2026-Top guards-2025-Up and coming guards
This article features some of the best 2026 guards, in the Seattle – Tacoma area, as well as some 2025 guards who you may or may not know. Some played meaningful minutes on varsity last season, and some are looking…
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Continue ReadingThis article features some of the best 2026 guards, in the Seattle – Tacoma area, as well as some 2025 guards who you may or may not know. Some played meaningful minutes on varsity last season, and some are looking to make a big impact next year. All of these players are talented, and a lot of them share some of the same characteristics that make them potentially elite players by the time it’s all said and done. It’s when the high school season starts that you find out what separates these players from the rest. AAU ball is great for seeing competition that you might not see in every high school game. It’s a different game when the season starts and everything slows down and the ages range from 15 to 18 year olds, instead of playing strictly 15u, 16u or 17u. AAU is also more wide open, allowing players to showcase their skills versus players their own age. All these kids have the skills, which ones make the biggest impact remains to be seen. Within the next three to four years, you’ll likely be hearing these names a lot. Some may make or have made an impact already, some might take longer. The 2025 players aren’t necessarily the ones who are highly ranked, but they have the potential to move up. The 2026 players are some of the best guards in the area that could make an immediate impact. I’ll start with them.
Doni Burkett
Doni Burkett
Here’s a kid who already holds a couple of college offers and he has yet to play in a high school game. The thing that stands out most about him, is that he can shoot the lights out and he has unlimited range. For a kid his age, his shooting skills are elite. He will let fly from well beyond the three point line and is very comfortable doing so. He’s well rounded, especially for his age and can bring the ball up the floor without issue. He’s a shooter but has the mid-range game and ability to get to the bucket as, well. Federal Way will have a talented backcourt, especially with the addition of Kofi Peyton Kofi Peyton 6’4″ | SG Federal Way | 2024 State WA , who transferred in from Chief Sealth in the off-season. Dae’Sean Johnson-Holiman Dae’Sean Johnson-Holiman 5’10” | PG Federal Way | 2023 State WA also returns in the backcourt. Add Vaughn Weems Vaughn Weems 6’5″ | SF Federal Way | 2023 State WA and Isaiah Afework Isaiah Afework 6’5″ | SF Federal Way | 2023 State WA who also return, and Federal Way should be a post season team. Just what kind of role Burkett will play remains to be seen, but he has the tools to be a great one. Biggest strengths-shooter-deep range!
Zion Norman
Zion Norman
Pictured above, he transfers in from the Life Christian school district to move up to the 3A level at Lincoln. He’s a true point guard with all the intangibles that go with it. He’s small, but will likely grow a few inches, rumor has it maybe more. He makes up for it with his quickness and basketball IQ. His ability to pass the ball, something he does at a high level, may get him valuable varsity minutes next season. He can score, no doubt, and is a very crafty lefty, with some serious flash to his game. He reminds me of Kenny Anderson back in the day at Georgia Tech. Not just because he is a lefty but similar shot, and game. As an incoming freshman in the same backcourt as multi – year starter, Gabarri Johnson Gabarri Johnson 5’11” | CG Lincoln | 2023 State WA and transfer – Isaiah Cunningham Isaiah Cunningham 6’4″ | SG O’Dea | 2025 State WA , a highly ranked 2025 player, Norman might be the perfect fit with his ability to distribute. It’s hard to gauge just how big of a role he will have at this point. It’s not hard to gauge how big of an upside he has as one of the best point guards in the class of 2026. As he continues to grow and mature, he will be a fun one to watch, and should develop into one of the best PGs in the state by the time he’s done. His impact could come sooner rather than later. Biggest strength – ball handling – creating-true point guard-IQ
Elijah Gillespie
Elijah Gillespie
This kid is a blur on the court. He’s quick and always moving downhill. He has great ability to create his own shot, most notably with his hesitation and cross over moves that he loves to use to put the defense on their heels. You can see by watching him that he has practiced these things and he does it extremely well for a kid his age. Much like the first two players in this article, he’s really good at creating his own shot. He also uses those moves to get all the way to the bucket, and seems comfortable doing both but excels at shooting off the dribble. He’s also got a great basketball IQ, and is really active on defense, getting his hands on balls and jumping passing lanes. He follows the ball well which results in a lot of steals. Biggest strengths – Getting himself free with crossover/hesitation dribble – shooting off the dribble-bucket getter
Moving to the 2025 class, he got meaningful minutes at the varsity level last season for GK. I remember watching him on film from a previous time, only I was scouting a different player from a different team. When I went back and watched again, I realized that he was the kid who I remember thinking had a lot of potential. As a matter of fact, he was playing like one of the best players on the floor. It was late in the game and the outcome had been decided but nevertheless, he stood out. He was doing a little bit of everything but he got some tough buckets and I had no idea he was just a freshman. He stood out enough for me to remember as soon as I saw him this time. I recall he was most effective scoring it from mid-range or getting himself to the basket. Although I do see potential there for him to turn into a really good shooter. He has a nice compact shot, and that should only get better. He’s a sturdy kid, and I don’t exactly fault myself for not knowing he was a freshman. He didn’t play or look like one. Biggest strength – getting to the hoop – bucket getter-toughness
Highlights
Dylan Gliderhus
Dylan Gliderhus
He might have seen the most varsity minutes of the 2025s here aside from the last player listed in this article . He was the first guard off the bench in most games and played a lot of minutes. He’s got all the tools, he is a steady ball handler, and a good three point shooter. I think his shooting could become his best weapon, albeit he was solid with the ball in his hands, especially for a freshman. He is slight of build but held his own and played with poise for a freshman. He played within himself, and didn’t make many mistakes in games I watched. It’s tough for a freshman at that level to do. He should gain a lot of confidence for his sophomore season and be much more of a scoring threat. He’s smooth and never gets himself into too much of a hurry, and will knock down shots. He moves his feet well on defense and can become a great defender. Biggest strengths – No weaknesses-good shooter
Sébastian Cooper
Sébastian Cooper
We all know Kings has the number one ranked player in 2025, in Cam Hiatt Cam Hiatt 6’4″ | CG Western Reserve Academy | 2025 OH . What we might not all know is that there is another in the same class and backcourt at Kings. He’s more of a true point guard, which fits perfectly for the next few years as Hiatt can play off the ball or anywhere he wants honestly. This kid plays with a lot of speed and has a quick first step. When he decides he wants to get downhill, he gets downhill, and makes good decisions on the fly. I hate to beat on a dead horse but these kids all have a lot of similarities. He is great at getting by the defense and making the decision to score it himself or get it to the open man. He also displays a variety of moves to do so. He can shoot it off the dribble, or knock down the open shot. Kings only lost four seniors from last years 2nd place team in class 1A. That said, this kid appears to have the talent to step into a varsity role. He’s another one who follows the ball well on defense resulting in a lot of steals. Biggest strength-Speed-quick first step
Baroc Rivers
Baroc Rivers
Here’s a 2025 who started on his varsity team at Stadium last year. What you get here is a true point who can handle the ball very well. Not many players are going to take it from him with his low center of gravity. This also makes him a good defender, who has quick feet and will harass opposing guards. He can get himself into the lane and score as well, he’s got a nice floater, something he’s had to learn to get shots up over bigger defenders. Biggest strengths – ball handling – disruptor