Spring AAU Primer: 2025 Guards to Know

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the high school season being all but wrapped up, it's time to start looking forward. With that in mind, this highlights a few 2025 guards to know:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>(Note: this is not at all a definitive list, just part of an ongoing series to highlight some New Jersey natives who are deserving of being recruited)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1950486"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Perhaps no guard in the state of NJ stands to gain more from getting out on the national AAU circuit than [player_tooltip player_id='1950486' first='LJ' last='Saunders']. A physical 6-foot-4 wing who can slash to the rim or hit shots from range, he plays hard on both ends of the floor. Coaches can find him with the Riverside Hawks on the UAA circuit.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1411675"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"It remains to be seen if Johnson ultimately finds the right offer in 2024 or if he takes a post-grad year. There are a number of local programs keeping tabs on him so he may find the right fit this season after the portal closes. On the floor, he's a quick guard with range out to three point land and a good finisher around the rim. The NY native  is a different player but reminds me a bit of  Texas Corpus-Christi Guard Dian Wright-Forde in the sense that it's very hard to keep him out of the lane and he handles contact well.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1411409"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Moore is a high academic guard who has been wired to score from the time he first made himself known as a prospect in 8th grade. He can get a bucket on all three levels and is always a risk to get hot once he sees two shots fall. Schools at all levels are recruiting him at this point and he should be popular amongst college coaches this Spring.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1411410"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Another Hudson Catholic guard, McKnight's transfer in from Teaneck has proven to be beneficial. He's continued to round out his overall game against good competition He's up to 6-foot-5 now and continues to get more explosive as well.  Playing EYBL with the [program_tooltip program_id='2135065' first='PSA' last='Cardinals'] this season, he seems poised for a breakout.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1411621"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["2339149"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65fcf55c7c3e8"} /-->