores that graduate in May moved onto the next level if many of them don’t have the numbers or film to get recruited.”

Impact on sending their player’s D1

Coach Pavlovic

“It hasn’t hit us hard but it’s changed what we’ve had to tell our guys. With the portal I’ve noticed many JUCO kids are committing earlier in their seasons than later due to the fact they don’t want to lose what they already have. We tell our players in the fall if schools reach out to you, offer you, and want you to visit, you need to seriously consider making a quick decision whether it’s to commit early or to wait for bigger offers. Reality is, even if you're not satisfied but it’s the choice you have to make. We tend to tell our players you need to understand how the portal has changed the landscape of our recruiting in JUCO. Not many schools will wait for a JUCO kid anymore as they once did.”

Coach Marquis

“No it’s not harder. If you're good they’ll find you. Now it may take a little longer than it did in the past but a kid good enough to go D1 from TJC, will go D1 from here.”

Coach Hoberecht

“It hasn’t hit us hard to find places for our guys. And thankfully, our success over the years has helped make the process easier for our staff. But I know as a whole, there just seems to be fewer opportunities for junior college guys. 

Overall Thoughts

Coach Marquis

“It’s made every coach at every level question everything. Now you’re not quite sure. D1 coaches that watch synergy on our guys and even come here still can be unsure. It seems if you don’t have the perfect situation for the player. The kid may leave, so now the first step of recruiting is re-recruiting your own players.”

Coach Pavlovic

It's just not easy to make decisions on JUCO kids as it was 5-7 years ago due to the portal. Many coaches on the D-1 level want the best of the best JUCO players early and fill their rosters with JUCO kids later in the spring or summer for their few spots left or needing a body.

Coach Hoberecht

“The one thing the transfer portal rule has taken out that I don’t like is I feel relationship building has gone out of the recruiting process. That part of the recruiting process was crucial for us and helped the player be comfortable quicker once he got on campus.”

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The school season is coming to a close as we are in the last week of state and conference championships. As one season closes, another one opens and camp season is about to commence. I spent my Sunday afternoon at Duncanville Fieldhouse to cover the annual TexasHoops GASO Tops in Texas Camp but this was the first year they added the “Next Gen” component. Not only was it an event for the upperclassmen to display their talent, but it also gave us a glimpse of the ones next up with the 2026 & 2027 crop. Let’s get to the standouts and what they did. 

2025

Cam Carroll, 6’2 PG - South Grand Prairie: A physical guard that used his strong frame to power his way to the basket. Carroll’s ability to get to the paint and make sound passes as well as finish through contact made him a tough cover. 

Kason Brown, 6 '3 SG - Midlothian Heritage: First time getting a close look at Kason and I was impressed with the shot creation. Generates space off the live dribble and can score it in bunches. Fine positional size with a strong build as well. A lot to like about Brown's game.  

Des Jones, 5’10 PG - Pinkston: Shifty guard that showcased the depth of his handle. Changing speeds coupled with ball-on-a-string allows him to get wherever he wants on the floor. He’s improved as a playmaker and a shooter which is making him become a legitimate D1 prospect. 

Jaylon Dean-Vines, 6’4 Wing - Pinkston: Athletic wing that showed more of his perimeter game at the camp. Played more of the role of a slasher/lob guy in high school and even though he excels in that role, there’s some real upside with his perimeter shooting. Saw him drive and get into his pull-up game, knock down a few catch & shoot threes (Shooting mechanics look fine by the way) and he did it with confidence. I didn’t know how skilled he was or can become but this weekend I got a better feel for it. 

2026

Keyuan Williams, 6’ 2/1 CG - Bedford: Lanky guard that was impressive with ability to get to the paint. Possesses a quick first step and because he’s a threat to blow by his man, he can generate space with step-backs. Will be interesting to see how he develops in the next couple of years but Williams has a high ceiling. 

Austin Goosby, 6’4 CG - Melissa: Arguably best performer I saw at the camp in his class. My last viewing of him was in August and his handle has gotten tighter, grew a little bit in height, more decisive with his passes and added muscle to his frame. Austin is a two-sport athlete with a strong athletic background.

Roman Washington, 5’11 SG - LD Bell: Liked how well he shot it from deep. A dependable shooter off the catch with extended range on his jumper.  Fairly long arms, looks to still not be done growing at all. I see a player with intriguing upside.

