The beginning of spring brings the start of the spring and summer basketball season. We have had almost a month-long of consecutive weekends with either tournaments or camps giving players chances to spotlight their talents. Here are a few players…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThe beginning of spring brings the start of the spring and summer basketball season. We have had almost a month-long of consecutive weekends with either tournaments or camps giving players chances to spotlight their talents. Here are a few players that have blossomed at the beginning of spring.
Jaylen Mercer (6’5/Forward/2027)
Camp/Tourney: Battle of The Magic City
Team: Edmond Sumner
Instagram: The_bucketjay
Twitter: N/A
Jaylen is a stout forward with size and strength, and both played a significant impact when Jaylen was on the court. Jaylen can easily be labeled a do-everything guy because he literally makes his mark in just about every aspect of the game.
His defensive ability and versatility were things that caused him to stand out.
He is on a team with a lot of scoring power, so he is not one of the top-scoring options, but his role on the team has to be appreciated. With his size and athleticism, as he continues to develop his offensive arsenal, he could emerge into a nice prospect to keep an eye on.
Byron Green (5’10/CG/2026)
Camp/Tourney: Battle of The Magic City
Team: JL3
Instagram: Balloutkei
Twitter: @Iambyrongreen
When the ball is in BG’s hands, he makes it look really easy. He is a smooth guard with a brilliant floor game and is highly skilled. He is tough off the bounce and plays with a high IQ. He has straight-line speed while at the same time can change speed and direction in an instant.
He is court savvy and has a good balance between scoring and facilitating.
He is a good decision maker when the ball is in his hands, and he is a trustworthy floor general.
Kamden Murray (6’1/Wing/2026)
Camp/Tourney: OTR Battleground Session II
Team: Big MSE
Instagram: kam.thehopper
Twitter: N/A
Kam was one that got downhill in a hurry. He does not waste movements as he gets to his spots and gets the job done.
He has a lot of talent and potential, but he often takes the back seat and defers.
Now nothing is wrong with that, as he has a lot of weapons around him, but he is a 6’1 wing player that still has more physical growth in his future, and if he gains a few more inches with the skillset he brings to the floor now, he could be causing a lot of problems for defenders in the near future.
Keeper Jackson (6’7/SG/2026)
Camp/Tourney: OTR Battleground Session II
Team: Team Thad
Instagram: Jackson.kj23
Twitter: N/A
Keeper is on a team with a lot of talent, and you really don’t know who will lead the team game in and game out. One thing you can bank on is that Keeper is one that brings a consistent source of scoring every game. He has size and length and long strides when attacking off the bounce.
He is a nightmare match-up because of his size and versatility, coupled with the things he can do with the ball off the bounce.
Right now, he is best when in transition, or in the half-court, and slashing to the rim to score. He is so hard to guard because he has a true perimeter and post-up game. Defensively he can guard multiple positions and is a reliable rim protector. If he continues on the trajectory that he is on, he will undoubtedly be a high-level prospect.
Caleb Liggon (6’3/SG/2026)
Camp/Tourney: McDavid All-American Camp
Team: Mad city Mambas
Instagram: @calebliggon
Twitter: calebliggon
Twin put it all on display at camp. Whether it was in 3v3 or 5v5, Caleb had it all on display and all working. He showed a complete offensive game, which will become even more polished as he tightens up his handles. He has good length, which contributed to his versatility on both ends of the floor. He gets out and runs the floor, and gets buckets in transition.
When he was not getting to the basket, he was pulling up with the mid-range game.
Defensively he was aggressive with his on-ball D and was able to guard multiple positions. He showed his ability to sit down and lock up and his ability to protect the rim. He is an emerging wing with a high ceiling.
Ezra Liggon (6’4/PG/2026)
Camp/Tourney: McDavid All-American Camp
Team: Mad City Mambas
Instagram: ezraliggon
Twitter: N/A
I could take some of the same things I just wrote about his twin and copy and paste them for Ezra. However, Ezra has his own style and flair and showed it throughout camp. He has an uncanny ability to keep defenders off-balance, and he often uses his hesi move in order to do so. Ezra holds his own physically as he showed his ability to guard multiple positions. He did not mind making his length a factor on both ends of the court, especially on the glass. There was a lot of transition play during the camp, and Ezra showed his ability to thrive in the open court.
He is a good finisher at the rim, and he is a listed PG capable of creating his shot against anyone.
Under different circumstances, I am sure that his PG IQ and skills would be more evident, but everyone wants to be the floor general in a camp. Still, Ezra did an excellent job making adjustments throughout the weekend and showing what he brings to the floor.
Stay tuned as I will share more about players that are blossoming at the beginning of spring.