Top AAU Backcourts to Watch: 17U

The spring season has already arrived but before we get too deep into tournament play, let’s take a quick look at some of the marquee backcourts across the 17U division. With most of the players coming from the 2024 class this is a good barometer of the top talents heading into their senior seasons. However, pay attention to the couple 2025s making the jump up a division, and the handful of unsigned 2023s still looking for homes next season.

WA Supreme

Cade Orness Cade Orness 6'5" | PG North Kitsap | 2024 State WA , Harry Davies Harry Davies 6'4" | SG North Kitsap | 2024 State WA , Devin Whitten Devin Whitten 6'2" | SG Curtis | 2024 State WA , Ryan Mpouli Ryan Mpouli 6'4" | SG Rainier Beach | 2024 State WA

Orness is the big name in this group but look for Davies and Whitten to have some big games this season as they are counted on to space the floor and play tight on-ball defense.

Spokane Flight

Henry Sandberg Henry Sandberg 6'3" | CG Gonzaga Prep | 2024 State WA , Evan Stinson Evan Stinson 6'7" | SF Cheney | 2024 State #252 Nation WA , Nalu Vargas Nalu Vargas 6'3" | SG Mt Spokane | 2025 State WA , Asher West Asher West 6'2" | SG Northwest Christian | 2024 State WA

Sandberg had a big state tournament scoring the ball, but guys like Nalu Vargas Nalu Vargas 6'3" | SG Mt Spokane | 2025 State WA and Asher West Asher West 6'2" | SG Northwest Christian | 2024 State WA have a chance to break out from under the radar and show up in a big way this AAU season.

Seattle Select UA Rise

Jalen Dollar Jalen Dollar 6'0" | PG Roosevelt | 2024 State WA , Bo Gionet Bo Gionet 6'4" | CG West Seattle | 2024 State WA , Jamari Harris Jamari Harris 6'5" | SG Garfield | 2024 State WA

Gionet was one of the biggest risers in his class across the high school season, and with Harris and Dollar alongside him, this backcourt brings a ton of different looks and skillsets to the floor.

Rotary Select

Noel Davis Noel Davis 5'11" | PG O'Dea | 2024 State WA , Darius Wilcher Darius Wilcher 6'3" | SG Rainier Beach | 2024 State WA , Kofi Peyton Kofi Peyton 6'3" | SG Federal Way | 2024 State WA , Isaiah Brown Isaiah Brown 6'2" | PG Great Futures Prep | 2024 State WA , Semaj Brown Semaj Brown 6'5" | SG Auburn | 2023 State WA

Depth is never an issue when talking about Rotary backcourts. Led by 3A state runner-up Noel Davis Noel Davis 5'11" | PG O'Dea | 2024 State WA , this rotary team has EYBL talent across the board. I’m excited to Isaiah Brown Isaiah Brown 6'2" | PG Great Futures Prep | 2024 State WA take the floor with this talented group and how he plugs in in his first year with Rotary.

Rotary Rebels EYBL

Cayden McDaniel Cayden McDaniel 6'3" | CG BFL Prep | 2023 State WA , Ryan Lafferty Ryan Lafferty 6'4" | CG Mt Spokane | 2024 State WA , Jamil Miller Jamil Miller 6'6" | SG Gonzaga Prep | 2023 State WA

Possibly the most talented group of guards here, you have size, athleticism, shooting, IQ, and sky-high potential with these three. Lafferty has been more of a facilitator/playmaker in past years but showed impressive scoring ability at the state tournament. He should be one to watch.

NW Greyhounds

Tre Walker Tre Walker 5'9" | CG Mt Tahoma | 2024 State WA , Demaree Collins Demaree Collins 6'2" | CG Skyview | 2024 State WA

This backcourt will get up and down. With Walker spraying shots from all over and proving to be one of the most tireless players in the state, and the underrated Collins boasting incredible athleticism, this will be an exciting duo to watch over the AAU season.

