Area Rankings: Top 4 2027 Prospects in Southwest Iowa

Blum is not only one of the best basketball prospects in the state's 2027 class, he's also one of the top football prospects, a gifted receiver. He's a fantastic athlete with great length and bounce who can really shoot it from 3-point range. He creates well off the dribble, is great on the glass, and has the size, length, and athleticism to make a major impact on the defensive end. If he's able to tighten up his ball handling and shot creation, the sky is the limit for him.     Slaughter's ball-handling, vision, and speed make him a difficult guard to contain for opposing players. He has a really good feel for the game, knowing when he needs to change speeds, and he changes directions without losing speed well, keeping the defender off balance. He shoots it well off the dribble, especially from the mid-range, and his quick hands and feet allow him to stay in front of opposing ball-handlers and make them work hard.     Harder was great as a freshman for the Trojans, averaging 16.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game on 45-42-61 shooting splits. He's a high IQ guard who shoots it really well off the dribble and knows how to subtly use his off-ball arm to create that tiny bit of extra space he needs to get his shot off. He handles it well, is a skilled playmaker with good vision, and he does a great job not only getting his teammates involved, but doing so while protecting the basketball at a high level (2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio).     The other half of CBAL's talented 2027 backcourt, DeJager is a nice complement to Slaughter with his ability to play with or without the ball in his hands. He can knock down shots off the catch or create plays off the dribble. He uses his length and quickness to his advantage on the defensive end, getting into passing lanes and making life difficult for opposing ball-handlers.