May Live Period Preview: '27 Prospects To Know

One of the most anticipated weekends on the spring AAU calendar is quickly approaching in the May live period— a weekend in which college coaches are finally allowed in the gym and able to get their eyes on prospects in person. With prospects beginning to set themselves apart with hot starts to the spring in hopes of seeing their respective recruitments pick up some steam, let's dive into a list of prospects in the 2027 class who will be looking to put together impressive live periods this May.    Relentlessly in attack mode, four star [player_tooltip player_id='2201945' first='Andrew' last='Kretkowski'] is a forward who consistently applys constant pressure on opposing defenses with his downhill style of play. At his best, Kretkowski thrives by getting downhill, attacking gaps, and finishing through contact with both toughness and finesse. Kretkowski repeatedly punishes defenses that fail to contain him off the dribble while also showing clear growth as a perimeter threat. His willingness to confidently step into in rhythm threes and create his own mid range looks has recently developed as an added layer to his offensive arsenal. Beyond scoring, Kretkowski's relentless motor consistently shows up in the little things— crashing the glass, competing for loose balls, or making hustle plays, his energy often sparked momentum changing stretches.   Kretkowski's recruitment has begun to pick up a little bit of steam as of recently, having earned offers from Northwestern and St. Joe's University the last couple of weeks, with a number of other programs looking to get in the picture.     A truly dynamic playmaking guard with elite burst off the dribble and a strong feel for the game, Alex Pace has displayed the versatility, aggression, and confidence that makes him such an effective scorer from virtually anywhere on the floor so far this spring. Having erupted for a handful of explosive scoring performances over the first few weeks of the spring, Pace has established himself as a multi-level scoring threat capable of attacking defenses from all areas of the floor. The dynamic lead guard shoots the ball with confidence and fluidity from the perimeter, displaying soft touch and comfort creating separation off the dribble. He consistently gets to his spots in the mid range area for pull up jumpers and complements that with crafty finishing ability around the rim through contact and traffic. Beyond his scoring, Pace also embraced the role of facilitator with an unselfish approach and strong playmaking instincts regularly made the correct reads to keep defenses off balance— pushing the tempo in transition, advancing the ball with speed off the bounce, finding open shooters on the perimeter, and delivering creative PnR passes to rolling teammates.   Since the end of the high school season, Pace has received offers from the likes of Boston University, Le Moyne, Wagner and Tennessee Tech with a handful of programs soon to start showing interest.     Looking to support his case as one of the best playmaking point guards in the entire country, four star point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2344521' first='Micah' last='Gordon'] has gotten off to an impressive start so far this spring— controlling games on his own terms, scoring efficiently at all three levels with natural instincts, creativity off the dribble, and a polished offensive feel. Beyond his scoring ability, Gordon embraced the role of facilitator, showcasing impressive court vision and instinctive passing that elevated the play of those around him and consistently put teammates in position to succeed.   In recent weeks, Gordon has received offers from Rutgers, Providence, and Maryland. Look for Gordon to continue to capture the interest of plenty of high major programs as we approach the May live period.     Occupying significant space in the paint with his powerful frame and physical presence, [player_tooltip player_id='2470853' first='Kamsi' last='Awaka'] has emerged as a physically imposing big man who just carves out space with his stout frame and intimidating brute force. Awaka utilizes his strength and intriguing physical tools to deliver impactful stretches offensively and defensively. Offensively, Awaka often looks to establish himself on the interior, where he showcased comfort operating on the block, finishing through contact, and converting efficiently as a roll man. His activity on the offensive glass also consistently generates extra possessions. On the defensive end, his toughness, rebounding instincts, and rim protection abilities allowed him to anchor the paint and alter shots with strong timing and anticipation.     [player_tooltip player_id='2218637' first='Kieran' last='Quinn'] continues to emerge as one of the state's most intriguing prospects, showcasing a rare combination of offensive versatility and impressive mobility for his size. His ability to contribute both in the paint and on the perimeter has given this Panthers' 17U HGSL team a unique and highly productive offensive dynamic. Quinn consistently finishes effectively around the rim, displaying soft touch, refined footwork, and a polished back to the basket presence in the low post, while also attacking closeouts confidently off the dribble. At the same time, he's reinforced his value as a floor spacing threat so far this spring, routinely pulling opposing big men away from the paint and capitalizing on open looks as a spot up shooter. His smooth shooting mechanics and reliable perimeter touch continue to stand out throughout.   Since the start of the spring, Quinn has received offers from the likes of Campbell and Manhattan with a number of programs set to show interest in the coming weeks.     The definition of an aggressive scoring guard who attacks the basket at every opportunity, [player_tooltip player_id='2509329' first='Ashton' last='Graves'] has gotten off to an impressive start to the spring, demonstrating his ability to put pressure on the rim and finish in an abundant amount of ways around the basket— generating much of his offense by using his explosiveness to create driving lanes off the dribble and finish at the basket, while also thriving in transition by outrunning defenders for easy scoring opportunities. Graves pairs elite downhill speed with impressive body control and a sharp change of pace, allowing him to consistently get downhill. While he consistently excels at attacking the paint, Graves has also emerged as a more dependable perimeter shooter —an important aspect of his long term projection, displaying a smooth and repeatable catch and shoot stroke and showing improved efficiency from beyond the arc.   Graves has seen a pair of scholarship offers come in recent weeks— having Georgia Tech and Seton Hall extending offers, with additional programs expected to show interest, especially if Graves continues to put up impressive numbers on the 3SSB circuit.     [player_tooltip player_id='2504903' first='Dylan' last='Cowell'] has firmly established himself as one of the biggest stock risers in the state in recent months, continuing a steady upward trajectory in his development. The skilled left handed tweener combines impressive mobility for his size with a relentless motor, both of which reflect the clear progress he's made in his overall game. Offensively, he's become increasingly efficient around the rim, providing consistent production from the dunker spot and on the block. He's also shown noticeable growth in his low post game, displaying improved patience, solid footwork, and a reliable array of interior moves. Defensively, Cowell has been highly active and impactful, regularly high pointing rebounds and controlling the glass. He's also taken strides as a rim protector while showing the versatility to switch onto quicker guards and wings on the perimeter, further enhancing his value on that end of the floor.   In recent weeks, Cowell received an offer from Wagner and will be looking to rack in a few more over the coming weeks as we approach the May live period.     [player_tooltip player_id='2201947' first='Anthony' last='Gonzalez'] stands out as a true floor general who consistently plays with poise and a strong command of the offense. An instinctive decision maker and selfless playmaker, he also keeps defenses honest as a capable scoring threat. With excellent feel for the game, Gonzalez operates naturally within PnR action, using quickness off the dribble to turn corners and create driving lanes out of various ball screens. He shows strong body control when finishing at the rim and punishes defenses that drop coverage by pulling up effectively in the mid range, while also demonstrating improved efficiency as a three-point shooter. Confident in his reads and steady in his court vision, Gonzalez excels as an open floor facilitator, where he controls tempo and consistently delivers timely passes to teammates in transition.

One of the most anticipated weekends on the spring AAU calendar is quickly approaching in the May live period— a weekend in which college coaches are finally allowed in the gym and able to get their eyes on prospects in person. With prospects beginning to set themselves apart with hot starts to the spring in hopes of seeing their respective recruitments pick up some steam, let's dive into a list of prospects in the 2027 class who will be looking to put together impressive live periods this May.