Eight 2025/2026 GA Sleeper Picks

This group of 8 from the Southeast Kickoff maybe didn’t post the biggest numbers each time out, maybe don’t have the sexiest measurables, or whose games don’t scream varsity-playing time on day one of their freshman year, but they simply did a lot of things well to a scout’s eye and the room to grow into something special both in their bodies and their games was evident, and surpassing anyone’s expectations is well within their talented grasp.

Nigel Gist, 2025, F, TSF

A little bigger than teammate Carby Martin at 6-5 Gist was one of the weekend’s hardest workers, not quite the offensive force Martin is but makes up for that with a work rate that was impressive, turns that effort into a ton of rebounds and regularly affects shots on the defensive end, can certainly get his points in close to the basket and finds a good deal of his production off the offensive glass, did just that against Xpress with an 8-point 2nd half in which he and Martin were simply too much to handle.

Ja’cobi Hall, 2025, F, GA Stars Styles

Speaking of frightening future packages Hall has all the measurables to become something really special, right around that 6-5 number as well he teamed with Amir Taylor for quite the hardship on defenses, a bit more athletic and bouncy he was quick to the glass or rising up for finishes tight to the rim, possesses a great frame already with room to add some serious strength, had 9 of his 10 in the 2nd half against Xpress and got them in spurts where he simply overpowered, this is another forward prospect with tantalizing potential moving forward.

Zaiden Greene, 2025, CG, Atlanta Xpress

Made for a difficult combo to handle alongside Timothy Prather when on the floor together, a little quicker with the ball was Greene although his true spot appears to be on the wing where he was terrific against GA Stars Styles Saturday with three 3s and 11 points, can step out and play the 1, but it was his hustle at both ends that was so notable as he made life difficult for whomever he was matching as well as showing good instincts on the double team and harassing opposing bigs.

Max McNeill, 2025, SG, GA Stars Simmons

We’ve noted several good-looking pairs of guards so far and McNeill combining with Christian Curl was equally dynamic to the others, showed an ability to slide between guard spots he too found his way to the arc and showed off a confident stroke, loved the slick ball-handling used to attack the paint and blow-by defenders, used that aggressiveness with the bounce in the win over Kingdom to get the GW-layup with 10 seconds left, had all 7 of his points in the 2nd half surge against TSF Sunday which erased that big deficit on the way to the win.

Derwin Hodge, 2026, F, Atlanta Celtics

More of a true center in the way he’s used by the Celts, checking in around 6-5 he’s a menace at the defensive end showing off great timing as a shot-blocker and pretty good strength on the glass for a lean youngster, the chatter amongst scouts there was the scary upside for Hodge with so much size and pure athletic ability already, adding a little weight and with work on the catch and finish game around the basket he could rapidly develop into an early HS-varsity contributor.

LA Lewis, 2026, CG, Atlanta Celtics

Playing upwards of 13 guys in junctures it can be easy to get lost in this lineup, Lewis stood out for his physicality and frame, powers off the dribble in pursuit of the rim and can finish through contact, had some of the weekend’s best passing spurts playing the lead guard where his vision and creativity were evident, including a halfcourt bounce pass to Jahsiah Payne for an and-1 finish that was the best I saw all weekend, good size gives him versatility to slide all over the floor and much like Payne got in the thick on the glass at both ends.

Jakorrion Johnson, 2026, F, Team Huncho

Strength and versatility are what immediately popped out in Johnson’s game, he was in fifth gear most of the weekend taking on defenders of all sizes in pursuit of the rim, he played 4 spots in the Sunday win over the Heat in getting 20 points (9 of those from the FT line) and had 12 a day earlier in a close loss to Team Power, just gets after it with tenacity and combines a scorer’s mentality with good vision as a ballhandler and excellent instincts on defense and getting onto the boards.

Jordan Rouse, 2026, SG, Team Power

The kids from the Augusta-area took it right at their Atlanta-metro rivals all weekend and the fiery and aggressive Rouse was at the forefront, he put on a scintillating performance against Huncho on Saturday with 21 points getting them in a variety of ways, in Sunday’s thrilling OT win over Atlanta Celtics he added another 12 points and this time did significant damage from beyond the arc, not the biggest guard on his club but heads to the rim with abandon, that aggressiveness doesn’t translate into sloppy play though as he was as heady and smart a player as we saw all weekend, makes winning plays, Power was trying to get him the ball late in the Celtics game before the clutch Amari Pryce drained the 3 to send it to the extra session.