Friends of Hoop (Unsigned)

Miles Gurske Miles Gurske 6'0" | PG Rainier Beach | 2023 State WA , Grant Kepley Grant Kepley 6'4" | CG Sehome | 2023 State WA , Myles Daymon Myles Daymon 6'1" | PG Garfield | 2023 State WA , Tyler Sipma Tyler Sipma 6'0" | CG Lynden Christian | 2023 State WA , KeVaughn Harvey KeVaughn Harvey 6'2" | CG Gig Harbor | 2023 State WA

Tons of talent in this unsigned group filled with guys who can shift back and forth between guard spots. This feels like a hungry group that has the skills and the smarts to be a top team this season.

Friends of Hoop

Isaiah White Isaiah White 6'4" | CG Everett | 2024 State WA , Jaiden Blackmon Jaiden Blackmon 6'3" | PG Woodinville | 2024 State WA , Blake Stempniak Blake Stempniak 6'4" | SG Kentwood | 2024 State WA

White and Blackmon are big guards with the ability to run an offense and score in bunches. It is an interesting pairing with their ability to pose problems on both ends of the floor for opposing guards.

EBC Elite

Quincy Linton Quincy Linton 6'1" | SG O'Dea | 2023 State WA , Trey Bullock, Solomon Barnes Solomon Barnes 6'3" | SG Nathan Hale | 2023 State WA

A trio of gritty players, this EBC backcourt is full of tough-minded players who grind it out on the defensive end. Barnes just signed on to play with Edmonds College next year, but both Linton and Bullock are unsigned 2023s who can fit into just about any team with their tough play.

D1 Elite

Jaxon Dubiel Jaxon Dubiel 6'3" | CG Mountlake Terrace | 2024 State WA , Arion Palacol Arion Palacol 5'11" | PG Marysville Getchell | 2025 State WA , Quinn Swanson Quinn Swanson 6'2" | SG Mount Vernon | 2024 State WA , John Floyd John Floyd 6'4" | SG Stanwood | 2024 State WA

This is a group that quietly gets it done time after time, and still tend to get overlooked. Swanson and Floyd can shoot the lights out, while Dubiel is a blur and defensive wizard. Then you have the sophomore, Arion Palacol Arion Palacol 5'11" | PG Marysville Getchell | 2025 State WA , who had a huge high school season and can pour in the buckets.

Central Washington Select

Levi Dorsett Levi Dorsett 6'0" | CG Grandview | 2024 State WA , Eli Esquivel Eli Esquivel 5'10" | PG East Valley | 2025 State WA , Brandon Lee Brandon Lee 6'0" | CG Davis | 2024 State WA

Here is another group of grinders. Dorsett exudes toughness at the rim, and each has a certain level of craftiness to their game. Esquivel is a rising 2025 at the point, and Lee is a sharpshooter that can get hot at any time.

BDH Elite

Caleb Berry Caleb Berry 5'11" | PG Todd Beamer | 2024 State WA , Amari Harris Amari Harris 6'2" | CG Cleveland | 2024 State WA , AJ Manning-Blanks AJ Manning-Blanks 5'11" | PG Spanaway Lake | 2024 State WA , Dylan Jay Dylan Jay 6'4" | SG Phhoenix Prep | 2024 State AZ

Jay is the headliner here and a deadeye shotmaker. Then you have two tough guards in Manning-Blanks and Harris who have the strength to wear down defenders. But the sleeper here is Berry. Berry has incredible range and plays a smart game from the point.

Beauchamp Elite 3SSB

Zoom Diallo Zoom Diallo 6'5" | PG Curtis | 2024 #18 Nation CA-N , Blake Forrest Blake Forrest 6'0" | PG Mt Si | 2024 State WA , Trevor Hennig Trevor Hennig 6'4" | SG Mt Si | 2024 State WA , Ne’Quan Brown Ne’Quan Brown 6'6" | SG Stadium | 2023 State WA

The consensus top prospect in the state, Zoom Diallo Zoom Diallo 6'5" | PG Curtis | 2024 #18 Nation CA-N leads this talented group, but the other guys here are also among the top players in their classes. Forrest and Hennig are high school teammates that have state championship aspirations. And Ne’Quan Brown Ne’Quan Brown 6'6" | SG Stadium | 2023 State WA emerged as one of the top scorers in the area with his smooth offensive profile and next-level length.