Firmly on the Radar: 2029 Standouts That Delivered in May

There's a difference between having a good weekend and making people walk away genuinely curious about what's next. This group did the second. These players were talked about after the event and kept showing up against quality competition. The more the games mattered, the more these players seemed to settle in and separate themselves. They're firmly on my radar now.    Use code dev30 for 30% off and secure access as we're going through rankings and got you covered for the grassroots season. You don't want to miss any of our scouting.    Kirtley physically overwhelmed teams throughout the Centennial State Cup last weekend and did it while showing more skill than you typically expect from a player his size. He filled it up as he played with force on the block, attacked defenders off the bounce, and consistently finished through contact or drew fouls. The motor runs high, and there were stretches where he completely controlled the game himself. He's a bruising interior presence with versatility and real long-term intrigue, and I think he will be a name to know this upcoming season as I expect him to log some varsity minutes.     Tsyggnok impacted winning with relentless rebounding and nonstop activity around the basket, and he made the most of his 6'3 frame. The ball seemed to find him all weekend, and when it didn't, he went and made a play happen. He was cleaning the glass and rebounding outside his area. He ran the floor for easy finishes as well. What really stands out is that he plays with strong instincts and doesn't hesitate once he secures the ball. He was making transition plays, and he created second-chance opportunities for himself and teammates and was a major reason Powerhouse stayed undefeated.     [player_tooltip player_id='2828235' first='Memphis' last='Sawyer'] is a name that has buzzed in both of our tournaments to begin the grassroots season, and is a name you should get used to hearing. The crazy part is he's in the 2030 class. He looked like one of the more naturally gifted scorers in the gym this past weekend, especially when games tightened up. He's very comfortable creating off the bounce, he consistently breaks defenders down and got into the paint with control. In there, he also knows how to put the ball in the basket as he mixed floaters, had tough off-hand finishes, and made timely passes while never looking sped up. The game slows down for him in a real way, and when he found rhythm offensively, he completely changed the momentum. He's a player that I feel is going to really catch fire soon, so we're happy to be on him early. He's a big-time performer.     [player_tooltip player_id='2831982' first='Chris' last='Thatch Jr.'] is this class's next breakout performer, and he will certainly play some varsity minutes with how he's come on to begin the summer. He's a gamer, and he walked into the weekend already carrying some buzz from the last event and somehow still exceeded it. Everything about his game translates. His confidence, pace, feel, and ability to impact both ends of the floor. He's very athletic with a mature game and plays with control. Difficult plays look easy for him, and he could certainly stand out at the 16U level if he played up. I do think that he will pop soon and is a name to watch this season. Huge start to AAU for him.     This is the second time that he stood out as one of the top performers at one of our events, so it is not a fluke; he's a gamer. He made some next-level plays as he kept the ball high and then went and finished at the rim. He has excellent footwork, he's very skilled, and finishes with either hand when getting inside and shot the 3-ball at a high clip as well. I liked how he was putting himself in spots as the screen and roll man as it opened up the rest of his game. He showcased high IQ plays after the screen, he'll re-screen if he has to, to create mismatches and he attacked the mismatches as well as his timing is very good. Mulledy plays at his own pace, and in a game against Team Powerhouse, where they were outmatched, he still held his own and looked like one of the top players on the court. That matters to me. I am very high on him.

There's a difference between having a good weekend and making people walk away genuinely curious about what's next. This group did the second. These players were talked about after the event and kept showing up against quality competition. The more the games mattered, the more these players seemed to settle in and separate themselves. They're firmly on my radar now.