EYBL: Physical/Athletic Forwards/Centers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MESA, Ariz. — The 2025 Nike EYBL circuit kicked off 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 here are some of the most physical and athletic forwards and centers we watched at the 17u level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ahmad Hudson | 2026 | JL3</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hudson is a two-sport standout who ranks as the No. 1 tight end in the country and No. 5 overall recruit in the country in the 2026 class. While his long-term future might be in football, there is no denying the toughness and physicality he developed on the football field carries over to the hardwood. The 6-foot-7 forward is a bruiser inside as an offensive and defensive rebounder, interior defender and power finisher through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1581755' first='Al'Tariq' last='Reevey'] | 2026 | Team Final</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-10 center is a prospect who looks to dunk everything around the basket. His combination of fluid athleticism in transition, explosiveness off the floor and the ability to catch, gather and finish in one motion make him a viable offensive threat when running the floor in transition and spacing out to the dunker spot on drives. Reevey's verticality also makes him a lob threat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Brayden Jones | 2026 | City Rocks</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones is a sort of throwback big of sorts as he uses his 6-foot-8, 220-ish pound frame to clear out space in the paint and score at the rim. Jones showed that he isn't afraid of doing the dirty work on both ends and mixed it up inside when carving out space and sealing off defenders, crashing the offensive glass and scoring on second-chance opportunities through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Najai Hines | 2025 | NY Rens</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hines is another two-sport star whose physicality on the football field carried over to the basketball court. At 6-feet-10 and a strong 250-pounds, Hines is both strong, fluid and explosive when running the floor in transition, rolling out of a ball screen to score and working for second chance opportunities on the offensive boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1580233' first='Paul' last='Osaruyi'] | 2027 | Arizona Unity</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osaruyi established himself as one of the better lob threats that we saw on the weekend. The 6-foot-10 center is a sure-handed lob catcher who looks to finish everything with a dunk around the rim. Defensively, Osaruyi is quick off the floor with his first jump, understands help-side positioning and stays vertical when contesting shots around the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Sheek Pearson | 2026 | Brad Beal Elite</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pearson is a pogo-stick level vertical athlete and he uses that to his advantage when protecting the rim defensively and finishing off lob and dump-off passes around the rim. The 6-foot-10 center has great hands and soft touch on his interior finishes whether it be off of a dunker spot catch and finish or in a rim-running situation. Pearson plays with great energy and changes ends of the floor well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Trevon Carter-Givens | 2026 | Team Why Not</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter-Givens is all energy and hustle when he's on the floor. The wiry 6-foot-10 center is most impactful as a defender where he can execute ball screen coverages and protect the rim with his length and vertical athleticism. Givens is still very much a raw offensive prospect but understands the importance of his ball-screens, vertical spacing and ability to catch and finish lobs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Tristan Reed | 2026 | Mokan Elite | Pictured</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reed has a next-level combination being light on his feet and extremely physical to go along with his 6-foot-8, 215-plus pound frame. Reed is a high motor transition runner who elevates quickly off the floor and bullies his way through contact to finish at the rim. Reed is also in hot pursuit of rebounds in and out of his area on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->