EYBL Session III - Live Period Notebook

<p>Nike EYBL Session III took place in the greater Indianapolis area over the weekend between the Pacers Athletic Center and Farmers Bank Fieldhouse. With so many of the nation's top prospects in attendance, as well as big name coaches from across the country, Prep Hoops Indiana had to get boots on the ground coverage of such a prestigious event. Let's empty out the notebook with some big picture thoughts and takeaways from the first live evaluation period of the spring.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Special Top End Talent in the Class of 2025</h2>   <p>The Class of 2024, across the board, was a weak one. Whether you are considering the NBA Draft class or the incoming college recruiting class it was as weak as we have had in recent memory. However, there are no such concerns at the top of the Class of 2025. AJ Dybantsa, the consensus number one prospect in the class, is absolutely as good as advertised. With him, the question is more about how long it has been since we have seen a prospect of his caliber as opposed to any arguments about him being the best in 2025. The combination of size, skill, strength, and athleticism that he possesses is truly special. He can make multiple moves off of the dribble get by his defender, rise up to score from the perimeter, or bully his way to the rim and finish through contact. It is fair to say that Dybantsa would be the number one overall pick if he were eligible for this year's NBA Draft and likely would be a productive player in the league right now.</p>   <p>Beyond Dybantsa, the next few prospects are very high level as well. The nation's number two player, [player_tooltip player_id='1301714' first='Cameron' last='Boozer'], was also in attendance at EYBL Session III playing alongside Caleb Wilson who is widely considered the third best prospect. Those two create an unbelievably talented one-two punch for Nightrydas Elite 17u. Boozer is incredibly physical at 6'9" while still being very fluid and agile out on the perimeter. He leads the EYBL in both scoring (24.4 ppg) and rebounding (12.8 rpg). Meanwhile, Wilson is cut from a similar cloth as Dybantsa. He isn't as strong, but equally fluid with the ball in his hands while being 6'9". It is really impressive how these bigger prospects move around at their size.</p>   <p>Then, there is Will Riley. He was arguably the next most impressive prospect in attendance and possesses many of the same qualities we've discussed with Dybantsa, Boozer, and Wilson. He is 6'9", incredibly fluid with the ball in his hands, and can initiate offense as a creator. Riley stared the weekend off with a 42-point performance for UPlay 17u and never looked back. Obviously there were other top prospect at Adidas 3SSB and other events across the country, but Riley certainly made his case among those in attendance to be a Top 5 national prospect.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class of 2026 Strong at the Top as Well</h2>   <p>While there is a clear consensus at this point that AJ Dybantsa is the top prospect in the Class of 2025, there has been more back-and-forth in 2026. Currently, Brandon McCoy Jr. holds that distinction, but Tyran Stokes is right there competing for the spot. Based on this weekend at EYBL Session III alone, it would be hard to argue against it being Stokes. The 6'6" wing is an incredible physical presence while showcasing some finesse and skill on the perimeter. He shot the ball well throughout the weekend and dropped 31 points in an Oakland Soldiers win over The Family on Friday night in front of a huge crowd.</p>   <p>With that being said, McCoy Jr. is a special prospect in his own right. Arizona Unity 17u turned in a perfect 4-0 weekend, and this 6'4" guard playing up a year was a big reason why. He is a good passer with the burst and athleticism off of the bounce to get downhill and draw help consistently. Then, as a scorer, he can make tough shots from the mid-range, explode to the rim to finish, or operate in isolation on the perimeter. McCoy Jr. is a well-rounded, two-way package that clearly showed why he is considered one of the beast prospects, regardless of class, in the country.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stock-Risers</h2>   <p>There were few, if any, prospects at EYBL Session III in Indianapolis that did more for their stock nationally than this 6'5" sharpshooter. Ryan Crotty came out of the gate on Friday night scoring 18 points while connecting on four three-point shots for Boo Williams as they knocked of JL3 69-67. Then, he turned right around and scored 21 points in a Saturday morning win over [program_tooltip program_id='2076927' first='Indy' last='Heat']. While Crotty is definitely at his best as a catch-and-shoot threat, he also displayed the ability to attack closeouts and score with some athleticism at the end of his drives. Really impressive weekend for him and a guy that should creep onto the radar of more high-major programs going into the summer.</p>   <p>Tristan Beckford had a strong showing over the weekend with UPlay as an explosive athlete that put up 14 points and 9 rebounds in a blowout win against Meanstreets. Currently ranked as a three-star prospect and #189 in the On3 Industry Ranking, the 6'5" wing looked like a guy who could push closer towards the Top 100 with a good summer.</p>   <p>Team Thad rolled to a 4-0 weekend at EYBL Session III and Courtland Muldrew was a big part of that success. The dynamic 6'3" guard scored 19 points in a hard fought win on Saturday against Team Herro and then put up 21 points in a win over Meanstreets to cap off the weekend on Sunday. He is currently unranked nationally despite holding offers from programs such as Ole Miss and SMU. Look for him to crack the national Top 150 when the rankings services release their next update.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">LeBron and Carmelo Steal the Show</h2>   <p>The EYBL circuit always brings out a few celebrities. Whether it is Jermaine O'Neal coaching his Drive Nation team, Tyler Herro showing up to support his team, or other random cameo appearances there is always a chance you'll see a big name. However, few can rival the excitement that comes with LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony being in the gym. LeBron was around all weekend long watching his son, Bryce James, compete with Strive For Greatness. Meanwhile, Kiyan Anthony suits up for his father's namesake, Team Melo. Sunday morning brought the culmination of these NBA greats as their sons faced off with one another.</p>   <p>Anthony got the better of the individual matchup scoring 18 points to James' 8, but SFG defeated Team Melo 71-65.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Quick Hitters</h2>   <p>It is hard to find a backcourt that is more fun to watch than what The Family has. [player_tooltip player_id='2145508' first='Darius' last='Acuff'] and Trey McKenney are two of the best guards in the Class of 2025 and put up huge numbers once again at EYBL Session III. Those two are really, really fun to watch.</p>   <p>Circling back around to Strive For Greatness, five-star guard Brayden Burries had an excellent weekend which was capped off by scoring 40 points in Sunday's matchup with Team Melo. The 6'4" shot-maker is one of the more dynamic scorers in the Class of 2025.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1297052' first='Jalen' last='Haralson'] had a great weekend in front of his hometown crowd leading [program_tooltip program_id='2076927' first='Indy' last='Heat'] to a 3-1 record at EYBL Session III. The 6'6" guard poured in 37 points in one contest and backed it up with 22 points in an impressive win over Team WhyNot on Sunday.</p>

Nike EYBL Session III took place in the greater Indianapolis area over the weekend between the Pacers Athletic Center and Farmers Bank Fieldhouse. With so many of the nation's top prospects in attendance, as well as big name coaches from across the country, Prep Hoops Indiana had to get boots on the ground coverage of such a prestigious event. Let's empty out the notebook with some big picture thoughts and takeaways from the first live evaluation period of the spring.