6 Up And Coming Game Changers In The Class of 2028

Every year incoming freshmen begin their journey to relevancy at the high school level. Throughout this summer, several players in the class of 2028 jumped out and look ready to contribute early into their high school careers. This article will highlight six of the best incoming freshmen from this past travel season and how they could effect games in the upcoming season.    [player_tooltip player_id='2560572' first='Devion' last='Gillispie'] stood out as one of the best freshmen guards in the state throughout the summer while playing for [program_tooltip program_id='2076067' first='Team' last='Trae Young'] and also at Prep Hoops' Freshmen Showcase. He is a very explosive guard who is at his best with the ball in his hands. Being an efficient scorer from all three levels while also having great vision and feel for the game make him an extremely interesting name to monitor as he begins his high school career. Attending Putnam City North in the upcoming season, Gillispie seems poised to add a spark to a bounce back season for the Panthers. He brings all of the physical tools that coaches hope to see in a guard and an extremely high level skillset which looks more well-rounded than you typically see from freshmen.     [player_tooltip player_id='2560583' first='TJ' last='Newton'] was one of the most dangerous and consistent shooters that I was able to cover this summer. Having scouted him throughout the summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2076067' first='Team' last='Trae Young'], Newton was difficult to miss as opposing defenses regularly sold out to try and slow him down. He can hit jumpers anywhere past the half court whether the attempts come off the catch or following him creating separation off the dribble. Newton's skillset looks very translatable to a higher level of competition and should also be able to compete physically and athletically. His longterm upside looks like one of the highest in the incoming freshmen class and should be able to standout as a jump shooter relatively quickly.     [player_tooltip player_id='2560579' first='Joshua' last='Baba'] is an eye-catching athlete with great physical tools that he regularly puts on display on both ends of the floor. He plays with a very impressive motor and competes like he has something to prove. Baba stood out at Prep Hoops' Freshmen Showcase with elite two-way versatility and fantastic touch within the paint and at the rim. His tools make him one of the better longterm prospects in all of Oklahoma, but could very easily start making his impact felt as early as this season. Baba also does a great job of playing at the top of zones on defense where he disrupts passing lanes with his long wingspan and can also apply pressure regardless of the size and speed of opposing ball-handlers.     [player_tooltip player_id='2560570' first='David' last='Douglas'] is a physically dominant guard who looked far more developed than the majority of freshman guards across the state. His strength on offense is attacking the rim as he is explosive both laterally and vertically but stands out with the level of control that he uses on the interior. Douglas also shot the ball consistently from deep throughout the summer and will undoubtably turn heads if it carries over into the high school season. He is set to play his freshman season for Grind Prep and should be given a decent opportunity to make a quick impact early into his high school career. His very mature game should continue to grow alongside his physical tools as he continues to draw attention from college coaches as he is given more exposure.     [player_tooltip player_id='2408566' first='Carter' last='Coleman'] is one of the more plug-and-play freshmen in Oklahoma due to his great size and extremely versatile play style. He scores the ball well from all three levels and uses his great height, length and timing to defend the rim on the interior. He looks elite while attacking out of triple-threat where he uses crafty footwork and long strides to attack driving lanes or create space for himself to knock down smooth jumpers. Coleman plays with a clearly high IQ and while he was one of the better scorers in the majority of match-ups, he rarely forces actions and regularly is able to make good reads to keep the ball moving. The sky is the limit for Coleman and should quickly gain recognition early into this upcoming season.     [player_tooltip player_id='2399339' first='Isaiah' last='Nelson'] was one of the better on-ball creators in the freshmen class in Oklahoma throughout the summer. His ability to create space off the bounce was very impressive and showed flashes of being one of the better passers in the 2028 class. Nelson also communicates at a high level and helps his team get into position to create steals which led to a number of fast breaks. Nelson excelled this summer while pushing the pace in the open floor. He pushed the tempo with his eyes up to spot teammates ahead for easy looks and when the best option was scoring himself, his shifty handle allowed him to get to the rim or stop on a dime to hit pull-ups.

Every year incoming freshmen begin their journey to relevancy at the high school level. Throughout this summer, several players in the class of 2028 jumped out and look ready to contribute early into their high school careers. This article will highlight six of the best incoming freshmen from this past travel season and how they could effect games in the upcoming season.