Antoine Almuttar, 6’3 Wing - Grapevine: Physical wing prospect with a broad frame. What stood out is his ability to play hard on both ends and that’s more noticeable in a camp setting. Collected steals, rebounded the ball in traffic and took the ball coast to coast multiple times for finishes. 

Trae Nunn, 6’3 SG - Waxahachie: Trae was solid on Sunday. Like his advanced mid-range game, three point shooting accuracy and feel for the game. He was just steady but you can see what makes him one of the better players in his class in Texas. 

Sibu Socks, 6’4 Wing - Coppell: Impacts games with his athleticism. Socks is a high-level slasher that finished well vs length. He skied for rebounds, was a strong weak-side shotblocker during the games and overall just plays above the rim.

Caleb Richard, 6’3 CG - Mansfield Timberview: Showed he had a flamethrower. I didn’t see Caleb miss good looks from three-point land. Good size for a combo that has good lift on his jumper but also equipped with the skill and physical tools to become a big-time playmaker in the future. 

2027

Beckham Black, 5’10 PG - Kennemer Middle School: Brother of current Arkansas Razorback and future NBA guard Anthony Black. For fun, to compare Beckham and his brother at the same time, I feel that Beckham’s handle and shooting was further along than Anthony. However, AB was a better athlete, taller and more of a competitor on the defensive end, But one thing they both do is run the point guard spot at a high level. We will see Beckham’s name on a national level during his high school career.

Chris Hunt Jr, 5’10 CG - Kennemer Middle School: Another one that’ll have a big time high school career will be Chris Hunt Jr. Sharing the backcourt with Beckham at Kennemer, Chris is effective on and off the ball as the southpaw guard put on a scoring exhibition at the Next Gen Camp. Get to the rim and finish, hold a nice stop & pop game and once he gets hot from deep, can start making multiple triples quickly. 

Jonathan Bradley, 5’8 PG - Waxahachie Middle School: Jonathan just has a long frame. Long arms, legs and looks to be seeing a big growth spurt in the future. He played more of the scoring role on Sunday but his playmaking skills are in a good place too. Bradley is one to keep tabs of. 

Isaak Hayes, 5’8 PG - Summer Creek Middle School: Shifty guard that can impact games with his passing and scoring. Hayes has a high feel for the game and is a confident primary ball handler.  Regardless of size, Hayes knows how to put his team in position to win and can still do what he does best vs length. 

Xander Prunzinky, 6’7 PF - Middle School: Was very productive. Zander had finishes above the rim, blocked a multitude of shots and ran the floors hard. It’s also the little things I like about Prunzinky. Communicates on defense, does a solid job defending ball screens and is a good screener. 

Royal Watson, 5’7 PG - Danny Jones Middle School: Fast with the ball in his hands. Royal changes direction well, is a quick and precise decision maker but also showed lateral explosion on defense. A strong, speedy guard that is a threat in the open court.?

Notables

Bo Ogden, 2026 6'5 SF - St. Michael's

Jaxson Thompson, 2026 5'9 PG - Greenhill

Silas Rodrigues, 2026 6'3 SG - Denton Guyer

Noah Armstrong, 2026 6' PG - Woodrow Wilson

Markece Young, 2025 6'4 Wing - South Grand Prairie

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This year I see 2024 Nic Codie (Newman Smith, Carrollton, Texas) make a major leap in his stock in the next 3-6 months. Before we do an outlook on what’s ahead, we caught up with the 6’8 forward to talk about his season and how he’s been able to utilize his skills to equate to wins. 

“Coach (Percy) Johnson gives me a lot of freedom and I can impact games either on the wing or inside,” Codie said. “I enjoy playing on the wing more, being able to go off the dribble and score, but I also know when to go inside and get buckets, too. Coach Johnson having trust in me makes me play with confidence and do whatever I can to help my team win.”

Currently, the Trojans hold a 19-5 record and a flawless 11-0 record in district play. The Dallas Morning News recently ranked them No. 10 in their DFW 5A UIL (University Interscholastic League) poll. 

This whole season hasn’t been sweet though, as Newman Smith sunk into a 2-5 record to begin the season. So yes, Newman Smith is on a 17-game win streak since being three games under .500.

“Everyone knew we had to change. We obviously weren’t happy with our record. We had a meeting as a team and actually started to play like a team,” Codie said. “Everybody started showing 100 percent on defense, we started playing with a lot of energy, getting out on transition and not only looking for one person to score.”

