EYBL Session 1 took place at the Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona from April 25–27, featuring some of the nation’s top high school talent. NBA scouts were on hand to evaluate many of the top prospects as they battled in a highly competitive setting. With a few marquee names sidelined by injuries—Brandon McCoy Jr. (rumored to suit up for Vegas Elite later this season), Adonis and Darius Ratliff, Miles Sadler, and Obinna Oziekie, among others—new faces seized the spotlight and several prospects took the opportunity to solidify their status in their respective classes.
This was the first of four sessions, with upcoming stops in Memphis and Kansas City before the finale at the historic Peach Jam. While my primary focus was on the U17 division, I also had the chance to catch some standout performances from the U16 level.
Top 10 Prospects:
Babatunde Oladotun 6’9 Wing Team Durant, Class of 2027 (playing in U16s) cover 📸: Griffin Greenberg ig
After this session, it was announced that Baba Oladotun (pictured) would move up to U17s in the following session in Memphis. Averaging 11.7 points per game, Baba showcased his high skill level. To start, he is super fluid for a player his size with great hip mobility. The primary ball handler for Team Durant, he displayed strong handles, changing tempos and varying the height of his crossover dribbles, even executing a few behind-the-back crossover dribble mid-range jump shots. In addition, he displayed a quick release, fluid jump shot, making him a very projectable scorer at the next level. What he lacks relative to his peers is strength and power. While quick, agile, and long, he still has room to grow in terms of absorbing contact and finishing, and lacks the explosive power that someone like Marcus Spears Jr. has. Still, scouts came away impressed, seeing him as the most intriguing Class of 2027 prospect in Session 1.
Christian Collins 6’8 SF Team Why Not, Class of 2026
Christian Collins was arguably the best NBA prospect in U17 Session 1. He is an extremely fluid athlete and runs the lanes exceptionally well on fast break opportunities. He also displays a strong handle, leading fast break opportunities by dribbling down court, using a euro step to avoid a charge and finishing plays with a one-handed dunk. In half court sets, he can catch the ball on the wing and use a between-the-legs crossover to get by defenders, get downhill, and has a quick, fluid mid-range jump shot to keep defenders off balance from his propensity to drive. When he misses, his elite quickness allows him to retrieve his own shot, leading to his 12 offensive rebounds in 3 games. He was able to draw fouls and is a good foul shooter, going 8/9 from the free throw line. Defensively, he moves fluidly laterally and currently averages 10 rebounds per game (3rd overall). His biggest weakness is his lack of strength. He’s wiry, and there are questions whether he will ever be able to put on weight. However, he doesn’t necessarily need to add weight but needs to add strength to finish plays. That was the biggest knock on him from scouts at this event. Nonetheless, his work ethic and improvements are remarkable given that as a sophomore he was still just on junior varsity. After Session 1, he is averaging 15.7 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Jordan SmithJr. 6’2 CG Team Takeover, Class of 2026
Jordan Smith Jr. is a game-changer level defensive player. Built like a brick at 200lbs and with length, he’s the rare player who can single-handedly control the game on that end of the court. In the first half of the game against Utah Prospects, he picked 4-star senior Ikenna Alozie twice as he brought the ball up court, poking the ball with his quick outstretched hands, retrieving it and sprinting down court for two two-handed flushes. Switched to the taller Junior County in the second half, he made another game-defining play from the defensive end. Down 1 with 52 seconds left, he rotated from the corner and sprinted to the opposite block where the Utah Prospect post player had just received the ball, poking the ball out of his outreached hands for the steal. Team Takeover ended up beating the then undefeated Utah Prospects squad in overtime, in large part due to Smith’s 5 steals and 2 blocks in the game. While he doesn’t have extraordinary size for a point guard, his strength and length make him highly switchable at this level and would at the very least hold his own at the top level. On offense, Smith uses his broad shoulders, like a running back, to shed defenders and get downhill. Once he has a first step with his wide body and speed, it is very hard for the defender to recover and affect the shot. In addition, he displayed a good ability to stop on a dime and make the free throw line extended shot if there was a rim protector. Good around the rim, he’s a load posting up other point guards. NBA scouts will be looking for progress in his lead guard skills, ability to distribute the ball, create for others, and extend his shooting range. He had 12 stocks in 3 games and averaged 22.7 points (5th) and 8.3 rebounds (9th) in Session 1.
