2026 Watch List: Guards (Part 2)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We recently put out our first watch list for the freshman class in the state of VA, and we will take a look at each positional ranking from guards, wings and forwards. Obviously some of these players are positionless players that can fit in multiple spots, but we did our best to categorize them based on their skillset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at part two of of the point and combo guards in the new rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jordan Smith Jr. | 6'3” CG | Paul VI</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1496957,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Smith-Jordan.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/Smith-Jordan.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1496957" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith Jr. has been known in the DMV basketball circles for years even before he entered high school, and if there's any way to describe how good he is he plays for a top 5 team in the country with 7 nationally ranked prospects and he still gets on the floor and plays a pivotal role for them. The 6'3” combo guard has insanely long arms and is one of the best defenders in the DMV regardless of class, he can create off the bounce for himself and teammates, he's a very good athlete who is only going to get more explosive as he gets older and he has that dog and toughness in him you simply can't teach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588134' first='Zyon' last='McGlone'] | 5'7” PG | King's Fork</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1599481,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/611-Zyon-Mcglone-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/611-Zyon-Mcglone-scaled.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1599481" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McGlone is a young player on a very talented and experienced King's Fork team so he doesn't play as much as some of the others on this list, but he's got that style of play that many talented guards in the 757 have. While he's only 5'7” he's still growing and has long arms and gets after it defensively, he's quick and gets to the paint and rim where he can make plays and he brings it defensively as a very good on ball defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588112' first='Cole' last='Murdock'] | 6'0” CG | New Covenant</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1599497,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/649-Cole-Murdock-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/649-Cole-Murdock-scaled.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1599497" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Murdock is part of a talented young backcourt at New Covenant and will be one to watch in the Lynchburg area moving forward. The 6'0” combo is a skilled and smart guard who has good instincts on both ends of the floor, he can make shots off the catch and off the bounce and he makes great decisions and doesn't make many mistakes on either end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1782693' first='Dominic' last='Nguyen'] | 5'11” PG | Seton School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nguyen has a legacy at Seton School where his bother was a standout for years and he's got a chance to put the small private school on the map moving forward. The 5'11” lead guard is a true floor general who plays with great pace and protects the basketball, he makes plays for others and can get his team into sets and he picks his spots and can score it from multiple levels too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josh Rice | 6'0” PG | Hampton Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1599496,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/648-Joshua-Rice-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/648-Joshua-Rice-scaled.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1599496" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rice is a talented young guard on the Peninsula who already has decent size at the point guard spot and couples that with a great feel for the game. The 6'0” point guard has a lightning quick first step and touches the paint easily where he can make plays, he has a deadly midrange game with a good pull-up and floaters and he moves well off the ball too to get easy shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Keon Mitchell | 6'2” PG | Norview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mitchell was a First Team All Conference selection at Norview, showing he's one of the most dynamic and talented guards in the 757 regardless of class. The 6'2” guard is already very strong and is able to initiate and draw contact when he gets downhill to finish, he's shifty off the bounce and changes speeds well and he's able to score the ball in bunches from all over the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1446198' first='CARMELO' last='SWINSON'] | 6'2” PG | Norcom</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Swinson is a super talented young guard who has been known in the 757 well before he entered high school, and he walked in and took over as the go-to player this year and scored it with the best of them all year. The stocky 6'2” guard has such a great skillset as he can create space off the bounce and makes difficult shots look easy, he can score the ball from all three levels and gets hot quickly and he has good vision and playmaking ability too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->