Codie talks about the keys for the Trojans to make a playoff run in a deep Class 5A classification.

“Key is to stay humble, stay together, fix up the little stuff. We need to stay healthy and do what is needed to take care of our bodies.”

The Eval

Really in the tweener mold right now. Wiry, lean prospect with an array of skills. Adequate handle for size, which allows him to grab rebounds and push but also step out onto the wing and create own look when he has an advantage on the matchup. Goes inside and uses his plus length to finish over like-size opponents and is also active on the offensive glass. The shooting stroke looks promising especially on catch and shoot scenarios, but Codie can sometimes float on the perimeter more for my liking at times. Still, Codie provides a formidable inside-out game and I can see further down the road of him being a multi-purpose wing that’ll bring versatility on both ends of the floor.

Current Recruitment

Codie holds offers from Sam Houston State, UT Arlington, Tulsa and Cal-Berkeley. The Golden Bears recently just offered Codie. And when I say recent, I mean as recent as me beginning to write about his recruitment. Tulsa and Cal have been the programs that have pursued him the most so far. St. Louis, Louisiana Tech, Nicholls State and Texas A&M Corpus Christi have shown interest. 

“These next couple months will be important for me; be big on how my recruitment goes. Want to help my team make a run in the playoffs and try to win an Adidas Championship (Playing with Southern Assault) this summer,” Codie said. “I need to be consistent with my play and just show how good I am.”

Consistency is key for Codie, but he’s figuring out how to stay productive on the court outside of scoring. He checks a lot of boxes from a physical and skill standpoint and I do believe we will see the ????  emoji by his name many times until we get to the fall. Check back to this article in August and I bet I was right.

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DFW

It’s early but DFW seems to have a stronger depth of talent in the 2026 class. Especially when it comes to wings. Again, it’s VERY early and players will come up as I get to see this class more.

To start it out, I’m heading to Frisco to talk about a player that’s arguably the best player in his class. Trent Perry of Frisco Lone Star is a good size wing with wide shoulder length, long arms that’s a big-time athlete. There’s more to his game though than just his athleticism. Holds a sturdy handle, ambidextrous with his drives to the rim and while his vertical pop is noticeable, what I do like is that he can find the open man when he’s in attack mode. His ability to use his length to guard primary ball handler and intercepting passing lanes draws some similarity to Jordan Walsh at the same time (in that category). Trent has all the tools to become a 5-star prospect when the time comes.

Staying in Frisco, we check out Seven Spurlock of Frisco Memorial. A big guard that’s inching closer to about 6’5, Spurlock holds strong basketball bloodlines with a father that played overseas and a brother that played D1 & D2 basketball. A lefty power guard with a high feel for the game, Spurlock knows how to use his size & strength to get to the rim, a good passer with either hand that can see the play before the play. Would like to see him attack right and make defenders pay when backing off of him, but the talent is there. 

Melissa High School is the next spot. We are going some ways out and will need to take the tolls to reach our next destination after this. Still, there’s a legit player out here and that’s two-sport athlete Austin Goosby. Austin plays football as well, but is a promising basketball talent. His older brother Trevor is a 2023 commit to UT Austin as an offensive tackle. On the hardwood, Goosby is someone that can really space the floor with his extended range from deep and holds a quick trigger. I like his ability to play & constantly move off the ball to put himself in position to score. He has a solid handle, does need to tighten it up, but I like his positional size as a two guard for his age as well as his activity & ability to shoot it with range.  

I took the tolls and still had a 50-minute drive but I’m here at Denton High School to see Ethan Sheats. Very young for his class and just continues to grow. Sheats is an active wing prospect with a skill set to build on. Handles it well in space, capable shooter from 15 feet out off the catch and there’s upside as a shot creator down the road. One to really keep tabs of. A player that attends a school not far from Sheats, Silas Rodriguez of Denton Guyer, starts for the Wildcats and right away brought prominent floor spacing. A confident shot taker and maker that’s equipped with good feel moving off the ball. 

About 25 minutes out, we’re at Coppell High School where you’ll see Sibu Socks flying from end to end. Sibu is the brother of the late Simi Socks who played and started at University of Incarnate Word (2015-2018). Sibu draws similarities to his brother’s game: athletic slashers that play with an endless motor.  I like the versatility Socks brings on the defensive end, more than holding his own as a switchable defender and rebounder vs. length. It will be interesting to see how he develops throughout his high school career. 

