2026 AZ Freshman Showcase: Eye-Catchers Pt. 2

I attended the 2026 PrepHoops Arizona Freshman Showcase at Inspire Courts in Gilbert, AZ on September 5. This was my first time watching most of these players, and I came away extremely intrigued by the class of 2030, as this class is loaded with talent. Here's part two of four highlighting the players who caught my eye.    A multi-faceted guard who can impact the game from anywhere and on both ends of the floor. He has a quick trigger whether off the bounce, catch-and-shoot, or side-stepping a defender and then pulling up. And he does most of his damage from the three-point line. When he isn't shooting it he attacks the paint, using jab steps to freeze his defender before committing to the drive. Off a drive from the top of the key or on the break, he displayed excellent vision too, lasering passes in the paint, from half court, or kicking out for corner threes. Got multiple tipped balls on defense that turned into turnovers and led to fastbreak opportunities. Active on the glass as well, frequently cleaning the defensive boards.     A pure scorer, who makes creating his own shot look easy thanks to his size and frame. Had a lot of success shooting it from deep and then driving into the lane, with a clean release on his jumpers. Has multiple ways of getting separation on layups and jumpers: side steps in the paint to free up space at the rim, quick lateral movements to shake off opponents in the midrange, and shot fakes that open up the floater.     Super bouncy, with the ability to play both guard and forward. A lot of his scoring came close to the rim, filling the role of athletic finisher with multiple drive-and-slams and fastbreak layups. He's at his scariest coming downhill on a fastbreak. At that height he can do a lot, whether elevating for the finish or dishing it off to an open man inside. He also has unique ball placement on the way up, putting it in awkward, unexpected spots in mid-air so defenders can't swipe at it, almost like he's flicking it in on a layup. A contributor on the defensive end too, getting blocks in the run of play and in transition.     Really got into a groove after his first game of the day, settling in as more of a downhill big who can also pass the rock. He can already do a lot at his size as a freshman, with a ton of upside moving forward. Most of his points came on drive-in layups, using his large frame to bully his way into the paint and absorb the bump on the finish. His drives are fairly straightforward, straight to the rim, but the size makes that work. He picked up boards at both ends in the process. What was most impressive was his vision on fastbreaks, lasering passes off his dribble to a teammate in the paint.     Already plays at a varsity level, and plays with a real motor. Good feel for the game, sharp vision, and not afraid to do the dirty work at either end. At his size he can grab boards on both sides of the court, then immediately punish the defense in the fastbreak. Always looking for the open man, with high-IQ passes. And he knows where to be defensively, grabbing a defensive rebound, getting his hands on a ball to steal it or force a turnover. He just understands where his spots are.     Gets to the rim with ease, showing real ball-handling ability driving into the paint and absorbing contact on the way up. Can pop from three as well, hitting multiple catch-and-shoot looks, and has the court vision to make sharp passes in transition. Surprising hesitation moves for his size, letting him separate and spin into the lane.

I attended the 2026 PrepHoops Arizona Freshman Showcase at Inspire Courts in Gilbert, AZ on September 5. This was my first time watching most of these players, and I came away extremely intrigued by the class of 2030, as this class is loaded with talent. Here's part two of four highlighting the players who caught my eye.