2025 Playmaker PGs: AAU Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sometimes you need a player that can change the tone of a game, that can get the fans out of their seats, that can entirely change the momentum for your team. Below are a handful of players that can do just that for their squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2423157,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2233747' first='Nathan' last='Nguyen']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Taylor","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Unbreakable UA Rise","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cdiv class=u0022gmail_defaultu0022u003eNathan is a quick, physical lefty with excellent vision and a silky smooth jumper. He's a nightmare for opposing defenses because of his ability to adjust on the fly. Even if you keep pace with him and manage to stay in front of him individually, he'll still shred your defensive gameplan with lightning passes to streaking teammates that are nearly impossible to stop. Nguyen is also not afraid to get knocked around in the point and manages to finish through contact against the largest of defenders. He stretches the floor well with his impressive three-point shooting ability and he can drive either direction with his elite footwork and versatile ballhandling skills. If you're a spot-up shooter, you're thrilled to be on Nathan's team because he will find you and he will make you better by getting you opportunities. He has a knack for knowing exactly where the ball should go next and you can tell by watching him that it's natural or he at least is effortlessly making it appear that way. He can be airborne and drifting out of bounds and he'll still make a perfect pass for a high-percentage shot. He's an absolute offensive weapon for any team that he's on and he affects the game positively in so many different ways.u003c/divu003ernu003cdiv class=u0022gmail_defaultu0022u003eu003c/divu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":2423178,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2382173' first='Jayden' last=''] Cruz","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Stony Point","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"United Elite","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"One of the things I love most about Cruz's game is he stays ready and aware at all times. You're not going to catch this guy off-guard with a quick pass or deadly crossover. He can get out in open space before you know it and finish at the rim with a crystal clear look due to his tough Euro step and solid footwork. He knows how to use his length on both ends of the floor effectively - consistently altering shots for his opponents and finishing through contact in the paint. Cruz is a beast on the boards on both ends, often tracking down second and third-chance opportunities for himself and his team. Do not let him get a step or two on you if you don't want to end up on a poster. He's surprisingly quick and can blow by his defender in a second to elevate and rattle the rim on their head. Cruz is a gamechanger. He's the type of player that can make a play for his team that will energize the whole squad's demeanor and entirely shift the momentum of a game. I'm expecting to see big waves from Cruz this summer leading into what's expected to be a dominant senior campaign.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":2423185,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1534610' first='King' last='Grace']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Waxahachie","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='2075922' first='Texas' last='Impact'] 4:13","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Grace is an absolute showstopper. He's the type of player that even casual fans show up to see because they've heard the chatter. He's terrifying in the open court with his elite speed and fearlessness, going at anybody and everybody willing to try and stop him on his way to the rim. He's not shy and he exudes confidence in all the good ways, you can count on him to deliver in pressure situations. He also manages to score at a high volume efficiently, regularly putting up 20+ points on 50%+ shooting. He takes that confidence right to the other end of the floor as well, snatching the ball from unsuspecting opponents and using his impressive vertical to rise and consistently challenge and alter shots. Grace rounds out his game with an excellent three-point shooting ability and his consistency cleaning up the glass on both ends for his team. He's also incredibly skilled at moving without the ball and getting to his spots where he knows he can be dangerous. Grace is a player you can truly build around and use as a centerpiece for a winning team.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":2423186,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2233757' first='Thomas' last='Burke']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Westwood","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"ATX Future","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Burke is a quick and physical guard with a mean crossover and lightning-fast first step. He's a difficult guard for his opponents, requiring them to give all the effort they have just to stay in front of him. He doesn't settle for bad shots and he runs toward contact rather than shying away from it, which I love to see. If you leave him open above the arc, you better believe he's taking that shot because he can absolutely stretch the floor and knock it down from three. He has a nice touch in the lane and a beautiful floater - even though his body is quickly barreling toward the paint, he manages to stop on a dime and gracefully float it over the tallest of defenders - no rim, just that glorious swish. He has fantastic footwork that can get him to spots that your average player won't reach and he uses it strategically throughout the game to set himself and his team up for success. His shooting is so accurate that you'll often see his teammates rising from the bench behind him upon his release, knowing it's an automatic bucket before it even goes in.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":2423188,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1225435' first='Nnamdi' last='Ubawike']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Allen","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='2385486' first='Second' last='2 None']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Nnamdi can fly and he is FUN to watch. You'll often see him dunking in warmups and giving the crowd some u0022oohsu0022 and u0022aahsu0022 before the game even starts. Once that whistle blows though, it's all business for Ubawike. He's a menace in the opposing team's passing lanes, often snatching cross-court dishes with impressive anticipation and taking them the other way for a high-flying finish that's sure to get the people out of their seats. He's not just a dunker though, his versatility is incredible. He pairs his leaping ability with excellent footwork and a physicality that shows no fear. He's got a tough spin move and he runs toward contact which is incredibly difficult to guard on the defensive end. Nnamdi is a playmaker - and a consistent one at that - he'll keep himself, his team, and the crowd energized throughout the game with his effort and ability. He's a monster on the glass on both ends, setting his team up with extra opportunities while limiting them for his opponents. Nnamdi is going to make plenty of noise this summer heading into what should be a senior campaign you absolutely don't want to miss.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-662c0e962f334"} /-->