Jason Crowe Jr. 6’3 PG Oakland Soldiers, Class of 2026
Jason Crowe Jr. had a phenomenal weekend, leading the Soldiers to a 3-0 record and leading the U17 Division in scoring in Session 1 by averaging 25.3 points per game. The lefty demonstrated his craftiness as a scorer using jab steps, footwork pre-dribbles, and variations of hesitation dribbles, crossovers, and changing speeds with ease to create separation and get downhill. While his jump shot from long range was not falling in Arizona (3/18), he was efficient scoring around the basket and from mid-range. On a couple occasions, I witnessed him jump on one side of the basket for a layup and end up on the other side of the basket in the air to avoid the outreached hands of the defender, putting the ball off the backboard with some english and scoring the basket. Most of the time, Jason was orchestrating a high-tempo fast break offense and making quick decisions. For example, on one occasion he quickly received an outlet pass off a defensive rebound, turned up court, took 2 dribbles and made a right-handed cross-court bounce pass to a teammate running down the lane on the opposite elbow who dunked off the catch.
Dylan Mingo 6’5 CG PSA, Class of 2026
Dylan Mingo and PSA had a great 3-day weekend in Session 1, leading his team to a perfect 3-0 record and being the statistical darling of the first session. On offense, Dylan was able to penetrate and attack the rim with ease. His quick dribbles, strong crossover, and ability to find acute angles for direct paths to the rim are remarkable. His length and size at the guard position and strong athletic frame make him highly efficient around the rim. He also was able to draw fouls at a high rate, going 18/22 from the free throw line. Defensively, he was a ball hawk, using his length to create fast break opportuanities with his deflections and steals, resulting in 10 steals in 3 games. One thing to monitor for his prospects at the higher level is his position at the top level. Scouts have some questions if he has the mentality of a true lead guard and can create for others as well as he creates for himself.
Marcus Spears Jr. 6’7 SF Drive Nation, Class of 2027
Marcus Spears Jr.’s athleticism is remarkable. He averaged 16.7 points per game, 10.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game while still at the early stages in his skill development. In fact, when there was talk among scouts, that was the primary criticism of his play. However, when I saw him in Session 1, the lefty made three point shots (3/8) and was 5/6 from the free throw line (granted a low volume), showing good form as a spot-up shooter. His fight, in particular in the game against Team United, was strong, and no one at this level can keep him off the glass or stop him from finishing around the rim. A good example of his strong offensive glass game was when Marcus took a mid-range jumper and was quickest to the ball after the missed shot, grabbing the rebound and scoring on a close-range put-back over the outstretched hands of AZ Unity’s 6’10 Darius Wabbington before anyone could react. Offensively, he liked getting the ball at the top of the key and using jab steps or pivots to get the defender off balance before driving to the basket. He also featured strong effort whether the game is close or it’s a blowout. He has pro-level elite athleticism both vertically and laterally and does not back down to bigger or stronger players, leading to him being highly effective on defense as both a rim protector and an offensive disruptor by getting deflections and steals.
Ryan Hampton 6’6 SF Drive Nation, Class of 2027
Ryan Hampton, also a wing for Drive Nation, led the team and was second in Session 1 for U16s in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game. He showed good quickness and good balance between getting downhill and shooting the mid-range. However, his shot selection overall was questionable, often taking quick shots and at times forcing things instead of letting the game come to him, which reflected in his poor shooting percentages. He has a fluid shooting motion and feathery touch and shows great promise as an efficient scorer once he gets stronger and makes better shooting decisions. One example of this was when Drive Nation was up two in regulation with no shot clock left, and instead of running the clock out, he decided to take a mid-range jump shot which he missed, allowing the opponent to tie the game up and head to overtime—a learning experience for the young player. Defensively, he competed and used his length to disrupt the passing lanes. He was strong on the defensive glass and averaged 9 rebounds per game in Arizona.
Tajh Ariza 6’9 SF Team Why Not, Class of 2026
Tajh Ariza has great length and athleticism and has the type of measurables that NBA teams seek in a 3-and-D wing. Fluid with good height, he has potential to be able to guard any player 1-4 on an NBA floor. In the games I watched, he was best scoring on the fast break, finishing plays by catching a lob one-handed and flushing it through the rim. He has strong handles both on the fast break and in half-court sets. He showed some flashes in the 3-point part of a 3-and-D player, making a couple of catch-and-shoot 3s, going 2/6 in 3 games overall. Oddly enough, since they have played together so much and are teammates now both in AAU for Team Why Not and St. John Bosco, he and Christian Collins rarely have good scoring games in the same game, with Ariza’s best game in Session 1 coming in Collins’ worst game. Overall, there are some questions about Ariza’s thirst for scoring, and he needs to become more consistent with his shot on the perimeter off the dribble. He averaged 8.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in Arizona.
