COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — There have been 84 of the highest highschool gamers within the nation participating within the USA Basketball minicamp over the weekend with a number of NBA scouts and executives in attendance for the 5 coaching periods the place the gamers competed in 3-on-3 drills, pick-and-roll possibility, defensive rotations and 5-on-5 scrimmages. Basic managers from the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards additionally made the journey to see a few of the premier expertise arising with scouts from all 30 NBA groups in addition to the G League Ignite and Extra time Elite lining the 2 gyms on the U.S. Olympic Coaching Heart.
Noticeably absent from this yr’s camp was the No. 1 participant within the 2024 class, Cooper Flagg, and the No. 1 participant within the 2025 class, Cameron Boozer, however there was nonetheless loads of expertise on the courtroom and a pair younger gamers who made nice first impressions on the USA Basketball teaching workers and NBA scouts.
Yahoo Sports activities takes a have a look at eight gamers who shined on the minicamp and gamers to maintain tabs on heading into the highschool season.
Stokes, one week shy of turning 16 years outdated, is likely one of the most bodily dominating gamers in highschool basketball. He acquired stronger from over the summer season and is now 6-foot-7 and 240 kilos. The opposite side of his recreation that stood out instantly was his improved 3-point shot. For a participant who can get to the rim every time he desires, he is actually centered on extending his recreation previous the 3-point line and turning into extra of a three-way menace on offense. Most recruiting consultants have Stokes and A.J. Dybantsa because the No. 1 and No. 2 gamers within the 2026 class, and the duo will probably be onerous to cease on the courtroom this yr throughout the highschool season.
“Nearly each follow, me and Tyran play on reverse groups so we’re pushing one another to get higher each single day,” Dybantsa instructed Yahoo Sports activities. “He is so robust and it is helped me step up the bodily a part of my recreation.”
Stokes, initially from Louisville, Kentucky, has early presents from Kansas, UCLA, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Louisville, Florida State, Auburn, Xavier, Arizona State and Alabama.
When Dybantsa is on the courtroom, significantly in 5-on-5 motion, it is onerous to give attention to anybody else. He has nice size along with his 6-9 body and has lengthy strides with the ball in his fingers, masking a variety of floor in a brief period of time. He is shifting higher off the ball and since he is such a proficient scorer, it opens up the spacing on the courtroom for his teammates.
Dybantsa transferred to powerhouse Prolific Prep (Napa, California) and joined the opposite high participant within the 2026 class, Stokes. The pair gained a gold medal for Group USA over the summer season on the FIBA U16 Americas Championship and each performed up two divisions on Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League. Dybantsa led all gamers at Peach Jam with 25.8 factors, capturing 47% from the sphere and 30% from 3-point vary.
“USA is all the time aggressive, and I really like popping out right here and getting within the health club with these different gamers,” Dybantsa mentioned. “There isn’t any strain for me, I simply come out right here and hoop. You are going to have unhealthy days, everybody has unhealthy days however I am simply popping out right here to play by means of all the things and get higher.”
It is nonetheless very early within the recruiting course of however Dybantsa picked up two current presents from Texas and USC and holds different presents from Michigan, UConn, LSU, Auburn and Alabama.
The factor that stood out probably the most about Fland on the minicamp was his improved shot and the way confidently he was getting the ball off whether or not it was in catch-and-shoot conditions or off the dribble. Fland, a 6-2 level guard out of Archbishop Stepinac Excessive Faculty (New York) was making nice reads within the lane and gamers seamlessly elevated their recreation when taking part in alongside him in drills.
“I simply need to present NBA scouts that I am a frontrunner and that I can stand out whereas taking part in with nice gamers,” Fland instructed Yahoo Sports activities. “I really feel like whenever you’re taking part in with good gamers, your mindset is to attain, however there’s extra to it than that. Being teammate, serving to get different gamers concerned, doing the little issues. Whenever you go to the NBA, are you going to be the one scoring or is it going to be somebody that is already been there? So it’s a must to present extra of the little issues and that is what I am making an attempt to do.”
Fland is uncommitted and all the way down to a remaining three colleges of Kentucky, Indiana and Alabama and does not have a timeframe but as to when he plans on committing. “It could possibly be subsequent week, subsequent month, three weeks, I am undecided, so keep tuned,” Fland mentioned.
