Peach Jam Kentucky Prospects Update
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The Peach Jam is the conclusion of the EYBL season and after four sessions, only the best of the best qualified to the Peach Jam in each age group. In this article we’ll update readers on how each Kentucky prospect…
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Continue ReadingThe Peach Jam is the conclusion of the EYBL season and after four sessions, only the best of the best qualified to the Peach Jam in each age group. In this article we’ll update readers on how each Kentucky prospect has fared at the Peach Jam.
The lone Kentucky prospect at the Peach Jam in the 2024 class, Unseld is playing for a Mokan 17 U squad that is currently 3-0 in pool play. Unseld has shot 7/14 from 3-point range in the three games and hasn’t attempted a two-point field goal yet according to EYBL stats on the Nike website. With three assists and no turnovers, Unseld has taken care of the basketball and played his role offensively. I caught one game of Unseld against Brad Beal Elite and he competed defensively, was moving his feet on the perimeter and knew how to impact winning off the bench without forcing things. Unseld is a guy who impacts winning in a variety of ways and his intangibles will take him further than his natural talent, but Unseld certainly doesn’t lack in talent either.
A 2025 prospect playing up an age group, Johnson has recently left Kentucky for Link Academy which is a powerhouse nationally and coming off a Geico National Championship. As a prospect who played his first two years of high school at Kentucky I wanted to include him in this update. Johnson’s Team Thad is currently 1-2 in pool play. In the first game, Jasper really struggled from the field and didn’t get much second half playing time. That was the only game I caught of Johnson this weekend and while he struggled from the floor, he made some impressive passes and brought energy to his team. With a couple drive and dish plays to help get easy looks, Johnson is averaging two assists a game so far at the Peach Jam. Defensively, Johnson looks to push the pressure and has five steals in three games. Look for Johnson to shoot better than the 26% from the floor and 1/8 from 3-point range he’s shot so far in North Augusta throughout the rest of the week.
One of the elite prospects nationally, Stokes is one of the highest upside long term prospects in the country. The Louisville native is running with Vegas Elite 17 U, playing two age groups up and still dominating. Stokes had one of the highlights of the event so far when he dunked all over a defender from Team Takeover. I only caught his game against The Family to open pool play and Stokes impressed in a double-digit victory. While his athleticism gets most of the attention, and for good reason, I’m always impressed by Stokes IQ and ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. A quick decision maker, the ball doesn’t stick in his hands and he’s got a 10/8 A/TO ratio through three games. As a cutter, Stokes fills lanes and makes himself available, a big reason why he’s shooting 13/19 on 2-point shots at Peach Jam. The biggest thing for Stokes long term to become a high NBA draft pick will be his perimeter shot, he’s 2/7 on 3’s and is certainly capable of making them if left open. Further development in this area should be the primary focus for Stokes over the next year.
Johnson played with Brad Beal’s 16 U group during the Spring and has joined their 15 U group as they qualified for Peach Jam. Really struggling from the floor, Johnson was 1/14 from the field in their two games so far. Obviously struggling to hit shots from the perimeter, Johnson has taken some poor shots and also had a handful go in and out. Besides the shooting struggles, Johnson has found other ways to help his team. I thought he’s made some impressive passes both against man to man and trapping defenses and defensively he’s brought activity and length against ball handlers. I’d look for Johnson to find his rhythm from the floor over the rest of their pool play games and hopefully continue to build on the other ways he’s impacted the game so far.
Another prospect playing 15 U who struggled from the floor early, Kinney responded in a way that really impressed me. After being 3/15 against Ny Rens 15 U but still holding a slight lead, Kinney hit the coldest shot of the game with a step-back 3-pointer with about a minute to go to seal the victory. A shot that went in and he took with confidence despite struggling all game and got his team the win, big time play by Kinney. Overall, Kinney is now shooting 38% from the floor and 85% from the line to boost his three game averages. When he wasn’t trying to force shots at the rim against a seven-footer, Kinney found room to operate in the 6–12-foot range with floaters and pull-up jumpers, a necessary shot for him to score against elite rim protectors at his size in the half-court. As a distributor, Kinney has done a good job, especially in transition of finding the open guy. He leads his team with four assists a game. I really liked to see how Kinney responded after things weren’t going his way and he’s continued to build off that late shot in the first game of the week.
A big time shooter, Edelen has been limited in his attempts but has made the most with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5% through three games. Edelen is a bit limited off the bounce in the EYBL compared to high school where he’s more able to create for himself and shoot on much higher volume. Biggest area of improvement for Edelen will be taking care of the basketball with his handle and passing. Not getting into dangerous situations off the bounce and throwing passes into danger can help limit his turnovers and help his team get more efficient offense. Edelen has shown he can shoot and score against top talent this EYBL season and has been efficient with what he’s taken this week at the Peach Jam.
Another energy big, I’ve thought Turner’s motor this summer with both Newport and All Ohio 15 U has been really impressive. Blocking shots at the rim and battling on the glass, Turner has three blocks and three rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. Not attempted a shot from the field, he’s strictly been an energy big. If Turner can continue to accept his role and excel at what he’s being asked to do, he will get plenty of college interest due to his physical tools and athleticism.