Best 25 Available Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED [player_tooltip player_id='1575564' first='Kameron' last='Bowers']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Overall #1 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.'] </strong>(2025 State Champion) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr'].</strong> (2024 State Champion) top the list of Best Available from the Class of 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 [player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.']<br>#2 [player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr'].<br>#3 [player_tooltip player_id='2955801' first='Mason' last='Williams']<br>#4 [player_tooltip player_id='2886050' first='Aliyu' last='Idris']<br>#5 [player_tooltip player_id='2612100' first='Jeromy' last='Davis Jr'].<br>#6 [player_tooltip player_id='1549096' first='MJ' last='Hayes']<br>#7 [player_tooltip player_id='1762918' first='Bosah' last='Louis Onwuta']<br>#8 [player_tooltip player_id='2238576' first='Derrick' last='Roberson']<br>#9 [player_tooltip player_id='2560261' first='Mantas' last='Paldauskas']<br>#10 [player_tooltip player_id='2043374' first='Kaleb' last='Davis']<br>#11 [player_tooltip player_id='2139567' first='Avery' last='Coles']<br>#12 [player_tooltip player_id='1296308' first='Reid' last='Conley']<br>#13 [player_tooltip player_id='2352383' first='JiYair' last='Rose']<br>#14 [player_tooltip player_id='1575564' first='Kameron' last='Bowers']<br>#15 [player_tooltip player_id='1919180' first='Dorien' last='Lyles']<br>#16 [player_tooltip player_id='1760995' first='Ronald' last='Towns III']<br>#17 [player_tooltip player_id='2765371' first='Caleb' last='Hardaway']<br>#18 [player_tooltip player_id='2358333' first='Justin' last='Nordin']<br>#19 [player_tooltip player_id='2308938' first='Steven' last='Sherman']<br>#20 [player_tooltip player_id='1947455' first='Peyton' last='Applegate']<br>#21 [player_tooltip player_id='2283590' first='Carter' last='Ezell']<br>#22 [player_tooltip player_id='1560097' first='Kayin' last='Mitchell']<br>#23 [player_tooltip player_id='2043503' first='Zack' last='Niven']<br>#24 [player_tooltip player_id='2194624' first='Eli' last='Brown']<br>#25 [player_tooltip player_id='1477322' first='Sean' last='Capshaw']<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reclassified to 2025</strong><br>Trey Thompson (Iowa)<br><br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1549096' first='MJ' last='Hayes']</strong> (St. George's) sparks internal debate. Internal inside me. Years ago, he was the #1 or #2 player in the '26 class. He won a State championship with F.A.C.S. and Head Coach Dee Wilkes. Then he and his teammates all left, several of them left the state for perceived greener pastures. <strong>Cello Jackson</strong> moved to Miami to play with future NBA star Cameron Boozer and his brother. Hayes elected to play high school basketball in Texas only to return this summer for his senior season. We slotted him immediately within the Top 6. But...is that too high? Hayes is still tall and quick for a guard. He is not all that much stronger than he was two years ago though and he can't hit a three-pointer. So, what is his ceiling? A low-major D1 slashing combo guard? He is a good passer, not an exceptional creator as a passer. His defense is hit-and-miss. Midway through January Hayes is averaging 11.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. That is ok, but not Top 10 in the state caliber. With the right development in 2026-2027 he could land at a D1 program via transfer, but what once was certain is no longer. Look for him to sign to a junior college in April/May with reasonable aspirations to ascend up the basketball ladder in the following year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hayes was given a thorough evaluation within these pages back in <a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/07/a-complete-mj-hayes-player-evaluation/">Summer 2023</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You want a big man? This is the time to get one! In Tennessee there are six forwards in just the Top 26 overall. In fact, of the eleven best available players statewide six of them play forward or center. Guys like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr'].</strong> are kind of combo forwards in that they are capable of playing small or power forward at the D1 level. The difference between small forward and power forward is negligible anyway in 4-out or 5-out sets. Classifying the big man as a center leaves a point guard and three wings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->