Vaughn Karvala 6’6 SF Team Herro, Class 2026
Vaughn Karvala was one of the lesser-known players who created a buzz in Session 1. All of the NBA scouts that I came across really liked his game. A 3-level scorer in Session 1, he will finish plays with 2-handed dunks on the fast break, execute dribble drives in half-court sets, hit the mid-range jump shot, and make catch-and-shoot shots from long range. Even with some gunners on his team, he will play within himself, make quick decisions, and make the right play. He averaged 15 points (5/12 from 3), 6.3 rebounds, and 1 block per game. One thing to monitor is that he didn’t have an assist the entire first session.
JJ Andrews 6’5 SG Brad Beal Elite, Class of 2026
JJ Andrews averaged 19.7 points per game while shooting 72% from the field. He’s a well-built player with powerful athleticism, making him a menace on the fast break where he attacks the rim. In Session 1, he was highly efficient, making good decisions in shot selection and even making a few threes (4/8) in half-court sets, which kept defenders honest. On defense, he was able to move well laterally and guard taller opponents with his strength and athleticism when in switches, leading to his 7 steals in at 3 games, while averaging 4.3 rebounds.
EYBL U17 Eye Catchers
Tarris Bouie 6’6 Wing Team Thad, Class of 2026
No one played harder than Tarris at this event. The long, skinny wing was impactful on both ends of the floor—diving for loose balls, getting deflections, using every pound of his skinny frame to push out taller and stronger players out of the paint on defense. On several occasions, his deflections led to steals and breakaway opportunities for dunks. Tarris, a scorer at heart, flashed a quick trigger, running the lanes on the fast break and taking and often making transition 3-pointers from the wing. In half-court sets, he played off his 3-point marksmanship with pump fakes and one-dribble mid-range jump shots, or off pick-and-roll getting downhill to the rim and using great touch and english by putting the ball off the glass to avoid the defender’s block attempt. He also showed a willingness to pass the ball and create for others, with a particularly good alley-oop to his teammate in the dunker spot when he went downhill. He went a perfect 11/11 from the charity stripe. He has some limitations athletically for the top level and is not a very polished prospect yet, but his scoring and intensity on the court absolutely stood out in Session 1. He averaged 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1.3 blocks in Arizona.
Sammy Jackson 6’7 SF Team Final, Class of 2026
Sammy Jackson was one the more solid all-around players in Session 1. Averaging 13 points and 4 assists per game, he shot efficiently across the board, demonstrating he’s dangerous from mid-range and beyond the arc. Skilled with a high basketball IQ, he had over a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in Arizona. A good rim runner and athlete, he had a very good first session.
Sheek Pearson 6’11 C Brad Beal Elite, Class of 2026
Sheek has ideal size and build for the top level. He runs the floor fluidly, doesn’t mind initiating or receiving physical contact, and knows his role is to defend the paint and grab rebounds (averaged 2.7 blocks, which ended up being the second most in Session 1, and 6.3 rebounds in less than 24 minutes per game in Arizona). At Session 1, he flashed mechanically sound form on his shot and made a few free-throw-line extended pick-and-pop jump shots. He does need time, however, when shooting from the outside as he tends to rush his form on quick closeouts. In the post, he was strong on the offensive glass and had some success with an in-the-key half hook.
Jaxon Richardson 6’5 Wing Florida Rebels, Class of 2026
Jaxon Richardson has the natural athleticism that his dad and former NBA Dunk Champion Jason had. Averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks for Session 1, he was a human highlight film. So much so that when the crowd yelled and scouts and media were on other courts while Jaxon was playing, the assumption was Jaxon had made another spectacular play. Two that stood out that I witnessed: a lob pass from Cayden Daughtry who passed it after driving from the top of the key, making the pass from the right elbow while Jaxon flashed from the left baseline to catch the ball a little behind him, cuff it one-handed, and slam it through the rim. Another example was him catching an alley-oop from the dunker spot on the right side and dunking it on the left side with a 2-handed reverse dunk. He demonstrated a great motor and intensity on both ends of the floor. Still very raw, he lacks refinement in his handles and consistency in his outside shooting.
Caleb Gaskins 6’8 Power Forward NightRydas, Class of 2026
Caleb Gaskins averaged 18 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in Session 1. Showcasing his man body, featuring broad shoulders and strong frame, he punishes rims with powerful dunks and was the top defensive rebounder in Arizona. While most of his game is predicated on his athleticism, there were some improvements in his skills from last year’s EYBL. For example, he was more comfortable taking and making outside jump shots. And while the numbers are still not where they need to be in terms of efficiency, it’s still a development to monitor. The other area that needs work is his assist-to-turnover ratio, where he had 5 assists to 15 turnovers.
