A legit 7-footer with the necessary physical tools to carve out space on the interior and to be extremely impactful in the paint on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, Zach Destine took a tremendous leap in his development, with his production significantly elevating throughout the course of his junior season. As Destine continued to get stronger and refine his skillset, he consistently leveraged his length to be impactful with his activity around the basket in a multitude of ways— excelling as a true rim protector altering and block shot attempts at the rim with solid timing and anticipation skills, soft touch around the basket paired with solid footwork in the low post to either make a move or turn and finish at the rim, crashing the glass for second chance opportunities and securing boards on the defensive end, and effectively rim running in transition.

Zach Derstine Zach Derstine 6'11" | C/PF Wayne Valley | 2027 State NJ provided a strong interior paint presence on both sides of the court for this 16U Showcase group over the May live period. Offensively, Derstine displayed his ability to finish over both shoulders, with solid touch around the basket. Defensively, Derstine used his length to be disruptive at the rim— altering and blocking shot attempts at the rim. A name to keep an eye on in the ’27 class, look for Derstine to continue to get stronger while refining his skillset.