Utah County’s 10 Best Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this installment, we take a look at some of the best players in Utah County, regardless of class, and try our best to rank them as the best prospects. The county boasts a deep pool of talent, and this list highlights those who have caught our eye as top performers and future standouts. The rankings are based on a combination of factors, including production, potential, and overall impact on their respective teams. While opinions may vary, this compilation aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Utah County's brightest basketball prospects.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#1 [player_tooltip player_id='1278448' first='Dean' last='Rueckert'], Timpview 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dean has a lot of upside when you look at the impactful players at the next level. Rueckert has the skill set of a 6'7 guard that can do a lot of things. He has slowly been putting on muscle every year. It would not be crazy to say that he could put on 25 lbs before he starts playing. Rueckert has a great-looking shot, and if he can find a way to shoot over 42% from deep at the college level, there is no reason to think he could not play at the highest level beyond college. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#2 [player_tooltip player_id='1278439' first='Jamyn' last='Sondrup'], Springville 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sondrup is built for the next level, and with some impressive D1 offers on the table, it is going to be interesting to see where he decides to attend. It was not too long ago we tracked him as an 8th grader, and you could see the potential. Look for him to be among the best players in the state and show why statistically. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#3 [player_tooltip player_id='1724358' first='Troy' last='Kaufusi'], Orem 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaufusi has a lot of upside, and only entering his sophomore year, Kaufusi could rise up the national ranking in time. If he continues to put in the work, he could be in the Top 40 by this time next year, entering his junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Will Openshaw, Timpview 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Openshaw is a player who has risen more than anyone I have seen in a long time. from a very raw, unknown incoming freshman to receiving offer after offer, He has posted his Top 3, and that includes Stanford, Utah Valley, and BYU. Either school he decides to attend, he is a player who has a track record to improve drastically every year. That is going to be a given moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#5 [player_tooltip player_id='2125357' first='Brennan' last='Blackett'], Pleasant Grove 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett is among those players who have patiently waited their turn, and Blackett has put in the work, and it is starting to show. He has the length and the pedigree to be a steal in the class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#6 [player_tooltip player_id='1724365' first='Crew' last='Fotheringham'], Lone Peak 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fotheringham is a player with a high trajectory. I think by this time next year, you will see him with double the offers, and he could also be on the national rankings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#7 [player_tooltip player_id='1439711' first='Bryce' last='Mella'], American Fork 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Look out for this kid this year. I think that there are a few high-level schools waiting for him to have a big year before they pull the trigger on an offer. Mella had a great summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#8 [player_tooltip player_id='2306605' first='Simeon' last='Suguturaga'], Orem 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Suguraga had a solid grassroots season, and he is a player who has a chance to solidify more offers with an excellent year at Orem. The good thing for Simeon is that he will play against some of the best kids in the state, so he will be able to showcase his talents against more talent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#9 [player_tooltip player_id='1724360' first='Ashton' last='Shewell'], Lehi 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shewell is set to have a big year at Lehi. With Shewell being the go-to player on this young team, you will be able to see more consistency from him, and that, in turn, will bring more eyes his way, and it will help him head into club season with some momentum. Shewell has upside, and he has time to keep growing his game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#10 [player_tooltip player_id='2089441' first='Jax' last='Clark'], American Fork 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clark is one of my favorite players to watch as he has been really good at getting to his spots, and he runs the floor. He is a blue-collar hard hard-working player. He has the physique to play right away as an incoming freshman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1960161' first='Callen' last='Tollestrup']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1724363' first='Preston' last='White']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1724367' first='Saxon' last='Young']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2194688' first='Jackson' last='Ford']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->