EYBL 16s: Standout Wings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MESA, Ariz. — The 2025 Nike EYBL circuit kicked off last Friday night at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa with many of the country's top prospects and teams beginning their quest to qualify for Peach Jam in July. We were in the gym all weekend and below are the top wings we watched at the 16u level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Christian Proctor | 2027 | Team Durant</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-7 sophomore is a long, wiry and skilled wing whose best basketball is played when he's stretching the floor to the three-point line off the catch, attacking closeouts for mid-range jumpers or filling the lane and finishing at the rim in transition. Proctor's combination of size, length, ball skills and fluidity will make him a highly sought after prospect in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">DeMarcus Henry | 2027 | Team Why Not</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Henry has shown consistent improvement to his offensive game over the last two years and is molding into a legitimate three-man who can also slide down and create mismatches at the four spot. The 6-foot-7 lefty is a broad-shouldered wing with impressive length and fluidity with the ball in his hands. Henry's ability to put the ball on the floor and create for himself off the bounce in the form of pull-up jumpers and drives and finishes to the rim stood out as his best offensive traits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Gabe Nesmith | 2027 | Vegas Elite</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nesmith was one of the more naturally gifted perimeter scorers and playmakers we saw at the 16u level. The 6-foot-5 wing is shifty off the bounce with a tight handle and the ability to create space from defenders for off-bounce jumpers or blow-by finishes at the rim. Nesmith has a knack for hitting high degree of difficulty shots which lends to his advanced offensive skill-set. Athletically, the sophomore is quick and explosive off the floor with the ability to elevate and finish over the top of rim protectors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Larry Duncan III | 2027 | Team Melo</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What I liked most about Duncan's game was the simplicity and basketball IQ he played with. The 6-foot-4 wing was consistent in spot-up situations from behind-the-arc, drove past bad closeouts and got to the rim where he finished with explosiveness and power and often made smart passes on those drives to create an open shot for a teammate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2241513' first='Lyris' last='Robinson'] | 2027 | Arizona Unity</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robinson had a number of eye-popping transition finishes where his combination of speed, vertical athleticism and fearlessness attacking the rim proved to be some of the best traits we saw on the 16u level. The 6-foot-5 wing wasn't just a slasher and finisher, either, as he knocked down a handful of deep three-point shots with a quick release and great elevation off the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Mackenlei Martin | 2027 | Houston Hoops</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martin stood out to me with his ability to turn defense into offense. The 6-foot-5 sophomore used his length and anticipation to shoot passing lanes for steals which resulted in numerous transition dunks and paint finishes. Martin also showed savvy when creating for himself in half-court offense where he played off of two feet in the lane and used pivots and step throughs to score or find an open teammate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ryan Hampton | 2027 | Drive Nation</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hampton was one of the hardest-playing prospects we watched on the weekend regardless of age group. The wiry 6-foot-6 wing played with a full head of steam in transition and used his combination of size, length and downhill aggressiveness to put pressure on the rim and score in the painted area. Hampton also showed the ability to knock down quick stop-and-pop mid-range jumpers. The sophomore played with great energy and effort on the defensive end and crashed the boards hard on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->