Grapevine High School is the next landing spot and point guard David Coe will be a name we will hear in that class all the way through. Fairly sturdy built guard that knows how to win or put his team in position to win. Nice floater game, makes the right read for the most part and has no problem taking the challenge at the varsity level of handling the ball under pressure. Should win newcomer of the year in his district.

"Funky Town" (Fort Worth) as some would call it to get a glance at Alex Barther of Eastern Hills. A lot of promise with this prospect. Seen him consistently make open shots and when the ball is swung to him he knows to go get his. Was impressed with him at the Pangos SW Frosh/Soph camp and he’s a kid that hasn’t scratched the surface with his ceiling. 

When Pinkston High School comes up the first player that comes to mind is highly ranked 2024 guard Dink Pate. But 2026 Bryce Dixon is a welcoming addition to the Vikings, as he brings very solid size for his position, motor, with plus athleticism. A glue guy that’s always up for whatever challenge. With Dink garnering a lot of the defenses’ attention, Bryce steps up and makes plays on the glass or as a cutter to gain a quality look.  

Now time to start going more south and to Oak Cliff, TX and Faith Family , where the FAB 50 ranked unit has two freshmen that have a chance of being really good. Anthony Spencer is an athletic 6’5’-6’6 small forward that thrives in the open court as a finisher. A utility guy that can get a lot done on both ends because of his motor, improved toughness, finishing capabilities and sound IQ as an individual and team defender for his age. Next is big man Davion Adkins who still is raw, but has shown he can make his presence known in the paint. More of your high motor, active, rebounding type center that has shown improved footwork in the paint. Has long arms and big hands. Adkins will continue to grow, height wise, and once the game slows down for him and understands how to navigate around tight spaces in the paint, he can be really good.

Let’s go even further south and head to Waxahachie High School who have a young and promising foundation with a strong crop of 2024, 2025 & 2026 players. In 2026 Trae Nunn stands out more due to his productivity at the varsity level already and just his overall skill set. A thicker frame wing with a strong pull-up game and needs limited dribbles to score the ball. Also a capable shooter off the catch that brings versatility in his offensive game playing both on and off the ball. Better off the ball scorer at this stage but there’s upside as being a primarily playmaker with time and if he continues to improve.?

East Texas

Now I'm going to head to my old stomping grounds of East Texas. Carter Chism of Mount Pleasant High School is a savvy guard that can score the basketball. Smoothness in his handle and ability to create space. Carter has a natural, good feel for the game and shows play-making upside on the varsity level.

Houston/Beaumont

In H-Town and this trip will have us all over. Several players have impressed me and my staff and we’ll start with Jachai Cantave of Atascocita. A crafty guard with an advanced approach to the game for class. Fairly steady with the ball in his hands, wiggle off the dribble that allows him to get where he wants as he holds an array of ways to finish versus length. 

Beaumont, the city of current U-of-H freshman Terrance Arcenaux and recent 2023 Washington commit Wesley Yates resides, is next. There’s a crop of even younger talent coming up and 2026 Elijah Garrett is the headliner of Beaumont Westbrook. Garrett is a wiry, long armed guard that’s wired to score. Like his ability to use his length on defense, create his own look offensively and knows how to play off it and thrive with another guard on the floor. Kelly Catholic, a TAPPS Class 5A school in Beaumont, has a freshman that is putting up numbers: Langston Adams Jr. is filling up the scoring column. A quick guard that can stop on a dime and pull. Thrives in the open court and does a fine job facilitating. Has accumulated over 500 points this season.

Dawson High School has a wing with a lot of promise. Ja’Lon Brown has the positional size, long arms and motor to provide impactful minutes on the varsity level. A slashing wing that utilizes his plus wingspan to finish versus length, thrives in the open court as a scorer and the jumper will come along. His freshman teammate and dual sport athlete Devan Brown is talented too. Looks to be assertive with the ball, gets paint touches and competes on the defensive end.

Byron “BJ” Green of St. Thomas Episcopal was an under-the-radar performer at the Pangos SW Camp. Liked how he got paint touches and showed a nice mid-range and floater game. Did a good job changing speeds and finding open man on kickouts. One I’ll continue to keep on my radar. 

