Under Armour Next Nationals: Michigan Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The concluding stop of the Under Armour Next Circuit took place this past weekend just off the runway of Midway Airport in Chicago. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four days of high level bracket play, college coaches, and hordes of high level national prospects. Following are five standouts from the Mitten.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588161' first='Cameron' last='Ryans'] 6-5 2026 Grand Rapids Northview </strong>The highest ranked Michigan player in the field— and played like it. As a four player at a high profile program. While also being the younger brother of Division I player. It's an understatement to say Ryans has been on the radar for quite some time. Simply put, you know what you are going to get from this player. He is going to physically overpower smaller wings. Just bully ball and slow walk them down into the paint. However if you put a lengthy wing, or even a big on him. He is quick and skilled enough to exploit that matchup as well. I've been impressed with how his complementary game has assimilated into an established [program_tooltip program_id='2077017' first='Grand' last='Rapids Storm'] unit. That late AAU switch highlights why I am excited to watch Ryans in the upcoming year. In the turbulence that is modern high school basketball. Ryans' run has been remarkably stable. Same high school and AAU program, same varsity coach, same high level production. In the span of a few months that has all changed. What hasn't changed is Ryans malleable skillset. I expect a big (possibly Mr Basketball?) year from from Ryans. Nothing I saw this weekend dissuaded me from that belief. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2217997' first='Carl' last='Thompson'] 6-4 2026 Grand Rapids Christian</strong> Ryans Grand Rapids area teammate on the Storm. Thompson is the polar opposite wing from the Northview product. Where Cam is strong and overpowering. Thompson is smooth and effortless. The fluidity of his game is sometimes a detriment to his recruitment. He makes it look so easy that he can appear passive. As someone who has covered him for quite sometime, trust me he's not. I've seen him nail stone cold buzzer beating threes and just shrug. Just his countenance. He's a high level competitor and showed it this weekend. Took it right at some of the best players in the nation. Explodes to the rim and is an elite vertical athlete. Gets to the rim ease with excellent ball handling ability. The ball handling has improved to the extent that you could classify as him now a point/combo guard prospect. Has initiated a lot of offense for the Storm after their starting point guard went down with an injury in the spring. However the scoring skillset will always be the skeleton key. Has a full bag of step backs and combination/counter moves if penetration is cut off. I don't generally do this. But with the free trail currently going on with the site it feels necessary. Disregard his current ranking (I do not contribute to the rankings) This is one of the top wings in the state. He already holds a Division 1 offer. Based on what I saw and heard in Chicago, he will most likely be collecting more. Like Ryans, I am excited to see how his senior year unfolds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2270808' first='Jacob' last='Plamondon'] 6-6 2026 Maple City Glen Lake </strong>I'm not an expert on Under Armour Circuit geography. I would be willing to bet there not many (if any) prospects haling from a smaller school district than Plamondon. Accordingly I was intrigued to see how brute force post game traveled to a national setting. In a word, just fine. In a national setting he certainly doesn't look as tall or imposing. That being said, if he caught it deep on the block, you are just not stopping him. Uses his shoulders and hips well to create space near the basket. Finishes strong with above average short burst elevation. Played well against an Atlanta All Stars squad that had plenty of size. While he has a throwback game. He is not some plodder. Is light on his feet and runs the court well. The evaluation gets a little bit of an incomplete. As an injury knocked him out on Friday night. However did enough to possibly be the top prospect in Northern Michigan next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2477378' first='Carter' last='Grubb'] 6-6 2026 Traverse City West </strong>I uses “possibly” in the evaluation above intentionally. If Plamondon isn't the top prospect in Northern Michigan. His Indiana Game teammate, Grubb is. Like our grouping from above. These two teammates have similar dimensions and positions. But they are polar opposites as players. Grubb is a long and bouncy prospect who has the ability to possibly develop into a 3 and D wing. This was especially evident in a Thursday opening contest against Kentucky's Griffin Elite. Hit pull up threes in transition, while scoring and blocking shots at the rim. Like Plamondon, I wondered how his elite skill would translate to a national setting. Like his teammate— just fine. Grubb's carry skill is his “get up”. Others might get higher (not by much) But Grubb's ability to get off the ground quickly is elite. Has a quick second jump as well. As you would expect is a good shot blocker and factor on the glass. That was all on display this weekend. Needs to add weight and find some more positional definition. However this is prospect in the midst of a meteoric rise. At this time last year I had never heard his name. That might sound arrogant, it's impossible to know “everyone”. That being said he plays about thirty miles from my house. He was a JV player who hadn't played AAU basketball. One year later he's playing in a national shoe circuit and owns a Division II offer. A lot of hard work went into this rise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2140494' first='Eli' last='Wolfe'] 6-0 2028 Rockford </strong>After going with all seniors. I'll close by looking into the future. Due to a spate of injuries. Wolfe was playing up in the 16U division. I was curious to see how the West Michigan's guards slender frame handled the rigors of older players. One last time— just fine. This is due to Wolfe's uncommon combination of speed and craftiness. It appeared plenty of defenders were attempting smother by hedging out hard on ball screens. Often Wolfe simply found another gear and evaded these defenders. On the occasion he got in trouble, he always knew where his teammates and safety valves were. Is an also solid finisher at the rim with a similar level of creativity. Caps off the package with a pure outside shot from beyond the arc. With more physical development could become a national recruit. Already holds a Division I offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->