Top Perimeter Defenders for the 2026 Class Part II
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Perimeter defense is as important as ever, thanks to the rise in three-point shooting. With so many players looking to shoot from deep having players who can defend them at a high level will open up more opportunities for teams.…
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Continue ReadingPerimeter defense is as important as ever, thanks to the rise in three-point shooting. With so many players looking to shoot from deep having players who can defend them at a high level will open up more opportunities for teams. We have players in this class who can defend the perimeter at an elite level. Here are my top perimeter defenders for the 2026 class part II.
Rosa uses his speed and quickness on defense in a controlled way to help come up with multiple steals and stops throughout a game. He will look to help on double teams and will poke the ball free and takeoff in transition. Rosa stays front and center with his assignment and moves his feet almost as quickly as he runs straight. He can keep up with anyone and switch onto any guard on the perimeter to contest three-point shots.
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Holman plays with a lot of intensity and determination in his game making him a lockdown defender on the perimeter. He can stay and guard anyone one-on-one moving his feet well. He will look to create a double team at the top of the wings to force a turnover. Holman can shoot the gap in the passing lanes in a blink of an eye. His fearlessness to dive after every loose ball and scrap some elbows is what makes him that matchup nightmare for teams.
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Lin can guard multiple positions on the perimeter and will look to apply pressure to his assignments throughout the whole game picking them up full court. His long 6’3″ size allows him to swarm ball handlers and poke the ball free from behind. Lin will help on double teams at the top of the key to create more forced turnovers. He also seems to always be at the right place and time coming up with multiple loose balls a game for easy transition points.
Smith is like a Swiss army knife on defense meaning he will do anything to come up with a steal or stop. He never stops moving always looking to pick up whoever has the ball. His long arms allow him to trap defenders in the corners and force them to go baseline. He can shoot the passing lanes quickly leaning to more transition points for his team. Smith’s aggressiveness gives him the ability to pressure his assignment throughout an entire game.
Randall mostly looks to play under control but knows when to turn it on and go after the ball on defense. He can be a sneaky defender coming up from behind poking the ball free and taking off in transition. Randall will play help defense on double teams forcing many turnovers for the other team. He can contest three-point shooters well and can switch onto anyone on the perimeter.