National Prep Championships: Junior (2026) bigs to watch

As is annual tradition, the top prep schools in the country will convene next week to crown an undisputed national champion as part of NERR's National Prep Championship. While post-grads tend to garner the bulk of the attention in the prep school landscape, a number of 2026 prospects figure to play a significant factor in determining the ultimate champion. Here we take a look at some of the top junior big men to watch in West Hartford.    After bursting onto the scene last year in the middle of a high-powered Newman attack, Onyejiaka built mightily on an already-strong foundation with consistent improvement and loud productivity over the course of the year. As dominant a two-way paint presence as there is in New England, he's a true sledgehammer with his emphatic shot-blocking and rim onslaughts. Where he's shown the most improvement is in his ability to operate as a scorer with his back to the basket and as a decisionmaker facing the rim. He'll never be the most skilled big, but it doesn't take much watching to see why high-majors have already begun prioritizing Onyejiaka heading into the spring.     Playing his first full season in the United States, Tambedou took a bit to get his sea legs but hit the ground running after the semester break with a series of eye-opening performances for top-seeded Putnam. A hyper-athletic hybrid big, the Senegalese forward brings an elite combination of size, strength, mobility, and explosiveness. He packs a high-level motor to go with those physical gifts along with a developing offensive skillset that he showcases in flashes throughout the game. He's capable of playing in the half court, especially on the defensive end, but really shines when the game becomes more uptempo. Tambedou will look to solidify his standing in the eyes of high-major coaches on the Puma circuit this coming spring and summer.     Likely the biggest prospect among the entire field, Ibe is a true space-eater on the interior who makes his living as an imposing two-way paint presence. With towering size and length, he constantly makes opponents think twice about any shot inside when he's on the floor, sealing off the rim and finishing possessions on the glass. Ibe runs the floor well for his size before keeping things simple offensively as a rim-roller and dumpoff threat with solid hands and quick elevation to finish in congestion. He fits a bit of an old-school mold with his lack of floor-spacing or perimeter defense, but Ibe has the tools and approach that warrant the high-major attention he's received in the past year given a proper system fit.     It's hard to say there's a more improved prospect on this list, as this time last year Ross was an unknown in the state of Georgia having never played competitive AAU and still considering a career in baseball. Fast forward to now and Ross is a budding high-major big, with the combination of rim protection and efficient play-finishing that coaches at that level fawn over. With quick jumps, natural timing, and elite agility for his size, Ross is a dynamic shot-blocker who's also capable of stepping out on the perimeter on switches. Offensively, he's an effective lob threat who's shown increasing signs of shooting and decisionmaking ability on the perimeter. It's fair to say he's still raw, but the impact and production have become increasingly loud and consistent, with physicality being the main knock on Ross at this point for coaches at the highest levels.     Another reclass junior via Georgia, Hill has been nothing short of consistent in his production for Massanutten since the start of the year. A lunchpail guy in the mold of throwback-style power forwards, he shines doing the grunt work around the bucket with length and deceptive strength to bang with bigger players and quickness to attack slower bigs. He's a voracious rebounder, particularly on the offensive end where he shows an ability to efficiently convert putbacks with either hand. He may not have the flashiest upside but there's no reason to think Hill's production and blue-collar approach can't translate cleanly to any number of D1 programs.     Playing a key support role behind a trio of star seniors, Cook has made important strides this year in both his conditioning and coinciding production. Having shed a ton of excess bulk from his frame without compromising on his strength, he's turned himself into a consistent inside-out weapon. Formerly more of an undersized low-post player, Cook can still bang on the interior but is now equipped with a dangerous perimeter jumper and the ability to facilitate from the arc or the elbows. He's shown to be a sound positional defender, which will be important for the next level as he lacks ideal tools to protect the rim or navigate on the perimeter. The scoring production isn't always loud given the Huskies' pecking order but there's no mistaking Cook's importance as he looks to draw attention of D1 coaches.

As is annual tradition, the top prep schools in the country will convene next week to crown an undisputed national champion as part of NERR's National Prep Championship. While post-grads tend to garner the bulk of the attention in the prep school landscape, a number of 2026 prospects figure to play a significant factor in determining the ultimate champion. Here we take a look at some of the top junior big men to watch in West Hartford.