We pretty much know what to expect when we see Bean play, and that’s exactly what he was against Davenport West in a blowout win – steady, consistent, tough as nails, and contributing across the board. A strong guard who handles it well and does a great job setting his teammates up, he’s also capable of using that physicality to his advantage and getting to the rim off the bounce. He’s a really good defender, especially on the ball, where he makes opposing ball-handlers work hard to get anything going. He has great body control around the rim and is a solid finisher through contact, can step out and stretch the floor off the dribble and the catch, and he’ll contribute in a big way on the glass on either end.

Leading the way for his squad at another local tournament, Jaxson Bean Jaxson Bean 6'1" | PG/CG Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2027 State IA of Kennedy held down the lead guard spot for Jersey Way. A tall combo guard that sees the floor well, has stop-and-go quickness in spurts with the rock in his hand to deceive defenders, and can hit a three, Bean has a refined game.

On Saturday, Bean also showed the ability to slip through two defenders and finish at the rim, go up-and-under and finish at the rim, and, if he gets hot, he can be tough to stop from the outside.

One of the top prospects in attendance, Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s leading scorer for the season, Jaxson Bean Jaxson Bean 6'1" | PG/CG Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2027 State IA served as Splash Bros’ lead guard at the Shoot Out on Saturday.

Handling the rock on the perimeter and bringing it up the court, Bean was always in attack mode, looking to score at every chance — whether for himself or for others. One play in particular stands out, when Bean took an inbound pass after a made basket by an opponent and went full quarterback-mode, looking for the full-court pass for a layup. Just out of the reach of his teammate’s hands, the ball went out of bounds, but still, the aggression from Bean stands out as a tone-setting move by Splash Bros’ lead guard.

With a long wingspan and a smooth jumper, one could tell that Bean has played his fair share of hoops, and he may be a name to watch as one of the top players in the Cedar Rapids metro again next season. This winter, he put up 12.5 points, 5.4 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Bean had a nice sophomore year for a Kennedy team that was one of the best in 4A last season, averaging 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 43-39-65 shooting splits. He’s a physical lead guard who isn’t afraid to take smaller defenders onto the block and score or find open teammates, allowing Kennedy to invert the offense. Following the graduations of the Cougars’ top three scorers, he’ll have a much larger role within the offense as a junior.