LIVE Preview: Explosive ’26 Wings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LIVE is here, and college coaches will finally be in AAU gyms nationwide making critical evaluations that guide their program's recruiting intentions for the next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing 16u is exciting because the stakes are a bit higher than before and college coaches dip into your gym for the first time. While finding 2025 targets is the primary focus of many programs this month, a stray 16u evaluation block will creep into the plans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The following 16u players are explosive, high-ceiling wings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2166129' first='Alexander' last='Leeth']</strong> / [program_tooltip program_id='2393604' first='Tennessee' last='Impact'] 16u <strong>WHERE:</strong> adidas Bryan, TX</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>High-academic wing [player_tooltip player_id='2166129' first='Alexander' last='Leeth'] can become a college 3-and-D guy, and it takes very little imagination to see it. Leeth is already a steady three-point shooter. He makes most of those shots off of the catch. Leeth is exceptional running the floor. His post-up game came a very long way in the last six months thanks to practice. Still a slender dude, Leeth is learning to post and drop-step with some authority. His center of gravity is so high relative to the typical high school defenders and yet his technique is quite sound. While evaluators will see very little of this dynamic during AAU season where the play is more open-floor and teams are more inclined to attack facing the basket, Leeth can do it. His ceiling is tantalizingly high thanks to his mixture of skills, height, and athleticism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>https://twitter.com/TennImpact/status/1790379042761281543?t=RVB19EoUO22rXbeZ-AajRA&amp;s=19</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2345556' first='Daniel' last='Patton']</strong> / Team Mookie 16u<br><strong>WHERE:</strong> Westfield, IN for NIKE EYCL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Patton played very unselfishly as a Centennial High sophomore. A wonderful passer, Patton will occasionally finish above the rim. I anticipate Patton living above the rim in college. A cerebral wing forward Patton is a must-watch for recruiters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>https://twitter.com/jtalleyyy/status/1780400048351674534?t=-quJ_NcUMuaWs7SRrLTpiA&amp;s=19</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1508978' first='Jarron' last='Talley']</strong> / Team Mookie 16u<br><strong>WHERE:</strong> Westfield, IN for NIKE EYCL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gritty wing. Talley developed his three-point shot tremendously during the past 8 months. Pope Prep Assistant Coach Ethan Abner constantly raves about his on-ball defense. Alas, this is a story about explosiveness. Talley can soar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1683672' first='JaRohn' last='Johnson']</strong> / [program_tooltip program_id='2440918' first='Club' last='51'] 16u<br><strong>WHERE:</strong> Atlanta Jam (Suwanee, GA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A forward in high school, JaRohn might just evolve into a wing prospect. Explosive. Johnson plays with strong shoulders and finishes high with confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->