Katy Seven Lakes have a strong crop of 2026 players, but Nasir Price headlines that group.  An athletic, gangly combo who contends for top of his class in Texas and makes a very strong case. Although he really uses his length he holds a quick first step, gets to the paint and mixes scoring and facilitating well. Albeit skinny, fluid with handle and knows how to split and navigate in traffic with the ball in his hands. Price Competes on the defensive end and is able to guard the full length of the court when locked in. 

I’m intrigued by Devon Simmons. He's a long armed wing that looks to not be done growing at all. Athletic at 6’1 ish with a growing perimeter game. Decent shooter off the catch. Better from 15 feet in, Simmons uses length to finish vs athleticism and comparable length. Handle isn’t great but can straight line drive and looks to finish. I like Simmons' ability to be able to mix it inside/out when it comes to scoring. 

Central Texas

There’s real solid depth in Central Texas when it comes to the 2025 & 2026 class. Time will tell but could see the majority stay in the area through their high school careers. 

Starting off in Austin at St. Michaels with Bo Ogden. He is the son of Chris Ogden who is on the coaching staff at University of Texas. Bo has a flamethrower when launching from deep. Connects shots with range and shoots with a ton of confidence. A gangly looking off-guard/wing with a pure shooting stroke, Ogden will be relied upon when it comes to scoring at his high school on the varsity level. 

San Antonio Brennan is rich with the talented young group they have on their roster. 2026 Isaiah Ward is the name people talk about most. At about 6’4-6’5, Ward is a versatile wing/guard prospect with a nice pull-up game. He rebounds well for position, plays through contact fairly well and shown to be able to rebound, push the ball and make a solid decision with a full head of steam. Every-time I watch Talon Todd, he impresses me more and more. A lefty point guard that knows how to win and plays whatever role to win. If that’s to play off it and become more of a scorer, or be the primary ball handler and create shots for himself and others. Todd projects as a D1 guard in my book. Love how he competes and makes winning basketball plays. Donovan Criss is more ‘projecty’ than the others, but could end up being high up there in his class when it’s all said and done. At close to 6’4 (grown since the summer) and a shot from the perimeter that’s reliable and versatile, Criss' has the ability to shoot with range, showing promise as a potential three level scorer with fluidity with athleticism. If Criss puts it together, he could be a higher end D1 prospect. 

Notables

Jose Martins - Seven Lakes

Hudson Smith - Seven Lakes

Colin Callahan - St. John’s

Chase Baker - Ridgepoint

Kingston Willis - Faith Family

Michael Gatewood - Red Oak

Armon Almuttar - Grapevine

Antoine Almuttar - Grapevine

Cameron Lomax - Heritage High School

Amare Johnson - TACA BLK

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RELATED:  Preseason 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | |   | BIL McDonald's All-American Game Archives |  McDAAG Case: Ja'Kobe Walter | In the Paint: Breaking Down Everything McDAAG! |

Congratulations to all the players selected for this year's game and especially the two from Texas (little hometown bias never hurt): Ron Holland (Duncanville, Dallas) & Texas native Ja’Kobe Walter (Link Year Academy, Branson, Mo.) join the elite group of 24 and will man the courts at the Toyota Center. 

Representation as a whole of Texas players in the annual East vs. West affair that began in 1978, especially over the past ten years, has been strong. ESPECIALLY in comparison to the first ten years of the game. Why is that? I did some research and wanted to take a dive in to this topic.

Let’s start from the very beginning. 

No player from Texas was selected in 1977 (when a group of 15 took on the DMV All-Stars at the Capital Classic and featured Magic Johnson) but in ‘78 Rudy Woods of Bryan High School made the West team and won team MVP of the game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. He is the only player from Texas to win the MVP of the game. In 1979, future 12-year NBA vet Greg Kite (James Madison, Houston) made the field of 24 and that was impressive. From top to bottom that might be the most impressive McDonald's class of all-time.

We didn’t see another player make it to the game until 1983 when Rickie Winslow (Jack Yates, Houston) was selected. Rickie is the father of Justice Winslow (St John’s High School, Houston), who was selected in 2014. The Winslows are the only father-son duo from Texas to be selected for the prestigious game. In ‘85, the father of current Boston Celtic Al Horford made the game. Tito Horford arrived at Marion Christian (Houston) from the Dominican Republic in the upperclassman years of his high school career and made noise quickly.?