Harper regarded bodily stronger from the summer season season and used it to his benefit whereas posting up smaller guards throughout a two-man possibility off the wing. His passing in transition and the best way he superior the ball after missed photographs are what make him the most effective guards within the nation. Defensively, he was very energetic on the boards and was capturing the gaps for steals off the weak aspect.
Harper is down to 5 colleges (Duke, Rutgers, Indiana, Auburn and Kansas) and has taken three official visits (Duke, Rutgers and Indiana). Many consider it is a two-way race between Duke and Rutgers, the place his older brother, Ron Harper Jr., performed, however Harper mentioned he is nonetheless contemplating all 5 colleges.
“All 5 colleges are nice packages and locations the place I might see myself play subsequent yr, so I am simply going to observe the groups carefully this season and actually take my time in making my choice,” Harper instructed Yahoo Sports activities.
Jackson, a 6-6 guard dedicated to North Carolina, was the most effective gamers on the Adidas Nations AAU circuit over the summer season and continued his scoring dominance on the minicamp. Nobody will get a shot off faster than Jackson, and he makes use of his fast footwork to his benefit on the perimeter when greater gamers step out to protect him. He is an elite passer and finisher and is a hard-nosed participant who likes to compete and win.
There have been rumors circulating over the summer season that Jackson was contemplating decommitting from North Carolina and going to St. John’s. Jackson put these rumors to relaxation, telling Yahoo Sports activities, “I am 100% dedicated to UNC and will probably be taking part in for coach Hubert Davis subsequent yr. I do not know the place these rumors got here from.”
There’s nothing NBA scouts love extra in younger gamers than size and flexibility, and Rooths has each. He is not a very flashy scorer, however he can get sizzling from the perimeter and has the scale at 6-7 and talent set to play a number of positions and influence the sport from quite a lot of spots on the courtroom.
Throughout 3-on-3 drills, he regarded extra settled within the pick-and-pop scenario and was affected person, ready to see what the protection would give him as an alternative of forcing issues inside.
Rooths has an upcoming official go to to Michigan and visited Georgia, Florida State, Maryland and Virginia Tech.
Out of all of the gamers within the 2024 and 2025 courses who participated within the minicamp, Staton was the most important shock and left an enduring first impression on NBA scouts. Staton, a 7-foot middle out of Las Vegas, is a comparatively unknown recruit after taking part in on the New Steadiness AAU circuit this previous spring and summer season.
He did not again down from anybody and challenged each participant on the rim. His timing as a shot-blocker is elite, whether or not he is bodying up along with his man off a one-on-one scenario or sliding over on the weak-side block for some assist. Staton has nice fingers and contact across the rim. He confirmed some promising indicators of creating extra of an out of doors recreation.
Staton, a junior, holds presents from UNLV, Xavier, Texas A&M, TCU, Stanford, Iowa, Illinois, Creighton and Arizona State.
Johnson did a variety of little issues rather well over the course of three days. The Illinois commit did not overthink issues or attempt to be too flashy and is a participant who simply performs the appropriate method. He was making stops within the lane persistently, making the appropriate cross out of double-teams and creating second alternatives for his teammates on offense in the best way he fought to get inside place for rebounds.
Johnson, a 6-8 senior ahead out of Chicago, selected Illinois over Florida, Iowa, Ohio State, Texas, Nebraska and Windfall.
Youthful gamers on the rise
On Sunday night, the youthful group (Group Purple) defeated the older group (Group Blue) in a head-to-head scrimmage. JJ Mandaquit, a 2025 level guard, was improbable and a real ground basic, main Group Purple and facilitating all the things on offense.
Kiyan Anthony, a 2026 level guard, grew a few inches for the reason that summer season season and is now 6-4. His added size gave him the benefit in mismatch conditions. He did not hesitate to get his shot off in site visitors or catch-and-shoot conditions in transition. Dad, Carmelo, was current on the sidelines all weekend, meting out recommendation to Kiyan and different gamers on the courtroom.
One of many youngest gamers on the complete minicamp, 2027 wing Babatunde Oladotun, is a protracted wing (already at 6-6 as a freshman) and confirmed a pure really feel for the sport with ease and good decision-making.
Brandon McCoy, a 2026 combo guard, will get higher and higher each time he hits the courtroom and confirmed extra confidence in his playmaking as the first ball-handler. McCoy, a top-five participant within the sophomore class, holds early presents from UCLA, Rutgers, Louisville, Washington, Washington State and Arizona State.
