California Live: 7 Stock-Rising Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY — Last weekend's California Live boys high school basketball event at OGP Ladera provided a big stage for prospects to showcase their skills in front of college coaches of all levels. The event drew more than 160 teams from five states and all of them descended on Southern California for the three day event. Below we take a closer look at guards who raised their stock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2436300' first='AJ' last='Okoh'] | 2027 | Brentwood</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Okoh is a lightning quick point guard who uses his first step to blow by defenders off the bounce and get to the rim where he can score craftily with either hand. The 6-foot-2 junior also showed his dynamic playmaking and scoring abilities in transition as he snaked through retreating defenses and found open teammates or seams for him to punch and get to the cup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2131810' first='Caleb' last='Ogbu'] | 2026 | Notre Dame</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ogbu doesn't have the name power as some of the other major recruits on Notre Dame's roster, but the 6-foot-1 guard is an important piece to the puzzle for coach Matt Sargeant &amp; Co. Ogbu is the ideal complimentary player because his game is simple and efficient: he knocks down catch and shoot three's, can be a secondary ball handler and defends his position well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2750216' first='Devin' last='Mitchell'] | 2028 | Etiwanda</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mitchell is a member of Etiwanda's major youth movement as one of three sophomores to have good moments throughout the month of June. Mitchell's time came at California Live as he showed a versatile offensive game to go along with great feel and physicality as a defender. The 6-foot-2 guard used his combination of speed, physicality and straight-line athleticism to get by defenders and into the lane where he absorbed and finished through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956621' first='Ezekiel' last='Walker'] | 2026 | Francis Parker</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walker is one of the more under-the-radar prospects on this list and his performance at California Live catapulted him into the conversation of best 2026 guards in the San Diego region. The 6-foot-2 rising senior is a reliable three-point shooter with deep range and a quick release. Where Walker catches people by surprise is with his vertical athleticism as he can elevate quickly and finish over the top of rim protectors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2622330' first='Max' last='Meza'] | 2026 | Cathedral Catholic</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In my estimation, Meza is an under-appreciated point guard out of the San Diego area. The 6-foot-1 rising senior is a steady ball handler and decision-maker who can really set the table and create for others. Meza can also impact the game in the scoring column with his three-point shooting and soft-touched floater.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2436275' first='Maxwell' last='Scott'] | 2027 | Corona del Mar</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scott is one of the most productive scorers in all of Orange County but doesn't get as much publicity as he probably deserves because he doesn't play for a powerhouse program or in a major league. The 6-foot-3 combo guard is a three-level scorer who is best as a perimeter jump shooter off the catch and off the bounce but has shown over the last few months that he is a capable driver and playmaker for teammates when he gets two feet in the lane.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Zaire Rasshan | 2027 | Damien</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rasshan is setting himself up for a big junior season as he showed an improved and more aggressive offensive repertoire. The 6-foot-1 off-guard does something that fits in well with a Mike LeDuc-coached offense and that's make open shots. Rasshan is a smooth jump shooter off the catch and off the bounce from both three-point and mid-range levels of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->