Finishing up the first 10 years, in 1987 for the first time we saw two Texas representatives in the game with LaBradford Smith (Bay City High School) and “Grandma Ma” Larry Johnson (Skyline High School, Dallas) LaBradford earned Texas Mr. Basketball in 1987 and was a first round pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. Larry Johnson won a NCAA Title with UNLV in 1990, was the 1st overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and became a 2x NBA All Star. As he proved in high school, college and the NBA before his injuries, Johnson was a special talent even though he might of been overshadowed in many respects by Smith.  

That’s six…a total of six players from Texas that participated in the McDAAG and that was before a time where prep schools were a huge thing. That's significant because Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) was just becoming a national destination in 1987. There weren’t multiple players on a team making the McDAAG like we’ve seen in the past 10 years from the likes of IMG Academy, Montverde Academy, Findlay Prep, etc.

In saying all this, there weren’t many academy type programs, as players made the game mainly from public and parochial schools. There also wasn't many players that represented a school from a particular state, but held permanent residency in another state as you might see now. Texas had six players in the first ten years and was the third largest state by population at the time. Crazy right?

Now looking at the last ten years we have had 27 players originally from Texas make the game. Either that’s Texas natives who played for an academy-type (in which we still count here for argument purposes) or ones that went to school in the Lone Star State. 

2013 and 2014 alone surpassed 1977-1987 by three, as nine players saw their names announced. Since 2013, we have had four years where at least four players from Texas made the game. 2013 had five, there were four in 2014, five in in 2016, and 2022, we saw another five chosen. 

What changed? Did basketball get taken more seriously in Texas? I heard stories of players way before I was born, so it seemed the talent was here.

To get answers I had to ask the ones that witnessed what happened and were part of the history. First was long-time grassroots basketball scout and owner of Texasboysbasketball.com and Xccelerated Sports Metrics, Alan Branch. Next was Horace Coleman from Dallas who was part of grassroots programs Dallas Slamma Jamma who were approached and had contracts with numerous shoe companies and last but not least, current CBSSN Analyst, former Interim Head Coach at Texas Tech and four year point guard at Villanova from 1988-1992 in Chris Walker. Walker also played at Milby High School (Houston) where he was a Converse All-American and an UIL All-State and All-Greater Houston selection team. 

“Well AAU didn’t come onto the scene in Texas until the late 80’s,” Branch said. “They didn’t allow AAU but we could play in Little Dribblers in the summer and play games at the recreation center. The winner of that would go on to the all-city league.”

Starting to make some sense out of it, a court case also opened things up for summer basketball camps in the state. 

“There was only one summer basketball camp a kid in Texas could go to back then and that was in Huntsville and they only invited 30 players,” Coleman said. “When Greg Kite sued the UIL (University Interscholastic League) and won, it started opening up basketball more in Texas which was the start of what we see today.”

Yes, Kite, who participated in the 1979 McDonald’s Game, sued the UIL to allow players to attend summer camps in Texas. The action was actually filed in 1978 by Robert Kite, who was the Next Friend of Greg Kite, due to Greg being a minor at the time. 

Prior to Greg winning the case in the early 80’s, if a player went to a camp that wasn’t approved, under UIL rules that player would have to sit out the entire year of school ball. 

With influential writers and media concentrated on the East Coast at the time, a player from Texas didn’t have many opportunities to play in front of those guys in the spring and/or summer. 

“There was definitely an East Coast bias at the time," Walker said. "A majority of the writers were from the East Coast and the college games you saw on TV were Big East or ACC. TV as a whole wasn’t big like that. Everything was regional. The Southwest Conference didn’t have a national TV deal, so everyone thought Texas was just a football state and hoopers there weren’t good.”

Before the BIG 12, there was the eight-team Southwest Conference that consisted of University of Arkansas, UT-Austin, University of Houston, SMU, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU and Rice. According to Coleman, Branch and Walker, colleges from other regions thought it would be a waste of time to recruit in Texas because they would end up at a school in the Southwest Conference. Since there wasn’t any national coverage here and most players went to school in the Southwest Conference, the players didn’t get the attention they deserved.

Guys such as Smith (Louisville), Johnson (UNLV) and Walker (Villanova) showed coaches across the country, not to mention younger players from Texas, that they could go out of the region and be successful.

Walker and Coleman talked about no writers from Texas at the time, but the pioneer in regards to covering the players was Mike Kunstadt. The creator of the Great American Shootout and Texas Hoops Scouting Service. 