Ahmad Hudson 6’8 Power Forward JL3, Class of 2027
Ahmad Hudson is one of the best tight ends in the country with visits to LSU and Alabama. He also showed some intrigue in hoops, averaging 8.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in Session 1. Very raw, he was an absolute force on the offensive glass, scoring many of his points by being the quickest to snatch the rebound and jam it with two hands. An extremely gifted athlete with good hands, he could probably defensively play either post position at the collegiate and pro level. Still very raw, he can find himself out of position and still have time to recover and get the rebound, deflection, or block shot. While football appears to be his calling, should he dedicate his time to refining his offensive skill sets, he has some intriguing upside.
Marcus Johnson 6’0 PG Indy Heat, Class of 2026
The southpaw averaged 20.3 points per game for the session. Marcus is quick with good handles, where he will flash different tempos and heights with his dribbles. But what he excels at is his ability to slither around defenders and create space with his body to score over help post defenders protecting the rim. He showed a strong motor as he was always in attack mode on offense. Those strengths permit him to get to the free throw line at a good pace (over 5 per game) and create good separation from his defender. However, as a smaller point guard, he will need to create as much for teammates as he does for himself at the next level.
Cayden Daughtry 5’11 PG Florida Rebels, Class of 2027
Cayden Daughtry is one of the younger players playing in U17, yet started for the Florida Rebels and averaged 18.3 points per game. A true point guard, he has elite handles and passing ability. He was the primary lob passer to teammates Jaxon Richardson and Layden Colyer. He has a quick, repeatable shot with extensive range and has a great ability to get to the free throw line, where he went 23/27. He competes on the defensive end as well, getting 6 steals and 2 blocks despite his small stature. However, his lack of height is a huge barrier for the top level, and he unfortunately shot poorly where the size of opponents seemed to affect him.
Qayden Samuels 6’5 SG Team Takeover, Class of 2026
The lefty was one of the more efficient shooters and scorers in Session 1, averaging 24.7 points on 8/20 from three, while getting to the free throw line 22/28 (79%). Qayden is the prototypical lefty wing: very left-dominant, a good shooter, and awkward. He has an unusual natural running stance and body type that may amplify his offbeat style. Not a strong defender, but a solid rebounder. Further development and belief in his right hand should aid him at the next level.
Trey Beamer 6’3 CG Team United, Class of 2026
Trey Beamer, a combo guard, averaged 19.3 points while going 6/17 (35%) from three. He had an excellent game on day 1, going for over 30 points and taking and making tough 3-point shots to lead the team to victory. Throughout the session, he made and took clutch free throws at the end of both games they won and went 16/19 from the free throw line overall. A smart and efficient basketball player, he averaged 3.7 assists for the event with 11 assists to 5 turnovers. He has a slim build and is a true combo guard, as he doesn’t quite have the height of a 2-guard and may need some refinement to his handles to be a true lead guard.
Elijah Williams 6’6 SF JL3, Class of 2026
Elijah Williams had two good games and 1 stinker (against Utah Prospects) and averaged 22 points for the session, with his biggest game against Meanstreets where he had 35 points. A bit of a point forward, he’s adept at running the offense through himself, and when he handles the ball and gets downhill, it’s usually using his body and change of pace—slo-mo style à la Kyle Anderson. In Session 1, he shot best from long distance in catch-and-shoot opportunities. Strong on the offensive glass, he’s adept at getting his own misses and others’ for scoring opportunities.
Ikenna Alozie 6’1 CG Utah Prospects, Class of 2026
Ikenna Alozie averaged 21.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in Session 1, showcasing his athleticism and ability as a scorer. He was extremely efficient scoring around the rim, both with dunks or by absorbing contact to create space and finish plays among the trees guarding the rim. However, this session also displayed some of his limitations as a prospect, as he had true difficulties handling the ball versus the bigger and athletic Jordan Smith Jr., and there remain questions about his abilities as an offensive initiator for teammates, as he had just 4 assists to 15 turnovers.
EYBL U16 Eye Catchers
Gabe Nesmith 6’5 SG Vegas Elite, Class of 2027
Gabe Nesmith leads U16s in scoring after Session 1 at 22.7 points per game. A proficient scorer, on the third day against Team Why Not he had 22 of the team’s 37 first half points, ending up with 33 for the game. A blur, he can get by opponents with ease. Once he gets past the first line of defense, he uses jump stops and crow hops to get by the secondary help defender and score around the rim. He displayed a nice vertical, catching a couple of lobs for two-handed dunks, and showed some outside shooting potential, going 5/13 from three and 13/17 from the free throw line. Defensively, he plays the passing lanes to get some deflections and fast break opportunities and used his athleticism to average 1 block per game. He was, however, a bit of a ball-pounder on offense at times and was more focused on creating for himself than for others.
