EYBL: Skilled Forwards/Centers

<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 skilled forwards and centers we watched at the 17u level.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2131780' first='Christian' last='Collins'] | 2026 | Team Why Not</h4>   <p>Collins will likely jump up into SoCal's top spot in the next 2026 rankings update because of the fact that his perimeter skill-set is coming along so quickly. The 6-foot-8 forward is a dribble, pass, shoot and create player who showed off some improved touch from three-point range off the catch. Collins' ability to go by defenders off the bounce and finish at the rim is still his most viable offensive tool.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Cole Cloer | 2026 | Team CP3</h4>   <p>Cloer sits near the top of the "stretch" forwards we saw on the weekend. The 6-foot-7 four-man was elite in catch-and-shoot situations which forced opposing big men to come away from the rim to guard the three-point line which opened up the floor for the rest of his CP3 teammates. Cloer can flow into trail three's and pick and pop three's while also maintaining the ability to roll, score at the rim and make a solid read to find an open teammate.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ethan Taylor | 2026 | Mokan Elite</h4>   <p>Taylor was one of the bigger five-men that we saw in this event as he stands a legitimate 7-feet tall with a 245-plus pound frame. Taylor has great hands, soft touch around the rim and from the free throw line and is a fluid scorer in catch, gather and finish situations. The highly-rated junior used his sure hands to secure rebounds and fire quick outlet passes to spark fast break opportunities.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Jamyn Sondrup | 2026 | Utah Prospects</h4>   <p>Sondrup is a traditional back-to-the-basket five-man whose combination of patience in the post, footwork, touch and ability to identify defensive coverages and make the right plays stood out all weekend. The 6-foot-9 center gained advantages over smaller defenders by using his frame to seal off deep post position and provide a big target for teammates to enter the ball to. Once he got that touch, Sondrup's skill took over as he made quick and physical drop-steps and scored through contact around the rim. One of the more intriguing parts of the junior's game was his ability to pass out of the post to open shooters and cutters.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Jaylan Mitchell | 2027 | Brad Beal Elite | Pictured</h4>   <p>Mitchell is one of few 2027 prospects playing on the 17u level of EYBL play but his combination of size, strength, skill and basketball IQ allowed him to have success. The 6-foot-8 forward is as versatile as they come with his ability to score inside with power and finesse out of the dunker spot or in rim-running situations. The sophomore also showed the ball skills and vision to initiate offense and create for himself and others off the bounce.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Julius Avent | 2026 | [program_tooltip program_id='2135065' first='PSA' last='Cardinals']</h4>   <p>Avent is a 6-foot-8 four-man who blends the skill of a stretch-type forward, straight-line driver and physical interior finisher into a versatile prospect. The junior knocked down corner three-point shots with consistency off the catch, attacked on drives to the baseline and in the 45's for at-rim finishes and filled lanes in transition for physical downhill buckets in the paint.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Lucas Morillo | 2026 | City Rocks</h4>   <p>Morillo was another forward prospect who stood out because of his versatility. The 6-foot-7 four-man possesses the ball skills of a three which allows him to create for himself and others off the bounce but has the strength, physicality and motor needed to compete inside as a scorer and rebounder. Morillo can rebound the defensive glass, push the break and make high IQ decisions. He's also a viable offensive threat in face-up situations where he can hit a pull-up jumper, absorb a bump and finish through it or blow-by his defender and score with finesse or power at the rim.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Sinan Huan | 2026 | Team Durant</h4>   <p>Huan is another legitimate 7-footer on this list who possesses impressive hands, touch and footwork around the rim. The junior, who has spent time on the U18 Chinese National Team, is a ball screener, roller and finisher who can also initiate offense as a trigger man in trail situations where he can reverse the ball and follow it into a ball screen.</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 skilled forwards and centers we watched at the 17u level.