Bryten has transformed his body and his game since the end of the summer. He’s dropped nearly 25 pounds and improved his overall skill level. Already a good passer, Close appears to be stronger with the ball and being a more active rebounder than he’s shown in the past. With Landon Blakey Landon Blakey 6'7" | PF Adair County | 2026 State KY gone back to LaRue County, Close is likely to be the anchor for the Cardinals in the post and can be a hard cover in the 5th region.

An old school big man, Close is a bigger bodied post player who likes to score with his back to the basket. A guy who loves contact, Close will go into the defender and use his body to create space and hit hook shots and fadeaways from the low block. Very skilled with the ball in his hands, Close can also pass it around the court when doubled. One of the more productive bigs in Kentucky’s 2026 class, Close looks like a scholarship prospect with continued development over the next two years.

Bryten was one of the top players at last year’s freshman showcase and will look to impress again on Saturday. When I saw him last month, Close looked more confident in the pick and pop game.

One of the bigger prospects at the camp, Close is a unique prospect to watch with his size and offensive versatility. Skilled with the ball in his hands, Close is able to stretch the defense with 3-pointers or passes after the defense keys in on him with the ball in his hands. For Close, the most important development in his game is probably foot speed defensively. For his size, Close moves his feet pretty well right now and will look to continue to be able to hedge and switch when guarding pick and rolls. As a high school player, Close has the size to score at will in the paint and could put up monster numbers this winter.

A true center with old school game, Close has low block scoring skills and knows how to use his body for positioning and finishing through contact. Bryten is a talker on defense who isn’t afraid to quarterback a defense at such a young age. He and Blakey are going to be a big time duo for the next 3 years.