Summer Superlatives - The Athletes

Next up in our Summer Superlatives series - The Athletes!   These prospects use their physical gifts to make impressive plays on both ends of the floor. Not just impressive with their ability to jump high, these guys showed that they can cover space quickly with explosive movements going forwards, backwards, and laterally.   As a reminder, these lists are not Top 5 lists! In fact, we'll aim to use each list to highlight standout prospects that we believe will eventually play at a variety of levels of college basketball. From high majors to the Division III level, these superlatives will recognize a wide range of prospects that stood out with their play on the hardwood this summer.   Below are The Athletes - five prospects that found a variety of ways to impact games this summer with their athletic gifts.   [player_tooltip player_id='2832762' first='Wiji' last='Dak']   Dak, a 6'3" wing out of Bedford High School in New Hampshire, had a coming out party while running with the Mass Rivals. He spent most of the summer playing up at the 16U level on the 3SSB and never looked out of place as he packs a ton of athleticism into his physically advanced 6'3" frame. He's got a compact build that allows him to play with power, strength, and some impressive vertical athleticism. He had some of the most impressive plays of the summer as a slasher, finishing with authority at the rim on numerous occasions. He uses his frame to his advantage when playing through contact, catches opponents off guard with his burst, and has the ability to slip through tight spaces with his quickness. Defensively, he puts it all together to be a tough on ball defender that can really lock things down at the point of attack. Just a 2028 and still a month away from entering his sophomore year of high school, there's still a long way to go in Dak's recruitment, but it's easy to project him out three years and see a high level scholarship player.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396741' first='Parrish' last='Edmond']   Edmond, a 6'6" wing out of Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, showed out time and time again with his bounce, effort, and motor. Running with the City Rocks on the EYBL circuit this summer, he was arguably the top athlete, regardless of position in New England. At 6'6" with long arms, he's a lockdown defender on the perimeter that covers ground quickly, makes plays in passing lanes, and is a strong shot blocker when coming from the weak-side. Offensively, he's elite in the open floor and is a high level lob threat in the half-court. While he has terrific vertical athletic pop, he's also fast when getting up and down the floor and quick in tight spaces, both of which only add to his athletic package. Edmond, who had one of the most wide-ranging recruitments in the region with offers from the likes of Albany to Fordham to Oklahoma State, came off the board earlier today with a commitment to Siena.   [player_tooltip player_id='2407058' first='Cole' last='Blackburn']   Blackburn, a 6'6" wing out of Worcester Academy in Massachusetts, continued to show the ability to utilize his athleticism within the flow of a game during June and July. The talented wing had a strong showing this summer for the Middlesex Magic on the UAA. His athleticism and versatility go hand in hand and he's used the two to develop into one of the region's top defenders. With his agility, mobility, and length, he does a nice job of defending the ball, making plays in passing lanes, and blocking shots at the rim when coming from the help side. His ability to quickly cover ground, on both ends of the floor, is noticable every time he takes the floor. Offensively, he's got another gear in transition and is a strong offensive rebounder, both of which are emblematic of his athleticism. He can attack the rim off the bounce, as an off-ball cutter, and does a nice job of finishing loud plays with authority above the rim. Right now, he has offers from some competitive low-major programs, but with two years before he enrolls in college, there's plenty of opportunities for his recruitment to go to another level.   Diing Maiwen   Maiwen, a 6'5" wing out of the Knox School in New York, burst onto the scene while running with RI Elite on the PUMA Pro16 circuit. Originally a member of the Class of 2025 out of Edward Little in Maine, the recently reclassed wing is one of the top perimeter athletes in the region. He's got terrific timing as a shot blocker, great burst when jumping passing lanes, and is a quick second jumper when battling for rebounds on both ends of the floor. He's a quick twitch athlete that leaves the floor before opponents can react and uses his length to his advantage as a finisher. With long arms, long strides, and quickness in small spaces, he's capable of being an elite perimeter defender that takes pride in being a stopper. Offensively, he's got a quick first step and is really good at using his athleticism to his advantage off the ball as a cutter and lob threat. As a 2025, he was a high level target for some top Division III programs in New England, however, his move to 2026 has completely changed his recruitment and he now profiles as a low-major, Division I recruit.   [player_tooltip player_id='2811750' first='Javon' last='Massiah']   Massiah, a 6'4" wing out of the Winchendon School in Massachusetts, adjusted to a higher competition level while showing some impressive physical gifts during the summer season. The Above the Rim Elite wing has solid measurables, a plus wingspan, and continually evolving skill with the ball in his hands. He was probably the top athlete in all of the NHIAA last winter and used his agility, bounce, and burst to his advantage as a multi-level scorer. He has a quick first step and with long strides, can cover a lot of ground both offensively and defensively. While he pops with his vertical athleticism when attacking the rim, his athletic gifts show in other situations too, such as when he elevates in the mid-range to get his jumper off over defenders or uses his speed to chase down opponents defensively in transition. After a strong summer, he's cemented himself as a fringe scholarship prospect and, at the very least, will be a priority recruit for some of the top D3 programs in New England.   Next up in the Summer Superlatives series - The Board Men!

Next up in our Summer Superlatives series - The Athletes!