CJ Rosser 6’9 Power Forward Team United, Class of 2027
CJ Rosser averaged 20.7 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in Session 1. In half-court offense, he looks to do two things: shoot outside jump shots, where he went 5/11 from three, and finish plays from the dunker spot or in pick-and-dive opportunities where he catches lobs. He does not have the quickest release yet, but in games showed the ability to pump fake the three, take a one-dribble side step, and make the long-distance shot. He also went 17/24 from the free throw line. At this stage of his career, he isn’t much of a hub as a passer, nor can he create much for himself off the dribble, as he’s probably most efficient in catch-and-shoot opportunities or situations where he only needs to take one or two dribbles maximum. Also, despite his height, he isn’t much of a rebounder.
King Gibson 6’4 CG Team United, Class of 2027
King Gibson was impressive against Drive Nation, leading the comeback in regulation and then making nearly all of Team United’s baskets in overtime for the victory. Averaging 17.3 points per game for the session, in that game he featured a strong mid-range game. On multiple occasions, he received the ball at the top of the key, went downhill to get to the rim on a drive, and stopped at the free throw line extended for a mid-range jumper, making all of them over the outreached hands of the defender. On one occasion, he drove from the left side of the top of the key, crossed middle past his primary defender, created contact on the secondary defender (who happened to be Marcus Spears Jr.), and kissed it high off the glass on the right side of the rim over Spears’ outreached hands for an and-1 layup. In that game and throughout the 3 games, he was excellent from the free throw line, going 18/19. In addition to creating for himself, he created for others with his 4.7 assists and was solid on the defensive glass, getting 7.3 rebounds.
Nikola Janicic 6’5 SG Paul George Elite, Class of 2027
Nikola Janicic made a name for himself last year in FIBA Eurobasket U18 B Division as its leading scorer. He further endeared himself to scouts at the BWB Global Camp in February, where he won the three-point contest and flashed some flair and playmaking ability in pick-and-roll half-court sets. In Session 1, he averaged 11.3 points per game, displaying his ability as a creative playmaker. On one particular play, after some jawing from the defender, he went between his legs on the crossover and took a step-back fadeaway jumper a little further back from the free throw line extended, where the defender clobbered him for an and-one opportunity. The confident Nikola proceeded to let the defender know about it. Every play seems to have a little spice to it on offense, and his teammates feed off of it, as he’s a willing passer, getting 8 assists and just 2 turnovers for the event. He has some shortcomings in terms of athleticism for the top level but is more than solid for the next level.
Lyris Robinson 6’4 Wing AZ Unity, Class of 2027
Lyris Robinson averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in Session 1. He showcased top-level wing athleticism throughout the weekend, running the lanes on the fast breaks and in half-court sets, finishing plays with powerful dunks. On a couple of occasions, he received the ball on the wing when the defense was recovering from helping in the middle, took one dribble, and jumped above the block, finishing with a two-handed flush. He also showcased a strong mid-range game. To cap it off, he was efficient from the charity stripe, going 17/22. Most of his plays were off momentum, adding to his already quick first step, where he didn’t need to showcase much self-creation as the primary handler in pick-and-roll situations. Given his height, being proficient and comfortable in those reads is the next stage in his development.
Honorable Mention:
Kellen Brewer(6’3 CG LivOn, Class of 2027): 19 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2 blocks, 2.33 steals, 21/29 free throws
Katrelle Harmon (6’4 CG Vegas Elite, Class of 2026): 24.7 points per game
Kalek House (6’3 CG Oakland Soldiers, Class of 2026): 16.7 points per game, 8 assists to 1 turnover, 3 steals per game
Sinan Huan (6’11 C, Class of 2026): 8.3 points, 2.3 blocks
Gene Roebuck (6’5 SF AZ Unity, Class of 2027): 17.7 points per game, 8/21 from three, 5/5 from free throws
Ethan Taylor (6’11 C Mokan Elite, Class of 2026): 11.8 points per game, 7 rebounds, 11/16 from the free throw line
Kevin Thomas (6’7 Forward Jett Academy, Class of 2026): 10.3 points per game
Darius Wabbington (6’10 C AZ Unity, Class of 2027): 13 points per game, 6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 9/13 free throws
Jalen White (6’6 Forward Vegas Elite, Class of 2027): 16.7 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 blocks