“Mike was the first one to write about the players and put reports out. It brought more attention to the college coaches outside of Texas about the talent out here,” Coleman said. 

Now let’s talk about the emergence of grassroots basketball. When talking about the Godfathers of AAU in Texas, Michael Young, Stephen Land and Jack Thompson are prominent. 

Land and Thompson had the only two AAU programs in the state of Texas. Their programs were also the only ones in Texas that could get invited to John Farrell’s Summer Invitational Tournament in Las Vegas. 

Their successors are now legends in the Texas grassroots space; guys such as Rob Wright, Horace Coleman, John Eurey, Mitch Malone, Wes Grandstaff, Hal Pastner and the list goes on. 

Now fast forward to today and now I understand what took place, and why, in order for Texas to get the basketball recognition it deserved. 

1. AAU and travel ball opened the popularity of basketball in the state, which caused more children to play the sport. 

2. The advancement of TV brought exposure to the players.

3. Guys in Texas leaving the state for college and having success changed the narrative on players from the Lone Star State

4. Writers reporting about the players and those reports going to the masses also helped change the narrative.  

Speaking of narratives, it has definitely changed in the past 46 years. From a state where it’s was only recognized for football to a state that produces pros yearly, a state that prep schools come every year to recruit, a state where the norm is 40-55 Division 1 recruits and 15-20 of them are going high major a year. That every year now! 

Texas has also withstood the era of prep schools dominating the high end market as we still recognize our guys that finished out in a different state such as ‘22 honorees Keyonte George (IMG Academy - Bradenton, FL), Jordan Walsh (Link Year Academy - Branson, MO) and the most recent transplant: 2023 Ja’Kobe Walter of Link Year Academy in Missouri. 

It’s great to live in a state that's a hotbed for high level basketball players. I'm also appreciative of the ones that fought and made it what it is today.

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Ja’Kobe Walter of unbeaten and FAB 50 No. 3 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) is one whose resume gives him a strong chance.

The Baylor signee has accumulated over 2,000 points in his high school career, received NBPA & Wooten Camp invites, 1st Team UIL All-District and region honors for multiple seasons, 1st Team TABC All-State honors, led McKinney (Texas) to its first ever state title game in 2021-22 and was third in points per game in Adidas 3SSB with Team Trae Young. Walter has stayed consistent with his production throughout high school. 

“It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to be a McDonald’s All American," Walter told Ballislife. "The players that have played in that game, the meaning of it. It’s just always been a dream of mine to play in the same game as the ones before me.”

Walter talks about why he feels he’s earned a spot.

"I just feel like I’ve always been consistent on the court; if that was in school ball or in AAU,” Walter said. “And I’ve won a lot of games at both levels. Went to state with McKinney, right now we are top 3 in the country even though we should be No. 1 and my stats have transferred to winning as well.”

Walter leads FAB 50 No. 3 Link team in scoring (13.4 ppg) and is third in rebounding (3.9 rpg). He also can add MVP honors from his performance at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, as Link Academy defeated No. 11 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in the title game to push its record to 18-0. The future Baylor Bear compiled 17 points and brought massive energy on the court.

Game Breakdown

A scoring guard with a strong frame. Scores it in limited dribbles but a promising decision maker off the live dribble due to awareness and passing accuracy. He’s naturally strong, which allows him to get to his spots to elevate and launch. The savvy shooting guard keeps defenders at bay utilizing advanced triple threat game, plus length, and has been someone that can consistently make tough shots off the bounce. There’s a lot of upside with his defense. A formidable on-ball defender currently, but he has another tier on the defensive end he will unlock down the road which will show more of his versatility. He really uses his length, strength and lateral mobility to guard well on-the-ball and does a good job as a team defender.

Final Thoughts

When looking at the major national recruiting network player rankings, Walter’s name appears generally in the top 20 range. That’s fits with where I believe he falls and honestly I feel he’s a bit higher, especially with his play this season with arguably the No. 1 team in the country.

The McDonald’s All-American Game announces its team of 24 players on Jan. 24 and he’s performed as one of them. Although he currently resides in Branson, Mo., Texas is home for Walter. I don’t see five Texas natives in the 2023 class representing the state as was the case in 2021-22. But of the few that will be, however, it would be a surprise if Ja’Kobe Walter isn’t one of them.

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