Elite Prospects Camp Day One Standouts
Independent Hoops kicked off their inaugural Elite Prospects Camp in Las Vegas, and players from over 10 states showed up to put their talent on display. Here are my day-one standouts… Kaden Arnold (6’0/G/’26/Desert Oasis HS) Instagram: _kaden8 I walked out…
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Continue ReadingIndependent Hoops kicked off their inaugural Elite Prospects Camp in Las Vegas, and players from over 10 states showed up to put their talent on display. Here are my day-one standouts…
Kaden Arnold (6’0/G/’26/Desert Oasis HS)
Instagram: _kaden8
I walked out of the gym last night, trying to think if anyone had a more impressive day than Kaden. As I pondered the thoughts, I finally said to myself that Kaden was probably the best player in the gym. Let me just go ahead and say that Kaden can absolutely score the ball. Whatever way you want him to give it to you, just name it. He is lethal from behind the arc, quick off the bounce with a wide array of finishing moves in the paint and at the rim, moves well without the ball, and uses his cuts to set up scoring opportunities once he receives the pass. He was one of the most patient players with the rock in his hands as he dictated every step he took when handling the rock. He was never bothered by on-ball pressure and made it known that he could not be guarded by just one defender. It requires all 10-eyes to be on him because it takes all 5-defenders to try and contain him. As much of a scorer he is, as we move forward throughout the weekend, I will be watching now to see how he gets others involved and how much he is willing to really defend.
Tyjai Heard (5’6/PG/’25/Cross Creek HS)
Instagram: suave.marq
Twitter: @heard_tyjai
Tyjai was probably the smallest guard in the gym but played at a high level on day one. He has the skill set of a budding PG and showed that his PG IQ is also at a high level. He sees the floor well, is extremely shifty in the open court, is a high-end decision maker in tight areas, is hard to double, and difficult to keep out of the paint as he showed some wizard-like skills while handling the rock, and truthfully I could keep going because he was just that impressive. He will definitely be a player that scouts and staff coaches will be looking to see how he performs the remainder of the weekend. Tyjai was nearly impossible to contain on day one, and the way it looks, we might be in store for some of the same sentiments going forward.
Mario Allen Mario Allen 5'11" | CG Democracy Prep | 2026 State NV (6’0/G/’26/Democracy Prep)
Instagram: supa1rio
Mario is a really smooth guard with a flash and a high skill set. He was one of the best two-way players I saw on day one, and he impacts the game in ways beyond the stat sheet. Mario scores with variety, breaks down defenders off the bounce forcing help, and basically just shows his ferocious playmaking skills every time the ball makes its way into his hands. He scores at multiple levels, but I really loved his middle game as he went to it in the half-court and in transition. As much as I loved his middle game, he showed he is lethal from range. He kept defenders off-balance as he kept bringing tools out of the toolbox. Defensively he is a capable defensive stopper as well as a player with quick hands that led to steals and deflections.
Kamron Fontenot (6’5/F/’24/Fredrick K.C. Price Christian)
Instagram: kam.fontenot
Kam is a physical specimen with an imposing physical profile. He likes to bang in the paint, and he knows how to use his body to create space and finish thru would be shot-blockers. Defensively, he knows how to wall up and force potential scorers to finish through his body. On the boards, he uses his body well to block out, which he was probably the best in this area on day one. As you can see, he is a senior with experience in knowing how to use his size as an asset on both ends of the floor. He also showed his ability to be a strong finisher above the rim, at the rim, and in the paint. Kam has a great frame and strength and is physically dominant when attacking the rim. He is a hard-playing dude to monitor in the 2024 class.
Kade Snyder Kade Snyder 6'8" | PF McQueen | 2026 State NV (6’7/F/’26/McQueen HS)
Instagram: kadepsnyder
X/Twitter: @kadesny35
Kade is a big body interior presence that clogs up space. He is mobile and maneuvers well around the paint, and his presence is felt on both ends of the floor. He is very active on the glass and gets the ball into the hands of ball-handlers with laser outlet passes. He runs the floor extremely hard and looks to post deep on the rim run. He did not show a lot when it came to his low-post skill set, but as mentioned, he is active on the glass and gets a lot of put-backs. He is a shot-challenging threat defensively, and with his mobility, he helps and recovers well.
Nathan Ahner (6’7/SG/’24/LA Premier Prep)
Instagram: N.yoosi
Twitter: @NathanYoosi
Nathan brings a lot of versatility to the court, along with good positional size. He showed he can produce inside and out, off the dribble, and out of c&s opportunities. He showed crafty handles and has a knack for finishing plays at the rim by scoring the bucket or getting fouled. What I really liked about his game was his movement without the ball. He made several cuts that showed me his understanding of the game and that he knows how to play. He has vision and passing skills that help him to create off the bounce. He made some spectacular passes that showed me he has a good balance between orchestrating and scoring. He played unselfish basketball despite being able to go and get a bucket at any moment. Nathan is a smooth athlete who has solid body control and leaping ability. He is athletic, versatile, knowledgeable, and unselfish and garnered a lot of attention on day one.