Underrated New England 2026s

The region of New England is very rich and vibrant in basketball talent. There are sometimes too many players to talk about and cover. This leads to some awesome players worthy of the spotlight, not getting the recognition they deserve to some extent. Today, I'm here to change that by bringing to attention some underrated rising juniors in the class of 2026.    [player_tooltip player_id='1437580' first='Treyvon' last='Miller'] is a ball-handling forward with a burgeoning offensive game. Smooth and comfortable with the ball, he is a willing driver and uses his strong body to finish through contact effectively. Miller's jumper is productive both off the catch from deep and off the dribble as he continues to improve in this department. Always persistent, he never gives up on a play as he will fight for putbacks, and often follows his missed shots. Miller's cutting off the ball is also impressive and he doesn't require the ball in his hands at all times to make an impact for his team. On top of that, he will bring explosion in transition and weak-side protection defensively. Miller is one that coaches and programs should keep a close eye on.     [player_tooltip player_id='2407063' first='Adrian' last='Shepard Jr.'] is an explosive scoring guard with lots of potential in store. He's got great burst and stellar hops, throwing down dunks in the half-court setting thunderously. Shepard is an automatic paint touch and can get to the rim at will, whenever and wherever. His touch on his jump shots is very soft, being able to shoot in all areas of the court both off the catch and off the dribble. Shepard's passing skills are also very intriguing, finding cutters in transition and dumping off to interior teammates in the half-court. He competes hard defensively and gives it his all every time out. Shepard's high ceiling and production make him a very enticing prospect that college coaches and programs should take very seriously.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341374' first='Jackson' last='Southerland'] is an athletic combo guard who displays flashes as a lead ball handler. Speedy and quick, he can get to his spots and the basket taking advantage of his fluid lateral movements. Southerland's passing is quite impressive, finding shooters on the perimeter on his drives and becoming unpredictable and hard to gameplan against. With a tight handle, he punishes defenders in one-on-one scenarios by knocking down pull-up threes or getting by with a crossover. Southerland's shooting is also productive when he isn't on the ball, knocking down deep balls off the catch too. He can also tire you down on the defensive end and seems to always have extra juice in the tank. Southerland's skill, smarts, and athleticism should make him a favorite among searching programs.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341359' first='Jared' last='Strand'] is a facilitating forward who provides stability on the basketball court. He can run an offense by anticipating cuts to the rim and manipulating defenders with his eyes to find wide-open teammates. Strand's ball moving also translates in transition, throwing deep long quarterback-esque passes to increase the pace. He can also score the ball by getting to the basket with deliberate drives and hitting open threes off the catch. Defensively is another area where Strand thrives, as he is always in the proper stances and moves well laterally to keep up with opposing ball handlers. Overall, the reliability you receive from him is very valuable for any winning team and he should be sought after by coaches and programs alike as a result.     [player_tooltip player_id='1253132' first='Cyrus' last='Hutchison'] is a bouncy and athletic forward with a versatile skillset and appeal. He can throw it down in the half-court, accelerating fast with a fearless attitude. Hutchison is a willing rebounder who will get dirty on the boards on both ends and is a constant double-double threat. He can stretch the floor from deep with a slow-release jumper with great touch. Defensively, Hutchison can anticipate passes for steals and has great knowledge of where to be on the floor to be the most impactful he can be. He also has great footwork guarding forwards and uses his length well for blocks and deflections. Hutchison's selling point of helping a team in multiple areas while having his best basketball ahead of him should without a doubt make him a priority for programs going forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341422' first='Alex' last='Gordon'] is a lights-out shooting point guard with quick-twitch athleticism. With smooth and solid mechanics, he can rise over defenders and knock down shots off the catch and on the move. Gordon is highly efficient and has a big upside as a future off-the-dribble scorer because of his plus form and body control. He also can handle the ball effectively, and use his quickness and his shooting gravity to get to the basket through a crowd. Gordon makes smart decisions by whipping passes to open shooters and can create turnovers with his quick hands on the defensive side of the court. The ceiling is high as a lead guard and therefore should be someone who coaches and programs continue to monitor.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341415' first='Elijah' last='Avery-Turner'] is a cold-blooded scorer who knows how to put the ball in the basket with the best of them. He can create his own with ease, taking advantage of the mid-range like a pro. Avery-Turner can also shoot off the bounce from deep with a picturesque jumper and he has excelled at going at his self-induced pace and creating havoc for defenses. He also has shown passing flashes, getting the ball through traffic to his teammates by finding small cracks to get the ball through. Avery-Turner's floater is solid and his creativity with his offensive arsenal stands out. His confidence and domination of this side of the court already is very exciting and coaches and programs needing a bucket should feel the same way.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341411' first='Christian' last='Martin'] is an off-ball shooter who can delightfully and efficiently light it up from downtown. His form is immaculate, and the ball zips through the net with ease and smoothness is apparent. Martin knows where to be on the court to succeed, as he relocates himself to winning situations and opportunities to knock down open threes. His high basketball IQ also translates to other parts of the court such as his vision. Martin can make advanced reads and find teammates around the perimeter area. He also has shown he can cut as well, broadening his offensive approach to the game. The steadiness and dependability that he provides are worth betting on and should make coaches and programs big fans of his.

The region of New England is very rich and vibrant in basketball talent. There are sometimes too many players to talk about and cover. This leads to some awesome players worthy of the spotlight, not getting the recognition they deserve to some extent. Today, I'm here to change that by bringing to attention some underrated rising juniors in the class of 2026.