Trending Up: 2029 Prospects Raising Eyebrows

Some weekends change how you look at a player. That was the case with this group. These players showed expanded impact, consistency, and flashes that turned into real production. These were the 2029 prospects that left with more momentum than they came in with. A lot of it wasn't just stats either, and I think that is what I like best. Take a look at 5 stock boosters from this past weekend.    Charlotte impacted the game with defensive pressure, activity, and a smooth offensive rhythm that kept showing up throughout the weekend. He's a spark plug. The lefty hunted shots confidently, but even when perimeter looks weren't falling, he still found ways to score through cuts, he got out in transition, and was even effective in a half-court set. Defensively, he sped guards up, denied touches, and covered ground well. He's a high-energy two-way player whose motor and athleticism continue to trend upward, but I do think he has a real opportunity to pop in a year. Now it is about getting it altogether. Curious about him but do think he boosted his stock.     Christiansen is a player who impacts the game massively with just his presence alone. He brought physicality and interior presence every time out, and he used his size and length to overwhelm defenders around the basket. Laine kept the ball high, finished through contact, and forced his way to the line simply by playing harder than most players on the floor. But he's also very skilled. He flashed defensive timing with a couple of blocks and solid vertical deflections. He stepped out on guards, made them work, and got back in enough time to place plays at the basket. He's a versatile young forward whose toughness and production boosted his stock significantly.     Okoth was one of my favorite players to watch as he was one of the more impactful defenders of the weekend. He consistently changed possessions with how active he was, and his timing stood out as well. He rotated well, blocked multiple shots, altered attempts, and filled defensive gaps without chasing plays. Offensively, he surprised with coast-to-coast pushes, floaters, and physical finishes inside that helped secure wins for his team. He's a bit difficult to classify in the best way possible as he's part glue guy, part interior force, part playmaker. His versatility and toughness stood out immediately, and is a player to follow. I'm sure we see plenty of varsity for him this year as Ponderosa could certainly use him.     Gehringer is a player who stood out for me for [program_tooltip program_id='2378749' first='Colorado' last='Lightning'] as he consistently created offense through movement and instincts rather than just waiting for things to come to him. He cuts hard, rebounds outside his area, and quickly turns possessions into transition opportunities, which makes it hard to take him off the floor. He had one of the best moments of the weekend, which came on a tough reverse finish after freezing the entire defense with a fake in transition and using his pivot to get open. Jordan plays with feel, keeps the ball moving, and impacts the game in ways that lead directly to winning basketball. So It was great to get him on the radar.     Jaramillo was another [program_tooltip program_id='2378749' first='Colorado' last='Lightning'] player who showed flashes as a real scoring threat throughout the weekend. He shows great instincts, especially when he looked to attack with confidence. He's comfortable pulling up in the midrange and capable of stretching the floor. He also had timely cuts for finishes and used the baseline as well as a slasher. There's a natural balance to his game because he wants teammates involved, but when he turns aggressive offensively, he becomes much tougher to contain. I did not know much about him heading into the weekend but is a player to watch moving forward.

Some weekends change how you look at a player. That was the case with this group. These players showed expanded impact, consistency, and flashes that turned into real production. These were the 2029 prospects that left with more momentum than they came in with. A lot of it wasn't just stats either, and I think that is what I like best. Take a look at 5 stock boosters from this past weekend.