A hyperactive guard with incredible hustle in pursuit of the basketball, making him a game changer in passing lanes, on the glass, and around loose balls. He also showed the athleticism to crash in for putback dunks. Everything Hopkins did was explosive and played at top speed. He was an extremely difficult one-on-one cover due to his quick-twitch combo dribbles that consistently broke defenders down, resulting in straight-line drives or timely shots off the dribble.

A new name to the area, Hopkins will suit up for the Mt. Zion Prep (National) program by way of Oklahoma and while we wanted to be cautious in where we put him in the debut of our state rankings considering we only had one live viewing of him prior, it’s safe to say he’ll have the opportunity to make progressive jumps in the next couple updates. A 6’1″ guard with supreme athleticism, Hopkins forms a dynamic duo next to top-25 combo forward Dawson Battie on Southern Ties. When the games are tight, either Hopkins or Battie can take control of the offense and while Battie has the size at 6’8″, Hopkins relies on his twitch to expose driving lanes and showed yesterday that if he has a clear launching pad, any defender in the vicinity needs to be careful testing him in the air. Hopkins has been one of the risers on the PRO16 Circuit this spring/summer as he has accumulated five DI offers since early May. Hopkins’ well-rounded scoring ability combined with the athleticism and twitch mentioned earlier are just a couple of the reasons he is firmly on radars.

Hopkins has quickly introduced himself to the DMV with Mt. Zion Prep and asserted himself as a tough scoring guard that can handle the pressure of playing up to the competition the area has to offer. A lot of times, it takes outsiders time to adjust to their team, the level of competition and the overall speed/physicality that come in a second nature fashion to teams in the area, but Hopkins has embraced the challenge. He’s a quick-twitch guard who can knife his way into driving lanes with burst off the catch or an array of counters operating off the bounce to expose advantages. He embraced contact on his way to the rack and did a nice job of quickly locating teammates as defenses collapsed. Hopkins averaged 15PPG and 3.3APG while earning an offer from UMass Lowell.

Considering Hopkins suffered an ACL injury last spring and is still playing with a bulky brace, it’s remarkable how fast he still is. Had a couple times on drives where he hit the jets and left defenders in the dust. Change of direction also looked to be coming back with the suddenness of his shifty moves. The area where he doesn’t look to fully be his pre-injury self is his verticality. Will be an area to track as he continues to regain his full health. Still, very promising signs from a player who long been among the best prospects in Oklahoma.

Hopkins is one of the most “must watch” offensive players in Oklahoma. He’s like smoke through a key hole with his drives in halfcourt, carving up defenses. Complete with the ability to stop on a dime and heat up in the mid-range. Put up big scoring numbers in one of the games of the weekends. It started with loud scoring early, then he scored big bucket after bucket, helping drag his team back into the contest. Few can match his raw talent and elite athleticism. Which should make for an exciting summer, as he continues to refine his lead guard skills and offensive decision making.

The talent jumps off the court every time Hopkins is watched. He’s put on some of the best shows in Oklahoma this winter. Lightning quick off the dribble, slippery and elusive when driving to the basket. Complete with high flying and acrobatic finishes. While having unreal anticipation to pair with his explosiveness on the defensive end for blocks and steals. He’s continuing to improve as a shooter and is complete scoring weapon. The natural talent is elite status, but his feel as a true point guard is where he needs to continue to evolve. Improving his game management and feel as a leader in the halfcourt will be crucial for early next level success.

Even with other elite juniors emerging, Hopkins’ explosive game has kept him near the top of the class. Lightning quick off the bounce, he’s been scoring around 16 a game. While also handing out 7 assists. He’s the type of guard who can changes games in a hurry, especially with how he sees the court in transition. The bouncy junior guard is also a menace on defense with sky high blocks and quick hand steals. A recent win against Moore was a bit of a breakthrough of a good Choctaw squad that had been knocking at the door at earning a signature win. Tournament match ups against Broken Arrow and El Reno will give them more chances to solidify momentum before the stretch run to earn a Regional host.

It’s probably safe to save that Hopkins is the quickest guard in Oklahoma. Often had defenders on skates or guessing the wrong way with his electric ability to change directions. Has game breaking explosiveness to go along with that quickness. Was routinely rising like he had on a jet pack to block shots at the rim. High flying finishing at the rim on offense too. Dunked it with ease when he’s able to find a clear lane. Or finished acrobatically with contorting movements and hang time to avoid defenders.

Hopkins’ jumper has been steadily improving this year, especially as he’s been on a scoring tear. He’s ascending into the tier of Oklahoma’s elite players. Because he has a rare level of athleticism, which will open the door for next level opportunities. But to fully walk through the door, he will need to become more of a true point guard. There’s good signs with the outlet passes and the heads up plays he makes, usually in transition. But his court awareness in the halfcourt on offense needs to continue to improve. As evident in the title game when the Choctaw coaching staff was calling for him to hold it for the last possession to end the third quarter. But the junior took a shot instead. Cleaning up little moments like that will make the sky the limit for Hopkins.

A twitchy guard, who is a gamechanger on both ends of court. Unbelievable instincts compliment his quickness on defense as a havoc causer who makes flashy steals and at the high school level is explosive enough for blocks as well. On offense, he has “smoke through a keyhole” quality that allows him to glide by defenders as a driver. Insane body control to go with his hops makes him an elite level finisher.

Brings State Tournament appearance to his new program, forming a high ceiling junior trio with Steven Anderson Steven Anderson 6'1" | CG Choctaw | 2026 State OK and Jordan Valentine Jordan Valentine 6'6" | SF Choctaw | 2026 State OK . Anderson is also a face in a new place, who was also at Carl Albert and will now be at Choctaw. Hopkins and Anderson’s chemistry has been evident, and they will be one of the top junior backcourt punches in Oklahoma.

Jayden Hopkins Jayden Hopkins 6'1" | PG Mt. Zion Preparatory Academy | 2027 State MD stood out at The Expo and was able to earn a spot on The Signature 6. He is an extremely quick guard who scored regularly from all three levels. His explosive first step and change of speed are elite and painted a clear picture of why he has earned his number three ranking in the class of 2026. While driving, Hopkins elevates and is able to finish with great touch.